FARMINGTON — The University of Maine at Farmington has created a new series of free, open-to-the-public concerts with a focus on the independent rock, pop, punk and R&B sounds that are so much a part of the contemporary music people love to listen to.

UMF’s Western Maine Music Series will kick off with a concert featuring the sounds of Crunchcoat, a Portland-based, pop punk trio, at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, on the lawn of the Emery Community Arts Center on the UMF campus.

Led by singer Danny Bailey, Crunchcoat originates from the Southern California punk scene with a fun, upbeat, poppy punk sound. Their fast and energetic music is mirrored in Bailey’s exuberant stage presence.

Samantha Taylor, a singer/songwriter/guitarist and senior at UMF, will open the concert. Her music is inspired by 2000’s pop punk and pop music of today. UMF student musicians will be featured as the opening acts throughout the series.

“This is a great opportunity to be a part of a creative, grassroots music event,” said Taylor. “I’m so excited to work with musicians like Crunchcoat and help bring the fun sounds of pop punk to Farmington.”

The Western Maine Music Series is committed to a vision of music-making that is culturally diverse, ground-up, community-oriented and do-it-yourself, according to Matt Houston, part-time UMF faculty member. He and Eireann Lorsung, assistant professor of creative writing, created the music series to help develop a culture of Indie and pop music in Western Maine to complement the region’s folk and classical music traditions.

“We want to create a space where people can feel empowered to make all kinds of things, from music to community,” said Lorsung. “This music series showcases people who are creating music off the beaten path and from the ground up. That do-it-yourself energy redefines what constitutes a concert.”

Music lovers are invited to bring a lawn chair or beach blanket and enjoy an evening of live music. If the weather is poor, the concert will be moved indoors.

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