We don’t know much about the environmental record of the principality of Liechtenstein.
But the Lords of Liechtenstein have plenty to say on the subject, and they are scheduled to do so with ukuleles and guitars on the Morristown Green this Sunday. (Interview below.)
How are brothers Dan and Noah Rauchwerk, a.k.a. LoL, able to sing with their tongues planted so firmly in cheek? It’s just one of the fascinations that await visitors to Festival Earth, which runs from noon to 6 pm on May 19, 2013.
Hosted by our friends at Sustainable Morristown, Festival Earth will feature a sustainable living expo, a hybrid-electric car show, a Morris Arts showcase, a healthy foods pavilion and valet bike parking.
Musical acts also will include the Bobby Syvarth Band, with Paul Kuzik on bass, Moe Watson on drums, Mike Barnes on electric guitar and special guest Dan Myers, sax player of the popular band From Good Homes.
Morristown’s favorite hip hop band, Universal Rebel, also will perform, and the Original Music School will spotlight some of its top talent.
Look for the MorristownGreen.com tent, too. We will be showing green-tinged movies from past MorristownGreen.com Film Festivals. (Get your entries in for this summer’s MG Film Fest!!!)
And keep an eye out for some wickedly clever “eco-sculptures” fashioned from recycled household items by kids at the recent Children’s Day of Art at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church.
“This is an opportunity to celebrate all the great work by all those who contribute to a sustainable mindset for the town,” said Paul Miller, co-founder of Sustainable Morristown and coordinator of the town’s Office of Sustainability for Mayor Tim Dougherty.
Festival Earth also will score points toward the town’s re-certification by Sustainable Jersey, Paul said.
FESTIVAL EARTH 2013 SCHEDULE
Noon-12:15 pm The Presbyterian Church, former owner of the Green, reflects about caring for the planet and each other
12:15 pm-12:45 pm Music – Mari Byrd (Bluegrass/Rock)12:45 pm-1 pm SusMo, Mayor Dougherty, sponsors
1 pm-1:40 pm Music – Seventh Stage (rock covers)
1:45-2 pm Music – 1st Ave – (Youth)
2 pm-2:40 pm Music – Bobby Syvarth (Jazz)
2:40 pm-3 pm Green Divas
3 pm-3:40 pm Music – Lords of Liechtenstein (Folk)
4 pm-4:40 pm Music – Universal Rebel (Reggae/Dub)
5-6 pm Original Music School – Student bands
Of course, Earth Day was in April. Festival Earth–now in its fourth year–was moved to May in hopes of warmer weather, and to culminate a month-long series of environmentally themed events, Paul explained.
The Festival itself will serve as a lesson of sorts; trustees of the historic Green have decided to extend the closure of several grassy areas, which are being re-seeded. The show will go on, with some clever adjustments.
“We understand that Nature has a certain carrying capacity, and needs to regenerate,” Paul said. “Initially, it was ‘Oh no, what are we going to do?’ But we see this as a teachable moment. We are as committed as anyone to preserving the Green for generations to come.”
He thinks this also might give impetus to discussions about sprucing up nearby Pioneer Park for large public gatherings.
Getting back to teachable moments, we had an informative online discussion with those voluble Lords of Liechtenstein, darlings of the Minstrel in Morris Township and ambassadors for the sweater vest.
For the record, Dan, 24, and Noah, 18, hail from Holmdel and they like Liechtenstein because… well, just because.
MORRISTOWNGREEN.COM: Hello, fellows. How do you feel about sustainability? Is folk music sustainable? Is Liechtenstein sustainable?
DAN: We’re both very passionate about protecting the environment. Folk music is indeed sustainable because it’s made by people and not machines. Liechtenstein is quite environmentally friendly since we all just live in castles that were built hundreds of years ago.
MG: Do you have a special line of sweater vests for outdoor gigs?
DAN: We do. We call them “sweaty vests.” They’re like our regular sweater vests, only sweatier.
MG: What have you heard about this venue, the Morristown Green?
DAN: We’ve heard it’s beautiful, and we’ve been wanting to go for awhile! Usually when we’re in town we’re distracted by the burritos at Macho Nacho, so it will be nice to see some outdoorsy parts of Morristown.
MG: Sunday’s gig is Festival Earth… where does Earth rank among your favorite planets?
DAN: First, of course! The audiences on Pluto are pretty cold and everyone on Jupiter is kind of gassy!
MG: Do you have any environmentally themed songs for this occasion?
DAN: The lords (and ladies) of Morristown will just have to come out and see for themselves, won’t they?
MG: If you were a tree, what kind would you be? (Hey, Barbara Walters is retiring. This is my big chance!)
DAN: An Ent (from The Lord of the Rings). Talking, orc-fighting trees are so cool!
MG: In the spirit of the event, will you be recycling any songs?
DAN: But of course! We’ll recycle our jokes too! We’ll recycle our jokes too!
