C.W.S. Hosts Damn Glad to Party With You Festival

Layne Fox, music director at Lake Worth's C.W.S. Bar + Kitchen, explained how the Damn Glad to Party With You Festival came together: "A bunch of us just said, 'Hey, we have the basic ingredients. Let’s pull it together.'" The free all-day, all-night party/art bazaar/street fair/concert will host seven bands and two DJs on October 15.

Fox thinks the new bar is the perfect spot for just such an occasion. "If you’ve never been to C.W.S., there is a beautiful beer garden with a great sound system and atmosphere that’s truly perfect for live music. Lake Worth has a long history of embracing music and indie DIY culture in general, which makes it an ideal setting for this sort of thing. Folks can expect to have a lot of fun, day or night. We hope they stay a while and soak in the entertainment, cruise the arts and crafts areas, [and] dig into the scratch food menu and our huge selection of craft cocktails and beers on tap. "

The Damn Glad to Party With You Festival set out to book bands that have become regulars at C.W.S., including Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio, Crazyfingers, Bluejay, Chloe Dolandis Duo, Solemark, Mike Mineo, and Victoria Cardona. In between sets and from midnight to close Kent Lawler and Layne Fox will spin records to keep the energy going. "I love playing music that people bop their heads and shake their hips to. It's gotta have soul! Rhythm-based stuff pretty much across the board, so people can expect a wide spectrum of artists and genres. In the end, I just want people to have a memorable time and maybe say something like, '... and the music was totally awesome.'" 

Fox is hopeful first-time guests at C.W.S. will like what they see and hear. He promises more good things to come. "We have a jam-packed and really exciting schedule for the fall and winter. Alex Di Leo with KIDS, Peyote Coyote, Uproot Hootenanny, Spred the Dub, [and] Raggy Monster with Whiskey Wasps, to name just a few. We’ve got a weekly reggae night on Thursdays starting in January with four different groups: Big Harvest, Reggae Force, Future Prezidents, and ARTIKal Soundsystem. The Toast & Jam Sunday brunch is also picking up week after week, and we expect that to keep growing coming into fall as the weather cools down. Also on the horizon is collaborating with the City of Lake Worth and other downtown businesses and organizations on more street fairs, concerts, and cultural events."

The Damn Glad to Party With You Festival with Bluejay, Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio, and others.
2 p.m. Saturday, October 15, at C.W.S. Bar + Kitchen, 522 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth; 561- 318-5637; cwslw.com. Admission is free.

• Concerts