The kids are alright. But more on that later. First, an update on the numbers.

Just two weeks in, we’ve already eclipsed last year.

But here’s the thing: We need more porches. Since our last report, musicians have signed up in droves, leaving us with a porch deficit. Unresolved, we’ll be left with a collection of homeless musicians. Wandering troubadours. And nobody wants that.

Won’t you give a generous performer 60 minutes on your porch? Porchfest is six hours this year and hosts are assigned just one performer. That means you can contribute to the awesomeness of your street and still be left with five full hours to roam the ‘hood. Five full hours. That’s an hour more than last year’s entire festival.

See our current map of porches below and note the streets that are presently likely to suffer the blows of indifference.

• Adams Street, ye pearl of the MAK: Those expansive, beautiful porches need to rock.
• Jefferson Place: Support your Mayor and get on board.
• Greenwood Place, Evans Drive, Feld and Cambridge Avenues: Your lovely bungalows were literally designed with Porchfest in mind.
• Winter, Madison, and 2nd Avenues: Is Westside gonna represent?

Help us balance the scales. Register your porch today. 

As for our growing roster of performers, today we feature a few of our youngest, beginning with an artist who requires little in the way of introduction: Sydney Rhame.

If you’ve lived in Decatur longer than five minutes, you know Sydney. Beyond just her stint with Team Pharrell on last Fall’s season of The Voice, she’s been writing and performing since she was six years old. Check her:

Next up is 16 year old Alex Greiner, whose sound offers hints of a young Natalie Merchant, circa early 10,000 Maniacs. As DM’s more seasoned readers understand, that’s a good omen for her future exploits. Here she is captured on stage at Eddie’s Attic:

Just the tip of the iceberg, of course, for what’s shaping up to be an amazing line-up of talent. So keep spreading the word, sign up if you can, and we’ll see you October 8.