Live: Outside the Box Recap from the Boston Music Coalition.

By Doug Ruffin

     President,

     Boston Music Coalition   

I have to tell you.  Being here at the Boston Common, right now, feels different. Just like many other people; I’m spoiled by Outside the Box. I’ve grown used to expecting a cool band to play at noon time on the Boston Common, or dancing in to the night at City Hall Plaza. Now; you hear a few street musicians and that lady who clanks her change jar looking for donations in front of Park Street Station. Not to say that Boston is, or ever will be, a sleep when it comes to music and the arts; But what a great time Outside the Box was! This event not only brought a huge assembly of people together to enjoy music and the arts, it also brought, many people in music and the arts together. For me; it demonstrates that a dream can indeed come true and it proves once again, that greater Boston truly supports the arts. The Outside the Box Festival in Boston successfully brought a world of entertainment to the largely diverse populous of greater Boston.  Let’s hope this takes again place next year.

Good times go fast. Still, its hard to believe that the Outside the Box event started on July 13^th and ended Sunday, July 21^st. Hundreds of Thousands of people attend Outside the Box. The music portion provided outdoor audiences with performances covering Opera with The Boston Opera Collaborative to Synth Pop Rock with Gentlemen Hall and so many additional styles in between. That doesn’t count the abundance of programs for kids, Theatre, Comedy and more from the arts.

One of the key events that took place during the Festival was the a cappella contest. The winner, Kristen Merlin, who got to perform on stage with Bryan White cheerfully met with the Boston Music Coalition for an interview.

BMC (Boston Music Coalition): Congratulations on winning the a cappella contest. Tell us the story of how you got involved in the contest.

Kristen Merlin: A friend told me about the contest. So, I went. They told me that I would  find out if I would be accepted as a contestant during the Outside the box Festival the same day as the try outs. The day ended … I didn’t hear from anyone. I thought .. oh well … I didn’t make it. Then the next day, I got the call telling me that I got in!.

BMC: That alone must have been exciting for you

Kristen Merlin: Yes! It was very exciting!

BMC: And then you end up winning and you just performed with Bryan White. How exciting was that?

Kristen Merlin: Oh .. I can’t tell you how happy I am .

BMC: What’s Next for you?

Kristen Merlin: Well, I do cover gigs so I’ll do more of that. But I want to get back into the studio to finish my indie CD,

NOTE: We’ll keep in touch with Kristen Merlin to announce where she is performing and the release of her CD. 

Tomorrow we’ll be back for our final recap of the Outside the Box Festival in Boston.

We will conclude an interview with, “Women of the World