Local native, Dave Hause, delivers third annual rockin’ music fest
By Carla Ferro
Photos by Alyssa Kriner (alyssakriner.com)
Excitement is buzzing around this year’s Sing Us Home Festival, happening May 2-4 right here at Venice Island in Manayunk! This three-day, outdoor music festival is celebrating its third year with the biggest lineup yet. The Bouncing Souls, Frank Turner, and Dave Hause & The Mermaids will take the stage as the headliners. Other artists you can expect to perform are AJJ, Speedy Ortiz, Lullanas, Buzz Zeemer, John Gallagher Jr., Dan Andriano, and many more. A wide range of musical genres will be featured, including but not limited to the following: rock, punk rock, indie rock, folk, folk punk, singer songwriter, power pop, alternative, and NOLA style brass bands.
The event was created and curated by Roxborough native and acclaimed singer/songwriter, Dave Hause, known for his time in the punk rock band, The Loved Ones, and work with his current band The Mermaids. Along with his brother, singer/songwriter, Tim Hause, the two came up with Sing Us Home with the joint goal to bring a celebration of music and talent to their hometown.
“My first jobs were all in restaurants on Main Street. Over the years [Manayunk] kept growing, and blossomed into something beautiful. Music is the thing our lives orbit around, and we wanted to bring a haymaker of a music festival to a place that means so much to us,” says Dave. Tim adds, “When the alchemy of a festival is just right, everyone has a banner day. We want to achieve that and cement this weekend on the calendar as something that the whole family looks forward to year after year.”
The two will take the stage throughout the weekend with performances both solo as well as accompanied by their bands.
“When we are putting together the lineup for the festival, we want it to feel balanced, fun, friendly, and intense. I’m as big a fan of singer-songwriters as I am of punk bands, and having grown up during the Lollapalooza era, I don’t think it’s weird to have various genres and vibes represented at a festival – that’s the whole point of doing it,” Dave explains.
The brothers and team behind Sing Us Home have worked hard to put together a memorable festival that draws people from near and far. Last year brought visitors from 7 different countries and 18 states to the town of Manayunk. Some businesses on Main Street embrace the festival and welcome after parties to accommodate the attendees.
Chris Barnes, owner of Lucky’s Last Chance and Lucky’s Trading Co., states, “This event has become a celebration we can all share in thanks to Dave and his friends and their love for our little neighborhood. So many new faces from across the world, spending a few days in our amazing little community is truly special and we are so grateful to be a part of it.”
Re-entry was added to the festival so that visitors can go up to Main Street. This way, visitors can take a break from the festivities to grab a bite to eat or do some shopping, then return with ease. Everything about this festival is local, including tattoos and haircuts by Philly artists/stylists that attendees can have done right on the festival grounds.
Another Manayunk business has found a way to successfully partner their services with the celebration with their currently sold out offer.
“Manayunk is the ideal place for such a wonderfully homespun music festival. The Sing Us Home production team has created an amazing overnight package with us for our guests that’s bursting with so many incredible extras”, said owner of Manayunk Chambers Guest House and QUARTERS, Mark Jerde. “The experience brings an intimate acoustic set at Manayunk Chambers by Dave Hause and Friends exclusively for (the) guests staying at our bed and breakfast.”
The festival incorporates some unique unplugged performances throughout the weekend, such as the Hause Family Campfire and the VIP sessions. Campfire opens the festival on Friday evening and emulates a songwriter in the round style performance. In this format, the artists are in a semi-circle and take turns playing their songs, while the other artists may join in with harmonies or backup instrumentals. The musicians may also speak to the meaning and message of the song they’re about to play. Dave and Tim will perform during this set, alongside Dan Andriano and AJJ.
The VIP sessions will take place in the Venice Island Performing Arts Center building, and consist of intimate acoustic concerts tied in with a Q&A by select artists. This portion of the weekend is available only to VIP ticket holders, which have sold out for this year. Times and performers will be announced the week of the festival. Kelly Orenshaw, Executive & Technical Director at Venice Island PAC, assists with these VIP performances inside their auditorium. She shares her own excitement for the event, stating, “The unique thing about Sing Us Home is it gives us an intimate performance right in our own backyard. [It] feels like a once in a lifetime experience where a community comes together in pure joy to spend our time together listening to world class music.”
Festival-goers from last year boast on the Manayunk.com Instagram page that the weekend was filled with “spirits, enthusiasm, and joy” despite the unfortunately rainy weather. Even so, 1200 people showed up to Venice Island in the rain to enjoy the showcase of music, talent, and energy.
With an outstanding lineup, more pre-sold tickets than the two previous years, and hopefully a hint of good weather, Sing Us Home 2025 is bound to be the banner weekend the Hause brothers set out to emulate. For information on how to purchase tickets, visit www.singushomefestival.com.