The following was written by Serge Bielanko, a native of Conshohocken, who along with his brother Dave, will headline the first annual Conshohocken Music Festival as leaders of the band Marah. In the photo above, Serge is to the left of center and Dave is pictured center.

From the time we were born until our mid-20’s, Dave and I were raised in Conshohocken. First at West Ninth and Forrest Street, followed by 8th and Fayette Street, and and finally, from the time we were about 13 and 11, at 8th and Forrest Street. We went to Harvey Walker Elementary School (now Conshohocken Elementary School) before moving to Ridge Park Elementary. We both went to Colonial Middle School and Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School. We both played for years in Conshohocken Little League, Babe Ruth, Golden Bears football, and were members of Cub Scout Troop 140.

The town, as it was then, is still in our bones. It has always been a huge driving force behind who we are as people, our work ethic, our beliefs, and what our music represents. Conshy was a diverse, blue-collar place where a kid growing up had every reason to believe that all American kids grew up in such a town. Later on I realized that wasn’t true, that we were lucky, us Conshy kids.

We used to have a garage band with our friends and fellow Conshy natives, John DePietro and Kevin Duda. And we often fantasized about someday playing a big summer show at the “A” Field. We’d talk and talk about it, about how magic that night would be if and when it finally ever happened. This is, in every sense of the word, a dream come true for a couple of Conshy guys.

To learn what happened to the Bielanko brothers once they left Conshohocken, read a profile published in Rolling Stone in 2016.

To see them live buy tickets for their first performance at the “A” Field on Saturday, June 24th. Tickets for the Conshohocken Music Festival are available at ConshohockenMusicFestival.com. Use promo code MTTC to save $5.00 per ticket if bought before May 27th.