Above, Pretty Mama and the Not So Hots with Esteban Aguila. At front, DBC from The Outlaw Dance Society.

Video: Ian Hill. Editing: Graham Howes.

There needs to be more BananaFests in Stockton. The annual free concert / birthday party for Anna "Banana" Colavita has everything a local music fan could want: Good food, a diverse bill featuring great music and a friendly, laid-back atmosphere.

That was all evident in the 2008 incarnation of the 209Vibe-sponsored festival, held the afternoon of Aug. 2 at Royce Farms in North Stockton. The bill included Pretty Mama and the Not So Hots, The Outlaw Dance Society, The Icarus Jones Collective and the Second String Quintet, among others.

It drew a great crowd that included families as well as punks. Fans mingled, hung out and laughed while trying to stay cool in the sun.

The Afternaps opened the show with a kid-friendly set culled from the band's Wednesday-afternoon gigs at the Blackwater Cafe, which are typically packed with families. The mood was lighthearted and The Afternaps proved to be a great warm-up for the festival.

Pretty Mama and the Not So Hots followed with its brand of catchy folk. Guitarist Chris Pocoroba and multi-instrumentalist Greg Severi created a melodic sound that sounded fresh and almost pop-friendly even though it was heavy with the stringin' along of America's musical past. It set the perfect backdrop for the emotion in Erin Odessa's Natalie Merchant-esque voice.

Next on the bill was The Outlaw Dance Society, who have come far in recent years. When the band began as The Gallows, it was perhaps most noteworthy for the attitude that came across in its music. The Gallows was a band that made you want to drink, fight and party.

Of course, that punk sensibility remains evident in The Outlaw Dance Society - and it's one of the reasons they're still fun to watch. But over the past year or so the band also seems to have focused on putting attitude second to developing its musicianship. As a result they've become more than just hardcore punks messing around on acoustic guitars.

The Outlaw Dance Society as heard at BananaFest reflects the roots of American folk art. They play the music of the tired but angry workingman who honed his banjo skills at night around the still. The aggressive interaction of DBC's banjo and Chicago's mandolin grabbed hold of listeners, smacked them around and forced them to pay attention.

It was a wake-up call that set the stage for the evening's headliners: The Icarus Jones Collective and The Second String Quintet.

Both had talented musicians who enjoyed each other’s company and played well at the outside birthday celebration. Icarus' hip-hop went surprisingly well with SSQ's old-time music.

Icarus Jones didn’t disappoint, as usual, with his storytelling lyrics and detailed rhymes. The Second String Quintet was impressive as well, with multiple guitars, keys, drums, and bass. There were some sound problems with both groups, but that didn’t stop them from entertaining.

The Second String Quintet even played a few cover songs, including track by Johnny Cash, Eric Clapton, Bob Marley and the Beatles.

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