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As a coveter of creativity, Ang Bocca has always enjoyed marching to her own tune but never to the detriment of collaboration and camaraderie. The 28-year-old will further foster friendships through music when she and The Damn Band serve as the opening act for the Macaulay Culkin-led group The Pizza Underground at tomorrow’s Awesome Fest concert and movie presentation.
“I’m pretty excited because everyone involved will have a great opportunity to showcase what they’re about,” the Lower Moyamensing inhabitant said of the fifth incarnation of Awesome Fest, which, though mainly a cinematic celebration, promotes musicians’, artists’ and comics’ efforts, too. “For me, that’s going to mean continuing to dedicate myself to my craft because I have really big dreams, and I will see them through.”
The chanteuse secured her outfit’s spot at the Art Museum-adjacent event thanks to an ever-expanding list of well-received performances and a connection with an organizer. Responsible for a 40-minute set, Bocca and her peers will offer songs that she has penned through allegiances to numerous genres, namely, blues, grunge rock, jazz, rockabilly and early 1960s rock.
“I love the idea of musicianship and the ability to mesh with people with similar goals,” the self-managed force, who formed her group in 2010 through prize-winning endeavors at Connie’s Ric Rac, 1132 S. Ninth St., and World Cafe Live, said of her note-infused identity. “I love helping players to scratch their itch. Mine is pretty powerful, too.”
Because of her infatuation with finding formidable figures, Bocca has welcomed many artists into the fold and has belted out her compositions around the city, a practice that reflects her passion for taking her pursuits to an extreme level. Abounding in perspective, she knows talent and kindness can combine to yield opportunities, with tomorrow’s gig a perfect example.
“There can be so many attitudes in this industry, but it really doesn’t pay to be so into yourself,” Bocca said of beckoning contemporaries to modulate their moxie. “We’re all looking to sell ourselves to an extent, but there has to be a limit to feeling entitled to anything.”
On the contrary, she feels only patrons deserve their due, and she promises a riveting night complete with call-and-response aspects and clapping before The Damn Band yields to Culkin, of “Home Alone” fame, and his mates. Like most musicians, she has harnessed her hopes through overcoming many trials and tribulations and though she knows more hurdles await, every assignment, especially tomorrow’s, enforces her mindset not only on being in a band but on being in control of one’s ambition.
“It’s a lot of work and essentially it’s your whole life, aside from paying bills and doing laundry,” Bocca quipped of surviving in her field. “I intend to be successful in my own right and to anyone with a dream, I say don’t get distracted. Keep going after it.”
The focused philosopher began flirting with the idea of becoming a singer as a fourth-grader at Epiphany of Our Lord School, now Our Lady of hope Regional Catholic School, 1248 Jackson St. She started writing tunes but through a fortunate course of events that has extended through to the present, she realized she desired more than a distinguished voice.
“I found out that one thing informed my enthusiasm for other stuff,” Bocca, whose early tutelage included dancing and acting duties as well, said. “It was musical theater that led me to the actual pursuit of wanting to be a musician.”
Following her graduation from St. Maria Goretti High School, now Ss. Neumann-Goretti High School, 1736 S. 10th St., the aspiring individual matriculated at Arcadia University, with a study-abroad opportunity in London inspiring a musical. Obsessed with being a varied contributor to artistic sensitivities, she has seen each engrossing engagement as a chance to sate her love of storytelling.
“People so often want to be singular, want to do only one thing, and for many of them, that’s fine,” Bocca said. “It’s not the course I’ve ever wanted because I think there’s much to learn from letting one interest bring out others.”
She has tended to her penchant for profundity by developing loves for film and production, assisting with makeup for films and acting in movies and music videos. Movies, in fact, have given her the most compelling calling musically, though sports inadvertently count as aids, too.
“When you’re a musician, you have to be an athlete because there’s so much physicality,” Bocca, who has developed great conditioning through competitive ice skating, said. “It’s just all in the name of thirsting for achievement.”
The lifelong South Philadelphia used to pine for prowess through a capella outings at local sites but eventually decided to pair her original works with area musicians’ interpretive skills to mount a tireless trek toward respectability and subsequent renown.
“Because of my background, I have so much discipline, patience, focus and drive that no matter what setbacks come along, I’m still committed to my music,” Bocca said. “If you don’t live your life, no art, no music, no ideas are going to come to you. Be in the moment.”
The resilient rocker hopes her persistence will yield tours and festival assignments and knows that despite massive odds, she can always rely on a great nucleus of fellow melody makers. Many have already gravitated toward her positivity and with a show at an event as laid-back as Awesome Fest next on her docket, she figures to meet many more people who do not lock themselves into gauging their triumphs by the size of their bank accounts.
“I don’t have a huge number of followers on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, but that doesn’t really matter,” Bocca said. “What I do have is belief, and I think success is relentless belief in yourself.”
For more information, visit theawesomefest.com.
Contact Managing Editor Joseph Myers at jmyers@southphillyreview.com or ext. 124.
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