Music Festival season gets underway across the country in May, and Summer Camp Music Festival has made a mark for being a destination event in the Midwest. Umphrey’s McGee, moe., Trey Anastasio Band, Pretty Lights Live and dozens more can be seen this weekend, May 25-28 at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL. New York State artists Aqueous, Break Science, Eric Krasno Band, Escort, Turkuaz, Intrepid Travelers, Wild Adriatic, and of course moe., will perform at the four-day festival, now in its 17th year.
Summer Camp has a lot going on, making it tough to see it all, but far from overwhelming like mega-concerts and nowhere near the dumpster fire that is/was Fyre Festival. Check out the full schedule here, or create your own on the Summer Camp app (highly recommended).
Listen to your Counselors!
You should listen to your counselors. Seriously, these are the pros who know Summer Camp inside and out. They’re the best resource for Scampers of all ages and experience levels. Read the handbook, which covers virtually every detail and question about the festival, and if you still have questions, join the Facebook group where you can find answers to virtually any question that may arise over the weekend.
When it comes to camping, unless you’re in an RV, NYS Music recommends the field between Sunshine and Camping (Area D in the map above). Why? Because you are proximate to five stages—Sunshine, Starshine, Vibe Tent, Camping and Soulshine Tent (very underrated, even late at night)—and although there is no shade, you’ll love being able to catch a set of music while chilling between sets of music. The Woods are a solid option as well if you have a smaller set up, but fear not—the sprawling area in the woods is one of the coolest areas to walk through at any festival, night or day.
And while you are at Summer Camp, Make a Difference! there are so many ways to leave Three Sisters Park better than how you found it; clean up trash, cigarette butts, bring a reusable water bottle, recycle your waste and check out the Soulshine Tent to find ways to bring some of that positive energy from Summer Camp back home with you.
Then, of course, what do you do when you want to relive a little bit of Summer Camp from your youth? You participate in Field Day! Yes, Field Day is an annual tradition at Summer Camp, one that has a rightful place in the history of the festival. Started in 2011, the annual event takes the cake as the most unique and most fun non-musical component of Summer Camp. Sign up online, and the first 100 get a free team bandana on Friday from noon–1 p.m. at the Vibe Tent. Come back Saturday at 3 p.m. and participate in capture the flag, arm wrestling, spelling bee, banana eating contest and much more, with a Champions ceremony at noon Sunday. Field Day is open to all, the smack talk is free and it has become a growing event everyone should check out, whether as spectator or participant.
The Field Day staff shared a little insight into why you should take part in Field Day:
The number-one reason why people should sign up is because of the amount of awesome people you’ll meet doing so, especially myself Ashley Pardy. What keeps me coming back is all of the memories, and the Red Team wins. I mean would you leave a team that has won almost every year?” – Ashley Pardy
“You will meet amazing people, laugh your ass off and drink free beer. Participating in one of the many cool activities at Summer Camp will make your festival experience unique beyond just seeing shows.”
– Jessica Coughlin
“Bragging rights.” – Elizabeth Cox
What memories of past years keep these wonderful staff keep coming back, year after year?
I come back year after year because the people are so amazing. Favorite memory is Sheppy nearly getting arrested by some serious looking state troopers for defacing an American flag, while simultaneously being hoisted on our shoulders raising the red flag after yet another contested victory.” – Anthony Piccirilli (Shep talked his way out of it and the cop came to our keg party.)
“Mud Tug-o-War, Drunken Spelling Bees, Sheppy drunken walks with the cup.” – Elizabeth Cox
“Drunken Spelling Bees.” – Anthony Piccirilli
And while sunrise kickball isn’t an official activity, it has been the unofficial opening ceremony of the games for six years now. This is one of the highlights of Summer Camp; at 5:30 a.m. come to the Sunshine Stage for a game of kickball with faithful fans led by Ryan Stasik. There will be trampolines, bacon at second base and no apparent rules; it is the most beautiful and absurd shit-show ever witnessed, and one worth staying up for!
There you have it; NYS Music gives you the ins and outs of Summer Camp 2017. Make sure to follow us all weekend on Twitter and Instagram to live vicariously if you can’t make the trip to the Midwest.
June 2 & 3, Strange Machines will host the very first Strange Days Festival at The Stone Church in Newmarket, NH. The guys are bringing a jam-heavy lineup to one of their favorite venues. An intimate Friday night includes an opening set from Litz and the first of many from the Strange Train. Saturday is an all day affair that ends with a double dose from the hosts, including a Doors tribute set. Single-day passes are available and a two-day pass is only $20 and worth every penny. Check out the event on Facebook and catch the band as they head south this week on a short tour before playing at Domefest this weekend.
What can you do with $50 in Scranton, PA this weekend? How about two days of incredible bluegrass, folk, and funk? The 5th Annual Susquehanna Breakdown begins Friday, May 19 with local act, The Dishonest Fiddlers taking the stage at 6:30pm followed by most Deadhead’s favorite one-man band, Keller Williams, at 8pm. Members of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s own Cabinetwill be joining Williams on stage for the 9:30pm “Keller & Cabinet” set which is sure to be full of surprises. Cabinet will then take over the stage at 10:45 for the first of three weekend sets.
When Susquehanna Breakdown was founded in 2013 by Cabinet and Live Nation Entertainment, their aim was to shine a light on the regional artists, farmers and craft vendors of Scranton, PA. Over the years the festival has added bigger names and larger crowds to their Montage Mountain home, yet the tight-knit friendly vibe, cheap ticket price, and local sponsorship has remained. While Cabinet continues to be at the nucleus of the event, bluegrass juggernauts, Greensky Bluegrass, have taken over 2017’s headlining slot at 9pm on Saturday night. Other sets to check out on Saturday include Binghamton, New York’s Driftwood at 12:30pm, a daytime acoustic set from Cabinet at 2:15pm, the soulful folkie Wood Brothers at 4pm and Billy Strings tearing things up at 8pm!
The full schedule is posted and as in years past, the festival organizers have set the separate stage times so that attendees are able to catch a glimpse of every band with little to no overlap. And did we mention the late night acts? The funky West Coast trio, Organ Freeman, will be taking over the party on Friday night and the traveling powerhouse, Turkuaz, will be sending Breakdowners home after one more Saturday night set. Sandwiched in between all this funkiness is Tom Hamilton’s Breakdown All Stars at 11pm on the second day which will be full of festival-wide collaborations.
The Northeastern festival season is now upon us and this showcase might be the best bang for your buck you will find this year. Whether you plan to attend on Saturday only or camp for both nights on the pavilion lawn, there is plenty to do and hear at this year’s Breakdown. An eclectic collection of acts from around the country sharing the space with local bands and vendors makes this the perfect practice run for the rest of the summer’s events. The Susquehanna Breakdown shares the same space as Montage Mountain’s larger summer extravaganza, The Peach Festival, but at a fraction of the cost. While Scranton locals may consider Peach to be the big brother of the mountain’s two jam-heavy festivals, the Breakdown just hit another growth spurt and is ready to rival its older sibling in 2017.
NYS Music had the chance to sit down with The Dishonest Fiddlers founder, Dave Brown to discover what makes “The Electric City” the perfect place for a breakdown…
Ben Boivin: What is the concept behind The Dishonest Fiddlers and where did you first come up with this unique idea to play with different artists at every show?
Dave Brown: Well, I played solo prior to forming the band and I still enjoy the solo sets very much but the band has given my music a chance to take a different shape and myself a chance to play with and learn from a lot of different musicians along the way.
BB: What is your connection with Cabinet, the band that founded the Breakdown?
DB: Well my introduction to Cabinet came maybe 4 or 5 years ago in Scranton. I ordered lunch from Pizza by Pappa’s, and JP [Biondo] delivered it. I was not expecting him, nor was I expecting the pizza to have several bites out of it either. JP agreed to let me take a few bites of the next pizza he had to deliver, and after playing a few tunes I agreed we were square. Since then I started picking up my orders from Pappa’s and listening to Cabinet. Lately I’ve been fortunate enough to have Todd Kopec, from Cabinet, playing fiddle with us and he’ll be on stage with me at the Breakdown too.
BB: I know that you are on the road all summer and visiting many different festivals. What do you feel is so special about the Susquehanna Breakdown?
DB: The Breakdown has really evolved into something a lot of people really look forward too. I’ve met people from all over the country at the Susquehanna Breakdown over the years. I was a spectator at the first one and its definitely special to have the opportunity to be playing this year. It’s also nice that our family and friends have a chance to be there and share the day with us
BB: What is the band you are most looking forward to seeing at this festival?
DB: I recently had a show with Driftwood and I got a copy of their new album so I’m looking forward to hearing some of those tunes again. I’m also interested in hearing Billy Strings for the first time.
BB: What would you like to see for The Dishonest Fiddlers?
DB: Well tours and new albums all sound great but mainly I want to keep having fun and keep writing music. If I can manage to keep enough air in my tires and the lights on at home, the rest will fall in place.
Albany has a new funk band in town and Hartley’s Encore is a can’t miss show. Twice this spring I have been floored by the high energy funk originals and covers that have kept bar stools empty and the club floor full. A lineup of veteran musicians from around the Capital District, Hartley’s Encore is led by Luke Malamood on keys and vocals, backed by what he accurately refers to as ‘Albany’y Best Rhythm Section’ in Andrae Surgick on drums (and occasionally Mike Gilet) and Josh Gordon on bass. Co-founder Chris Oliver on guitar opposite Jeff Nania on saxaphone (and on some nights like this evening at Parish Public House, joined by Phil Chow on trumpet) completes the five/six man group, a welcome addition to Albany’s stellar music scene. Go see this band!
Every band was a local band once. Today, we launch NYS Music 87/90, reflecting the highways artists travel upon to reach markets across The Empire State. 87/90 brings together 8 New York State born and raised bands that have strong potential to make it big. We will bring news and coverage of these bands to you on a regular basis, highlighting what we see as the next wave of bands to come out of New York State. These are just the first wave of bands that we will be bringing to your attention – there are plenty more artists in every corner of the state from all genres. As we discover them, we’ll bring them to you and beyond.
The 8 artists we launch with include: Space Carnival, Cousin Earth, Formula 5, Folkfaces, Boogie Low, Intrepid Travelers, Let’s Be Leonard and Gowanus. These artists were selected for potential, work ethic and appeal to a wider audience. They include jam bands, bluegrass/folk, psychedelic rock, electronic and a mix of everything. We will expand in the future with bands that we see strong potential in – this is a select group we launch with and we will keep it reserved only for bands that pass muster.
The bands we are reaching out to as founding artists are bands that we have highlighted on our pages in recent years, see a strong future in and have shown that they are committed to making a name for themselves well outside of New York State. This is not an open invite – the initial roster includes only bands that are on the rise and have developed a following through their music.
Julia Felice and The Whiskey Crisis, a rock group from Ithaca, have just released their second album DevilOnYour Back. The album contains 11 tracks, and has a listening time of 44 minutes. Their tunes have an alternative, bluesy sound, and the album as a whole is more focused than their first, titled “Diving For Falls.” The group’s individual style is more refined on this record, as well, but the tone of their music can get repetitive.
That being said, the tracks on Devil On Your Back do feature some variety.
“Help Me Break,” the 6th song on the album, is sultry, soulful, and holds a slower rhythm than some of the other tunes. Julia Felice, the lead singer of The Whiskey Crisis, has a deep, raspy voice that is well complimented by the instrumentals this group puts out. “Help Me Break” showcases that factor in a different light. “Denim,” the shortest song on the album, exudes a funky, old school vibe, while “Waste” is one of the few upbeat tunes on the record, holding lots of feeling and spirit.
The classic sounds that Julia Felice and The Whiskey Crisis produce are strong, much like the stage presence the members hold, which can be demonstrated below. Julia Felice and the others exude focus and passion when performing, which is magnetic. They seem to be an entertaining group to watch if looking for an entertaining night of live music, producing Devil On Your Back for those who enjoy timeless tunes.
Saranac Brewery in Utica announced the 2017 lineup for its annual summer music series, Saranac Thursdays, on Tuesday. The kick-off event takes place May 18 with a 25th anniversary show from local show band Classified. The 19th year of the series continues throughout the summer, with hard rock act the Bomb closing it out Aug. 31.
The series features local and regional acts from 6-9 p.m. each Thursday. Cover charge for each 21 and over show is $5, which includes your first drink. A portion of the proceeds from the series is donated to the local United Way. The events raised $41,000 for the organization last year.
2017 Saranac Thursday Series
May 18 – Classified (25th anniversary show)
May 25 – Soundbarrier
June 1 – Showtime
June 8 – The Crazy Fools
June 15 – Ladies Drink Free
June 22 – Last Left
June 29 – Gridley Paige and 3 Inch Fury Present: ROCK OF AGES
July 6 – Sir Cadian Rhythm
July 13 – Barroom Philosophers
July 20 – Annie in the Water
July 27 – Enter the Haggis
Aug. 3 – The Matt Lomeo Band
Aug. 10 – The Old Main
Aug. 17 – Lonesome Dove
Aug. 24 – Chris Eves and the New Normal
Aug. 31 – The Bomb
See Enter the Haggis’ official video for “One Last Drink” shot partially at last summer’s Saranac Thursday performance below.
With an even mix of covers, instrumentals, and tracks off his new album, Got Soul, in just a little over an hour, Robert Randolph made Anthology his house of gospel worship. When you’re on stage with Randolph you’re a part of his family, whether you share blood relation or not. Other than his actual cousin Marcus sitting behind the drums, the names and faces have changed over the years. But their mission has stayed the same. Robert Randolph and the Family Band conduct a non-denominational service espousing love, hope and energy via a program of invigorating and uplifting funk and soul filtered through the unique style of pedal steel guitar originating in the Sacred Steel church. On a cool and damp April 20, the traveling ministry arrived in Rochester.
The service began, as they often do, with the organist filling the air with thick swirls, preparing the crowd for prayer. Things took an unexpectedly dark turn with a quick cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.” But in that quick two-minute flourish the darkness would stay for the remainder of the night. It quickly moved into another cover, this one of ZZ Tops “I Thank You,” which is featured on Got Soul.
From there Randolph kicked into the first of three stunning instrumentals he would intersperse throughout the evening. Each had it’s own character, but followed the tried and true Sacred Steel format, begging the question: Can you be summoned to scream Hallelujah and Amen without a prayer being uttered? Randolph proved the answer to be a resounding ‘Yes,’ as he stretched and twisted notes, sculpting the structure of sound, building it slowly to ecstatic peaks. Randolph may have adopted a slick and polished exterior in his studio output, but from the inside looking out, he’s still the same old impassioned and energetic force of musical enlightenment.
And the new songs came off well from the stage as well, with the band rolling through uplifting takes on “Find a Way,” “Love What You Do,” “Shake It,” and “I Want It.” On “Love Do What It Do” Robert egged on his sister Lenesha to freestyle about their childhood trips up to Rochester to see the Campbell Brothers at their church on Goodman Street.
The encore began with Randolph on stage alone, eliciting some gorgeous Hawaiian pedal steel sounds on the instrumental “Heaven’s Calling” before the rest of the band filed on for one big final thank you and their version of the Sly and the Family Stone classic “Thank You Falettin’ Me Be Mice Elf Agin.” The band filed off again mid-jam, leaving just the original Family Band members, Marcus and Robert, to close out the evening with a breakdown jam that drifted off into midnight.
Rochester’s own soul superhero, Danielle Ponder, got the evening off to a hot start. Public defender by day, soul-belting goddess by night, her and her band the Tomorrow People mesmerized the early crowd with powerful heartfelt grooves, highlighted by a sexy and sultry cover of “Crazy.” Luke Wade and his young trio, playing together for the first time, played a set chock full of original love songs, with “Morning View” and “On Fire” being the stand outs.
Setlist: War Pigs > I Thank You, Instrumental, Find a Way, Instrumental, Shake It, Superstition, Instrumental, Love Do What it Do, I Want It E: Heaven’s Calling > Thank You Falettin’ Me Be Mice Elf Agin
“Do you remember who you were before they told you who to be?” Morgan Bolender asks the world during her demo track “Mary Oliver.” She is a self-taught musician from the Empire State that has traveled the globe and currently calls Oakland, CA home.
During her travels, she found her sacred path as an artist and after hundreds of thousands of Youtube views, she realized that her compassionate lyrics and beautiful voice was echoing throughout the world. Her debut album, Recordings From My Living Room, has gained popularity among her open minded and globally conscious followers and while the music may be too emotional for some, others find refuge in its soulful tranquility.
Self-proclaimed “freak folk” artist Scott Ferreter calls his music “Deep Pools.” Ferreter spends his time in the spotlight attempting to engage the members of the audience mentally and emotionally. He uses his music to tell stories of his life and experiences. Musical influences such as Radiohead, Neil Young, and The Band can be heard in his stirring tales of death, birth, peace and seasons. After decades of practice, Ferreter has formed a bond with his guitar, allowing him the confidence and comfort to explore many different sounds and genres. His most recent LP, See You In The Morning Light, has been described as “an ecosystem of emotion” by Sacramento News and Review. It was no coincidence that Bolender and Ferreter found each other and formed a musical communion that has been strengthened through love, respect and admiration for one another.
After their first sonic pilgrimage through the country called the Come As You Are Tour, Bolender posted on her Instagram, “Tour’s over. 10,512 miles. 34 cities. 70 days. I have so many feelings.” These feelings were planted inside of Ferreter and Bolender in the beginning of the Fall of 2016, and much like a tulip bulb, they are finally ready to bloom this Spring. They will embark on yet another house concert tour entitled The Feelings Parade. After the spiritual, emotional, creative and musical success of their 2016 travels, they have decided to do it all over again on an even bigger and more ambitious trail. Their live shows feature the two playing together as well as solo before an audience of all different backgrounds and interests. In reference to last year’s adventure, Ferreter writes, “We played over 35 shows, saw parts of the country we had never seen, and made deep-feeling community in places where we used to be strangers. We miss you already.”
The truly dynamic duo is currently calling on their friends new and old to host house concerts for their upcoming gigs. No town is too big or small. No mansion is too sparkly and no barn is too dirty. No swamp lands are too filled with alligators and no desert is to dry. Based on their Instagram feed from last year, they are willing to do basically all the work except building the venue itself. If you or someone you know is interested in helping with the tour efforts, send an email to the performers and express interest. I caught up with Bolender and Ferreter after their last tour to hear more about what they learned, what they liked, and what the future holds for them.
Ben Boivin: What covers did you play most frequently?
Morgan Bolender: “Hallelujah” by MaMuse, and “Old Before Your Time” by Ray LaMontagne. When playing MaMuse’s “Hallelujah,” I invited the crowd to sing along, which was almost always an overwhelmingly beautiful experience. There’s nothing quite like singing my heart out with a room full of people. My favorite times were when the crowd started out singing with quiet trepidation and finished with wholehearted gusto. Due to my own trepidation, I didn’t sing at all (not even in the shower!) until about 5 years ago, so it’s one of my missions to create a safe place for people to open up the channel that has enriched my life so much.
Scott Ferreter: I hardly played any covers this tour, because I have so many new songs I’m excited about. It was hard enough to decide which originals to play. One cover-playing memory that really sticks out is playing “Traveling Song” by Bright Eyes in Omaha, Nebraska, because that’s where Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes) is from. He’s one of my favorite songwriters, and it was quite the experience playing it on my first visit to his hometown and having several people in the crowd passionately singing along.
BB: Did you switch up the sets or add more to a set based on where you were and the experiences you had during your travels before the shows?
MB: Our sets varied from let-it-all-hang out, no-holds-barred-wild-fun, to playing for a garage full of conservative Christian corn and soy farming seniors on a farm in South Dakota who all brought their own lawn chairs. Part of the beauty of the intimate house concert setting is having the opportunity to really feel and connect with the audience – to experience them as a living body and try to tap into what would be most nourishing for that body.
SF: The set changed almost every night, based on the feeling of the place and the feeling of the crowd. Also, a lot of my songs are very vulnerable and they often push at different social norms that I find myself bumping up against in my struggle to be my full self. For that reason, some of them were entirely inappropriate for certain shows and certain crowds. I have no interest in shoving anything in anyone’s face–my intention is to stretch boundaries, not break trust. For that reason, I found myself changing the set quite a bit.
BB: What was your worst show of the tour?
MB: New Orleans. For sure.
SF: Absolutely, New Orleans. Heiress to a fortune. Old school classism and elitism. Small turnout plus pretension equals a terrible show. I’m amazed that we played over 35 shows and only had one that I wouldn’t want to do again!
BB: What was one of the best shows of the tour?
MB: That’s a really tough one, as I’m still processing the experience. My heart feels warm when I think about Kim’s living room in Blue Springs, Missouri, who Jodi filled with a lively, funny, loving crowd. Then I think of Jen’s show in West Bend, Wisconsin, which happened on gorgeous, magical land where, if there are fairies, fairies lived. That show was so sweet and tender, the people so open and ready to receive what we came to share. And the, Paonia! In a castle, and then a community house! And San Diego! Then the Dakota’s – a beautiful yard along the Missouri River, a sweet farm with Alice’s epic flower garden! Nicole’s overflowing yard in Nunica, Michigan! Playing for family and friends in NY, many of who’d never seen me play. Flagstaff, AZ, where they created an ornate backyard festival for us! There was a tea tent! I didn’t answer this question very well, but truly – there were so many magical shows. Oh! The squawking baby eagles that accompanied our show on Whidbey Island! The Heartson’s in Vermont, where we not only got to play a great show, but got to teach a songwriting workshop! Like I said – magic, magic, magic.
SF: There were so many great ones, and they were all great for different reasons. I had a particularly connected-feeling set in Paonia, Colorado. It was one of the few places where I felt no need to bring people into the right headspace for the music. It felt like we were all there together from the beginning, and it was so sweet to be able to just drop into the music and feelings. Wisconsin was a very meaningful set for me because I showed up incredibly sad, and decided to be vulnerable and play the set I needed (instead of the set I imagined the crowd wanting). As it turned out, sadness must’ve been in the air, because it seemed like the perfect set for the people there, too. I left that show feeling very held.
BB: If you had to spend two weeks at one venue you played, where would it be?
MB: Hmmm. Possibly New Orleans. That place feels like an entirely different universe, and I feel like in order to really drop in and explore it, I need some time. Or Portland, because there are so many people there I love and want to hang out and make music with.
SF: Great fucking question! I feel like Ashville, North Carolina and I have some catching up to do. I’d never been before, and yet I’ve had many great friends live there over the years. I felt deeply connected to the land there, and could easily see myself putting in some weeks barefoot in Asheville.
BB: What did you learn during your travels and would you do it all over again?
MB: If you’re going to buy high quality, American made, ethically sourced and produced merchandise, be sure to let people know, because ethical and conscious consumption is really important for our people and planet, and I want more people to consider where their things come from. Also, ethically sourced and produced merchandise is more expensive.
Humans are extremely capable of adapting. For the first 2 weeks of tour, I was a wreck. My body was falling apart, my emotions raw, and my nerves fried. The pace of tour, the emotional expenditure, and the sheer amount of work was breaking me down. Once we got into a rhythm and once I made a strict “I need 8 hours of sleep per night” rule, things changed dramatically. I was amazed and inspired by how much my limits could be extended.
It’s okay to need people. Okay, fine, I’m still learning that one, but tour helped a lot. I was very stubborn about my independence, and was sure to let Scott know, many times, that I could have done this on my own. But the truth is, I couldn’t have. Not this exact tour. I could have done some version, sure, but not what we did. Doing it together made so much more possible. And just because I can do something by myself doesn’t mean that I have to. I learned so much about how to trust and work as a team.
I can set out to do something huge, and make it happen. Even if I don’t really, really know what I’m doing, I can learn as I go. [There are] so many more things that I don’t know yet. I would absolutely do this again, and intend to. I realized after a few weeks of the Come As You Are Tour that, though we were already reaping harvest, much of our work was seed planting. Meeting new people who became part of our community. Refining our model for producing house concerts. Creating systems. Walking first-time hosts through how to put on a concert. The tour was enough, just as it was, and, it’d be a shame to not put all we learned to use!
SF: I learned that I’m supposed to be touring and sharing my music! I learned that you don’t eat passionfruit by biting it directly in half. I learned that it’s better to play the songs I want than play the songs I think the crowd wants. I learned that just because the east-coasters don’t show their love as freely doesn’t mean they aren’t loving it. I learned that nobody wants to buy totes. I learned that there are fewer medium-sized people listening to our music than there are small and large people listening to our music. I learned that I’ve still got a lot to learn from Morgan. I learned that Morgan has still got a lot to learn from me. I learned that I’m making music on behalf of all of the people who are nourished by it, not just for myself. I would do it again tomorrow!
In a dark world, Bolendar and Ferreter use their music as the guiding light. Their compassion for the human race is powerful and their creative approach to going on tour is refreshing. The Feelings Parade of 2017 is sure to see these couch-surfing companions on an entirely new wave of energy and bliss. Two old souls living their own version of the American Dream with a trunk full of instruments and heads full of sound will hopefully inspire a new generation to get in their cars and cruise the land of the brave and free.
The 9-Piece powerhouse brought their album-release tour to The Root Cellar in Greenfield, MA on Saturday, April 15. Big Mean Sound Machine played their hearts out for two incredible sets for a crowd of locals ready to dance. They’re taking their groove back for a hometown throw-down in Ithaca, NY this Friday before taking a short trip down the east coast in early May.
When it comes to camping, unless you’re in an RV, NYS Music recommends the field between Sunshine and Camping (Area D in the map above). Why? Because you are proximate to five stages—Sunshine, Starshine, Vibe Tent, Camping and Soulshine Tent (very underrated, even late at night)—and although there is no shade, you’ll love being able to catch a set of music while chilling between sets of music. The Woods are a solid option as well if you have a smaller set up, but fear not—the sprawling area in the woods is one of the coolest areas to walk through at any festival, night or day.
The Field Day staff shared a little insight into why you should take part in Field Day:
The 8 artists we launch with include: Space Carnival, Cousin Earth, Formula 5, Folkfaces, Boogie Low,
That being said, the tracks on Devil On Your Back do feature some variety.
