Twiddle held its 4th annual Tumble Down Festival in Burlington, VT at Waterfront Park this past weekend. The beautiful park, right on Lake Champlain, hosted Twiddle for five sets along with: The Kitchen Dwellers, Stephen Marley, Turkuaz, Ghost Light, Jaden Carlson Band, Owl and Crow, The Big Sip, Nina’s Brew and The Jauntee. The festival, a family reunion for Twiddle fans, brought all ages together to celebrate music. The festival also brought fans and partners together to raise money for the White Light Foundation, a non-profit that raises money to help spread love, healing and kindness.
Twiddle kicked off the festival with a special acoustic set with fan favorites including “Hatties Jam” and “When it Rains It Pours,” and a special sit in by David Grippo. Their second and third sets closed out the first night and included a prerecorded message from “Colonel Norco,” which helped set the tone for two packed sets, and a special sit in by Todd Stoops. The second set included a new verse to “Jamflowman” that brought his tale home and an additional sit in by David Grippo on the beautiful, “Lost in the Cold.”
Acoustic Set: Glycerine Medley, Earth Mama, Five, Wildfire, Fat Country Baby, Hattiebagan Mcrat, Hattie’s Jam-> When it Rains it Pours Set 2: Enter, Orlando’s, Amydst the Myst, Doinkinbonk, Grandpa Fox -> Apples -> Mamunes the Faun -> Every Soul Set 3: Jamflowman -> Subconscious Prelude -> Nicodemus Portulay -> Milk, Lost in the Cold
Encore: River Drift
The second day started with a bit of deja vu as The Big Sip had their set shortened by a weather evacuation, that thankfully didn’t last too long, or turn into anything more than threatening clouds and some high winds. The Kitchen Dwellers began their set as masses of fans were still in line to re-enter the festival, music to the ears of those eager to get back to the party. They also welcomed members of Cabinet to sit in for a few songs, much to the audience’s enjoyment.
Nina’s Brew, a trio from Burlington, played with a sound influenced by blues, soul, rock and R&B. They’re currently working on their first studio album and are anticipating a fall release.
Turkuaz, the nine piece funk juggernaut from Brooklyn, NY, played as the sun was setting over the water. Their brightly colored outfits seemed to glow in the “golden hour” of light, and highlighted their energy.
Twiddle’s final two sets to close out the fantastic weekend contained many treats for fans. The origin of “Ricky Snickle” and an additional verse, another message from “Colonel Norco,” and a new verse to “Frankenfoote.” There were also many sit-ins over the final two sets. Jayden Carlson, The Kitchen Dwellers, Zach Nugent and Todd Stoops all helped Twiddle close out the festival.
Set 4: Ricky Snickle Origin, Ricky Snickle, Syncopated Healing, Machine, Visions of Mohr, Latin Tang, Beethoven and Green Set 5: Polluted Beauty, Gatsby the Great -> Pond -> Zazu’s Flight -> Pond -> Grandpa Fox, Be There Encore: Frankenfoote Origin -> Frankenfoote
The heat this summer came to a peak over the weekend of July 18-20 at Montage Mountain with Camp Bisco, the annual electronic and jam festival which held its 17th installment featuring hosts The Disco Biscuits, Tipper, Bassnectar, Odesza, Rusko, Umphrey’s McGee, Twiddle, Tauk, Spafford and Sunsquabi, among many more.
Hosts The Disco Biscuits played six hot sets over the weekend, including a set with original drummer Sammy Altman and current drummer Allen Aucoin, which was highlighted by “M.E.M.P.H.I.S.” -> “Rapture,” the latter an instrumental version of the 1980 Blondie hit. Later that night, they would pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing with a series of songs, as well as pre and post-set music, that referenced the moon and space. Even with the intense weather conditions, Camp Bisco was a successful weekend of electronic and dance music, warming the mountain up for Peach Fest the following weekend.
The second annual Wood Fest Music Festival features a variety of nine regional and local artists covering genres from jam, Southern rock, indie rock, groove and Americana. The family-owned ski area transforms the slopes into a family-friendly music venue offering craft beers from members of the Heart of New York Craft Beverage Trail, bounce houses from Varano Super Jump, yoga by Just Breathe Yoga Studio, and local food trucks.
Spanning two stages over the course of the day and night, this year’s lineup features Annie in the Water, a Capital-region based band with 11 years under its belt, has recently released its second album Time to Play and has been touring incessantly. Annie in the Water’s sound incorporates a unique, groovy combination of funk, reggae, blues, and rock that gets the audience moving while the band feeds off of that vibe to create a truly interactive experience.
The Old Main is returning to Woods Fest for its second year, with their original brand of Americana. They have performed throughout the Northeast and have gained many followers along the way, including a fervent Woods Valley following. Equally comfortable performing in a small room or the big stage, this is a band on the rise. They have released two albums of original material, 2016’s Arlene and Too Far Gone, released in 2018. The live environment is where this band really shines. Audience interaction is what it’s all about so don’t be alarmed if Nash Robb suddenly shows up behind you in the crowd with his standup bass in tow.
The Black River is quickly becoming a recognized name throughout Central New York and beyond with its blend of classic and roots rock mixed with the soulful storytelling of band leader Mike Powell. The band recently concluded a month-long residency at the King of Clubs in Syracuse’s Armory Square; a stretch that saw the band hone its sound to create a sonic tour-de-force unlike any in the area. You can check out their recent performance at A Lovely Time Festival here.
Central New York’s premier Grateful Dead tribute band Dark Hollow joins the Woods Fest 2 lineup hot on the heels of their Barn Party at Critz Farms in Cazenovia. The band features a wealth of Central New York’s greatest musical talents and has been creating original takes on the Grateful Dead experience since 1996.
Nina’s Brewcomes to Woods Fest from Burlington, VT. They recently performed as part of Twiddle’s Tumble Down Festival and are quickly gaining traction throughout Central New York as a tremendous live act.
Los Blancos are Central New York’s musical godfathers. This band grooves like no other with its own take on the blues, Zydeco, Latin, roots, and funk. They’ve performed alongside such luminaries as Little Feat, moe., Los Lobos, Govt Mule, and Dickey Betts (formerly of the Allman Brothers Band), earning a fervent following of fans not only in Central New York but across the state and beyond.
Les Brers return to Woods Fest after a tremendous set last year. Les Brers are the region’s longest-running and best Allman Brothers Band tribute act. Many of last year’s attendees commented on last year’s set, saying that if you closed your eyes, you’d swear you were at an Allman Brothers Band show.
Late Earth comes to Woods Fest via the Syracuse alt-rock scene. Fresh off a performance at the A Lovely Time Festival at Snow Ridge, the band is spreading its unique sounds at venues and festivals throughout the area. This is another band on the rise and one that will surely grab your attention at Woods Fest. Their self-titled debut album packs an original rock crunch with an alternative bent that incorporates ska, blues, jazz, and punk. You can find it on all the streaming services and for purchase through Bandcamp.
Substanance returns to Woods Valley after making a splash on St. Patrick’s Day. This unique trio is the epitome of a family band. Father Joe Coniguliaro and his sons Quinn and Ben come from Saugerties packing a lunch box full of original material that combines elements of funk and harmonic indie rock that will provide food for your ears.
Advance tickets are available in person at Copper City Brewing Company, 1111 Oneida St. in Rome or online for $25 through the Woods Valley website at this link. Children ages 6-12 are $5, 5 and under are free. Passes include parking, all-day admission to the festival, and use of bounce houses for children.
Gates open at 11:00 am with the music beginning at noon. For more information or questions on Woods Fest Music Festival, visit the festival website.
Every music loving Suffolk resident knows that the Great South Bay Music Festival is our time to shine each summer. We don’t get to host the Governors Ball, the closest Warped Tour ever got was Jones Beach and calling Nassau Coliseum convenient to get to, when you live in Wading River, is pretty much bologna. But if one thing is clear, it’s that our fine state of New York is a divinely fertile nesting ground for music and arts of all sorts. When you live in eastern Suffolk, traveling “up the island” is always a necessary headache in order to reach said fertile nesting ground.
2019 Music Festival Pamphlet
But then there was Jim Faith – who created the heart of the Great South Bay Music Festival nestled down on the bay in Patchogue, NY. And don’t be fooled superstitious concert goers, for this festival now in its 13th year, was absolutely the most dynamic yet – (however please note, there will be “No Frisbee throwing in front of the Main Stage area” says the festival’s website).
Each night hosted a specific genre that allowed the festival to uphold its tradition of eclectic sound. From our hometown heroes Taking Back Sunday, to rock/reggae sweethearts Slightly Stoopid, festival heavy hitters Lotus and certified musical legends America – it is safe to say this diverse festival had something for pretty much everyone.
For those looking to dive into our local music scene, this place was abuzz from the moment the music kicked off. On multiple smaller stages scattered throughout the grounds, all four days had some super compelling lesser known artists that deserve their slot on your Spotify playlist.
Festival goers enjoy the performances at Great South Bay 2019
As opening day got underway, Thursday saw a lazy stream of fest-goers making their way into the venue due to earlier wet conditions. Ultimately though to the joy of the attendees, the sky cleared up for the night other than a few stubborn clouds.
Whatever We Are made their Great South Bay debut performing many great originals and having tremendous chemistry the main stage, performing through strong winds and grey skies. Ex-My Chemical Romance backup guitarist, Frank Iero, performed a great setlist with his band, Future Violents. They set the energy level high and helped the crowd ignore the weather and wind that took out one of the ‘Great South Bay banners’ on the Coors Light Stage. Long time fans were ecstatic to see Glassjaw, local post-hardcore band from Hempstead. Their loyal following did them proud, showing allegiance to songs well over a decade old. Not performing often these days, The Great South Bay Music Festival couldn’t have been happier to host this performance for a crowd that welcomed them back to the stage. Lead singer Daryl Palumbo and crew rocked onlookers for an hour with a hard and heavy performance.
Gabrielle Ross – Whatever We Are
Frank Iero and the Future Violents
Daryl Palumbo of Glassjaw
When Long Island favorites Taking Back Sunday came out, they were greeted by a cheer that only your home state could conjure. Over the course of their hour and fifteen-minute slot singer, Adam Lazzara (ham that he is) swung his mic and inserted the band’s personal anecdotes between songs. Essentially their entire performance was a hybrid of mosh-pit and sing-along. It was clear that their fans hadn’t forgotten, even the most obscure lyrics from their beloved album, Tell All Your Friends, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. There’s something really special about local acts playing to the fans who lifted them up to the level of success they enjoy today, and Taking Back Sunday’s performance was no exception.
Taking Back Sunday performs a thunderous setlist and keeps the rain away!
FRIDAY:
As Friday commenced the crowd embraced the beginning of the weekend’s forecasted heat wave, which brought temperatures up into the 90’s. But to the surprise of many, at the gate of the festival each person was offered complementary water courtesy of Long Island Cares. This seemingly small gesture really highlighted the overall neighborhood feel the gathering aims for.
Although the weather was hot, with free water in hand, the crowd entered psyched and ready to celebrate a summer night with insane music. The mood of the crowd went perfectly with the day’s theme which is traditionally reggae/hip-hop fusion. Over at the main stage, local reggae darlings Oogee Wawa were busy captivating an audience that proved they were ready to party. With a tour schedule that boasts playing 200 gigs a year since 2013, these fellas know how to hype a crowd. Their infectious energy was the absolute perfect kickoff to the night.
Oogee Wawa delivers a joyful and amazing performance sharing love for their fans
Meanwhile over at the Clamshell Bandshell, standout independent act and hip-hop artist Dudley Music took the stage. Right away the lyricism was impressive – his thoughts were clear, meaningful and well delivered. Accompanied by a full band including guitar, drums and bass – Dudley’s musicianship blew onlookers away as he switched between multiple instruments, including keyboard and saxophone. His musical arrangements were creative, cohesive and well thought out. The deeper into his set, the larger the crowd got, until there were a couple hundred people grooving and hollering for more. Ending his set, he weaved “This is How We Do It” by Montell Jordan into his own original track and captured the audience by engaging them in a sing-along that left more than a few wanting more. Dudley, without question, won over some new fans and exposed the crowd to a style they may not have experienced before.
Dudley Music plays for their fans at Clamshell band
Once it was time for Sublime with Rome, the steadily increasing crowd began to squeeze up towards the stage. That night old school Sublime fans were out! As the words “she was living in a single room with three other individuals…” played (a classic Sublime soundbite taken from the film Beyond the Valley of the Dolls), the crowd suddenly erupted with cheers. This tune, considered a cornerstone Sublime song by fans, was played along with an impressive set of tracks from back when the band still had original lead singer Bradley Nowell. For the most part they played throwback Sublime songs, only peppering in their newer additions here and there. The crowd showed Eric Wilson, the only original Sublime member left, showed massive amount of love as he was exiting the stage.
By the time Slightly Stoopid’s set was up, a overwhelming crowd had amassed. Their passionate fans went out of their minds as the members wandered to their places, thick clouds of synthetic smoke drifted in the background. Opening with the dynamic instrumental, “Dabbington,” their horn section of trombone and saxophone immediately made waves. Per usual, throughout the performance lead vocals were shared by frontmen Miles Doughty and Kyle McDonald, who also crisscrossed back and forth between bass and guitar. While playing some of their super early surf-punk songs in order to let fans “get the wiggles out,” a proud mosh-pit formed in the center of the crowd to the mild chagrin of security. The band fed so well off of everyone’s energy during the entirety of the performance, Slightly Stoopid made it very clear that they appreciated the love New York had to show these Cali natives.
Sublime with Rome
Slightly Stoopid
SATURDAY:
As the years float by, Great South Bay Music Festival has grown and morphed into the success it is today. One of the evolutions being the additional stages that are scattered throughout the grounds. Having these outlets are fantastic as it allows the festival to veer off theme each night, giving even more artists the opportunity to showcase their talents.
This year’s newest addition was the Busker Stage, bringing the festival grand total of four. As fest-goers leisurely strolled the area leafing through the vendor’s offerings, Andrew Fortier and Tricycle began to croon. They had a pragmatic, salt of the earth feel accompanied by a rich three part harmony that was nothing short of angelic. They were the nights best kept secret.
Andrew Fortier and Tricycle
As the sun began to set, Spafford kicked off the jam band lineup over on the main stage. This group of musically talented men captivated the eager crowd and compelled their spirits to let loose, dance and enjoy. Even through the stifling heat – hands waved, feet were moving and by-george you better believe the hula hoops came out. The band’s sound had a lighthearted airiness about it that easily carried you right through their lengthy improvisations. It felt appropriate that a gorgeous breeze off the bay began sweeping over the crowd as their set concluded.
Next up was Dweezil Zappa, opening his set with a heavy and energetic tune. If the jam band night is nothing else, it is certainly relentlessly energetic. Zappa relinquished vocal responsibilities to multiple other band members as he jammed on lead guitar for the majority of the performance. Vocalist Cian Coey stood out as a powerhouse, ending their first number with a resounding high note, like it was straight off a Guns ‘N Roses track. The crowd went wild with appreciation. When Dweezil himself lent his vocal contributions, it was more like a spoken word piece being woven into music. His unique stylized delivery made the lyrics stand out, really giving the entire performance a commanding presence.
Darkness fell over the grounds as headliner, Lotus, made their way into the spotlight. As they began to play, glow sticks were abound with neon colors flying through the sky. The group’s offering were a bit hard to categorize. At first their dance friendly, funky 70’s vibe, created something that sounded like it should have been on the Superbad soundtrack. Blend that up with some kaleidoscopic synthesizer and then sprinkle in a diverse array of sound effects; that probably still wouldn’t fully describe the sound. At times it was difficult to even discern what instrument was creating each sound. It was truly a carnival for the ears – a colorful whirlwind of notes. Throughout this set of progressive jams the band had their dark and brooding moments; but each song ultimately concluded with a positive outburst of that dance friendly, funky sound.
Dweezil Zappa
Spafford
Lotus
SUNDAY:
As the music festival’s last day commenced it seemed somewhat appropriate that it also turned out to be the hottest day yet. As the flock of music fans sizzled on the grass everyone there brought their best spirits to finish out the weekend on a high note.
The Clamshell Bandshell got down to business right away with The End of America, a band from Philadelphia, PA, that brought some tight three-part-harmonies to the joys of a growing crowd. The outfit easily coaxed every passersby into listening, as it just felt natural to wander towards their sound. The vocalists (playing an acoustic and electric guitar and banjo respectively) gave a soulful, meaningful delivery of lyrics. They came across as a band that really had something to say, important messengers during times of trouble.
Over on the main stage Edgar Winter emerged as the sun still blazed in the sky. He began by playing “Free Ride,” which got people immediately invested in the classic tune. He also engaged the crowd by narrating small stories between each song that gave the entire performance a personal touch. One particular song, “Tobacco Road,” ended up turning into a 15-minute long anthem. Several minutes in he broke off into a call and response with his guitarist – Edgar creating the vocals followed by guitar mimicking his notes. This then flowed into an epic interlude of crazy improvised scatting which morphed into several instrumental covers of famous rock melodies such as Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir.” Towards the end of the set Edgar took a moment to make a heartfelt shoutout to his brother Johnny Winter who passed away back in 2014. The crowd paid homage to his brother’s memory with a barrage of claps and screams.
The music group WAR notably featured sweet soulful harmonica licks from the very first song. Some rich vocal harmonies over a funky beat accompanied by of course (as this became the brass hero of the festival) the saxophone. WAR played the opening notes of popular track “Spill The Wine” to the crowd’s delight. Everyone really came together enjoying the music that was so happy and energetic, it was like a Sunday night family party. Then drummer, Salvador Rodriguez, sang a version of their ballad “So.” Belting notes with the vocal clarity found in pop stars, Rodriguez left the crowd seriously spellbound. Finishing off with the classic “Why Cant We Be Friends,” Lonnie Jordan and his crew delivered a super high energy finale – everyone in attendance could tell the band was having the time of their lives.
Lonnie Jordan, 71, has been last standing original member of WAR for over 20 year.
The very last of the entire four day bonanza was America. They have officially been performing together for 50 years and they certainly took the stage with the poise and showmanship of those who have been in the game. Throughout their performance there were multiple guitar rips that made them worthy of the label “classic rock.” Mid-set they put their own spin on Beatles song (which is always a crowd pleaser) Eleanor Rigby. As their set was winding down, America continued playing as a lightning storm rolled in over the bay. They continued on for as long as they possibly could, but were ultimately forced to cut their last songs short for everyone’s safety. They never got to play Horse With No Name, their extremely popular and arguably most well known song.
Edgar Winter
Lonnie Jordan
America
All in all the feel of this year’s gathering captured exactly what Jim Faith had initially set out to do, bring our local neighborhoods together in peace and music. It felt much like a big block party or backyard barbecue. It was commonplace as a passerby to see people running into friends and exchanging excited hugs. There were giggling kids running around and groups of people hanging back in lawn chairs enjoying cold beers and each other’s company. The festival can be pretty much exactly what you decide to make of it. So whether it’s a relaxed chill session or an energetic experience at the front of the stage, The Great South Bay Music Festival has got you completely covered!
With the motto 3 days, 2 stages, 1 love, no worries, Mazzstock Music Festival is something special. With a long history ranging back for over a decade, people are taking notice of the intimate and affordable festival located within the picturesque, bucolic Hudson Valley Region at Mazzstock Fieldin Marlboro, NY. Conveniently 1.5 hours from New York City, 2 hours from Hartford, 3 hours from Philadelphia and 4 hours from Boston, Mazzstock is celebrating its 12th year (5th year as a 3 day fest) and drawing crowds with another very strong lineup.
Co-Founder “Big Lee” Mazzola, co-producer Vinny Pomarico and their team, have always been known for providing a superior music experience, but this year’s Mazzstock offers an impressive assortment of quickly ascending artists. Festival favorite and Mazzstock veteran, Zach Deputy, returns as a headliner, while Flux Capacitor, Dark Side of the Hudson, Gratefully Yours, Escaper, Cousin Earth and Cosmal are just a few offerings on the festival’s varied lineup – which also features a number of stylized and talented DJs for late-night silent disco.
The most incredible thing about Mazzstock is that the 3-day pass is very reasonably priced – hands down the most affordable festival you’ll find all summer – ensuring one gets a lot of bang for the buck. Three-day passes for Mazzstock Music Festival are available here. The festival is two weeks away, from August 9 to 11, so one should start making their plans now – this is a festival that should not be missed.
Check out our list of five acts you’ll definitely want to catch this year below!
Zach Deputy
This jovial master looper returns as the headliner with his patented potent musings
Hayley Jane and the Primates
The beautiful and talented Hayley Jane and her band return to share infectious tunes in one of their last shows ever
Cousin Earth
This Brooklyn-based outfit, heavily influenced by the ukulele, offers an energetic and unique bevy of jams.
Cosmal
This eclectic duo consistently delivers translucent melodies and contagious grooves.
DJ Joey Hernandez
The innovative and energetic DJ will be dropping those deep funky house music beats for your dancing feet.
This past weekend the Levitate Music and Arts Festival held its seventh annual grassroots event in the beautiful small town of Marshfield, Massachusetts. With one of the top lineups of the 2019 Festival season which included Tedeschi Trucks Band, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Damian Marley, Joe Russoâs Almost Dead, Stick Figure, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Sublime with Rome, St Paul & The Broken Bones, and many other top acts in the jam and reggae music communities, it showed why it has become one of New Englandâs premier music festivals.
moe.down 17 took place at its original home July 4-6, 2019, at Snow Ridge in the Tug Hill Plateau town, Turin, following a one-year hiatus. The Independence Day weekend featured steamy temperatures and equally scorching sets.
The host band performed seven sets over the course of three days, as well as stints with side projects and sit-ins throughout. This festival has always been a family-oriented affair and this year’s moe.down proved no different — from guest spots from moe. bassist Rob Derhak‘s kids to drummer Vinnie Amico’s dedication of a cover of the Allman Brothers’ “Blue Sky,” to his daughter, who was celebrating her 19th birthday over the weekend. moe.down XVII was the family affair it has always set out to be.
The moePods reunited at moe.down for a Friday afternoon set. Comprised of members of Ominous Seapods and moe., the band first got together at a sold out show at Cohoes Music Hall in January of this year and reconvened at moe.down. A true Wetlands reunion took place during this set when Lo Faber of God Street Wine, another of this year’s moe.down bands, joined the moePods onstage. All three bands came up through the second wave jamband scene of the early ’90s together and the mutual love was obvious onstage.
Highlights of the weekend included an amped-up set from Cory Wong of Vulfpek with his band, all in matching outfits. The guitarist displayed his fret skills while the band funked up the main stage to kick off the music Saturday afternoon.
Drive By Truckers brought a little bit of southern grind to the Tug Hill Saturday, delivering a blistering late afternoon set on the main stage that attracted more and more festival-goers throughout the set.
The weekend was filled with a lot of positivity and small-town vibes one can only find at Snow Ridge this time of year. moe.’s seven sets over the weekend proved that they’re not standing still. Several new songs made it into the setlists and the accompanying light show was on point throughout.
Saranac Lake‘s Riverside Park is set to host the inaugural North Current Festival on Sunday, Sept 1. The festival replaces Hobofest, a music festival held in Saranac Lake from 2009 to 2018 on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Organizers retired it last year and a new committee of local residents has formed to create a new festival, based on the Hobofest model while making it their own. The lineup announcement features local and regional acts across several genres.
Burlington-based songstress Kat Wright will headline the event, bringing her sultry, dynamic, delicate yet powerful – gritty but highly emotive sound to the Saranac Lake stage. Also joining the lineup is House of Waters, a Brooklyn-based trio that plays world music rooted in the hammered dulcimer, Rochester-based Mosaic Foundation bringing in the roots, ska, dub, dance-hall grooves, Chestnut Grove, a group from Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, who plays high-energy rock and roll, and also, Mal Maiz, an Afro-Latino orchestra based in Burlington headed up by Costa Rican “Brujo,” Maiz Vargas Sandoval that features both traditional and modern flair with cumbia, latin, reggae and afro-carribean sounds.
Rounding out the eclectic schedule is Saranac Lake’s own Arthur Buezo from The Blind Owl Band, and Soma Beats, an African dance troupe out of Lake Placid lead by Johnna MacDougall. This lineup is still being finalized. Organizers expect to announce a handful of additions soon.
Northern Current is a nonprofit festival under the umbrella of Saranac Lake Rotary, family friendly and free of charge. More information can be found on their website.
The Peach Music Festival is returning to Montage Mountain in Scranton, PA for its 8th annual event at the end of the month, sporting a lineup that fans have been calling the best of the summer. Peach remains a favorite in many attendee’s hearts for its warm, friendly vibes and nonstop schedule of killer music. The festival begins on Thursday, July 25, shifting from last year’s earlier July 19 start date to the last weekend of the month.
The lineup features multiple Peach Stage sets from headlining acts that didn’t play last year’s event, including three sets from jamgrass outfit, The String Cheese Incident, two sets from Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio’s side project Trey Anastasio Band, as well as a set on Friday afternoon from Blues Traveler. A few acts have graduated from the Mushroom Stage to the Peach Stage, notably Aqueous, who are performing the opening set of the festival on Thursday afternoon, as well as Lotus, performing the late night set on Friday night. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong have gained a set from last year’s one main stage set, now performing both before and after String Cheese’s Thursday set.
Other sets to look out for on the Peach Stage include Billy Strings, a hot commodity on the bluegrass scene, at 5:30 on Thursday, moe. on Friday afternoon at 6pm, Lettuce on Saturday at 3:45pm, and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead on Saturday at 12:00am. The Mushroom Stage features a plethora of impressive acts, kicking off on Friday with Andy Frasco & the U.N., a soulful rock band led by a party animal of a frontman, followed by Vulfpeck alum and virtuoso guitarist Cory Wong, as well as prog rockers Dopapod and BIG Something. Saturday’s lineup features soulful female vocalist Kat Wright, Tom Hamilton’s recent project Ghost Light, Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, and Colorado funk group The Motet.
The other Stage features a ton of fantastic acts, and catching any one of them would be a good thing to do. Here are a few that you definitely shouldn’t miss though: On Friday, Joe Hertler & and the Rainbow Seekers at 2:30pm, Upstate at 4pm, Cycles at 10:30pm, Magic Beans at 12:30am. On Saturday, Goose at 4:45pm, Mungion at 10:30 pm, and Organ Freeman at 12:30am.
Peach Festival offers a range of amenities to assist in making attendees comfortable including potable water stations, ATMs, food vendors and medical tents, among other things. The Mushroom Stage is located within Montage Mountain’s very own water park, which includes a lazy river and wave pool that attendees can enjoy their favorite Mushroom sets from. Attendees also have access to the lodge, also located in the water park, that sells pizza and other hot food items for those that want to purchase.
Check out the schedule above or create your own personalized schedule through The Peach Music Festival app, which can remind you when your favorite bands are about to start and let you know of any important updates. Check back with NYS Music for more coverage of this year’s Peach Music Festival in Scranton, PA
Beach balls were flying and raindrops were falling during CountryFest at Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Hosted by 107.7 WGNA, a country radio station out of Albany, CountryFest featured A-list country acts like Eli Young Band, Big & Rich, and Old Dominion. SPAC’s Live Nation Country concerts usually have a large turnout and this was no exception. The amphitheater was filled by the time Eli Young Band took the stage at 6:30 and the fans had already been enjoying themselves tailgating in the parking lot before making their way to their seat or placing their lawn chairs in the perfect place to view the concert.
Eli Young Band kicked off the show with a roar from the crowd. The rain didn’t keep the fans from having a good time singing along to the band’s hits, such as “Crazy Girl” and “Drunk Last Night.” They were a perfect opening act. Getting the crowd pumped with some of their country classics from the 2000’s, Eli Young Band started on the right note. Lead singer Mike Eli’s voice sounded just like the recordings fans know and love. It was very refreshing to hear country music sound as real as the topics being sung about.
The show took a turn when a DJ from Schenectady, New York started playing confusing mash-ups of country hits with early 2000’s hip-hop high school dance songs. Country music has been in its teenage phase of life and experimenting with many different elements of music, some further away from the singing pedal steel and lively fiddle riffs than others. An avenue that many country artists have tried out is rap and hip hop, incorporating the use of drum machines and quick-witted rap verses.
Big & Rich displayed that they are one of those artists that decided to drive head-on into this new sub genre of country music by inviting Texas country rapper Cowboy Troy on stage with them to add clever verses to their old songs and many of the cover songs that they performed. The whole performance felt a little too far from the celebration of country music that one would expect when going to a country music festival. They definitely brought the most “Wow” factor to the show and, for better or for worse, the crowd seemed to enjoy it. There were many parts of the performance where the looks on fans’ faces said, “What is going on?” Mostly when a man in a Spiderman suit came out and they started singing the Spiderman theme song. One commendable aspect of the show that was heartwarming and made any sense was when John Rich invited a United States veteran on stage and asked him to say a few words. After the few minutes of clarity, it went right back into a medley of songs from all different genres, from “American Pie” by Don McClain to “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars, before finishing with their smash hit “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy).” Overall, the whole set left fans happy but slightly confused and wondering if they were still at CountryFest.
The night ended with the high energy, lovable group of guys known as Old Dominion. Their pop-country hits had people singing along and dancing until the end of the night. Matthew Ramsey’s charming personality reached out to many fans in the front by giving out high fives and signing personal items. They played a humanizing acoustic set while sharing their stories coming up as songwriters in Nashville, Tennessee. Playing songs that other country artists such as Blake Shelton and Dierks Bentley have made famous, the frontmen of the band, Matthew Ramsey, Trevor Rosen, and Brad Tursi, revealed to the crowd that fans had been listening to their music for a while before Old Dominion was even making music together. Their story was very inspiring and the short acoustic versions shed light on not just how musically gifted the group is, but what brilliant songwriters they are as well. They announced that their new album is coming soon and gave CountryFest a sneak peek at a new song on the record called “Smooth Sailing.” The tune fits perfectly into their sound with a catchy melody and clever lyrics. Country music fans should keep their eyes and ears open for Old Dominion’s next album because if the rest of the record is as good as “Smooth Sailing,” it will be a great listen that embodies the fun aspects of country music.
