Laurel Cove Festival 2025 Lives Up to Expectations
It seems like everyone is trying to tap into Kentucky authenticity in music these days, and we shouldn’t be surprised. It was Sturgill Simpson, Tyler Childers, and Chris Stapleton who sparked the country music revolution, and it’s the Bluegrass State that continues to seed so many of the best and fastest rising names in music today. You can either listen to artists “inspired” by the Kentucky sound—or who synthesize it through the lumbering motions of the Music Row machinery in Nashville—or you can go directly to the source.
On the side of a hill at a state park in Bell County, Kentucky rests the Laurel Cove Amphitheater. Appearing like something taken from a scene of a J.R.R. Tolkien novel, the natural amphitheater fitted with seats and stones for sitting looks over a quaint stage, with a lagoon-like water feature in the front. Lichens and moss adorn everything, and in every nook and around every corner is a magical little spot to commune with nature.
But most important to this little piece of Kentucky paradise is the Laurel Cove Festival that commences each June. It might as well be the headwaters for genuine country and roots music talent from Kentucky, Appalachia, and beyond. In 2025, two of the three headliners we’re Kentucky natives: landmark generational songwriter Ian Noe, and surging Southern rock band Ole 60.
Due to inclement weather though, only one of those headliners got to perform. Ian Noe ended up getting scrubbed Friday night. But direct supporting artist Evan Honer held court under a small pavilion with some very wet and very lucky patrons getting an unplugged and acoustic set they won’t soon forget. Jonathan and Abigail Payton weren’t even on the lineup, but sang an acapella tune for the ages. Hill Country Devil also performed under the pavilion in moments that will surely be referenced in Laurel Cove lore for years to come.
The rain mostly held off for Ole 60 on Saturday night, but water works weren’t completely absent. It’s the mix of strikingly emotional moments, combined with unabashed euphoric flourishes of rock that makes the Ole 60 experience so compelling. As the announcer said ahead of their set, when they first appeared on the scene like a thunderbolt, nobody knew anything about them … except that they were from Kentucky. For Laurel Cove, that’s qualification enough. Along with their original songs, Ole 60 also covered Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” and Coldplay’s “Yellow.”
Setting the table for Ole 60 was Oklahoma’s Kaitlin Butts, but it was a group of young girls and a boy that threatened to steal the show. They were standing on the side of the stage the whole show, singing and dancing along. Kaitlin walked over at one point and gave them their own little private show. Then at the very end of the set, Kaitlin brought all the kids out on stage, and they danced off together to close the set as the crowd went nuts.
Afterwards, Kaitlin hung out with the kids (see video), signed a bunch of stuff for them, and made their little years. And then after the show, Kaitlin drove her own tour van towing a trailer BACKWARDS all the way down the mountain like a damn boss because there was nowhere to turn around. The crew at the Laurel Cove Festival couldn’t believe it. “She’s a badass!” one crew member said.
It’s moments like this that people will remember, young and old, for years to come.
But the Laurel Cove Music Festival is just as much about the opening and up-and-coming names to discover as it is the big evening acts, if not even more.
London, Kentucky is not too far up the road from Laurel Cove in Pineville. But Jack Browning hails from the other London where the King sits on his throne. In Kentucky, you have colonels, not Kings. But Browning could be mistaken for a hilljack in the right light, and certainly sounds like one, speaking to the worldwide influence of Appalachia on music.
Not nearly as far away, but still at an impressive distance, Noeline Hoffman came down from Canada to hit the cove for a third time, second as a performer, and first time on the main stage. She actually shares a kinship with Jack Browning since they both released tribute songs to fallen country music artist Luke Bell, who though usually associated with Wyoming, happened to be born in Kentucky. They both performed their versions of “The Bullfighter” on the weekend, but nobody complained.
It was Noeline’s Hoffman’s speech in the middle of her set that really spelled out why small independent festivals like Laurel Cove are so important.
“Laurel Cove ended up being the most important part of my whole trip down here to the United States … I ended up at Laurel Cove at the very end of my trip, and it completely changed my life, all the artists, the people and music that I met down here. If I didn’t end up here, I don’t know what my life would look like now. I know it sounds dramatic, but it really is true.”
This what it’s all about. This is the reason these independent festivals are so vital, and make for superspreader events for quality music since the audience is filled with patrons who support artists however they can, and help spread the word about their favorite music. Bonnaroo and Stagecoach might have the big names, but they don’t have the camaraderie and community an event and location like Laurel Cove has.
Lucky for Laurel Cove, the support outpaces the capacity, and it sells out almost immediately every single year. But even though only a thousand or so people get to experience the Laurel Cove Music Festival in person, the music and the moments resonate far beyond the little cove on a hill in Kentucky.
That’s why the festival is considered one of the best fests in the United States. This is where music careers are launched and supported, and where music and memories spread out from rural Kentucky to infuse America with genuine Appalachian soul.
All photos by Kyle “Trigger” Coroneos. For more photos, video, and media, follow Saving Country Music on Instagram. Apologies to any artists not pictured or mentioned.
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June 15, 2025 @ 7:03 pm
I’m jealous and regretful I didn’t go in 2021 or 2022. Those were the best regional lineups (many of those artists now being replaced with national acts) and you could actually get tickets. Anyone who has never attended Laurel Cove has a better chance of getting struck by lightning than scoring tickets for this event for the next ten years because of its capacity and the many layers of VIP, previously attended, and pre-pre on site sales. LC sells out before tickets are ever available to the public.
LC does have an exclusive ticket re-sale option which is pretty awesome. You can resell your tickets for any price, but a percentage of the resale price goes to the artists and you don’t get your money back until after the event. If you get caught trying to resell on the secondary market, you lose your tickets. But, even if 20% of the people resell their tickets, that’s 200 tickets. Good luck being at your device at the time they are posted.
Even if you get in, the event would feel like crashing a private wedding. The week of the event the organizers put together the seating chart! And people on social media are requesting to sit next to people they know. It’s the same people going to this event for the past 6 years.
So have to ask, what’s the end game? LC can’t expand. They can’t take this show on the road like Farm Aid or Healing Appalachia because the destination is part of the appeal. But yet LC gets endless media coverage for an event no one can attend. Is LC a vanity project for Jason Partin and his Farm Music Management? If so, that’s cool and no one deserves it more.
But at this point we should just call it an artist showcase for music media publications and podcasters and a few lucky people who attended the early concerts. It reminds me of Wille Nelson’s Luck Reunion in its exclusivity.
I’m glad you got to see Brayden Mullins. “Birds in the Air” is my 2nd favorite album released this year.
June 15, 2025 @ 8:44 pm
Totally understand what you’re saying about the tickets and exclusivity. The Laurel Cove Amphitheater can only fit so many people. That doesn’t mean the event doesn’t matter. The folks who hold onto their tickets for dear life and the superfans who really help support this music, and the festival has already proven to be an important proving ground.
Perhaps they could expand to two weekends at some point or something. The event is kind of exclusive to the location, so moving it to somewhere bigger kind of defeats the purpose. I think they want to keep it small.
June 16, 2025 @ 5:14 am
So many misstatements in your comment. Many of the fans that have came every year travel in from out of state just because of their love of music. They are not media people or influencers. They come for the friendships they made here at this little festival and have also attended other events they host such as shows at the Bell Theatre. We meet up at the Waffle King each morning to see our favorite waitress Melanie. Many will explore the area with the great hiking trails and local businesses. I had many friends from other festivals that attended this year as first timers so the exclusivity comments are false.
June 16, 2025 @ 5:40 am
You didn’t disprove anything thing I commented as a “misstatement.”
I never commented about where the concert attendees hailed from or if they traveled. I’m not sure how that’s relevant to anything I typed.
It’s a fact no tickets were available to the general public outside of resell. Due to its limited capacity, LC sells out during the pre-sales and it’s 95% return attendees. The exclusivity comment is not false, If your friends scored tickets, great for them. I don’t know why the media covers an event so strongly that so few can attend. Let that coverage go to other events where there are actually tickets available for music fans and the events need the fans.
Yes, personally I’d like it if it were more locals and blue collared country music fans got to attend LC than Whiskey Riff personalities, Hippie & Cowboys podcasters, Brad Luttrells of he world, and the Red Twerk. I’m a man of the people.
June 16, 2025 @ 6:37 am
Oh, God. Please don’t give the “underemployed groupies with Twitter accounts” crowd that much credit. They already think they’re important enough.
June 16, 2025 @ 6:45 am
So I’m “Red Twerk”…not sure about how I’d get lumped into that category when I’ve bought a ticket every year and have attended since 21 (missed 22 since I caught COVID that week). Have also attended shows at the Bell Theatre and went to the fall festival there in 22. I don’t request any special privileges or am given any. I just show up as a fan of live music and enjoy it with my friends who came from all over.
June 16, 2025 @ 5:41 am
Also, I saw several tickets on the resale site for an extended period of time. If you wanted a ticket, you could have got one. I drive here every year from RI because of how welcoming and unpretentious the people are
June 16, 2025 @ 7:41 am
Let’s be honest. Tickets are hard to get for this event. Doesn’t mean its impossible, but it’s tough. But I 100% agree about the people being welcome and unpretentious.
June 16, 2025 @ 6:12 am
Hey Geoff and Hoptowntiger,
This speaks to the EXACT thing I was trying to address in the comment that got posted below this conversation.
When you have Brad Luttrell and Shelby at Whiskey Riff taking trivial matters from Laurel Cove and blowing them out massively on Twitter for “content,” you are going to create the perception that Laurel Cove is an exclusive, almost private event for a social media elite. That’s why I can’t express how insulting it is to the spirit of Laurel Cove, and what the festival organizers have created to participate in that type of social media grandstanding.
In all my years of attending festivals all around the country, I have NEVER seen the level of disrespect, and the interpolation of online drama into the beautiful, non-online moments like was done at this festival in 2025. I intend to address this in article form as soon as I have a moment. I just wanted to put covering the music and the moments first.
June 16, 2025 @ 7:31 am
Bud, Shelby has attended the festival in the past and is part of the LC family as far as most of us that come every year are concerned. As for the trivial matter you say she and others blew out of proportion, you made a snide bikini comment to her face unprompted — how is that in any way professional or respectful?
I had countless people who were fans come up to me wondering why you were there because you’re known to have such a bad reputation outside your own bubble and, rather than have any level of personal accountability, opt to instead play the victim and blame everyone but yourself for that perception.
It’s a shame because you have a great ear for music and a solid perspective (most of the time), but often your ego and positioning that you’re the only one preserving authentic country music overshadows that. Tbh I thought your review above was very well said, but what I’m starting to see in the comments is putting a stain on it.
As for the festival’s exclusivity, Jon Grace even said on stage prior to Ole 60’s set that LC doesn’t open up tickets to outsiders because he loves the crowd he has now and doesn’t want to ruin the tight knit community the fest has built since 2019.
And in regards to another previous comment about Jason Partin and The Farm, everyone on the LC lineup was more than deserving of their spots. Two of the best sets the entire weekend came from his artists Emily Jamerson and Jordan Lee King, so you next time please consider keeping your silly little opinions to yourself.
June 16, 2025 @ 8:10 am
Hey MJ,
Thanks for piping up. I will be addressing what happened with Shelby in due course. I did not want that topic to get in the way of recapping the important artists, moments and memories of Laurel Cove 2025. I addressed the matter with Shelby personally and privately probably 90 minutes after it happened and immediately when I saw her again to clear the air. So this is not me delaying or not addressing the matter, it’s simply putting the music first. Also, just so it’s out there, I have 1,800 miles to drive to the Telluride Bluegrass Fest this week, so I only have limited time to work on this stuff. But let me just say, the way that interaction is being characterized is is missing very critical context.
“I had countless people who were fans come up to me wondering why you were there because you’re known to have such a bad reputation outside your own bubble.”
“Shelby has attended the festival in the past and is part of the LC family as far as most of us that come every year are concerned.”
This is the whole ballgame right here MJ. This is everything. So first, I am EXTREMELY aware of this supposed “bad reputation.” I don’t live in a bubble. And I was patently aware of it well before the situation with Shelby. So was Shelby, and that was the problem. The whole reason I walked up to her was to attempt to make a connection with a colleague and to diffuse that situation. It turned ugly immediately, and well before anything about bikinis was mentioned, because the vibe was, “You don’t belong here. You’re not wanted here. This is MY festival, not your festival,” which is exactly the vibe the commenter hoptowntiger was taking about.
I keep hearing about this “bad reputation” from everyone that I supposedly can’t live down, but nobody seems to know where it started, or what any of its about. I ask, and they don’t have answers. It’s because it all based on extremely online gossipy high school canards. And in the vacuum of having anything to actually be angry at me about, they created something. Because I don’t belong there, and they do. And that shitty, exclusive attitude is CATASTROPIC for grassroots, independent music, and should have no place in any portion of the music community, irrespective of limiting crowd sizes to facilitate intimate moments.
This recap itself is being glowing received by folks who attended the festival, and folks who love to read about fests all around the world. The fact that it is being taken as some sort of shot across the bow by others speaks to the selfish and exclusive mindset some are bringing to this fest that is insulting to it’s spirit, and the spirit of all independent music.
Shelby and other might have been going to Laurel Cove for years before. I’ve been covering this music for 18 1/2 years. I think I’ve earned the right to be able to attend Laurel Cove, and try to confer the beauty of this amazing event to the world. People who have trouble with that are showing their true character, and motivations, which are about them, not the music.
Again, I will address this matter in detail when cooler heads have prevailed, and when I have the time to give the matter the time and respect it deserves.
June 16, 2025 @ 9:28 am
Let me clarify my comment: any success for Jason Partin is success for country music. I don’t know why there aren’t more Tim Goodins booked over Red Clay Stays or Evan Honers.
June 16, 2025 @ 10:48 am
I’m honestly just confused why that vanilla bean loser Brad thinks he’s A. In any way relevant to anyone and B. Anything more than a lame attention craving Dad whose family clearly isn’t enough to keep him satisfied so he needs the attention of strangers on the internet. Stay in your lane….i.e. the line at home depot picking up what you’re told.
June 16, 2025 @ 12:40 pm
Glad to know that your comment on knowing me from a bikini on Twitter that was unwarranted, disturbing, and uncomfortable is a trivial matter to you even after you apologized. Noted.
There was no Whiskey Riff clique I was with all weekend. I came alone and hung with other people and friends in the industry that I knew.
June 16, 2025 @ 2:15 pm
Hey Shelby,
My apology to you for the awkward social interaction was sincere. I have not and will not walk that back. As I said then and I will say now, it was never my intent to make you feel uncomfortable, and I take responsibility for that, and apologize for it. My intent was to move on from the situation. However, some are exploiting it and exacerbating it to the point where it’s being used to push information that is patently incorrect.
I walked to you in positivity, wanting to make a connection with a colleague. I was then met with negativity. Then the bikini line happened, which I regret and apologized for, but is being taken out-of-context.
What’s also happening here is people are using this recap of the Laurel Cove Festival as a forum for even more negativity, attack, and mischaracterization. That is unfortunate.
There was definitely a group of artists and others that were strongly pro Whiskey Riff, and strongly anti Saving Country Music at Laurel Cove Festival. You know this. And some of them are the ones that took something that should have been resolved privately, and tried to use it to completely and utterly smear my character in hopes of rubbing me out of existence. Nobody can be surprised that I might have something to say about that.
I wish you the best.
June 16, 2025 @ 2:23 pm
Disturbing and uncomfortable? Jesus experience some actual hardship maybe people are dying all over the globe and someone mentioned your bikini photos omg someone dial the law.
June 16, 2025 @ 3:04 pm
You have never clarified once what negativity I met you with. I shook your hand and asked you for your name then made a comment on my bikini pictures then walked away. That was the extent of that interaction. And yet you doubled down on Twitter that I shouldn’t have those pictures up selling merchandise for the company I work for if I don’t want people talking about them.
June 17, 2025 @ 4:19 am
In the grand scheme of things yes, it is very trivial. The biggest sin of social media in my opinion is how folks can be crucified for one stupid comment or passing action. Case in point, a few months ago, the veterinarian from California who killed himself after he kicked the horse in the head. Should he have been sanctioned from his industry, yes. Should he have faced legal consequences, yes if the animals owners wanted to proceed. Should he have ended up dead because millions of folks on social media called him a horrible piece of sh*t, called him every name in the book, and wished him dead, No. It’s a form of public bullying, intimidation, and harassment that unfortunately the general public seems to have no problem with. I think purposely engaging in it is a bigger flaw of character than making an off taste passing akward statement. It’s also a bad look when someone in a competing company uses it as a way to try and cut down a competitor.
June 16, 2025 @ 1:09 pm
I recommend you don’t. Anyone who would care (which isn’t many) has likely seen the comments online and got the jist of the interaction. This is one of those situations where there is more to be gained from just from moving on, especially because your own involvement means you can’t stand aside and report on it independently as a journalist.
If you do decide to go ahead with an article, have a friend who you trust to give you honest (critical) feedback proof read it.
June 16, 2025 @ 2:20 pm
“Anyone who would care (which isn’t many) has likely seen the comments online and got the jist of the interaction.”
That’s the problem right there, because the jist is lacking important context and nuance. And the even bigger problem is those who see this as the moment to turn the knife one last time on Saving Country Music and finish the job. That won’t happen of course, but I do think it’s important to put the nuance back into the argument, as well as look at the bigger issue of how these online interactions are encroaching on live experiences.
I agree this issue needs to be addressed with care, patience, and dispassionately. That’s why I haven’t posted anything about it yet.
June 16, 2025 @ 2:28 pm
Zach Bryan handled his situation exactly that way and ignored the phoney grievance actors out of existence including vanilla bean Brad who attempted to steer the conversation towards canceling Zach. Because of course he’s bored and lonely and leftists think this makes women like them. It doesn’t it’s equivalent to the friend zone. Political simping.
June 16, 2025 @ 9:51 am
Tickets go quick, no doubt. But the misstatement is that no tickets are available to 1st timers/general public. There was a general on-sale that started on January 17th and ended a few minutes later when they sold out. It was also before the lineup was announced. As small as the venue is, not many of those are available. HOWEVER, anyone who comes to certain shows at The Bell Theater can buy tix. If someone wants to go bad enough, they can make it happen, it just may take a weekend in Bell County, or buying a bottle of bourbon, to do it.
June 16, 2025 @ 5:28 am
Also I want to address this line:
“Even if you get in, the event would feel like crashing a private wedding.”
100% understand how someone could feel that way from the outside looking in, and I’ve seen similar people express this about Mile 0 Fest in Key West and other small festivals that have become such strong communities. (BTW, there were a lot of Mile 0 Fest folks at Laurel Cove).
But that was not my experience at all. I found all the attendees, the vendors, the staff, and everyone else very welcoming and open.
The one exception for me personally was a clique of folks who are centered around Whiskey Riff, and another clique centered around Twitter who see this festival as their turf, and were reviled at my mere presence on the site, and were pissing in people’s ears all weekend about what a piece of shit I am because Laurel Cove is THEIR turf. These are people I have never said anything ill about. In fact, in some cases, these are artists I have profiled here at Saving Country Music. But because they have zero degrees of separation from Whiskey Riff, have decided I’m their enemy, and thus, spent the weekend attempting to assassinate my character.
I can’t express to you how disrespectful of the spirit of the Laurel Cove Festival and the community the organizers have built this behavior is. I can take it personally. I’m a big boy. But there was a group of extremely online people who spent much of the weekend taking things that happened at the festival, and used the to create drama on the internet for “content” in a way I have never even seen for festivals with 30,000 people.
They want Laurel Cove to be THEIRS. And that’s the wrong attitude to bring to ANY music festival, especially Laurel Cove.
June 16, 2025 @ 7:00 am
OMGosh, laughing …
Who cares about a bunch of losers worried about you being there, Trig.
Great that you were there, and covering this.
June 16, 2025 @ 7:50 am
Those twitter rejects will do anything to have an artist they like RT or Like their tweets. Wouldn’t give them the time of day. Also don’t get me started on whiskey riff, that’s a merch company first and foremost. A company like whiskey riff should be the one blackballed at a festival like that not SCM. These clowns were in junior high listening to Lady A when you were writing about Hank3 and Lucky Tubb.
June 16, 2025 @ 3:38 pm
Although Laurel Cove has a reasonable chunk of tickets that go as pre-sale to prior attendees there is a portion that does make it to general sales. This was the 4th year we have attended and I had to rely on general sales tickets with how the pre-sales went. They switched ticket vendors for this year’s event and I also done the dreaded refresh when queued which probably put me to the back of the line for presale window.
Not aware of the split of reserved seats compared to 1st come/1st serve for benches+ but feels under 1/2 of tickets are reservered seating. I can tell you the queue to get in when gates opened this year had more people than any prior year to claim their GA spot.
My girl and me are casual fans (not media or “influencers”) and would say about 1/4 of the people we spoke to claimed this was their 1st LCMF. From talking with the 1st timers all of them were dedicated fans towards music that admitted to attending smaller notiable festivals and were from out of state. From some of the locals we had talked to they said they only became aware of the event the past year or 2 and were blown away that us Hoosiers even knew about the event!
IMO, LCMF should monitor how the presales go and resales go. My big gripe I shared with them directly after missing on the presale was presales should go to last years’ attendees only since they are active and not to the larger pool of attendees’ event history. Feel that action would cut down on the resellers that only have one foot in the pool about going and ensure larger numbers of tickets make it to the general sale. Life happens but if you get out of line there is demand for that spot!
It’s a hard ticket but managable for tickets for LCMF. This does not need to become like the Luck Festival which is redicoulous to even get an opportunity to purchase a ticket let alone attended said event. 3rd year in a row with Luck without eveing getting that opportunity!
June 15, 2025 @ 7:33 pm
Love to see you mention Dalton Mills and Jack Browning. Some lovely humans right there. ❤️
June 15, 2025 @ 10:03 pm
I got lucky when a friend messaged the day before the festival with a couple of spare tickets. I blew off work and headed down Thursday morning. The setting of this festival is magical. Nicholas Jamerson set was one of the most moving and inspired sets I’ve seen in a while. Emily Jamerson singing Grams “in my hour of darkness” with the Jenkins twins was stunning. So many highlights. Thanks Trigger for covering this!!
June 16, 2025 @ 5:37 am
Jack browning came a long way, but the distance award definitely goes to Tori Forsyth. She came from Australia
June 16, 2025 @ 7:14 am
Looks like a hoot! Nice recap man!
June 16, 2025 @ 9:12 am
Any thoughts on Ritch Henderson, either specific to his performance at LC or in general?
Thanks!
June 16, 2025 @ 5:55 pm
Ritch played the pre-party on Wednesday night, and unfortunately I was not in town yet, so I couldn’t attend.
I reviewed his 2024 album:
https://savingcountrymusic.com/album-review-ritch-hendersons-alive-in-alabama/
I’ve also included a couple of his songs in the Top 25 playlist.
June 16, 2025 @ 9:34 am
Saw Jonathan Peyton in these pics wearing a Hunter Blalock hat. Insane to me that Cherokee Hills by Hunter has gotten no coverage. One of my favorite records from 2024 and his song with the Peyton’s is fantastic. Still think we should get a review for this album here. Make it happen (please).
June 16, 2025 @ 11:28 am
Damn i’d love to see Hunter Blalock at LCM. He’d fit right in with those songs. 2026… Let’s get Jonathan & Abigail Peyton full band on the main stage and Hunter at Creekside
June 16, 2025 @ 10:16 am
How much of what went down this weekend was because of Mary Sparr? I saw she jumped Brad Luttrell over his grievance with Ian Noe pulling the plug and I know there’s no love lost between you two.
June 16, 2025 @ 10:18 am
None. In fact, I was on Mary Sparr’s side about that whole thing.
June 16, 2025 @ 11:25 am
Thanks for the recap of an incredibly special festival run by great people with a different agenda than every other music festival around. Attendees go to LCM for one simple reason… the music. There’s only one beer tent and not sure I ever saw the line more than 5 deep. Where else can you hear crickets and frogs singing with the artists b/c the conversations in the crowd are minimum at best. Yes, tickets are hard to get and i’ve come to the conclusion that i won’t get tickets every year and just be thankful for the years i do get to go.
So glad i was able to crash this private wedding couple years ago… I’ve now got friends at this festival i look forward to seeing every year as i do in Steamboat and key west.
June 16, 2025 @ 1:47 pm
Trig, so cool that you made it this year! Wish I’d known you were there, would have loved to chat. (That’s my ugly bald head in your picture of Jonathan & Abigail Peyton!)
In response to some other comments — yes, it’s largely the same people there year in and year out. I’ve attended the last 5 and fully intend to continue. I think it’s actually really cool that the festival prioritizes getting tickets in the hands of the people that took a chance on them in the early years. They dance with them what brung ’em! Yes, that means it’s a difficult (but not impossible) ticket for those who aren’t previous attendees to get. It’s a small space, I’m not sure that’s a problem that can be solved. It also means you get a pretty consistently respectful crowd with an extremely low bozo quotient. These days that’s a miracle.
This year, for me, the magic was happening primarily on the Creekside stage. Jason Partin had it exactly right when he said that Nic Jamerson should be selling out stadiums. Jordan Lee King and Brayden Mullins both put on stellar sets from that stage and should be on more people’s radar.
And of course the impromptu acoustic sets in the corner of the green room shelter was probably the highlight of the festival this year for those of us who stuck it out through the downpour. I’m sure Evan Honer made a lot of new fans with his enthusiastic performance perched atop a cooler, leading a singalong of Jersey Giant.
June 16, 2025 @ 5:57 pm
The 2nd stage was definitely not 2nd in talent. Nicholas Jamerson could have easily been a headliner. Pretty much everyone I saw on it impressed me, but really, that goes for both stages. This is not an event that books top names and then whatever the agencies throw in to get a “deal.” It’s well-curated top to bottom. Not everything might appeal to everyone, but it’s all top quality, and fits the spirit of the fest seamlessly.
June 17, 2025 @ 6:26 pm
You couldn’t be more correct. Its a who’s who in the area. There could be more tickets but that would take away from Jon and Jason’s vip crew. He’ll locals can’t even get tickets. Its a joke really.
June 19, 2025 @ 4:47 pm
Loved the article and photos. Captions were great too. They mentioned many new artists that I need to explore.
One photo caption referred to Kindred Spirits, and the next said Kindred Valley. Looks like Valley is correct.
June 19, 2025 @ 7:15 pm
Trigger fixed the caption, but the whole post is still tagged with Kindred Spirits.
June 19, 2025 @ 7:34 pm
Fixed the tag as well. Lots of names to keep up with!
June 22, 2025 @ 11:45 pm
Artists like SG Goodman, Hudson Westbrook, and Ty Myers are carrying forward that gritty, soul-baring tradition
October 8, 2025 @ 4:02 am
Late to the party here, but…. Reading the article really makes me want to go to this festival in ’26. Reading the comments makes it sound like middle school drama.