But with the continuing growth of music festivals in North Carolina, these encounters are bound to become an exciting trend.
From the time-honored traditions of Shakori Hills GrassRoots Music Festival, Carrboro Music Festival and MerleFest, to the expansion of the smaller Phuzz Phest and the prominence of Moogfest, North Carolina has established itself as a connoisseur of local, regional and national-caliber festivals.
Hopscotch has become just one of a handful of North Carolina music festivals that are accessible to the large and growing music community in the state, and this year it is back for round three. As other festivals expand, the state continues to cultivate a unique breed of festival life that maintains a distinctly local feel and reaches out to the community, sometimes through partnering with up-and-coming local eateries, creative artisans as well as talented musicians.
“The N.C. scene is really nice, because while we have played bigger festivals, there is clearly a lot of community support and involvement in the planning and volunteering here,” said James Phillips, drummer of the Durham band Bombadil. In the past few years, Bombadil has played a variety of festivals including Shakori Hills and Hopscotch, each a different, but enjoyable experience.
Although many festivals structure themselves around a particular genre and geographic focus, many of the newer N.C. festivals are aiming to reach a range of audiences. Phillips believes big festivals like Moogfest and Hopscotch will eventually draw music fans from across the region and potentially the nation. Despite the attractions festivals provide for the audience, it's not only the fans who are treated to an exciting atmosphere. In his experience, Phillips said that performers are taken care of well and are able to further develop their place in the music community through interacting with fellow musicians.
“There is a community of people playing music festivals,” Phillips said. “It's a great way to gain exposure.”
One of the more prominent North Carolina festivals, Hopscotch Music Festival hosted by The Independent Weekly, boasted headliners like Public Enemy and Broken Social Scene in 2010, its first year. Although that first year put them in debt, said co-director Greg Lowenhagen, the reception was huge and they're going to keep building it up each year. Last year saw the addition of a few more venues, an electric Flaming Lips City Plaza performance and an even greater convergence of musical-minded individuals, whether band-specific die-hard fans, supportive fellow musicians or overall music lovers.
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| Hopscotch 2011, StudioJ Productions |
The Hopscotch lineup was released on April 18 and since then, the weekend's supply of VIP passes have already sold out. Yet despite the quick turnaround with ticket sales, the booking of 175 bands in three days and the promise of more surprises, this September's festival has a distinctly different first impression than prior years.
Jordan Lawrence, music editor of Shuffle Magazine writes, “...but with a bevy of top-flight experimental, garage and metal bands on tap, Hopscotch continues to be a festival that seems best suited to a music geek, the kind that has a broad, manically maintained range of interest,” suggesting that the festival may not be as accessible from year to year for a large-scale audience like that of Bonnaroo or Cochella. However, the way in which North Carolina festivals cultivate themselves so as to include local musicians is an important asset of the growing scene.
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| Hopscotch 2011, Abby Nardo |
This year, The Roots, Jesus and Mary Chain, The dBs, Yo La Tengo and The Mountain Goats number the close to 200 bands that will play one of 15 venues at Hopscotch. The specialization in a few select genres this year might make the festival slightly less accessible, but as a result, it is able to secure a devoted fanbase. Based on this new and lively festival bill and the fact that individuals keep coming back for more, N.C. festivals like Hopscotch are drawing major attention to some of North Carolina's booming regions, and exciting music fans across the nation.
At the other end of the state, Asheville's Moogfest, has surged as a standout electronic music festival that honors the memory of Bob Moog, a pioneer of the genre. During the festival's last two years, it has also drawn performers like the Flaming Lips, St. Vincent, Passion Pit and Moby. Between it and Hopscotch, big names are continuing to find their way to the state, a place that might not be a normal stop on a tour
“That was more of the festival experience. There were tons of people I thought I would never see otherwise — Sigur Rós, that was probably my favorite show experience from Moogfest,” said Chesley Kalnen, a UNC junior who attended Moogfest in 2010.
Larger festivals are also a way for local bands to get their name out, and perhaps earn an endorsement from nationally-recognized acts. The way in which many of the N.C. festivals draw on the important balance of local and national acts helps to create a well-rounded scene that has a lot of room to grow.
“It's good for the local bands to meet people they look up to and get influence from,” Kalnen said. “It helps network in the music world and helps expose other people to a band, especially if they have similar music taste.”
Both Moogfest and Hopscotch have also gained national press from the likes of NPR Music and Pitchfork. And based on the positive reactions of these publications, it appears that festival life in North Carolina is here to stay and only further evolve.
Smaller festivals, large vibes
Not all music festivals that North Carolina hosts are heavy weights like Hopscotch and Moog. Throughout the past several years, multiple smaller-scaled festivals, at least in terms of production have established themselves across the state. For example, the 2012 Carrboro Music Festival is in its 15th year and since getting started, has managed to host 180 bands in 25 venues in a single day.
For Gerry Williams, festival coordinator, what started out as a showcase of local musicians has blossomed into one of the town's most popular events. Local businesses partner with the event, as many coffee shops and restaurants host festival's gigs. From midmorning until late at night, there is a band playing at almost every stoop and major establishment in Carrboro.
“Even the first festival was basically the same concept — we wanted to have free music around town in a variety of locations and showcase the local musicians, and that’s what we’re still doing today,” he said.
Similarly, Winston-Salem's Phuzz Phest got it's start with Philip Pledger, a UNC alumni and leader of the band Estrangers, because he wanted to showcase his town's talent. This year's festival was the second installment and Pledger worked on bringing in a variety of musicians that were representative of his immediate community but also the evolving N.C. music scene.
“I tried to set up the bills really intentionally, to have a solid foundation with Winston bands, but exposing people to stuff that is like the headliner,” Pledger said.
Pledger notes that finding funding becomes one of the biggest challenges for festivals when first starting up. Phuzz Phest was by no means intended to be the same size as Moog and Hopscotch, Pledger added, and for a second-year festival, he was able to book over 40 bands from a variety of genres, such as the folk-inclined Hiss Golden Messenger and the garage punk rockers Paint Fumes.
Despite the smaller-scale of these festivals, they manage to draw hundreds of attendees and a variety of musicians. For Pledger, a bigger budget will be a huge asset, but already the festival was able to bring in a number of willing musicians.
“The goal for this was to get the best bands in North Carolina that I could come play and not have to pay them exorbitant amounts of money,” he said.“I think the value on the whole festival is through the roof. There are so many amazing bands that in two years or five or 10, will be pretty notable bands.”
Basking in the outdoors
Two long-standing annual festivals, Shakori Hills GrassRoots Music and Festival for the Eno, are events that are perfect for individuals of all ages. Considering the array of food vendors, local arts and crafts that are offered in addition to the days of music, both festivals are great family options. And as long as it doesn't rain, the outdoor location of these festivals enhances the experience even more.
At the biannual Shakori Hills, which is hosted every September and April, the festival organizers offer camping as a way to spend the night at the four-day festival. At a relatively cheap price, this option allows individuals to explore the other aspects of the event without having to spend time traveling to and from. Shakori Hills is remotely located outside of Pittsboro, so camping is the perfect festival component.
Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival, Fall 2010, Kevin M. James
“We've always had a nice time playing at Shakori Hills It's a really great time and the fact it is integrated into a farm makes it really comfortable,” Phillips said.
Another warm weather festival, Festival for the Eno, is held every July 4 and often maintains a vibe similar to Shakori Hills. Vendors, families, dogs and musicians spread themselves across the West Point on the Eno at the Durham City Park, and with the inviting river just a few feet away, swimming is always option for dealing with the summer heat.
“The music experience was an all around fun environment because there was a large group of musicians from an array of genres and backgrounds,” said Andrew Byrum, who attended last year's Eno Festival. “It was an enjoyable day because of the eats, the fact that it was outdoors and the music was great.”
For Byrum and others less familiar with the local music community, festivals like Shakori Hills and Festival for the Eno provide a relaxed introduction to the music of N.C., while also showcasing cultural opportunities in the form of food, crafts and dance that might be overlooked away from the festival environment.
And at a relatively fair price, these are festivals that can be well-worth the expense for anyone. With so much to offer, the music community can expect to find a few if not several (or all) things to enjoy.
Festival for the Eno, http://enoriver.org/Festival/
A future of festivals
With so many already to choose from, the music festival scene in North Carolina looks promising for anyone who enjoys a good time and a variety of music. Whether it's hip-hop, sweet indie folk, thrashing metal or energetic pop, the Triangle's bands and the national ones the festivals pull in create a well-rounded scene where everyone is sure to find something that pleases the ear.
“I hope that the festivals will continue to grow,” Phillips said. “It seems like there is a number and people are going. Hopscotch, Moogfest, the music and arts we already have has a lot of different varieties. And there's something different about a touring band playing Saturday at Hopscotch than a Monday night at the Nightlight.”
Kalnen agrees, adding that there is already a great deal of variety and the foundation these music festivals have created is strong.
And in the long run, the success of the state's music festivals is most easily evaluated by their continuation. For the local community, the presence of these festivals has already increased the impact of the local music scene.The N.C. music festival trend is something to be excited about, as it places the state in the similar competition with other music-festival hosting states.
“It seems like more festivals are popping up and as our culture is moving toward focusing on local music,” Phillips said. “I lived in Portland, Ore. and they have a big festival too. But the caliber of talent and the general excitement is very similar at ours.”
So watch out Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza and South by Southwest, because between the new and old festivals that number this state and a successful track record, it's time that North Carolina's music festivals come out and play in the same big-time leagues.
Recent and Upcoming N.C. Music Festivals:
April 4-6 Phuzz Phest, Winston-Salem
April 19-22 Shakori Hills Grassroots, Pittsboro
April 26-29 MerleFest, Wilkesboro
July 4, 7-8 Festival for the Eno, Durham
Aug. TBD TRKFest, Pittsboro
Sept. 6-8 Hopscotch Music Festival, Raleigh
Sept. 30 Carrboro Music Festival, Carrboro
Oct. TBD Moogfest, Asheville
