Live Shows: Green River Festival, Greenfield, MA 7/9/16 and 7/10/16

Shakey Graves
Photo by Ken Sears

Here in New England, we're in the middle of a pretty terrible drought. We need rain desperately, and would take any rain that we can get. Unfortunately, rain finally came during this year's Green River Festival. Saturday was just cold and wet all day, while Sunday offered a short break before the downpour took over the day. Hooded sweatshirts aren't the usual clothing of choice at an outdoor music festival in July, but they dominated the weekend. The weather was so bad all hot air balloon rides were cancelled, which hasn't happened in decades, if ever. Luckily, the music was stellar enough to save the weekend. Here are some of the best things we saw.

Leland Sundries
Photo by Ken Sears

Leland Sundries
Leland Sundries' new album, Music for Outcasts, didn't connect with Jeff when it was released last month. To be honest, it didn't really work for me, either. I was surprised to find out that the songs work much better live. It's great retro rock with a folk edge to it that, while they have a sense of humor to them, aren't too precious to be taken seriously. Maybe it's just that frontman Nick Loss-Eaton has a great indie rocker stage presence, but I'll definitely be giving Music for Outcasts another shot.

And the Kids
After previously seeing And the Kids in a small Allston club, I was a bit hesitant to see if they could make the transition to a giant outdoor festival stage. Turns out they were the highlight of Saturday, making the most of their set with their upbeat, quirky take on indie dance folk. Maybe it's because they are local heroes around Western MA and had their diehard fans packed right up front singing along with all the words, but I don't think I've ever seen a band that beloved play so early. 

Shovels & Rope
Photo by Ken Sears

Shovels & Rope
It took three attempts, but I finally got to see a full set by Shovels & Rope. I had seen the last three songs of two sets at Newport, so I had an idea of what to expect. They started off a bit slower than I would have expected, with Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent both switching off between guitar and drums, but they were just building. By the time they got to the set closer "Hail Hail," which I'm pretty sure they closed with the other times I had seen them, they had mesmerized the crowd with their hyped up countrified rockabilly. Completely worth the wait.

The Suffers
I always mean to listen to more soul, and The Suffers are a huge reason why. It's rare to see such a young band just own a stage like they did, but... wow. Singer Kam Franklin worked the crowd with more confidence than most lead singers twice her age. They are a must see live act.

Oh Pep!
Photo by Ken Sears

Oh Pep!
I didn't want to leave the stage during The Suffers, but I really wanted to check out Oh Pep! Sometimes the folk/pop thing can get a bit too cutesy for me, but Oh Pep! just nail it perfectly. Using the obvious comparisons, they fall right in the middle of Lucius and Tegan & Sara. While they have the perkiness and upbeat side of Lucius, they lean very strongly on the folk side, like when Tegan & Sara play as an acoustic duo. That being said, maybe it's their Australian roots, but in their beautiful, happy sounding songs is a true sense of heaviness. As hard as it was to leave The Suffers, I was glad I did.

Winterpills
Photo by Ken Sears

Winterpills
Winterpills are just mature, adult indie rock at it's absolute finest. Back in the 90s they would have straddled the middle ground between "alternative" and "adult contemporary." I think now we just call it Americana. They weren't folky at all in the normal sense, but combined American rock and roll with indie hooks perfectly. They are one of those bands that should be far bigger than they are, but somehow aren't.



Mal Devisa
As the only main stage performer on Sunday that wasn't part of the Wheels of Soul Tour, Mal Devisa was at a disadvantage. Taking her spot on a stage that was filled with the plastic covered instruments of the larger bands, she could easily have been dismissed as a time filler. But then she started singing. Playing solo with a bass and occasional drum, she blew away everyone that showed up before the stars of the day. She has the kind of voice that only comes around every so often, but she didn't constantly belt it out to show it off. Instead, by using the true power of her voice sparingly, it just brought this whole new texture to her performance. I'm thrilled I saw her perform, but I wish she had more than 20 minutes.

Margo Price
Photo by Ken Sears

Margo Price
Margo Price was the absolute highlight of the weekend for me. Her blend of down home 70s country is perfect to see live, and despite the downpour that started just before her set, she thrilled the audience. She doesn't feel like you're watching a modern day country singer. She has the poise and sound of a more seasoned, old school performer. It's great seeing a true country performer who is right on the verge of breaking out. When she broke her guitar string during her first song, she just did a Loretta Lynn cover while it was being fixed. While she closed with "Hurtin' On the Bottle," the big hit song she's playing on every tv show available, the true highlight was "Four Years of Chances." Seeing that song live was just next level amazing. Her performances are what will make her a household name in the next five years.