If It's Too Loud...

Karly Hartzman of Wednesday Photo by Ken Sears Welcome to the third and final day of the Green River Festival, where if you weren't wearing a piece of Geese merchandise, one was provided for you. It was very obvious who most of the crowd at Green River were there to see (which led to the biggest attendance in Green River's forty years), and the big question was if the band of the moment would live up to the hype. Of course, there was a lot of music to be heard Sunday, and we took in as much as we could! Angela Autumn, Backporch Stage Angela Autumn was one of those artists I discovered while preparing for this year's Green River Festival, and I'm glad I did. She plays that style of Americana/roots music that comes right up against the mainstream while still having her own unique sound. Her songs are beautiful, but with an edge to them. Before Sunday afternoon, I had only heard a handful of songs of hers, and after Sunday afternoon, I'm more than a little obsessed. Au...

Britt Daniel of Spoon Photo by Ken Sears As one of the announcers said, Saturday at the Green River Festival was a marathon. I got there early for Lily Seabird and stayed late for Spoon. It was over ten hours of diverse music, from Americana and folk to cumbia to indie rock to experimental music. It was absolutely exhausting, in the best possible way as I tried to take in everything possible. Here are my highlights from day two! Lily Seabird, Backporch Stage I've been trying to see Lily Seabird live for almost three years now, and the Green River Festival finally let it happen. My expectations were high, and she and her band blew them completely away. I had meant to watch half of her set and then head over to Dean's Beans Stage for the second half of The Animeros, but I was transfixed by Seabird's set. Live she seemed to lean into her more indie rock side with folk elements. It was kind of like if Nirvana or Sonic Youth decided to try out Americana. Lily Seabird set the bar...

Charley Crockett Photo by Ken Sears I was a bit of a hypocrite this year for the Green River Festival. As much as I preached for getting there early, life and the day job got in the way on Friday, and I didn't get there as early as I wanted to. It was still a great day of music, even if I got a late start. Here were my favorites from day one! Tre Burt, Backporch Stage I first discovered Tre Burt opening up for Haley Heynderickx, and I've been dying to see him again ever since. His set at this year's Green River Festival will be talked by anyone who saw it for a while. Burt and his band played incredibly tightly, mixing rock and roots music in a way that has wide appeal but is completely unique to him. I had "Santiago" stuck in my head for a week from listening to the Green River Festival Spotify playlist so much, and now it's embedded there, possibly permanently. His version of folk and roots is so upbeat and catchy that it's practically made for festivals...

Today is the day Green River Festival starts. This week we've been giving you reasons to show up bright and early so you don't miss some amazing up and coming artists. Festivals are about more than the headliner, and it's a perfect way to catch your new favorite. Today is no exception, and we hope you can make it to the gates as they open to catch today's highlighted artist! She Returns From War, Friday, Backporch Stage, 1:00 Opening the Backporch Stage for the weekend is She Returns From War. Charleston, SC based artist Hunter Park has a raw take on Americana. It's a highly emotional blend of country and folk that will instantly grab you. As raw as She Returns From War's music is, it's also steeped in melody and harmony, and every song I've heard is instantly engaging. The songs may be mellow, but nothing you will hear from this artist is even remotely dull. She fits right in with the vibe of Green River Festival, and is the perfect way to start your we...

As we gear up for this weekend's Green River Festival, we're going to preview some of the band's earlier in the day. If you're going, you know you'll be there to see Charley Crockett, Spoon, The Beths, Kurt Vile, Geese, and Wednesday, so I'm going to make the case to show up earlier in the day to catch some up and coming bands that you'll end up loving. Deloyd Elze, Sunday, Backporch Stage, 12:00 After two days of wandering from stage to stage and taking in everything you can, you might be tempted to sleep in a little extra on Sunday and show up late. If you do that, you're going to miss Deloyd Elze. The Jacksonville, FL musician has one of the most unique sounds out there. He has a fairly straightforward folk and singer-songwriter sound, but he combines that with electronic elements like synths and lo-fi drums. It creates a lush soundscape that somehow still fits in with traditional and modern folk. The electronic elements somehow make his music even mo...

Photo by Mike Vanata As we gear up for this weekend's Green River Festival, we're going to preview some of the band's earlier in the day. If you're going, you know you'll be there to see Charley Crockett, Spoon, The Beths, Kurt Vile, Geese, and Wednesday, so I'm going to make the case to show up earlier in the day to catch some up and coming bands that you'll end up loving. Angela Autumn, Sunday, Back Porch Stage, 1:10 I discovered Angela Autumn while listening to the Green River Festival Spotify playlist , and was immediately blown away. The singer-songwriter was raised in the Appalachia region of Pennsylvania and now resides in Nashville. My favorite thing about her music is how she moves between modern folk pop and a more traditional style of roots music with ease. Her voice has such a natural twang, but also a smooth, more mainstream sound to it. I'm hearing a blend of Sierra Ferrell and Madi Diaz in her musical style, and you certainly can't bea...

Photo by Sonny Loya As we gear up for this weekend's Green River Festival, we're going to preview some of the band's earlier in the day. If you're going, you know you'll be there to see Charley Crockett, Spoon, The Beths, Kurt Vile, Geese, and Wednesday, so I'm going to make the case to show up earlier in the day to catch some up and coming bands that you'll end up loving. The Animeros, Saturday, Dean's Beans Stage, 12:15 The Animeros mix bolero, psychedelic, and cumbia into a sound all their own. They were discovered by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, who just happened to hear their music coming from an open hotel window. A year later they were signed to his Easy Eye Sound label, and have their debut album (produced by Auerbach) due out this year. Their music is an absolute blast, and will be the perfect way to get your energy up and your Saturday festival started. Of course, that means they're on right up against yesterday's spotlighted artist,...

Photo by Garrett Linck As we gear up for this weekend's Green River Festival, we're going to preview some of the band's earlier in the day. If you're going, you know you'll be there to see Charley Crockett, Spoon, The Beths, Kurt Vile, Geese, and Wednesday, so I'm going to make the case to show up earlier in the day to catch some up and coming bands that you'll end up loving. Lily Seabird, Saturday, Back Porch Stage, 12:15 If you're a regular reader of ours, you know how much we love Lily Seabird. The Vermont based artist has released two of our favorite albums of the last two years (2024's Alas, and 2025's Trash Mountain ). She has this wonderful mix of traditional folk and Americana along with a more indie rock focused sound that hits us right in our musical sweet spot. Her songs are twangy and vintage while still sounding modern and fresh. Sometimes she's freak or anti-folk, others she's purely folk. Regardless of what style she's ...

It's just starting to get uncomfortably cold here in New England, so we're already starting to look forward to warm temperatures. Plus, warm temperatures means festival season, and Green River Festival has given us something to look forward to in June! Their 2026 edition will take place June 19-21 at Franklin County Fairgrounds with another fantastic line up. The headliners will get the most attention, with the neotraditional country of Charley Crockett, indie rock veterans Spoon, and experimental rockers Geese. We're thrilled for the undercard of this one, with many favorites playing like The Beths, Kurt Vile & The Violators, Wednesday, Lucius, The War and Treaty, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Folk Bitch Trio, Ratboys, Sunny War, Lily Seabird, and Tre Burt! Plus, there's plenty for us to discover in the next eight months as we get ready for the festival! Three day passes for the 2026 Green River Festival are on sale now. For tickets and more information, check out the ...

The Green River Festival is one of our favorites of the year. It always seemed to slide under the radar no matter how great their line up has been, but the past few years have seen it get national attention. They've announced the initial line up of their 2025 edition, and this one is certain to make Green River a destination festival. Headlining the 2025 Green River Festival are indie rockers Mt. Joy, Australian phenom Courtney Barnett, and the already legendary Waxatacheee! They also have current indie favorite MJ Lenderman and the intriguing pairing of Julien Baker and TORRES! Aside from that are other If It's Too Loud... favorites such as Kathleen Edwards, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, and Merce Lemon. As always there are bands we're not as familiar with, but we have seven months to do our research and become enamored with new favorites! The Green River Festival will take place June 20-22 at Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, MA. "Plan Ahead" packages are n...

Boston Calling has come and gone, and Newport Folk Festival has been sold out for months. However, this summer is absolutely stacked with music festivals big and small. Here are a few festivals coming to New England in June that may have flown under your radar! Green River Festival June 21-23 Franklin County Fairgrounds, Greenfield, MA One of my personal favorite festivals around, this year's Green River Festival is once again a highlight of the summer season. The move to Franklin County Fairgrounds post COVID seems to have worked out since they are back again this year. It's a well run and laid back festival, and this year features an amazing line up. Cake, Fleet Foxes, and Gregory Alan Isakov are each night's headliners, with other If It's Too Loud... favorites like Bonny Light Horseman, S.G. Goodman, Speedy Ortiz, Willi Carlisle, Wonder Women of Country (Kelly Willis, Brennen Leigh, and Melissa Carper), Love Crumbs, and many more! https://greenriverfestival.com/ Soli...

Sierra Ferrell Photo by Ken Sears This weekend saw the triumphant return of the Green River Festival after the obvious year off. It was a month later than it has been in the past and at a brand new location, but you never would have known based on how smoothly things ran. It was a weekend of fantastic music filled with respectful, joyous music fans. Nothing could have run more smoothly, with the exception of a little too much sound overlap between some of the stages. Here were my musical highlights for the weekend! (Note: I was unable to attend Friday night, and I'm not including any artist I only saw a few songs of). Bella White This one can't be a surprise to anyone who has been reading If It's Too Loud... over the past few months. I've gone fully into rabid fan mode on Bella White, but with good reason. At only twenty years old, her stage presence and banter makes it feel like she's been doing this for decades longer than she's been alive. While last year...

I know, I know. The whole point of these Festival Fridays has been to highlight lesser known artists playing this year's Green River Festival. The band closing out the main stage of the entire weekend isn't exactly lesser known, but they are my favorite active band so how could I resist? The Drive-By Truckers' blend of southern rock with punk guitars is going to blow everyone who sticks around to the end away, and here are the reasons I'm beyond excited to see them this Sunday night. 1. They only have ninety minutes. A typical Drive-By Truckers show lasts from anywhere between two and three hours. Hell, they usually take the first hour to get warmed up before the performance reaches transcendence. What will they be like with a shortened set? 2. I've never seen them at a big, outdoor festival before. I've only ever seen them in clubs and theaters. While clubs are the kind of shows I love the most, sometimes you just want to see certain bands play in front of the ...

With the Green River Festival returning August 27-29, we're going to highlight some of the lesser known artists playing that we're most excited to see. The bottom of the poster at any festival contains some gems you don't want to miss, and especially so this year at Green River! When we first discovered Sierra Ferrell late last year, we only had two songs and desperately craved more. Her blend of classic country with a little humor and plenty of joy mixed with jazz and a groovy 60's vibe is basically exactly what we want. Then she released covers of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Jingle Bell Rock" and we were hooked completely. Since then we've been devouring everything she releases, from covers to a guest appearance on a song from Melissa Carper, to finally new original songs. Her tour dates have been exclusively on days that didn't work for me, but luckily she's performing next weekend at the Green River Festival. Ferrell ...

With the Green River Festival returning August 27-29, we're going to highlight some of the lesser known artists playing that we're most excited to see. The bottom of the poster at any festival contains some gems you don't want to miss, and especially so this year at Green River! If you've been paying any attention to If It's Too Loud... over the past few months, you've probably noticed that I've become completely enamored with the music of Bella White. The twenty year old artist originally from Calgary but now Nashville based does this amazing blend of classic mixed with modern Americana. Her vocals are completely mesmerizing, and even if you just kinda like folk or bluegrass her 2020 album, Just Like Leaving , is going to quickly become an all time favorite. Pus, she's been releasing a series of bedroom recorded covers, which are totally our thing here. She's just such a compelling performer, and I've been excited to one day see her perform, so ...

The Green River Festival has been a highlight of our summer for years now. It hasn't worked out with my personal schedule the past two years, but with today's initial line up announcement it better. So far only five artists have been announced, but they're all killer additions to any festival. They're even kind enough to announce what days they're playing: First Aid Kit: Friday The Wood Brothers: Saturday The Devil Makes Three, Rhiannon Giddens, and Tyler Childers: Sunday The Green River Festival is one of the most laid back and all ages friendly festivals around. It's one of the few that I get just as excited about the food trucks as I do the music. It always feels like a bunch of music fans somehow tricked artists to play a festival they made up, but run perfectly. The Green River Festival runs July 13-15 at the Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, MA. For more information, check out their website , and make sure to buy early bird tickets!

The Green River Festival has slowly shed it's identity as being one of New England's best kept secret and is now a truly great festival. Gone are the years when the hot air balloons were the main focus and the music was just a bonus. 2018 might boast its greatest line up yet, and given the history of the festival, that's saying a lot. Michael Franti & Spearhead, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Josh Ritter had been announced last month, but today Green River announced most of their 2018 line up, and... just... wow. They've added Dr. Dog, folk supergroup I'm With Her, Deer Tick, Robert Earl Keen, Femi Kuti and the Positive Force, Lucy Dacus (!!!!), Chuck Prophet and the Mission Express, Birds of Chicago, The Ballroom Thieves, Bella's Bartok, and more!  The 2018 Green River Festival will run July 13-15 on the campus of the Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, MA. For more on the festival including tickets, head on over to their website .

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 ...

Now that we're just a month out, the Green River Festival has announced their schedule for 2016. It's a doozy of a line up, and with any all day festival with three stages, some major decisions will need to be made. Luckily for you, we're here to help you along and pick some of the must see acts of Green River 2016. (Note: We're only going to make it for Saturday and Sunday, so those are the two days we'll focus on.) Also, if past history with festivals are any indication, these plans could be completely scrapped once the music actually starts. Tickets are still available for the Green River Festival. You can get yours, and see the entire line up and schedule here . Lula Wiles The three members of Lula Wiles met at Maine Fiddle Camp, which apparently is a thing. They honed their talents at Berklee College of Music, and are now this beautiful traditional Americana group. While most Americana groups tend to be either a throw back or progressive, they really bridg...

Let's face it. Nobody you know got into the Newport Folk Festival. Putting tickets on sale just before Christmas pretty much guarantees anyone with kids or over the age of 30 got shut out. Plus, while there are some fantastic artists playing this year, some of the announced bands seem kinda questionable. Unfortunately, some other festivals are out this year: Tweed River called it quits, Gathering of the Vibes is taking the year off, Solid Sound only runs on odd years. So what else can you do with your festival going time this summer? One Providence Experience Where: Providence, RI Dates: June 4 Tickets: Free! Why you should go: First of all, it's free, and we all love free! It takes place in the "shadows of the ruins of the Providence National Bank," which is about the most Providence way you can describe a venue. For a free show the line up is ridiculous, with Screaming Females, What Cheer? Brigade, Rough Francis, Last Good Tooth, The Low Anthem, Death Vesse...