June 14-15, 2024 in Swanzey, New Hampshire, the Northlands Music Festival welcomed thousands of fans to the two-day event. It was more than music; it was a celebration of community, creativity, and faith. There was two days of carefully curated live music over two stages, art installations, local food and beverage vendors, artisan crafts and more. People came together to experience the joy of personal connection through music and the arts.
Over two days and two main stages that are side by side, the community enjoyed phenomenal bands ranging from local to national groups. The third edition lineup featured: Goose, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Magic Beans, Mihali, Greensky Bluegrass, The Psycodelics, Cool Cool Cool, Big Something, Coyote Island, Andy Frasco & The U.N. and Tauk. The gathering also featured Eric Krasno & Friends, Kendall Street Company, Leon Trout, Jelly, Creamery Station, Jatoba, Bearly Dead, Hayley Jane, and many others. Special guests were Jennifer Hartswick, Nathali Gressman, and Nikki Glaspie.
DAY ONE
Mountain Stage
1-2 Magic Beans
3-4 Big Something
5-6:30 Spafford
8 -11 Goose
Echo Stage
12-1 Psycodelics
2-3 Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad
4-5 Sierra Hull
6:30-8 Pigeons playing Ping Pong
The event started with a great performance from Magic Beans, Big Something, and Spafford occupying the main stage. While The Psycodelics and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong performed on the Echo Stage. Day one’s entertainment was ended by Goose, playing with their new drummer Cotter Ellis. Goose finished the show by playing their best songs: Turbulence & The Night Rays, Turned Clouds, Jive I, SOS, Thatch, Wysteria Lane, Feel it Now, and Animal.
The principal members of Goose were present on stage. Rick Mitarotonda (vocals/guitar), Peter Anspach (vocals/keys/guitar), Trevor Weekz (bass), Jeff Arevalo (vocals/percussion/drums), and Cotter Ellis (drums), performed with their unique brand of irresistible song-craft, fluid musicianship, and spirited improvisational performance.
“There is a lot of language that gets built over time in a band, and by playing with Cotter out of the gate, there was a ton of connection,” Mitarotonda said.
DAY TWO
Mountain Stage
1-2 Supersonic Shorties
3-4 Mihali
5- 6:30 Andy Frasco & the U.N.
8-11 Greensky BlueGrass
Echo Stage
12-1 Cool Cool Cool
2-3 Tauk
4-5 Dopapod
6:30-8 Eric Krasno & Friends
After a high level of performance from Mihali and Andy Frasco & the U.N., Greensky Bluegrass was the band that ended the second day of the festival. The five-piece American bluegrass jam band, founded in Kalamazoo, Michigan in mid-2000’s, was exceptional. That’s partly due to their deep and sincere collaborations. The members: Paul Hoffman (Mandolin), Anders Beck (Dobro), and Dave Bruzza (Guitar) played with passion and eloquence.
With the weather perfectly great, the Northlands Festival was fantastic to the crowd of thousands who attended the event. In just a few years, the festival has established itself as a jam-band bastion to the fans, most of them from New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts. It has established a reputation for being as authentic as it gets while offering good vibes, cozy camping, and great live music. The two-day event in the mountains of southern New Hampshire was pretty phenomenal.
All photographs and review provided by Joanna Gleason and Jean Senat Fleury.
KEEPING UP WITH NORTHLANDS FESTIVAL
Northlands will look to continue the festival in 2025. Keep an eye on their website and socials for any announcements. For the latest news and updates, head to the links provided below!
NORTHLANDS MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL – WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM – YOUTUBE – FACEBOOK
JOANNA GLEASON – INSTAGRAM
DANCE YOUR FACE OFF – WEBSITE – INSTAGRAM – FACEBOOK – X – YOUTUBE