From rap to acoustic folk, Ohio has a number of summer festivals to satisfy the eager camper inside every college student looking to expand his or her mind — or just have a cold drink with some friends.
This year was no exception as music lovers flocked from all corners of the state to see some of their favorite acts. Nelsonville Music Festival kicked off the sum mer in late May this year, after Ohio University students had packed their things and headed home because of the new semes ter schedule. However, the switch seemed to have little impact on attendance numbers.
“The (college students) that are going to come will make the trip,” said Brian Koscho, marketing di rector for the festival. “With the change to semesters, moving into April was never really an option because of rain. I don’t think the change made much of an impact.”
This year, rain plagued the festival, with scattered thunder storms pushing Friday’s final act back to 2 a.m. In the end, all the acts—including John Prine, Wilco and Gogol Bordello—were able to have their time on stage.
All Good Music Festival was held in July at the historic grounds of Legend Valley where the Grate ful Dead have played many mem orable concerts. This summer the living members returned once more for a night of acid rock.
The electronic artist Pretty Lights and progressive metal band Primus also headlined the festival, making for a diverse lineup.
Not all artists are lucky enough to be invited to these large music festivals. Cleveland rapper Ma chine Gun Kelly felt that frustra tion and decided to start his own festival, EST Fest, at Nelson Ledg es in Garrettsville, Ohio.
“I have to rent out a freaking forest, because festivals won’t book me. So I have to build my own,” Machine Gun Kelly said in an interview with Scene Maga zine. “This is the first year; every thing is suppose to be f---ed up but it’s not.”
Rootwire, held in Logan, rounds out the summer festivals in mid-August. Rootwire is the brainchild of psychedelic Ath ens rock group Papadosio, who wanted to make something more than a typical music festival. Dave Weissman said the festival is transformational because it in corporates music, visual arts and workshops for a uniquely spiri tual experience that is intended to expand the festival goer’s mind.
“While not everyone is a mu sician, we believe everyone is an artist,” said Anthony Thogmar tin, guitarist and vocalist for Pa padosio, in an email. “Whether it’s musical, visual, performance based, etc., everyone will be able to find something that inspires them to create.”
