Daniel KarasekSeptember is a special month for me. It starts off with my birthday and DragonCon, followed by one of my favorite music festivals, Music Midtown. I’ve been attending the festival since it returned from its years-long hiatus in 2011. That first year was especially magical as it was my first true festival experience, and I felt spoiled as heavy-hitters like Coldplay, Cage the Elephant, the Black Keys (right after Brothers came out, and before they became the titans they are today), Young the Giant, and many other spectacular bands were featured on the bill. That experience got me hooked on festivals and I’ve made it a point to come back to Music Midtown every year since.
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the bookers landed on what I felt was a more mainstream, pop radio-oriented lineup. Artists like Panic! at the Disco, Travis Scott, Cardi B, Billie Eilish, and Lil Yachty are definitely geared toward younger audiences, which became readily apparent as tweens and teenagers swarmed Piedmont Park in droves trying to get their flexes in and capture their Instagramable moments. This younger crowd had both positive and negative impacts on the festival.
Young festival goers enjoying Music Midtown / Credit: Terence Rushin for Music Midtown
Crowd surfer / Credit: Roger Ho for Music Midtown
Most importantly, the energy at many of the performances was certainly and vibrant and enthusiastic. When it comes to making your presence felt, there really is no substitute for youthful passion. But sometimes all that zeal can backfire, and there was a considerable amount of kids and younger adults falling out early due to overheating and/or partying too hard.
I understand that kids will be kids and need to learn from experiences as I was also once one of these hellions, but my hope for next year is that Music Midtown will push for a more balanced bill of headliners to better engage some of us older festival goers.
With that mild rant being over, the real gems this year were found on the undercard. You really had to read the fine print on this one. For instance, Band of Skulls crushed their early set. I’ve seen this band play on several occasions, the first being at Music Midtown 2011. Every time they blow me away with their charismatic stage presence and pure rock bliss.
Band of Skulls / Credit: Katrina Barber for Music Midtown
Reignwolf / Credit: Katrina Barber for Music Midtown
Same goes for Reignwolf, a band you have to catch live to truly appreciate. Currently on tour with a little group called the Who, this trio of musicians gave me goosebumps. I put their performance down as one of the best shows I have ever seen at Music Midtown, rivaling even the Black Keys. The band moved their drum kit to the front of the stage to bring the sound closer, and guitarist/vocalist Jordan Cook also dragged an amp from off stage and placed it directly in front of the crowd. Cook also utilized a hand mic during the set that he slang around his neck, strummed his guitar with, and just haphazardly threw in the air behind him before slaying another riff. To be blunt, that shit was wild.
Faye Webster / Credit: Hillery Terenzi
The Coathangers / Credit: Roger Ho for Music Midtown
Being that this is an Atlanta festival, there were several hometown acts present to rep the city. Singer-songwriter Faye Webster proved that the hype surrounding her recent LP, Atlanta Millionaires Club, is well-deserved with a breezy yet understated performance that showcased her evocative blend of alt-country and R&B. As for the Coathangers, the veteran Atlanta trio are certainly no strangers to a festival stage, but their raucous punk will, for me, always play better in the smoky confines of a dark and intimate club. Still, the group were game throughout their Sunday set, hyping up the audience with anthem after fist-pumping anthem. Overall, it was a poignant reminder of just how far the threesome have come over their decade-long slog in the trenches. Finally, there was Hero the Band, who delivered a wild, upbeat set full of killer grooves and cathartic energy.
Hero the Band / Credit: Ian Rawn for Music Midtown
Tash Sultana / Credit: Hillery Terenzi
Elsewhere, Tash Sultana produced some breathtaking psychedelic rock. Maybe you’ve seen the bedroom recordings of her recreating her lush soundscapes all by herself, but these videos, as brilliant as they are, do her live shows no justice. Listening to Tash Sultana was like floating away on an ocean of purely ecstatic, almost symphonic moments. She is a sound alchemist that conjured magic with a guitar, trumpet, pipe flute, and mandolin—all while dancing barefoot on stage. The Australian artist takes the one-person band concept to a new horizon and, as if to clear the air for anyone doubting her talent, she made it a point to declare that she’s “not a fucking DJ.”
SHAED / Credit: Hillery Terenzi
There were also some fantastic pop acts on the undercard, such as SHAED and Lizzo. In an impressive display of their surging popularity, SHAED brought out a huge crowd in the peak heat of the day. Having just flown in from Las Vegas on a redeye, the electropop trio fought the jet lag and kicked up a full, expansive sound that left me spellbound. Their electrifying cover of Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” was particularly satisfying as the song is a personal favorite of mine.
Lizzo / Credit: Scott Legato for Music Midtown
And then there was Lizzo who was unequivocally fabulous. Speaking with other attendees with me towards the back of the crowd, they complained that Music Midtown goofed big time for booking her at one of the smaller stages. It was impossible to disagree with this sentiment as the rising superstar brought her massive audience to church with her heavenly vocals and self-love positivity. After her soul-shaking performance, I can definitely see Lizzo headlining future festivals; any spotlight on her is truly well earned.
I could go on and on with some of the other acts, such as GOLDSPACE and Good Company, Walk the Moon, Lord Huron, and Local Natives, but that would belabor the point that this was a fantastic festival regardless of who played the late-night slots. Although some of the vibe wasn’t what I wanted and the crowd slanted much younger than I’ve grown used to, I still had another great weekend down in Piedmont Park. See you next year, Music Midtown.