I woke up at camp to a steamy low 80’s, bright sunny day. I knew immediately it was going to be hot. If there’s one thing Southeast Ohio can guarantee, it’s that it will be humid as anything and blazing hot in the summer. I went into town to grab some ice for my cooler, as it had already mostly melted in the 24 hours since I filled it. By that point I had already changed out of one shirt.
Caitlin Kraus
The second local Athens band I saw, and first band at the Porch Stage, was Caitlin Kraus and her band. Blending elements of folk and indie rock, they were the perfect, chill way to start off the day. To date, she has released two albums, 2020’s “What Rises” and 2023’s “Gone Beyond”.
Caitlin can be found on Instagram, Spotify, and Bandcamp.
Eilen Jewell
Eilen Jewell is pure Americana bliss. When I think about my time in her home state of Idaho, I think of her sound. Her song. ‘Green River’ evokes the feeling of driving down Route 66 in the summertime in a convertible, wind blowing through your hair. Jewell and her band brought that energy to the stage as well, starting the western vibe that would continue through the next band as well.
Eilen Jewell will be on tour throughout the U.S and Canada through March of 2025. She can be found on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Spotify.
The Nude Party
There was a lot of murmur around The Nude Party in the media circle before their performance. And now I see why. The denim-clad band (I seriously applaud them for committing to the look, I was sweating in just shorts and a t-shirt) takes heavy influence from bands of the 60’s like Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and The Velvet Underground, and mixes that with a western spin. Paired with the heat, I felt like I was watching in the soundtrack to a spaghetti western film.
The Nude Party will doing shows in Tennessee, New York, and North Carolina through September. They can be found on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Spotify.
Indigo De Souza
A common thing I like to do when reviewing shows is sum up the artist in one word. The first thing I think of for Indigo De Souza is ethereal. Not only did they crank up the fog machines and bright white lights for the ambience, songs like ‘All of This Will End’ and ‘How I Get Myself Killed’ play into a psychedelic yet ambient feel that makes her an absolute joy to watch and take your mind off the heat. In September of last year, she appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series.
Indigo De Souza has dates at Hopscotch, Iron Blossom, and All Things Go Festivals in September. They can be found on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Spotify, and TikTok.
Courtney Barnett
For the final show on the Main Stage for the day, our second artist from Melbourne, Australia, headliner Courtney Barnett. I don’t know what it is with Australians being such heavy-hitting musicians but I am all here for it. She is simply pure indie/alt rock in its purest form. One of her most popular songs, ‘Pedestrian at Best’ is what I feel embodies her stage show the best by far. It was hard to shoot her just because I wanted to watch the show so much. Why is Melbourne making all the artists with the most exciting shows?
Courtney will have festival dates at Pickathon and Bumbershoot in August and Sound Summit and Blossom & Bones Ghost Ranch in September. She can be found on Instagram, Spotify, Facebook, Twitter.
Frankie and the Witch Fingers
And last but certainly not least for the night was Frankie and the Witch Fingers. Originating from my home state of Indiana, the five piece blends indie rock with psychedelia and lots of lights. Like, a lot. Along with their heavy, mind-bending music, the lighting technicians were working hard. I kind of played into that with the photos, embracing the spotlights and shadows rather than trying to have a perfectly exposed image each time.
It was interesting to have a band play after the headliner, especially one that was so high up on the bill, but I applaud NMF for their scheduling. FatWF were a perfect way to end off the night. That being said, the Porch Stage was right next to the media campground, meaning I got to listen to the rest of their show from my tent.
Frankie and the Witch Fingers will have a date in the U.S, three in Canada, and one in Mexico through November. They can be found on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok, and Spotify.
