Soundside Music Festival @ Seaside Park - Day 1

“I owe your state an apology… I see the weather, this is New England.” Noah Kahan stated as he took the stage to headline the 2024 Soundside Music Festival, having previously stated that Connecticut was not apart of New England to him.

Starting off the day strong was vibrant Rijah. Rijah is a current student at the Berklee College of Music and was able to secure this gig through Berklees Popular Music Institute, which gives artists performance experience as well as the handling of on-site promotion, production, and tour management. Last year, I had the opportunity to interview CHARLEY, who was a student in that same program. Rijah has a beautiful sound, one of soul and jazz, while reflecting on her life experiences through growing up and persevering. She has a natural sense of endearing to her that helped to pull not only me, but the audience in as well.

Up next for the day was Madi Diaz, who brought an indie-folk sound filled with heartache, reflection, and introspection. If anything, her set was perfect for the type of weather we were having.

Following her was Thee Sacred Souls, a vintage R&B sound from front-runner Josh Lane, who preached nothing but self-love and love for each other. He was by far the most interactive with the crowd attending; not only did he use the entire stage, but he also went out into the crowd at one point. Luckily, the section at the front of the stage wasn’t filled yet, so he was able to mingle with the crowd, including old fans and new. It was certainly a refreshing perspective to have on such a gloomy day.

A surprising highlight for me of the day came from none other than Grace Potter. She came on stage ready to rock, holding out a stick of sage as she walked along the front of the stage and made her way to her microphone. Her powerful voice and high energy persona certainly helped the crowd to wake up and sing along to her rock-driven set. Festival goers ran to the stage as they heard “Something that I Want” in the middle of her set. Her set was a perfect mix of grit and grace, leaving the crowd dancing right into the next set from Boyz II Men.

Boyz II Men had festival goers forgetting about the rain and wind, the only thing that mattered being how timeless this group is. Opening up with “Mowtownphilly”, the crowd immediately got involved with singing and dancing, the musical trio sounding as good as ever. They went through a series of covers, going from “Locked Out of Heaven” to “Come Together” and “Purple Rain” to really get the crowd involved. No matter the age of the people in the crowd or if they had previously listened to Boyz II Men, there was something for everyone.

Following them was Fleet Foxes, bringing their intricate harmonies and beautifully crafted instrumentals to the Soundside Stage. Again, the perfect kind of music for the weather we were having. Their folk sound was mesmerizing to witness in person, songs like “Mykonos” and “White Winter Hymnal” putting the crowd into a bit of a daze as we approached the headliner of the night. But before we got to the headliner, Goo Goo Dolls took the stage to deliver their packed set, filled with iconic songs such as “Slide” and “Better Days”. But, of course, they had to close out their set with “Iris”, a song that brought everyone’s attention to the stage to join in with singing.

Closing off the night, we went back to the folk/pop mix with Noah Kahan. Kahan previously played this festival during it’s first run in 2022, playing a Sunday mid-day set to a crowd of people who were just starting to hear of the viral song “Sick Season”. Two years and a couple million followers later, he returned to the festival to headline. Another full circle moment included him playing “New Perspective” this year, when he had played in back in 2022 but as an unreleased song. His rise to stardom has been quick yet well-earned, and his stage presence has improved tenfold. Although, he will never grow out of his sets being a stand-up routine accompanied by some of the most soul-crushing lyrics you’ve ever heard in your life. His powerful lyrics created a cathartic set for all festival goers – most of which camped out the whole day just to see him – which made it the perfect end to the night. I’m sure the singing from the crowd could be heard all around the surrounding neighborhoods of the park.

Despite the weather and overall atmosphere of the festival not being the best for day one, the musical landscape brought something for everyone to enjoy – even if they were huddled under one of the few tents on the grounds. From classic R&B to folk, it drew in a diverse crowd from all surrounding states, including both the tri-state area and New England. Fans left with a positive second wind type of energy obtained from Noah’s set, looking forward to day two.