Soundside Music Festival @ Seaside Park - Day 2

Day two of Soundside Music Festival 2024 was off to a great start right as the gates opened. The weather, although still cloudy for most of the day, held off on the rain and wind for the majority of the day, leading to a perfect temperature that wasn’t too hot or too cold. The second day certainly elevated the festival experience as people were able to enjoy the grounds a bit more due to the better weather.

The day kicked off with Irish singer-songwriter, Darren Kiely, whose heartfelt and powerful folk songs immediately got the crowds interest, and left people who had missed his set wishing they were in attendance. His sound had influences of Mumford and Sons and Tom Petty, combining together to create a unique feel. The combination of his songwriting and simply guitar work was the perfect start to the second day, leaving a lasting impression on all festival goers that were in attendance that early in the day.

Following Darren came Hurray for the Riff Raff, a small band that carried on the folk song throughout the morning. Their honest lyrics and somber sound left the audience in a bit of a quieter mood than when the festival began, but it only aided in the slow start to the day. However, that didn’t last long as husband-and-wife duo, The War and Treaty, took the stage to shake things up and get the crowd moving. While they started off with a cover of “Proud Mary” to get the crowd going, the rest of their set consisted of their signature mix of gospel, blues, and soul. This combination electrified the attendees with their undeniable chemistry, incredible harmonies, and ample crowd engagement. Their performance was a highlight of mine from the day, as the two had a lot of fun on that stage. There was one part of their set where they had a bit of a riff-off competition, getting the crowd involved with some of their lyrics to “Are You Ready to Love Me, Baby?”

Following them came Drew Holcomb and the neighbors, another pleasantly surprising act that brought fun, feel-good music to the Soundside stage. With the audience already revved up from the previous set, it was an easy transition into their danceable sound. However, the mood was certainly shifted back into a mellow one as they were followed by Gregory Alan Isakov, his poetic folk songs filling the grounds of Soundside.

That mellow mood did not last for too long as Teddy Swims took the stage next, his blend of genres shaking up the crowd to get them set for the lineup the rest of the night. Swims was truly loved at this festival, the crowd singing loudly to many of his songs, such as “Lose Control” and “Some Things I’ll Never Know”. It even go to a point, right before he closed his set, where the crowd just kept cheering loudly for him and he had to take a moment to just take it all in. Even though his music has rapidly soared through the charts, anyone in the audience could tell that he has a down-to-earth personality and a big heart, leading to a memorable connection with the audience.

Next up to the stage was Bleachers, a band that had been announced only a few weeks prior to the festival as they came in when another band had to back out. Led by Jack Antonoff, Bleachers brought an infectious and borderline insane energy to the stage that captured the attention of the whole crowd, even if they weren’t fans of the band. Their set was filled with hits, from “Modern Girl” to “I Wanna Get Better” and my personal favorite, “Roller Coaster”. Antonoff’s endless energy and electric stage presence, combined with the many saxophone solos, let to an exhilarating and fun atmosphere that encouraged everyone to get involved and dance.

Closing out the night was Greta Van Fleet, another last minute addition after Foo Fighters backed out of the festival due to recent news. Greta Van Fleet delivered that classic rock-and-roll spectacle that was akin to Led Zepplin. Their set was powerful, the vocals from frontman Josh Kiszka being an incredible spectacle on their own. His voice, combined with the bands over-the-top stage presence made their performance one to remember, and one that made many fans who camped out all day to see them very satisfied. The crowd was buzzing with excitement all throughout the set and into their encore where they played “Highway Tune”.

Day two of Soundside Music Festival was certainly a roller coaster of emotions from some sets to the next, but overall the energy in the crowd was much better. Whether it was due to the weather, the type of music being played, or both, it led to a much more interactive and friendly atmosphere. I look forward to the opportunity to cover this festival each year and am so glad I get to witness something like this grow just outside of my hometown, as I’m sure many Connecticut residents are. I am ready to see what year four has in store!