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| The calm before the magic. |
A First Time Fest with a Cultivated Charm
Blackstock Music Festival came to life for the first time last weekend (May 30-31) in Blackstock, S.C. This inaugural fest — though it did hit its fair share of bumps in the road — had so much to offer those in attendance. Four stages, an extensive art gallery, craft beers (provided by Sweetwater Brewing Company), workshops, artisan vendors, Innova disc golf, and cornhole.
I was blown away by performances from Galactic, Papadosio, Boombox, and Zoogma that got my body moving and helped me find the release that comes from losing myself in the music. I was introduced to up-and-coming acts — such as The Revivalists, Treehouse, Spongecake & The Fluff Ramblers, and Electric Soul Pandemic — and experienced my first Leftover Salmon show.
I volunteered in the art gallery throughout the weekend, at the request of an old friend, assisting artists with setup and maintenance, and making sure art remained safe from any bad weather or misguided hands. It was such an honor and inspiration to be in the presence of these incredibly talented people and to watch their works evolve over the weekend.
One of my favorite things about music festivals is spending a few days outside, getting to reconnect with nature and feel my toes in the grass. The privately-owned Blackstock grounds were absolutely gorgeous, an 1100-acre wildlife refuge that stayed relatively cool during the day (We got lucky.) and misted over at night into an almost eerie wonderland.
Overall, I had a wonderful weekend in South Carolina. It was great to see so many familiar faces and to become acquainted with some new. See the event through the lens of my camera in the photos below. Were you at Blackstock? Will you be at Gratifly in a few months? Share your stories in the comments and be sure to subscribe to get similar music festival content you'll love.
blackstockmusicfestival.com
Thandiwe Ogbonna is a music writer gone rogue. Inspired by the love, acceptance, and incredible stories she has encountered on her journeys to and from live music events across the East Coast and Midwest, she has decided to document her experiences and share them with the world. Tweet to her, @ThandiWay, and tell her about yours.
