REVIEW: An Inside Look at Rolling Stone’s Inaugural Stateside Festival

Jul 9

07/04 @ Hutton Brickyards, Kingston

“That’s something I keep returning to as I reflect on the experience — the amount of love and joy that was among attendees throughout the festival.It wasn’t influencers posting for a brand deal, it wasn’t celebrity-soaked; it was regular people reveling in the time spent with one another.”

About a month ago, I took a shot in the dark: I emailed Rolling Stone asking if they’d allow Metroland to cover their first-ever Stateside Festival on July 4 at Hutton Brickyards in Kingston. Admittedly, I had little hope. I mean, it’s Rolling Stone! The only thing I have in common with them is that, like Cameron Crowe, I, too, am part of “The Uncool.” But, call it my William Miller moment, because we got the call to the big leagues — and, yeah, I did start jumping around and fist pumping in the hallway at work when I got the message. You would’ve too; don’t judge me. I already told you I’m uncool.

Anyways, on the humid-as-hell July 4 morning, I ventured down to Kingston with my clear backpack in tow, ready to spend 11 hours at my first ever festival. I took the shuttle alongside a few other early birds and arrived on the grounds at 12:45. My typical course of action when arriving at a venue is to take about 20 minutes to get the lay of the land. Honestly, for any fellow solo showgoers (especially the girlies), it’s a great way to keep yourself safe (Where are the exits? Bathrooms? Water?) while also letting yourself take it all in, seeking the quiet, small details. If I didn’t take my lap, I might’ve missed the beautiful, unobstructed lake view at the back, the Hudson River a rippling underline to the cascading greenery on the other side, sailboats glittering blissfully along the waves. It was a true Upstate 4th of July scene.

After I snagged a Noah Kahan t-shirt and a free Rolling Stone issue alongside it (which I gladly read throughout the day when I had no battery or service), I strolled over to the Main Stage to check out Bo Staloch. Blankets were spread along cement under the pavilion, groups picnicking and enjoying the free Fiji water and not-free Dogfish drinks abundant throughout the grounds. Staloch took the stage with his five-piece ensemble, which notably included a cello, and quickly won the crowd over with his sweet, soft, yearning vocals and the band’s fresh, young vibe. Other than Gigi Perez and Kahan later, Staloch became my favorite act of the day.

The harmonies between him, his guitarist and bassist really built out their sound to a fullness that felt like an audible embrace, while he occasionally broke the spell with a forceful yell that always elicited whoops of appreciation from the crowd. Not to mention, he was clearly ready to celebrate with the audience after he was done. “Are they selling hot dogs here?” he questioned the crowd. When met with a resounding yes, he sighed with relief, “Thank God!” The crowd was vocally upset when it was time for him to get offstage, begging for more, but I could at least be consoled by adding his song “Born To” to my future listening.

The next set started as soon as Staloch was off the stage over on the slightly hidden “Scout Stage,” sponsored by Scout Motors. If I may impose here, Rolling Stone, I would’ve liked some more signage indicating where this stage with the smaller acts was located. I wouldn’t be shocked to find out there were fans who never even ventured over to that area throughout the day, which would be a major disappointment for both attendees and artists.

Regardless, the musicians over there played energetically to their crowds throughout the day, the first one I saw being Derby, who brought his electric, synthetic sound to the great outdoors. With only three musicians onstage including him, all wearing headphones to stay locked into their tracks, he brought an energetic presence to the area, many times singing and pointing directly to the three people in front of me who were jumping and dancing alongside one another in an intimate moment of happiness and freedom.

I flitted between the Scout Stage and Main Stage for the next three hours, snagging a chicken sandwich from the Butchery and Beyond food truck and a free lemonade popsicle courtesy of Hertz in between. Surprisingly, the popsicle supplied by a car company is in my top three summer treats so far this year. Please consider branching out into this domain.

I saw Arcy Drive take the stage with lead singer Nick Mateyunas in a blue cape and matching blue superhero mask perched atop his head, while guitarist Austin Jones wore a red cape as a headband/scarf ordeal. They picked up the festival’s intensity with their sound, bringing an edge that hadn’t yet surfaced at Hutton Brickyards for the day. Mateyunas skillfully wielded his vocals to add texture and emphasis in spaces that complemented the rest of the band rather than overpowering them. While it was a bit tough to hear actual lyrics in the space without knowing the words by heart, I loved what I heard and went back and listened some more on my way home.

I ran between Michaela Anne on the Scout Stage with her honey-sweet country sound and bright energy, then Sydney Rose on the Main Stage with her soft-spoken delivery and viral hit “We Hug Now.” During this hour-and-a-half period, I attempted to take a break and shuttle back to my car to get some A/C and charge my phone that was at 20% and draining rapidly with a broken portable charger and six hours to go. Unfortunately, I waited 40 minutes for a shuttle that never came so, rather than run the risk of missing Gigi Perez’s set as the clock ticked down, I decided I must embrace the age-old adage: “Fuck it, we ball.” Amen. I went back in, determined to get through this day unscathed and with a video of Noah Kahan. (For the record, my parents were ready to kill me if I wasn’t already dead as I, their 25-year-old daughter, went fully dark without notice at a random festival over an hour away… sorry, guys. I told you it was my William Miller moment.)

This is when the day took a bit of a left turn; Mother Nature did not, apparently, have the same free spirit I was trying to manifest. Instead, as Calder Allen with his Texas-twang and Bluegrass rhythms sang the refrain “Earth, wind, and fire, deep dark desire” from his track “Fault Lines,” the earth and wind really did seem to open up over those metaphorical lines. Deep grey clouds rolled in en masse as leaves leapt off the trees as if they, too, were seeking shelter from the impending doom. Soon enough, lightning cracked across the sky, shattering the horizon as well as our hopes that Gigi Perez would still go on at 7:30.

Around 7:10, we were all put in a shelter-in-place underneath the giant pavilion and stood like helpless sardines for the next hour. I now know that updates were being posted on Instagram, but with then 15% battery and no service, that wasn’t exactly helpful in the moment. If there’s one thing I hope to see improved at the next edition of Stateside (aside from the exit strategy — we’ll get there), it’s the communication. In addition to the Scout Stage signage earlier, at least two clearly-labeled medical tents were needed for the folks who were struggling with exhaustion or overheating, and some more explanation of what was happening during the shelter-in-place for audience members who paid upwards of $500 for this experience. But, remember, I’m just “the uncool,” so don’t sue me.

* * *

Finally, the rain delay was over and it was time for shortened sets from Perez and Devon Gilfillian on the Main and Scout stages, respectively. Perez’s set was shortened to only 30 minutes while Gilfillian’s was pushed back to 9:00-9:45. Gilfillian’s soulful set was electric, so for everyone’s sake, including his, I wish it was a little more advertised or even moved to the Main Stage as no one wanted to lose their spot for Kahan. But, again, take this as your opportunity to go check him out even if it’s after the fact.

Perez’s short set including many fan-favorites, including “Sleeping,” a turned-up cover of Lana Del Rey’s “Summertime Sadness” (a 4th of July classic for the 2014 Americana Tumblr fans), “Sugar Water” sung alongside her sister Bella in a touching duet, and, of course, “Sailor Song.” I’ve been struck by Perez’s voice ever since “Sailor Song” went viral several years ago, and I’ve delved into her catalog quite a bit since then. Sometimes, with a moment like that, a live show or a full record doesn’t quite match the hype of the initial snippet that caught the attention of the internet, but that’s not the case with Perez. Her voice is strong yet soothing and her pen game is much the same, featuring poignant lyrics that tackle grief, love, and sexuality in nuanced ways. Even if it was for 30 minutes, I’m grateful to have seen her live.

* * *

After ten hours of anticipation, it was time for the moment I didn’t actually believe would happen. I was about to see Noah Kahan. (As a music journalist! Holy shit!) He took the stage as his band played the overture from “End of August,” fans in the crowd wearing antennae and lady bug pins in honor of the recurring bug motif across his April record, The Great Divide. I was kindly gifted a lady bug pin by a fan near me and was thrilled to be included. He then jumped straight into “American Cars” off the same record and the crowd erupted into the words in lockstep with him. I’m frequently self-conscious about singing along at concerts because I worry that I bother the fans next to me. After all, they came to hear the artist, and they definitely don’t prefer my version. But at Stateside, it felt like every single person in that pavilion was there to share in the feelings that Kahan’s music brings, and they were there to do it loudly. It was, in a word, amazing.

After the first couple of songs, he quipped to the crowd “Happy 4th of July! I’m about to make this the most depressing 4th of July of your lives,” playing on the fact that much of his music is deeply personal and emotional. Just before playing the next track, he joked, “My mom gained independence from my dad!” In the roughly hour-and-fifteen minute set, he ran through his hits, including “She Calls Me Back” and “All My Love” off of Stick Season and “Deny Deny Deny” and “Haircut” off of The Great Divide.

I could be considered a bit of a snob when it comes to going to shows. You won’t catch me at a stadium show because I refuse to spend more than my monthly car payment to go see the ant-sized version of even my favorite artist, with half of it perhaps not even truly live. I even defended Taylor Swift’s MSG wedding choice, yet I didn’t shell out for the Eras Tour. But Kahan? Folks, my cynical heart was changed. My dear savior from Vermont, you can take my money. His band was just as into the performance as he was, crossing the stage to each other on guitars, banjos, and mandolins, grounding each song in the charming pop-folk melodies, while his keyboardist and drummer poured each bead of sweat into keeping the tempo moving to the brimming energy of the space. And Kahan? His vocals were almost exactly album-perfect, the only deviations being when he actually upped his game even more with runs or held notes.

Of course, he garnered the largest audience reactions when he spoke about his home, the Northeast. “A lot of artists come onstage and say to promote positivity and spread good vibes,” he explained. “I couldn’t disagree more,” he said, landing the punchline. “I think we should act on our worst impulses. This next song’s about being an asshole,” he concluded, hinting that the next track would be the beloved “Dashboard,” during which the crowd excitedly shouted the in-between call outs Kahan put in the song. I mean, who doesn’t want to yell out “douche” with 500,000 other people?

Truly, though, the biggest deliveries were during “Homesick” and “Northern Attitude,” both tributes to growing up in the New England cold and darkness, yet being unable to shake the attitude or the ability to really leave the place we call home. (Yes, I said “we,” I’m closer to Vermont and Massachusetts than I am to the city. Buzz off, geography nerds.) It was a moment of complete catharsis to shout out “I would leave if only I could find a reason/I’m mean because I grew up in New England” along with everyone else who suffered through the mountains of snow and crusty road salt for months just to get to this moment.

And, it felt like just as soon as it had started, it was time for the inevitable end with “Stick Season.” The crowd joyfully sang the chorus an extra three times alongside Kahan, holding tight to their friends, partners, and family, each person taking in every molecule of the moment before the last chord was sung.

That’s something I keep returning to as I reflect on the experience — the amount of love and joy that was among attendees throughout the festival. It wasn’t influencers posting for a brand deal, it wasn’t celebrity-soaked; it was regular people reveling in the time spent with one another. It was an eldest daughter taking her two younger sisters to their first concert. It was friends twirling each other around in the grass, giggling breathlessly as they spun and jumped. It was a mother and daughter singing along together, turning occasionally to the side to give the other a gleeful smile. It was a dad creating lasting memories for his two young kids as they sprang awake when he told them Noah Kahan was about to sing “Northern Attitude.” It was even two girls in hot dog costumes who were clearly wearing them just because it made the other one laugh. Yes, the weather was hot, the rain delay was less than ideal, and that downright dangerous exit situation with everyone shoved into one corral in the pouring rain was in dire need of more organization and communication. But, for their first festival right here in Upstate New York? There was a lot to love at the inaugural Stateside, especially when you came seeking those small, authentic moments of art.