THROUGH THE LENS: ‘Scene’ and Heard at Treefort Music Fest and Suwannee Spring Reunion

This week’s column features two fests, the Treefort Music Fest (March 20-24) and the Suwannee Spring Reunion (March 21-24) held at opposite ends of the country: Treefort in Boise, Idaho, and Suwannee in Live Oak, Florida. Longtime Lens contributor Peter Dervin reports on Treefort via photos and words, and Ken Voltz, Tom Wickstrom, and Jay Strausser shared some of their photos from Suwannee with us in the gallery below.

Treefort Music Fest by Peter Dervin 

The 12th edition of the Treefort Music Fest featuring music, art, dance, technology, and happiness took over the streets of downtown Boise, Idaho, for an amazing five days that featured a wide variety of music and performances for all ages. The fest’s venues and stages included local saloons, bars, coffee shops, theaters, concert halls, and local breweries. With all that happens at Treefort, my primary focus was on the music. With over 400 performers, even that was a daunting task, but I was able to whittle it down to 40 or so. Here are my highlights.

Singer-Songwriters

The breadth of singer-songwriters at Treefort has always been a wonderful exploration. The indefatigable Neko Case delivered a powerful set from the Main Stage in Julia Davis Park. Stephanie Anne Johnson continued to grow their soulful vibe with a groovy set at the Payette Brewing stage. Lee Penn Sky (Lee Penchansky) held tight at the Mother Earth Brewing Stage, performing a great set of acoustic tunes.

Two new artists were standouts: Jonah Kagen and Sam Steffen. I had seen Kagen once before, and again his craftmanship on guitar and stylistic playing highly impressed me. He has already developed a following, as many in the crowd already knew his music. Steffen was the biggest discovery. Playing solo guitar at the District Coffee House, his powerful and expressive songs of our times spoke to an attentive audience. He conjured up thoughts of what it may have been like to hear Bob Dylan in his early days.

Country, Roots, and Bluegrass

The roots music scene in Idaho is impressive, and it’s on full display at Treefort. The Country Club packed Pengilly’s Saloon with their brand of old-time pickin’. Tater Patch had their fans enjoying their set at Payette Brewing, while Idyltime had folks stomping their feet at the Shrine Social Club.

A couple folks from Nashville made their Treefort debuts: Hector Tellez Jr. put on a blazing set of electric guitar blues, and Jobi Riccio did a fantastic set at her Payette Brewing showcase. Two Portland, Oregon, artists wowed the audience: Brad Parsons put on a rockin’ set of country songs and surprised everyone with his tribute to Nirvana via a stellar version of “All Apologies,” and Cassandra Lewis gave an outstanding performance at the Shrine Social Club. Lewis is one of those performers with a voice that will knock you out. Don’t miss her if she comes to your town. Pokey LaFarge played several sets, and the crowds were enthralled with his music, style, and demeanor.

The surprises in this category were Cale Tyson, whose sound reminded me of the ’70s country that I remember hearing with my dad on the car radio and had folks dancing and swinging, and Mary Kate Teske, a real down-to-earth performer straight off the ranch in Montana with songs of working the land that were honest and true.

Other Standouts 

The rock scene in Boise was represented with a variety of talented bands. Ealdor Bealu was metal to the highest level, lots of head-banging in the crowd for sure. The performance from the combined union of Dawes and Lucius thrilled the crowd with a mix of songs. One highlight, as I enjoyed dinner in Julia Davis Park, was hearing their version of “With a Little Help From My Friends” (the Joe Cocker version) float through the air. The coolest highlight was Seattle’s Thunderpussy. With Molly Sides’ powerful vocals and impressive dance moves they are rock and roll to the extreme.

I always enjoy world beat sounds from other parts of the global community. CMAT from Dublin presented a rousing set of her music that had everyone cheering for more. Sistemas Inestables from Chile provided an amazing industrial soundscape with pulsating instrumentals. Spain’s NOIA performed a unique electronic set that was also eye-catching with her stage presence. Tejano Outlaw, a local Mexicana band, played norteño music that had the crowd dancing into the night.

Patrick Watson, a film composer and singer-songwriter based in Montreal, was fantastic! His music and stage presentation included whimsical movements and dancing from Ballet Idaho that were transformative.

Click on any photo below to view the gallery as a full-size slideshow.