I’ve been wanting to attend Treefort for a long time but there always seemed to be a conflict, travel issue (or lack of planning on my part) that got in the way. Of course there’s the added perks of having family there, friends who run some of the event, a tie with my company doing some sponsorship, and just my overall roots in Boise. This year I made the commitment well in advance and dove in for the full five day experience.
The experience was great – despite the unseasonably cold weather (which included snow on multiple days). There were some bigger, well known acts headlining the festival (Dinosaur Jr, Margo Price, Ani DeFranco, Unknown Mortal Orchestra) but I was most interested in checking out hidden gems in the list of over 500 bands and the festival didn’t disappoint in that way. While bouncing around the city from venue to venue (often via Lime scooter, under dressed for the cold, and freezing my ass off) I discovered a number of bands that impressed me and more than justified the trip.
So here are my top finds from the 2023 Treefort Music Fest –
Good Looks, Austin,TX – A band I saw on the last night of the show and probably my favorite find. I would readily go back and retroactively put the title track from their debut album, Bummer Year, as my top song of 2022. They just have one album out so far but I heard mention of a new release later this year which I will definitely be watching for.
Jess Cornelius, Los Angeles, CA – Reminding me of Julia Jacklin, Alynda Segarra (Hooray for the Riff Raff), and maybe a touch of St Vincent, Cornelius dropped catchy, intelligent, rock songs with just the right degree of pop.
The Heligoats, Chicago, IL – Due to a technical issue, Chris Otepka had to do his set at a hipster coffee shop solo and completely acoustic. It was insanely charming but their recorded albums are their own reward, particularly the 2010 album Goodness Gracious.
Jessica Moss, Montreal, Quebec – In front of full crowd at the beautifully restored Egyptian Theater, Jessica Moss got up on stage all alone. With just her violin and a series of effects and looping pedals, she created a soundscape that was spellbinding.
Bart Budwig, Enterprise, OR – The band was packed shoulder to shoulder on a tiny stage in Pengilly’s Bar and the crowd was packed shoulder to shoulder between them and the door. I would not have guessed that one of my favorite finds of the fest would come from the tiny Oregon town of Enterprise.
The No-No Boys, Portland, OR – A band from my backyard that I’d never actually heard of before. As it turned out, they had to cancel at the last minute and didn’t make it to the festival. But thanks to a playlist put out by Treefort ahead of the fest, they were another discovery that I’ll just have to try and catch back here in Portland.
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