Treefort Comes To A Close On Day 5 With Some Fire (And Snow)

Treefort came to a close yesterday with some insanely good performances! As I sit on a plane back to the Midwest, I feel the need to reflect on this past week. But I think I’ll save that for the full recap that should be out either tomorrow or the day after. For now, let’s just focus on what Day 5 was all about!

The snow. Yes, it snowed. More than just the little flurries that had come earlier in the week, too. It was a bit heavier and lasted a bit longer. Yet no one was fazed. My day started off with an interview with Malachi and Ryan from Small Million, and I can’t wait to get that one written up and put out for you guys. The conversation was great, and chatting about the creative process with them was awesome!

Then I was sprinting all over the place. I started at the Gene Harris Bandshell for Charlie Hickey, one of the signees to Phoebe Bridgers’ Saddest Factory Records. A theme as the weather got colder was that the outdoor shows had smaller crowds, but Hickey and his band still gave it their all regardless of the crowd size. Tearing through songs from his debut album, Nervous At Night, Hickey and the band gave the crowd catharsis through frank lyrics about his fears and an openness of the instrumentals.

After Charlie Hickey, I headed over to the Hideout Stage to catch YOU SAID STRANGE, a new-wave/psychedelic rock band from Normandy, France. This is when the snow got heavy, and the band made note of it. It almost prevented them from playing one of their songs, but they were able to power through and provide a wonderfully warm set for those of us standing completely uncovered from the elements. 

Finally, though, I needed a break from the outdoors. I went and hung out elsewhere for a bit, recharging and warming up. After about an hour, it was time to get back out there because Leikeli47 was about to take the Main Stage. I didn’t take many notes because of the frozen air – which might be showing, but hey, we do what we can. However, I can say with certainty that she and the crowd brought the heat. Lyrically, musically, and physically. She brought audience members on stage to dance for three songs in her set, and Boise knows how to work it. Some amazing moves were on display, and Leikeli47 definitely took notice. The electricity in the crowd carried over into the performance, and she gave her all for her entire hour slot, even providing us with one more song when she thought she had run out of time. Definitely a highlight of the weekend.

And then I was off to The District to catch Small Million! Although there were some sound issues in the coffee shop-turned venue, the band seemed compeltely unfazed. Malachi Graham’s voice rang out beautifully, and Ryan Linder’s guitar work and synthesizers were perfect complementary pieces. The band’s new members, Ben Tyler and Kale Chesney, held down the drums and bass, with Kale also providing some backing vocals throughout the set. All in all, it was a beautiful end to a beautiful week in Boise.

I have so many thoughts swimming around about Treefort – all positive – but I think I’ll save those for the full recap. Be on the lookout for that in the coming days, and be sure to follow along for the write-ups of my Treefort interviews!

• Author Details

Andrew Gardner Administrator

Obsessed with all things music. Currently finishing an MFA in Chicago. If you see me at a show, say hey!

×

Andrew Gardner Administrator

Obsessed with all things music. Currently finishing an MFA in Chicago. If you see me at a show, say hey!