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- March 25, 2023
Treefort Day 3 Was A Reminder To Take Care Of Myself
As the title states, Treefort Day 3 was a reminder to take care of myself, not only through the sheer physical exhaustion I was feeling but also through the artists I spoke with and saw performances from. Since most festivals are only three days, the third day exhaustion set in for me. The only not-really-a-problem-but-kind-of-a-problem: Treefort is five days of amazing music, so I tried my best to power through.
My day started with more interviews! I had the pleasure of speaking to NNAMDÏ, Meltt, and TeZATalks, and all of those conversations gave excellent insight into their creative processes and personalities. I’ll be writing up those interviews after the festival, so be on the lookout for those some time in the next two weeks!
Then came time to see some music. After the lovely chat I had with Dani and Will from Megafauna on Day 2, I decided to go check out their set at Hops and Bottles. The taproom was a small space, and the band brought ear plugs for the audience because things were about to get loud. The set was different than the one they had played at the Hideout Stage on Day 1, but it was just as electrifying. I may have made the mistake of sitting by the entrance during a Boise snow flurry, but the intermittent cold of open door swings didn’t distract me from Megafauna’s set at all. They ripped through the heavier tracks, and they played some of their softer songs as well. It was well-organized and well-paced, and the crowd was really into it.
After Megafauna, the third day exhaustion hit me like a truck. Not only was I slowing down physically, but my phone was practically dead. With no way of taking notes and no energy to carry on, I did what anyone would do: I went back to charge my phone and take a nap. The nap was not as helpful as I was hoping, but my number one must-see set was yesterday evening, so I took my fully charged phone and hauled it back to Treefort Music Hall. What awaited me surpassed even my wildest expectations.
NNAMDÏ took the stage with “Anti,” the eighth track off of his excellent 2022 album, Please Have A Seat. As soon as he was onstage, the energy in the room shifted. Even though he was opening with a more lowkey pair of songs – he went from “Anti” into Please Have A Seat’s opener, “Ready To Run” – the crowd was transfixed. His voice and stage presence commanded the room unlike anyone I have seen, and when he reached the snarky, energetic, and electric track “I Don’t Wanna Be Famous,” the crowd was already wrapped around his finger. It was around this point where he started his stage banter, and his stage personality isn’t that different from his off-stage personality. His sense of humor is insane and infectious, and the crowd was hanging on his every word. As someone behind me remarked after “I Don’t Wanna Be Famous:” “He’s an artist, man. An artist.” His whole live show reaffirmed that, but I must mention in particular the live performance of “Some Days,” the closer from Please Have A Seat. At NNAMDÏ’s request, everyone joined in on the refrain “I’ll stick around for you,” eventually cathartically screaming the line into the room. If I haven’t convinced you to listen to NNAMDÏ yet, seriously, listen to NNAMDÏ.
And then I hit my second wall of the day and realized that as painful as it would be, I had to take care of myself so that I could adequately do my job and actually enjoy the remaining two days of the festival. So I went to bed. When I woke up to write this, I was feeling reenergized and ready to go, so I know I made the right decision. Thank you, Treefort, for making me realize how important self-care truly is.
This actually begs an important question for you, readers: have you ever hit a massive wall of exhaustion at a festival or concert? How did you handle it? Did you power through or go and rest? Having done both in my life, I’m extra curious! Let us know! And be sure to check out every artist mentioned in these recaps, they’re all worth your time!
