Written by Connor Hayes
Though you won’t find any tents, hoopers, or Grateful Dead vendors (well, maybe one) at Savannah Stopover Music Festival, you will find the arterial pulse of avant garde and music that pushes boundaries in the United States. Here, your best friend won’t be a water Nalgene, as the weather is bright during the days, and pleasantly cool during the nights. No, instead it’ll be a koozie, likely from one of the hundreds of bands that you’ve likely never heard of, but nonetheless met/heard/fell hopelessly in love with during your adventures in Savannah’s Historic District. If you’re a fan of turntables, you’ve come to the right place: vinyl is a more frequent sight than anything else at any of the merch tables, of which there are usually several per venue, and about 8-10 venues scattered from Congress Street all the way back down Drayton.
This year, the individuality that Stopover prides itself upon shines once again, in the form of its lineup. Joining strings auteur Kishi Bashi, and soulsters Lee Fields & The Expressions as headliners, is native American electronic pow wow group, A Tribe Called Red. Folk music is a staple at this fest, and Stopover Alum Christopher Paul Stelling, and space banjoist Tall Tall Trees highlight that. Other notables that represent cornerstones of the Stopover sound include synth and keys artist, Alex Cameron, and lo-fi slacker rockers, Hockey Dad.
Taking place over 2 days and 3 nights in the heart of historic Savannah, GA, Stopover is for the music fanatic who dislikes genre labelling, but loves Southern cuisine and craft brew. You’re also likely to be rubbing shoulders with the same people you see up on stage, at some point or another. Intimacy breeds familiarity, and you’ll have left the fest taking home not just a new stack of vinyl and cassettes, but some incredible new pals, and also bands.
Check out the full lineup below, and some tracks by the artists. Just to get you started.
A Tribe Called Red
Christopher Paul Stelling
Alex Cameron
Tall Tall Trees