Ahoy Middlebury! WRMC and MCAB are proud to present the third annual S.O.S. Fest, a two-day music party dedicated to giving summer a sincere send-off and the the imminent tides of academia a warm hello. Jk. Come down to the McCullough Lawn at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday night for upbeat tunes and good times. It’s free! Check out what’s on deck for the fest:
Poster by WRMC Creative Director Andrew Goulet.
FRIDAY (Presented by WRMC)
Hop Along
While catchy power-pop hooks and Americana guitar riffs might be the first reasons you can’t stop listening to Hop Along, it’s bandleader Frances Quinlan’s voice, raspy and dynamic, that ‘ll make you listen to the band on repeat. Quinlan’s voice, an instrument in its own right, unifies and energizes songs indebted to all corners of the American rock-osphere — from folk and country to emo, punk and alternative. With lyrics blending personal stories and bold philosophical statements, Hop Along simultaneously draws you into engrossing micronarratives and taps into reservoirs existential emotion. Combined with the hypnotic voice and kick-ass riffs, expect Hop Along’s tunes to create a crazy dance mosh party filled to the brim with joy and rock’n’roll.
Vundabar
Self-described as “The Faygo of Rock n’ Roll,” the Boston based band is back for round II after a stellar performance at SOS Fest ’14.
Crazyhearse
Crazyhearse is a five piece alt rock band from right here in Middlebury, VT featuring WRMC’s own Dave Kloepfer! Notorious for their high-energy live shows, Crazyhearse blend together roots rock, folk punk, and gypsy jazz among many other genres for a rollicking good time.
SATURDAY (Presented by MCAB)
Lucius
Centered around the powerful voices and compelling songwriting of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, Brooklyn based Lucius has evolved from a promising duo into a dynamic quintet whose 2013 debut LP Wildewoman is lauded by The New York Times as “an art school take on girl group soul.” Lucius pairs the synchronous vocals of Wolfe and Laessig, who play synth and keyboards, with guitars and drums from Dan Molad, Peter Lalish and Andrew Burri. Together, they make music that evokes classic girl-group pop and iconic rock ’n’ roll with a modern twist, that belongs solely to Lucius. Read Lucius’ full bio here.
Pavo Pavo
Pavo Pavo is an experimental pop band from Brooklyn, NY, who met while studying music at Yale. They make weightless pop music, moving from psychedelic orchestral stateliness to punchy hand-clap pop without missing a beat. Their preference for mid tempo, fully arranged tunes enriched by lush vocal harmonies puts them on Grizzly Bear‘s musical path, although this band is not afraid to take unexpected turns that make their music that much more interesting.
RSVP on Facebook and listen to our S.O.S. Spotify preview playlist below: