We’re just one week out from Summer Camp Music Festival, one of the most jam-packed music events of the entire festy season. This year’s monstrous lineup of performers is topped by larger than life names like Smashing Pumpkins and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, electronica leaders like Zed’s Dead, NGHTMRE, and Big Wild, and more. Of course, as with every year at Summer Camp since its inception—this year the festival is celebrating big time for a 21st year anniversary—you’re gonna get all the sets you could desire from event co-hosts moe. and Umphrey’s McGee, and the plethora of probable surprises those guys will bring.
But below those names on the lineup list are TONS of amazing musical artists that are sure to level their crowds at Scamp this year with high energy, highly joyous performances. There’s so many choices for acts its actually almost overwhelming, and certainly not without a deal of tough schedule conflicts. But The Jamwich will be doing just that with everybody else next weekend, and we’ve put together this list of our favorite performers scheduled to play this year!
(One good thing to do is download Summer Camp’s official app, which has the entire lineup complete with notes and descriptions about every artist, along with the ability to build a digital personalized schedule. There’s also a great digital map so you can find your way to everything very easily.)
From bluegrass to pop and dance to pure jamband, here’s a list of fifteen artists we think you should consider seeing at Summer Camp Music Festival next weekend!
1. Ghost Light (Saturday: 12am Campfire Stage)
After a good little break away, Philadelphia superstar jamband Ghost Light have returned, coming off a hot recent tour out west this spring selling out shows through California, Colorado and more. They’ve also hit the scene with a brand new friend: newest member Taylor Shell, former bassist for the now defunct Turkuaz. With Shell on board, Ghost Light continues to deliver mind-blowing sets of exploratory, intricate jamming. If you like improvisation of the funky psychedelic nature, go see these rockers when the clock strikes midnight on the Campfire Stage.
Side note: Ghost Light leading members Tom Hamilton of JRAD and the brilliant pianist Holly Bowling will be delivering a rare set as Lacuna, their 100% improvised acoustic duo act, in the VIP Lounge, and that’s something to not miss as well.
2. Sammy Rae and The Friends (Friday: 6pm Starshine Stage, 3pm VIP Lounge)
All of a sudden, there she was with her band on the lineups of dozens of choice festivals—Sammy Rae. Her radiant and infectious stage presence coupled with her immaculate range as a singer, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist all helps to account for her pretty much being the definition of breakout artist over the last year or so. Rae’s sizeable and energizing band The Friends have provided the soulful skills, and a similar general goofiness, to help her on that journey.
3. Eggy (Saturday: 8pm Soulshine Tent)
A name readers are probably familiar with, or at least have heard of by this point. Eggy, the little four piece jamband from New Haven CT that could, has been making huge moves in the last couple years, from full, cross-country tours with Spafford and Dopapod to highly received sets at places like Peach Fest and The Capitol Theatre. Their songwriting is some of the most refreshing and inspiring around, and super infused with their far ranging jamming abilities ensures they’ll be making an awesome debut at Summer Camp next weekend.
4. Doom Flamingo (Thursday: 1:30am Red Barn, Friday: 3:30pm Sunshine Stage, 2am Soulshine Tent)
There are some bands that just command the late night music throne, and one of them is the mesmerizing, magnificent Doom Flamingo—co-founded by Umphrey McGee’s own Ryan Stasik. Case in point: the six-piece retro synth dance act, fronted by the etheral Kanika Moore, is getting two late night throw downs this year at Scamp, in addition to their Sunshine stage performance Friday late afternoon. One of the late nights is a Gorlliaz tribute and the other is a set of Queen Is Doomed; both are sure to be amazing, raging dance parties.
5. Yam Yam (Saturday: 1:30pm Campfire Stage)
There’ll be a wide and varied amount of jazzy, fusion-friendly instrumental rocking at Summer Camp this year, such as from Umph member Kris Myer’s side gig Kick The Cat to Cory Wong to the legendary Victor Wooten himself. Not least by far on that list is Yam Yam, from Harrisburg, PA. Armed with dizzying technical abilities that are channeled flawlessly into great danceable hits, Yam Yam will be bringing a smoking performance to Summer Camp that we recommend catching if you can.
6. Death Kings (Sunday: 7:30pm Campfire Stage)
Speaking of Umph side bands, here’s the kicker, Death Kings, making at return appearance at Summer Camp this year. This power rocker outfit is the avenue for Aqueous guitarist Mike Gantzer, funk drummer Mikey Carubba, and Umphrey McGee’s Ryan Stasik to live out their sinister metal fantasies. Sunday 7:30 at Summer Camp will be a unique chance to see this still pretty new outfit melt all the faces off.
7. Maggie Rose (Saturday: 2pm Starshine Stage, 10:30pm VIP Lounge)
When you close your eyes and picture yourself in that quintessential summer music festival vibe—big grassy field under a bright sun with hundreds of other colorful festy folk, what music comes to mind? Right now in this moment for us its Maggie Rose, the singer-songwriter, soul rocker from the heart of the Nashville scene. Put on a few tracks from her most recent album Have a Seat and tell us you don’t agree. And if you don’t believe us, ask any of the artists she’s recently shared stages with, like Jason Isbell, Emmylou Harris, or Umphrey’s McGee.
8. Dopapod (Friday: 4:30pm Starshine Stage, 12pm VIP Lounge)
Those reading this are probably well aware of Dopapod, one of the northeast jam scene’s powerhouses of beautiful weird heavy rock. But what you may or may not yet be aware of is the exciting news that the band is choosing the day of their performance at this year’s Summer Camp, Friday May 27, as the release day of their brand new, self-titled album. Like Little Feat’s show or a handful of other unmatchable things likely to go down at Scamp, we’re betting this is going to be a set to remember.
9. Dogs in a Pile (Saturday: 6pm Campfire Stage)
Another up and comer act that isn’t looking like they will be such for very long—or maybe they’re already not—is the versatile, head spinning rockers Dogs in A Pile. Coming out of New Jersey, DIAP have made some impressive strides recently, everything from playing opening sets at the Capitol Theatre to getting listed on Jam Cruise and more. For those in the know, the band’s breakneck, blistering sets of funky, campy rock vouch for all of this. These young phenoms are surely to be another one making a big hello at Summer Camp this year.
10. Mikayla Davis (Friday: 7:30pm Campfire Stage)
Here’s another badass female artist on this year’s Summer Camp lineup (there’s a bunch this year, much respect, Scamp!) Say hello to the amazing Mikayla Davis. Since jumping onto the scene with her beautiful debut album Delivery, Davis has showcased her sublime harpsichord skills—yes that’s right, harpsichord—on stage with people like Bob Weir and Phil Lesh, Lake Street Dive, and most recently Circles Around The Sun. For something truly unique and different, and very groovy, go see what she and her band Southern Star can do.
11. Arkansauce (Thursday: 4pm Kenny’s Westside Stage, Friday: 2pm Kenny’s Westside Stage, Sunday: 12pm Illumination Stage)
There’s never a shortage of bluegrass at Summer Camp Music Festival, and this year’s stages will be graced by the presence of bands like Infamous Stringdusters, Leftover Salmon, and yearly favorites Yonder Mountain. For a fresh face and sound, five-piece jamgrass band Arkansauce is hard to beat. With spirited, resounding, folky songs fortified by dynamite playing and great harmonies, Arkansauce will win over some Scampers next weekend for sure.
12. Kendall Street Company (Thursday: 10pm Soulshine Tent)
With their unwavering knack on stage and off for humor, zaniness, and pure fun, Kendall Street Company’s charm is as much off the cuff as their colorful, americana music. The band hails from the rootsy musical kingdom of Charlottesville, Virginia, and after establishing a beloved presence there have branched out to tour all around the country. Their music encompasses everything from bluegrass to jazz to country and will make for an incredibly fun throwdown in the tent Thursday night.
13. Little Feat (Sunday: 6:30pm Moonshine Stage)
Most of the artists on this list are up and comers, our intention here being to highlight some amazing newer acts we think deserve the spotlight. But there’s nothing up and comer about the band helping to close down the main stage on Sunday Night. This year marks the 45th year for Little Feat as a band, an extraordinary feat in and of itself, even better when you hear how hard these guys still go on stage. At Summer Camp, the legendary rockers will be performing their groundbreaking album Waiting For Columbus in its entirety, and the spirit permeating the air when that goes down is something you’ll probably want to witness. Plus, they’re taking the stage in between two festival closing sets of moe., so…..just saying.
14. Andy Frasco and The U.N. (Sunday: 2am Campfire Stage)
This one almost goes without saying. If music festivals were a family affair, Andy Frasco is your favorite whacky cousin. Doesn’t matter if its in a dingy club or a big time festival—when Andy’s set with his band the U.N. goes down, you’re gonna want to be in the crowd. There’s theatrics, there’s chaos, there’s pure adrenaline fun, and its pretty much a Van Wilder-grade house party as it is a musical performance.
15. Neighbor (Saturday: 7:30pm Campfire Stage, 2am VIP Lounge)
It will really be a big year at Summer Camp for debuts, and high on that exciting list is Boston located jam group Neighbor. Yet even this still pretty band, which is lead by Pink Talking Fish’s Rick James and includes Boston jazz guitarist Lyle Brewer, The New Motif bassist Dan Kelly, and Club D’elf drummer Dean Johnston, is going to have a big crowd at Summer Camp. It’s just a fact, given by the band’s intriguing cult following of fans. But you can’t really knock these superfans, for the band’s sizeable catalogue of memorable original music and unique flair for improvisation makes every show something to witness.
