Sound On Sound Recap

Recap by Carson Huffer

Bridgeport lit up this past weekend with the inaugural Sound On Sound festival hitting Seaside Park. Featuring headliners Stevie Nicks, The Lumineers, Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds, and Brandi Carlisle, the festival drew in record crowds for a weekend of fantastic music, local food vendors, and beautiful weather right on the Long Island Sound. Tongue Tied had the opportunity to check out day one of Sound On Sound which, amongst the headliners of The Lumineers and Stevie Nicks, also featured Father John Misty, Zach Bryan, Caamp, and more.

Jenny Lewis live at Sound On Sound // shot by Caro Hallock

The day started with local acts CHARLEY and Drew Angus opening up the inaugural fest. Even though they were first on, both acts saw large crowds amped for a weekend of music and fun. Since Sound On Sound boasted no overlapping sets, both artists received the full attention of every festival goer as they played in their own backyard. I specifically loved Drew Angus’ rendition of “Royals / Midnight Rider” that pulled in the crowd and captured the hearts of fans new and old.

While listening to the music on stage, Sound On Sound also had a variety of events and experiences for all ages. Seaside Park’s playground was included into the festival barricade, offering youth a space to run around and play while listening to kids music. For those over 21, the festival boasted the stunning Seaside Wine Grove, the Shaken & Stirred pavillon, and a Craft Beer and Sports Hall, all full of drinks, games from brand partners, and comfortable seating to relax in. 

Since none of the sets overlapped, fans got the full experience of every artist on this fantastic lineup. A distinct highlight for me was Columbus-based folk band Caamp, who fired up the crowd through their midday set while rocking some Ohio State merch. (I’ll forever be biased to my alma mater and home, sorry!) Zach Bryan’s set was cut short due to technical issues, however his rendition of the viral hit “Something In The Orange” found fans belting out lyrics with the country artist.

Zach Bryan live at Sound On Sound // shot by Caro Hallock

The Lumineers were the first headliner of the night and captured the crowd through their expressive folk-pop. I loved finally catching The Lumineers live, especially as they sound exactly the same live with their unbridled passion and explosive energy. The hour and a half long set found the artists bouncing around the stage and out onto their own catwalk into the VIP viewing section, which brought the band even closer to the over 30,000 fans in attendance.

Father John Misty played in between the headliners on the Sunset Stage, crooning out his introspective and heartfelt discography to the masses. Even better live, Misty held the crowd in the palm of his hand as he played his hour long set.

Before Stevie Nicks descended onto the crowd, the festival put on a drone light show with fun shapes of music, the water, and the festival logo. This display hyped up an already electrified crowd for the seances of Stevie Nicks, whose hour and a half long headlining set was ethereally captivating for fans. The crowd loved hearing hits such as “Landslide” and “Rhiannon” live, and we were also treated to a playing of her newest recorded single “For What It’s Worth,” which landed on streaming services the day prior. Nicks also used her set to really chat with the audience and tell stories behind her music, leaving fans with a renewed love and memory of why Stevie Nicks is such an everlasting and important figure in music. 

I adored this lineup and was so excited to finally get to see such incredible artists live. If you haven’t had the chance to catch these artists before, I would highly recommend keeping an eye out for every name on Saturday’s lineup as they all lit up Sound On Sound for the entire day!