All I want for Christmas is Treefort 2022

By Greg Homolka

Well, it’s been nearly three months since Treefort 2021 took place in downtown Boise, Idaho, and although I’ve been busy with work and health issues and non-festival life, there are a few things about my first pilgrimage to Treefort that still stand out in my mind. So, in this season of giving, I’d like to give a few shout-outs to some of the artists who softened me up so much that I melted into the juicy interiors of the Treefort vibe.

Jaw on the Floor, Spirit in the Sky

Friday’s midnight Mdou Moctar set at the El Korah Shrine left me in awe. Having seen the Niger-based Saharan rock jam masters before, I knew I was in for a treat. I was not, however, expecting the ecstatic revelry that transpired. As the show progressed, a mosh pit formed and kept expanding. Bodies were passed overhead. The stage was only two or three feet high, and as the waves of rapturous flesh gained momentum, people were pushed onto the stage, bumping into monitors and laughing all the while.

I expected the band may feel compelled to take it down a notch, or even ask for people to take it easy. To the contrary, the quartet not only matched the energy, but leaned into it and took it up a notch. And then another, and another. Moctar himself even stepped forward and offered his guitar as sacrifice to the outstretched arms of the masses.

Credit Where Credit is Due

The most heartfelt moment I witnessed during Treefort was when Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner told a story during the band’s headlining set. Japanese Breakfast has undergone an explosion in popularity, and on Friday, Zauner and the band were enveloped in a glowing cloud of appreciation on the main stage, following a set by Built to Spill. Zauner took a moment to tell the audience about seeing Built to Spill play at Portland’s Crystal Ballroom when she was 13, and how it changed her life. Looking over at Doug Martsch, she said that without him, she absolutely wouldn’t be where she is today.

Speaking of heartfelt, I just finished Zauner’s memoir, Crying in H Mart, and I cried right along as the story unfolded. I was lucky enough to get ahold of a copy of the book on the afternoon before Japanese Breakfast’s headlining set, when Zauner gave a reading as part of the Storyfort experience.

**Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast**

For Those Who Brought the Rock, I Salute You.

Over the weekend, I found myself being drawn back into some personal, primal, rock ’n roll inner sanctum, gravitating toward the more rollicking acts on the bill. Maybe it was the pent-up energy from a year and a half in live music limbo, or simply the masterful curation of the Treefort crew, but acts such as Prism Bitch, Tango Alpha Tango, Acid Tongue, and Blood Lemon really grabbed and held my attention.

Of course, variety is the spice of life, and it’s certainly the spice of Treefort. When not rocking out, I was more than happy dancing to the power funk of Con Brio, watching Blossom make improvisational magic at the skate park, or enjoying the performance of comedic folk singer John Craigie.

**Nathan Trueb got really high at Tango Alpha Tango's set at Western Proper**

The Brights at the End of the Tunnel

Left to my own devices, I mostly wandered the streets of downtown Boise, catching some sets of the artists I was familiar with, but mostly discovering new acts. It was hard to go wrong, but it also got a bit overwhelming with so many options. Luckily, Zenruption founder and fellow live music fanatic Brian McKay helped guide me and my camera toward some bands that were more than worthy of my time. Case in point — Smokey Brights.

McKay has espoused this band’s virtues at length on this site, so I won’t overindulge. But I will say that they won me over with their sheer enthusiasm. A solid base of good songwriting provided a launch pad for some serious throwing down. In particular, guitarist Ryan Devlin played each set like it was his last show ever, leaving it all on stage and encouraging the crowd to join in his enthusiasm.

Everybody Needs a Hero

This festival had something for everyone, and for me, someone who represented everything I found Treefort to be about — Melanie Radford, co-founder of Boise power trio Blood Lemon and current bassist for Built to Spill. She possessed the Treefort spirit — expressive, appreciative, joyful, and fully engaged.

I realize it’s a bit ridiculous to call out one individual when all the artists I saw were baring their souls in the presentation of their art, but you could say Radford had me at “Hello.” She was clearly having as much fun as anyone in attendance at Built to Spill’s set at the main stage, playing her “Apathy Kills” bass with her entire being. So I found out when and where she’d be performing again. It’s hard to dissuade oneself of a first impression when the second and third times you see a musician you are nearly brought to tears while simultaneously rocking the hell out. Whenever she had an opportunity to grace a stage, Radford did not hold back. Boise is lucky to have her.

The Beginning is Near

From Wednesday night’s explosive blues set from Larkin Poe to Chong the Nomad’s Sunday night closing set at the Neurolux, the highlights of my Treefort experience are too numerous to list. I can’t imagine how many acts I missed that would have blown my mind in equal measure. Luckily, Treefort 10 will be here before you know it. It’s scheduled for March 23 - 27, 2022 in downtown Boise, Idaho.

Here are a few more images I offer as evidence of having had a real good time.