My first day with Treefort started a day late due to prior engagements but after just a few minutes, the loss of that first night rush was let go into the wind as the experience was embraced again after a year and a half of nothingness in our reality transforming, germ cloud, in which we now find ourselves. The most amazing thing in Boise has to be the famous sign that says it is now 0 days until, probably, the best music festival in the country is back.

An amazing, happy hour burger at the Owyhee Plaza with some NA beer (yep, the first totally dry Treefort too) and I was off to roam to my heart’s content.

Armed with a media pass, a jacket for some extra pockets, a new iPhone, and the excitement of escaping the desolation of no live music in recent memory, I was off. It had finally become clear I would not be joined by my 17 year old progeny, who had her own media pass and friends all over the festival. McKenna McKay will not be seen by her father this weekend.

So… roaming first brought me to the Radio Boise stage and a few songs from The Prids. This Portland based band is a post punk, dreamy experience that anyone can enjoy. It seems I didn’t watch enough in retrospect, but they play again tonight at the Shredder. Check them out!

A little roaming by the Hideout and then to the main stage, where whoa… The Shivas. Having never heard them previously, I was immediately in love.

This is the true beauty of Treefort. You roam around, not always knowing what you’ll get, but it’s always really, really good. It’s kind of like randomly grabbing candy bars at the gas station knowing no matter which one it is, it’ll be a spectacular candy bar. Or going to a singles event knowing that every person you meet is certainly a damn good match. Yeah, it’s like that. Always a great experience no matter where you end up.

So… The Shivas. Take some guitar magic right off of the Woodstock ‘69 stage, plop it down in Boise with hard hitting drums, and near perfect vocals, and this is what you get. This hard hitting, transcendent experience isn’t one you find every day. Also, a Portland based band, The Shivas include: Guitarist/singer Jared Molyneux, bassist Eric Shanafelt, drummer/singer Kristin Leonard and guitarist Jeff City. The vocal talents of Jared and Kristin are fabulous. Kristin has a way of sucking in the entire audience and transporting everyone to a more beautiful world, even if that world is throbbing with some electric riffs.

Their new album, Feels So Good, is out today and is a must!

Well hey… things are good so why not stick it out at the Main Stage.

Up next was local legend Doug Martsch. I don’t have to say much or even offer a review. It’s Built to Spill. Iconic, legendary, pure awesomeness, and Treefort necessity. No further words need be said. Just enjoy and sway with the crowd.

Japanese Breakfast was the band I had specifically targeted for the day’s main experience and they exceeded my expectations by 1000 times. Michelle Zauner is the small package that was my COVID-19 knight in shining armor. Her vocals, energy, and musical talent are beyond mere mortals. To see a large crowd all pulled into this experience together and moving to the music, reinforced that we weren’t in the same place we’ve all been the last one and half years. Electric and entrancing might be the words that best fit Japanese Breakfast.

As their first headlining performance at a major festival, I had to think that they need to be headlining everywhere after this. This made the night as the crowd grew larger and Boise felt truly alive

Many more hours were spent just roaming around, as Treefort is all about roaming. Finishing up the night at Pengilly’s with the sounds of American Old Time, Trouble Town out of San Francisco. Hey. This was just fun with a small crowd in a bar that is a local institution for folk and bluegrass. It could finish up any better.

One last note about Treefort is that immediately one sees the social responsibility of its attendees and the work that has gone into keeping it responsible. Thank you to every Treeforter for being a great person.