Greenville’s annual food fest is also a music event on the rise.
The 42nd season of Fall for Greenville is bigger and more varied than ever before. With more than 60 restaurant vendors and 150,000 people, the three-day event has become one of the largest free-admission festivals in the Southeast. Perhaps the biggest change has been the scope of the music, with 80 bands performing across six stages.
“Along the way, more stages were added to allow for more music,” says Josh McGee, the festival’s event coordinator. “And slowly but surely, the music programming rose to the same level of distinction as the food lineup.”
This year’s headliners include CMA-award-winning country star Madeline Edwards and Upstate-born blues legend Mac Arnold and Plate Full o’ Blues, who play alongside emerging local bands like Auragami, Cash Machine, The Sally Rides, and Sorry, Peach.
“We are so fortunate to have such a large pool of incredible talent in the Upstate,” says McGee, “and nothing makes me happier than providing a space for music fans to experience the area’s best and brightest.”
Assembling the lineup is no easy task. Schedules shift. Bands go on hiatus or get hung up in the studio. “I have a running list of musical acts,” says McGee. “It’s like a jigsaw puzzle where the size and shape of the pieces may change on a daily basis, so I have to do my best to find piece after piece that fits the grand scheme of what I envision the festival to be.”
Finalizing the line-up is challenging, but ultimately worth it.
“The point of doing a puzzle isn’t just to connect the pieces in the right order but to have something as a final result of hours of work that yourself and others can enjoy,” he says. “Seeing fans flock to stages to check out who’s playing, hearing people singing the songs and dancing, it makes it all come together.”
Fall for Greenville Local Standouts
Auragami
A Greenville-based electric quartet, Auragami bills itself as a “rock jam band,” but there’s a lot of funk thanks to bass player Evan Hamlin who seems to grow an extra hand every now and then. Their debut album, House of Love, shows off their vocal harmonies and tight songwriting. At live shows, they know how to tear open a cover song and fold it into something new, exciting, and a heck of a lot of fun to hear. Jason Newton on drums keeps the boys on course without knocking anyone off stage. Keep an eye out for Nate Coblentz on keys. He’s doing a lot more than his laid-back demeanor suggests. Guitarist Josh Tessier alternates between vocals, chugging rhythm, and melodic leads that grow in complexity and warmth.
See Auragami at the Wicked Weed Stage, Fri., Oct. 13, 5;30–6:30pm
Sorry, Peach
The members of this Spartanburg-based “all-girl” alt-pop group met in college five years ago and have been singing together long enough to know each other’s voices and to challenge each other harmonically. They listen very well to each other and the result is bittersweet, bouncy, and–at times–gut-punch sad. They’ve put a lot of miles on the touring van and You Were Never Mine won Album of the Year at the 2023 Upstate Music Awards. No matter how many times you hear them sing together, you’ll always hear something new. Each performance reveals fresh colors, nuance, and harmonics. Josh McGee calls Sorry, Peach a “shining example of what the Upstate has to offer when it comes to true musical talent. The songwriting and musicianship is something I want everyone I know to witness, to really open their ears and hearts to what this group is putting out there.”
See Sorry, Peach at the Live @ Aloft Stage, Sat., Oct. 14, 7:30–9pm
Cash Machine
These guys find the pocket fast and hard, and once they set the groove things get very, very interesting. They’ve got mule-kick drums, bottle-breaking bass, and a deep enough musical vocabulary that the guitarists can meet any challenge the keyboardist throws at them. This is head-bobbing, get-sweaty, get up and dance funk with a heart. Lead guitarist Zach Thigpen (also known for his work in The Grateful Brothers) has a remarkable range, from a jazzy melodic lead to a grungy growl, without ever getting sloppy. He never gets over-indulgent; if anything he’s pulling back a little to keep the audience from levitating off the dance floor. McGee calls Cash Machine’s set one “people will not want to miss.” And, he adds, “If you have not had the chance to see this band live, you are in for a glorious display of epic rock ‘n’ roll.”
See Cash Machine at the RJ Law Main Stage, Sat., Oct. 14, 3:30–4:30pm
The Sally Rides
Another local supergroup, The Sally Rides is made up of familiar faces and old friends. They’ve been playing together since 2019, but they’ve kept the spur-of-the-moment energy of a jam session while drawing on a lot of experience. They have a remarkable ability to play a cover–from the Bangles to Pink–that sounds like an original and originals that sound like you’ve heard ‘em before. The band’s name–a nod to Sally Ride, the first American woman in space–ought to give you a good idea of what to expect: bold, adventurous music with the proverbial shoulder pads and perm to keep things kicky. Alison Hughey (vocals/keys), Michelle Lee (drums), Brandy Lindsey (vocals/acoustic guitar), Carsyn Tennant (vocal/electric guitar) and Raegan Tennant (bass) are top-notch musicians who make having fun look easy and who haven’t forgotten how to be playful. Try not to dance and sing along, I dare ya. They’re local, but they’ve been to space and have a great story to tell.
See The Sally Rides at the CPI Security West End Stage, Sat., Oct. 14, 1–2pm
Josh McGee Recommends
Josh McGee: “I’m always super excited for the festival to hurry up and get here. A few personal highlights for this year include Austin-based David Ramirez, who will perform at the Thursday night kick-off concert. Asheville-based Cosmic Collective is another one to behold for those adventurers looking for some of the most eclectic jazz funk I’ve heard. Local favorites The Jamie Wright Band will perform this year with a full horn section, which will certainly be a set not to miss.”
Related: Fall for Greenville is This Weekend. Here’s When, Where to Go.
