Revelry swept Union South this past Saturday, producing a very strong showing for its first year. All things considered, the lineup was solid and the festival was well-run. The event has the potential for greatness and could definitely become an end-of-year staple for years to come.
The event allowed for a lot of switching between acts and had a very festival-like feeling to it, on a miniature scale. The event was impressive in how professional it was and for the variety of music offered in close proximity. The Plaza Stage had an outdoor festival vibe and had the capacity to hold the bigger crowds with a large stage, while The Sett offered more intimacy with the artists and a high energy vibe to the shows. The DJ Booth on Randall Avenue was outfitted with foam dispensers, causing all sorts of fun and havoc on the normally busy road.
The way the set times were staggered made it convenient for festival goers to see the greatest amount of sets. One could easily hop between stages to catch multiple sets. Unfortunately, no stage had consistency in its theme or type of music, so festival patrons couldn’t just stay in one place to enjoy a similar vibe for the rest of the day.
The acts themselves were all great performers. Oh Land played a very beautiful set enhanced by the falling rain and had a great use of electronic beats and a xylophone-esque instrument. Her voice was enchanting, singing words like “Another champagne’s raining on your window” and “You are the wolf and I am the moon.”
PHOX’s prominent use of wind and brass instruments, such as the clarinet and trumpet, fit very well with lead singer Monica Martin’s vocals. There were times when music from the Plaza Stage infringed on the peaceful moments indoors, but that comes with having two music stages in such close proximity.
The atmosphere drastically changed when Chance the Rapper’s set was about to start. Young hip-hop fans filled The Sett and rapped along with Lord of the Fly, CRASHprez, Ragelife and the highly-anticipated Chance the Rapper. Chance drew a roar from the audience when he appeared on stage and gave an exciting performance with his eccentric rap and dance style. The highlight was Chance rushing the stage and yelling “[the] fuck you talking about!” while jumping around at the conclusion of the show.
The Mowgli’s were next, changing the ambiance to one of love and cheerfulness while keeping the energy very high. Reminiscent of Of Monsters and Men with their hippie folk rock, group members came down to the audience and danced and sang with them. It was the feel-good ending for the day at The Sett.
Hoodie Allen concluded the day’s performances with a bang on the Plaza Stage. There was a giant red ball bouncing around on the audience, which was the biggest crowd of the day. Audience members sang along with hits like “No Interruption.” Hoodie Allen’s set in particular felt the most like an end-of-year spring bash and was a fitting way to end a great day of music.
The variety of music was the strongest part of Revelry and there seems to be big potential for the event to grow into something great. One minor detractor was the underutilized DJ Booth in an odd location compared to the proximity of the other two stages. But with a greater consistency in the types of acts at a particular stage and a big-name headliner for next year, Revelry could become a springtime staple on campus.
