From Sound on Sound: Sunday Sound Bites
Sound on Sound 2023 ended on a high, featuring stunning performances by Cautious Clay, Mt. Joy, John Mayer, and many others.
Snacktime
Philadelphia band Snacktime started the second and final day of Sound On Sound 2023 on a brass-filled note, with a combination of original songs and covers from the seven-person band. Although the crowd was still trickling in throughout their set, the band spent a lot of time talking to the audience and telling their origin story, as a band that formed at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and spent years performing street shows in Philly. Snacktime really began to shine while they played their most popular song “Gotta Get Funky,” an energizing brassy original from their debut album released in 2022. Coaxed by the band, audience members eventually began to nod their heads, with some starting to dance in the sparsely-occupied GA section. Clearly passionate about performing, the band announced that they’d be playing pop up sets by the entrance of the festival throughout the rest of the day.
Calder Allen
Texas native Calder Allen was the next to take the stage, performing in Connecticut for the first time. With a casual, confident energy, the singer-songwriter performed some original songs, including “Ripple Through,” which the artist released only a day before the festival. His set was punctuated by his own charismatic interjections as Allen grew more comfortable on the Sound on Sound stage, saying short narrations like “I’m from Texas so we like to whistle for no reason,” which elicited audience cheers and laughter. Although his guitar strap broke twice during his set, Allen seemed unfazed, continuing to play and sing with a gentle smile throughout the entire performance.
Gin Blossoms
With a fraternal energy, alt-rock band Gin Blossoms took the stage next, proudly proclaiming to the audience: “We came here to kick ass and chew bubblegum and we’re all out of bubblegum!” Without any significant lighting or background graphics, the crowd’s full focus was on the Arizona band and their high-energy performance, with the highlight being their live rendition of popular original “Hey Jealousy.” The band maintained a playful energy throughout their performance, from holding up red solo cups mid-song to cheers with the audience, to giving exaggerated performances for the livestream cameras that projected close-ups on the screens beside the stage.
Cautious Clay
Cautious Clay’s warm but calm stage presence set him apart from the acts that preceded him, with smooth vocals to back up his tranquil demeanor. After only a few songs, the musician and songwriter had already established his musical prowess, playing guitar, saxophone, and flute, while still singing vocals as well. Unfortunately, the artist’s set was at times impacted by some technical sound issues on stage, with his vocals occasionally too low to be heard well over the bass and drums from the front of the crowd; at one point, the artist took out his own earpiece so that he could better hear himself, and many people in the audience began passing out earplugs to one another to combat the loud bass noises blasted in their direction. Despite these issues, Cautious Clay seemed to rise above, with beautiful high notes and flute music soaring over the crowd, making it easy to forget any technical issues and focus on the artist.
Margo Price
Margo Price brought a refreshing female voice to the Sound on Sound stage, as one of the only female solo artists in the festival. She immediately exuded confidence and power, speaking directly to the GA crowd to tell them to “hop the barricade and get a little closer!” With shining blonde hair, a glamorous dress, and stylish sunglasses, the country artist’s energy was powerful and contagious, the crowd quickly buying into her performance. Things seemed to really click between the artist and her band when she began to play “Tennessee Song,” an impressive vocal exercise done in perfect sync with her fellow musicians onstage. The highlight of the performance, though, was Price’s prop usage during “Radio,” as she sang the song directly into a bright pink landline phone that added a unique sound to her already strong vocals. To close out her set, the artist tossed large red roses into the audience, exiting to echoes of her name cheered from the crowd.
Mt. Joy
The most memorable element of Mt. Joy’s performance was their use of AI-generated background projections throughout their set. With cartoon animations flashing and changing in quick succession to the lyrics of their songs, the indie rock band successfully added a unique psychedelic feeling to their music, especially during their well-known hit “Astrovan.” Their vocals were triumphant, well-accompanied by skillful guitar playing and grounded harmonies. The band played covers, including Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine,” as well as originals like the popular “Silver Lining” that closed out their set.
John Mayer
Bridgeport, Conn. native John Mayer headlined the day, performing to a packed crowd of adoring hometown fans to close out Sound on Sound. Playing hits like “Why Georgia” and “Stop This Train” meant the singer-songwriter was met with audience members that could sing along to every last word. The highlight of the performance, beyond Mayer’s singing, was his openness in talking about his hometown, including a story about his father being principal of Central High School in Bridgeport while he attended the school in the late ’80s. Mayer mentioned that as principal, his father “would confiscate all the Walkmans.”
“and these Walkmans had cassette tapes and I would listen to all the cassette tapes that had this incredible diversity of music,” Mayer said, with a grin. “I’d like to thank the students of Central High School for having their Walkmans confiscated from them so that I could have them and listen to the great music they were playing.”
“And that’s how I got a musical education.”
With the confidence of a high-caliber musician and the hometown charm of a local, Mayer brought his all to the Sound on Sound stage to end the festival on a high note.
—Staff writer Stella A. Gilbert can be reached at stella.gilbert@thecrimson.com.