FOLLOW THE ARROW, the second annual edition of the Hudson Valley festival presented by Marco Benevento at Arrowood Farms in Accord, NY on Saturday, June 17 has expanded its line-up with a second round of artists announced, including heavy groove trio LaMP featuring revered guitarist Scott Metzger with keyboardist Ray Paczkowski and drummer Russ Lawton who are best known for their work with the Trey Anastasio Band, Beacon, NY-based indie folk darlings Upstate, and jam rock meets indie pop dynamo Karina Rykman and her band.
In addition, Marco Benevento and friends will cap the night off with Let's Dance: A Tribute To David Bowie. Benevento—who also performs a set with his own band—will be joined for the salute to the legendary musician and former Hudson Valley resident by special guests Duane Betts, Stuart Bogie, Mikaela Davis and Sister Sparrow.
Headline artists already slated to appear include Rubblebucket and The Barr Brothers, as well as an opening set by the Benevento Family Band featuring the host's extended family. Produced in partnership with Impact Concerts, tickets for FOLLOW THE ARROW are on-sale now HERE, including a small allotment of discounted early bird tickets available while supplies last.
The inaugural FOLLOW THE ARROW festival was created by Benevento along with his record label Royal Potato Family and Impact Concerts in 2022. It featured performances by Antibalas, The Slip, and Surprise Me Mr. Davis among others, while a musically diverse assortment of special guests accompanied the pianist during his set, including Elvis Perkins, Sam Evian and Cochemea Gastelum. The audience—emerging from the throes of the pandemic—was met by a pervasive sense of joy and positivity over the course of the day. NYS Music wrote "the atmosphere was family friendly without sacrifice of artistry or musicality. Follow The Arrow was a place to celebrate values and emphasize the importance of self expression for generations to come." Watch a recap video of last year's event HERE.
"We're so excited to invite everyone back to FOLLOW THE ARROW this summer. As anyone who attended last year will tell you, it was a magical day. Everyone partied and had an amazing experience, but it was also family friendly vibes where you could bring your kiddos and kick back because they were having as much fun as everyone else," says Benevento. "This year's line-up includes some of my all-time favorite musicians. We're still feeling it from last year, so you know we’re only gonna build on that energy and have ourselves an absolute blast."
Over the course of eight studio albums and countless shows around the world, Marco Benevento has amassed a devoted fanbase, while drawing praise from tastemakers far and wide. The Los Angeles Times has said "it's safe to say that no one sees the keyboard quite like Marco Benevento's genre-blind mashup of indie rock, jazz and skewed improvisation," while NPR Music raved that Benevento combines "the thrust of rock, the questing of jazz and the experimental ecstasy of jam," and BrooklynVegan praises the keyboardist for "bridging the gap between indie rock and jam way before there were think-pieces on it."
Benevento's songwriting is infectious and earthy, yet simultaneously pulsing with dance-rock energy. His engaging live shows have led to numerous high-profile appearances, ranging from Carnegie Hall to Pickathon. In the studio, Benevento has collaborated with the likes of Richard Swift (The Shins, Nathaniel Rateliff), Leon Michels (Lee Fields, Freddie Gibbs) and Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Sean Lennon) among others. On his latest album, simply titled, Benevento, the Woodstock, NY-based artist dives deep down a psych funk rabbit hole, reimagining the current Zeitgeist of these troubled times through surrealistic optimism and the pure joy of an irresistible groove on tracks like "At The End Or The Beginning," "Winter Rose" and "Do You Want Some Magic?"
Arrowood Farms, the sprawling location for FOLLOW THE ARROW, is a sustainably minded farm brewery, distillery, dining and event destination in the beautiful and bountiful Hudson Valley. A varied selection of local food artisans will be on-hand serving all day long. Tent and RV camping is available at the Rondout Valley Campground one mile away from the festival site, while there are also numerous hotel and lodging options in the surrounding area.
Impact Concerts, co-founded by Drew Frankel and Peter Himberger, creates music and lifestyle events in the Hudson Valley / Catskill Mountains region of New York. These events showcase internationally renowned music, art, food, beer, and wine in an idyllic environment with great care and thought put into every show.
