The third annual Northlands Music and Arts Festival rolled into Day Two on June 14, 2024, with what can only be described as a stacked, jam-band-friendly lineup. This event took place at the Cheshire Fairgrounds in Swanzey, NH, and went on without any rain during the live music. The performers included Goose, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Spafford, Big Something, Sierra Hull, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Magic Beans, and The Psycodelics.

The festival took place in the foothills of southwestern New Hampshire, with a gorgeous mountain backdrop behind dual main stages, along with a smaller camping stage. Numerous artists painted live canvases during the festival, and there was plenty of festival fare, such as shirts, pins, dream catchers, and more. The clean, crisp air was a pleasant added bonus.

Charleston, SC-based funk band The Psycodelics kicked off the music on the Echo Stage. They blended blues, jazz, and disco with fresh funk rock.

The funky, almost jamtronica-inspired Magic Beans from Colorado followed on the Mountain Stage. Their squad included guitarist Scott Hachey, keyboardist Casey Russell, bassist Chris Duffy, and drummer Cody Wales. Their set was a lot of fun, despite the early time. They enjoyed their very danceable performance, which only made the show better.

The Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad had the honors next on the Echo Stage. This psychedelic roots reggae quintet from Rochester, NY, brought an authentic sound and a lot of energy. It was exciting to finally catch them live.

Big Something brought their Southern alt-rock flair to the Mountain Stage. The members included drummer Ben Vinograd, multi-instrumentalist Casey Cranford, bassist Matt Laird, lead guitarist Jesse Hensley, multi-instrumentalist Josh Kagel, and guitarist Nick MacDaniels. Their sound included anything from funk to reggae to heavy metal, and everything in between.

The Echo Stage was back in action with Sierra Hull, a bluegrass singer-songwriter, mandolinist, and guitarist. The Tennessee-based artist brought plenty of Southern charm along with her impressive guitar picking for this set.

The music returned to the Mountain Stage with Spafford, an improvisational jam rock quartet originally from Arizona, who are no strangers to extended jams. The lineup for the set included Jordan Fairless (bass/vocals), Nick Tkachyk (drums/percussion/vocals), and Cory Schechtman (keys/sax). Guitarist Mike Gantzer filled in for Brian Moss on guitar. They busted out two delicious pre-2000 covers, starting with Filter's "Take a Picture." They ended the set with Tears For Fears' "Mad World."

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong took flight next on the Echo Stage and were accompanied by plenty of their showmanship and some special guests. The Baltimore, MD, quartet featured guitarist Greg Ormont, bassist Ben Carrey, guitarist Jeremy Schon, and drummer Alex Petropulos.

This very funky, albeit particularly foul, jam band delivered a number of older tunes coupled with newer songs. "Beneath the Surface," from their 2024 release Day In Time, saw Ormont take flight as he jumped from Petropulos' drum platform. The classic "Henrietta" followed, along with a blazing segue into "Underworld." The band then shifted gears into "Something For Ya." The music began to flow into The Beatles' "Come Together" as the band welcomed guitarist Rob Compa and singer Kanika Moore on stage for an amped-up version of this definitive tune. The set ended with several vintage tunes, including "Horizon" > "The Liquid" and "Avalanche."

The performances concluded on the main stages with the indie jam quintet from Connecticut, Goose. The crowd amassed in front of the Mountain Stage for two more sets of aviary jam bliss. Goose's current lineup included guitarist Rick Mitarotonda, bassist Trevor Weekz, drummer Cotter Ellis, percussionist Jeff Arevalo, and multi-instrumentalist Peter Anspach.

Set one began with a tune from Goose's predecessor, Vasudo, "Turbulence & the Night Rays." They dished out some serious funk for the remainder of this set, starting with "Earthling or Alien?" This flowed nicely into the old school tune "Turned Clouds," which incidentally occurred as the partly cloudy summer sky heated up for a raging sunset. The band continued with tunes from their early catalog, including the unnecessarily funky "Jive I" > "Jive Lee," which closed out the set with a bang. A little bit goes a long way, indeed.

Set two picked up with a fifteen-minute "Same Old Shenanigans" from the 2021 release Shenanigans Nite Club. New drummer Ellis showed his talented chops during this face-melting rendition. A masterful segue ensued into the blues rock-fueled "Thatch," which lasted eighteen minutes. Mitarotonda crushed the solos as lighting director Andrew Goedde illuminated the stage.

Another old tune, "Wysteria Lane," penned by Weekz, ushered in more heat to this flaming hot set. The jam took a right turn directly into The Who's "Eminence Front." This cover feels like a song written specifically for this band and certainly had the fans excited. The newer tune "Feel It Now" occupied the penultimate spot. This incredible two-set festival performance ended on a high note with the lively original, "Animal."

Check out more photos from Day Two at Northlands! Also, hop on over to our photos and review from Day One.

Spafford Set List
Set: Jam, Can't Find My Vape, Leave the Light on, Diesel Driver > Take a Picture¹ > Giants in the Light, Mad World²
Notes: 1. Filter, 2. Tears for Fears

Pigeons Playing Ping Pong Set List
Set: Porcupine, Beneath the Surface, Henrietta > Underworld, Somethin For Ya > Come Together¹², Horizon > The Liquid, Avalanche
Notes: 1. Beatles, 2. With Kanika Moore and Rob Compa

Goose Set List
Set One: Turbulence & The Night Rays, Earthling or Alien? > Turned Clouds, Jive I > Jive Lee
Set Two: Same Old Shenanigans > Thatch, Wysteria Lane > Eminence Front¹, Feel It Now, Animal
Soundcheck: All Blues, Hot Love & The Lazy Poet
Coach's Notes: 1. The Who

Goose set list via elgoose.net