Western Mass Music: 5 Can’t-Miss Acts at the 2024 Green River Festival
Taking place on the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Greenfield, the Green River Festival is one of the best music festivals happening on an annual basis in New England. Along with stellar bands and musicians performing on multiple stages, there’s numerous businesses that take part in it as well ranging from food vendors to art pop-ups and to local nonprofits. The experience is akin to a state fair, but with a lot more to offer than your typical rinky dink outdoor get-together. It also has a very inclusive vibe, which is what I personally enjoy the most about it. This year’s edition is happening from June 21–23, and here five acts on the bill who can’t be overlooked.
June 21 @ Greenfield Savings Bank Main Stage
7–8:15pm
I remember ages ago when Clyde Lawrence was causing a buzz around the music scene in Providence while he was a student at Brown University. His soulful voice really impressed me, and I wasn’t alone in that feeling. Nowadays, he has a band that he leads with his sister Gracie, and they have a new album titled Family Business that’s going to be released during the same day as their upcoming performance, so expect a bunch of songs off of it to be played live when they take the main stage.
June 21 @ Dean’s Beans Stage
8:15–9:30pm
The moniker of the Cuban musician Erik Alejandro Iglesias Rodriguez, Cimafunk has a way of providing a one-of-a-kind experience by blending funk, R&B, jazz fusion and electronica to create an incredible sound. Whoever checks them out is bound to dance to the rhythms while being immersed in a contagious amount of energy. That reason alone is why you can’t ignore Rodriguez and his talented band.
June 21 @ Greenfield Savings Bank Main Stage
9:30–11pm
Headlining the festivals first day are the Sacramento hitmakers Cake. With gems such as “The Distance”, “Frank Sinatra”, “Never There”, “Sheep Go to Heaven”, “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” and their rendition of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive”, this band has so many great songs that it’s unreal. They’re great live and if you leave early while they’re closing things out then you’re a total dweeb.
June 22 @ Greenfield Savings Bank Main Stage
7–8:15pm
Joy Oladokun is a fantastic singer-songwriter who isn’t totally folk, not strictly country or completely acoustic-driven pop, but she takes a little bit of each to forge her own individualistic approach. Her latest album Proof of Life that came out last year had her venturing through various collaborations featuring the likes of Mt. Joy, Noah Kahan, Manchester Orchestra, Maxo Kream and Chris Stapleton, which is quite a list. Attendees and expect a few songs off of that release to be performed live along with some of her older material during her set.
June 23 @ Dean’s Beans Stage
5:45–7pm
Hailing from the Ukranian capital of Kyiv, DakhaBrakha have a unique approach to folk music that incorporates various styles from a variety of ethnic groups. They have an interesting background as well due to their roots as a live theater music crew while starting out as a project affiliated with the Dakh Community Arts Center. I got to see this quartet at the Newport Folk Festival back in 2022 and they were amazing, which will probably be a similar opinion people will have after seeing them perform during the Green River Festival’s final day.
There are a ton of other bands and musicians taking part in the festival as well, which you can read about via the flyer below. If you’re local to Greenfield or you’re planning on heading out to Western Massachusetts this weekend, make sure to stop by the Franklin County Fairgrounds and have a time that’s sure to be memorable.
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