Green River Festival 2025: Good vibes, great bands, and a slight chance of heatstroke
Some festivals coast on their headliners. Others rely on location. Green River Festival, nestled in the hills of Western Massachusetts, banks on something harder to replicate: community. And this year, the community came together in sun, sweat, and song for one of the most vibrant editions yet — even if we all left a few pounds lighter from the heat alone.
Day 1: Mt. Joy, Mo Lowda, and Coral Moons
Friday afternoon opened like a dream: 78 degrees, rolling clouds, and that kind of breeze that makes you forget sunscreen exists. Local indie-soul outfit Coral Moons had the honor, and pressure, of kicking things off, and they did so with an energy that felt bigger than their noon slot. Their groove-forward set had people dancing before they finished their first track — a rare feat for a crowd still settling in.
Before their set, I had the chance to meet up with the band for an ice cream-fueled portrait session with Bart’s Ice Cream, a festival institution, which turned into a full-on photo hang with sprinkles and good chaos. (Read the full Coral Moons interview here).
The rest of Day 1 read like a genre buffet: Ocie Elliott brought warm harmonies and wistful folk, TORRES stepped in solo after Julien Baker withdrew for medical reasons, and Mo Lowda & The Humble rocked their album release day like a band playing Madison Square Garden (read the album review here).
As the sun dipped, Mt. Joy took the main stage and frankly redefined what “headliner energy” looks like at a regional fest. Their production was surprisingly ambitious, complete with swirling backlights and synchronized visuals that felt like a cosmic love letter to the Pioneer Valley. Down the hill, Kabaka Pyramid filled the Dean’s Beans Stage with roots reggae and enough haze that it felt like the entire festival collectively caught a contact high.
Day 2: Courtney Barnett, illuminati hotties, and a bit of heat stroke
Saturday cooked us alive. By 1 p.m., the crowd was moving like molasses in a microwave. But the heat didn’t stop illuminati hotties, who treated their 2 p.m. slot like a headline affair. Frontwoman Sarah Tudzin spent half the set mid-jump, half of it shredding, and the rest somehow crowd-connecting between sips of what was hopefully not lukewarm Gatorade. I caught her later at the merch tent where she launched herself onto the table for a Polaroid — because of course she did.
Throughout the afternoon, Reyna Tropical delivered sun-kissed rhythms, Kevin Morby brought a touch of desert rock noir, and Danielle Ponder made the sweat feel holy with her powerhouse vocals. And then came Courtney Barnett, sharp as ever. She tore through her set like she had something to prove — she didn’t, but we’re grateful she played like she did. Her signature deadpan lyrics hit harder live, and by the time she launched into “Pedestrian at Best,” the crowd had found their second wind.
There was also a surprising amount of artist-to-fan interaction this year. Saturday saw a string of pop-up merch signings, hugs across the barricade, and what felt like a truly absurd number of free pre-rolls being handed out across the grounds. Legal in Massachusetts? Yes. Expected in such volume? Not at all. But hey, it kept the vibes mellow and people distracted from the heat.
Day 3: Waxahatchee, Grace Bowers, and more heat stroke
Sunday was the kind of day where you looked around and thought, we’ve almost made it. The crowd was moving slower but clapping louder, and Grace Bowers & The Hodge Podge woke us up like a shot of espresso. At just 18, Grace plays with the confidence and technical finesse of someone who’s already headlined Red Rocks. Her version of “Scuttle Buttin’” would’ve made Stevie Ray Vaughan proud. Honestly, she could’ve closed the festival, and no one would’ve complained.
As the afternoon rolled on, we got global grooves from BALTHVS, rowdy twang from Futurebirds, and psychedelic textures courtesy of Chaparelle. The only miss of the day? MJ Lenderman & The Wind, whose sleepy set felt more like a soundcheck than a performance. But you can’t win ‘em all, and he was more enthusiastic joining Waxahatchee later that evening.
And speaking of, Green River saved its best for the finale: Waxahatchee at golden hour. As she sang through “Tigers Blood” and “Lilacs,” the sky turned honey-gold behind her and the field fell into that festival silence that only happens once: everyone tuned in, no phones out, no one trying to get to the next stage. Just a collective breath after a long, sweaty, unforgettable weekend.
Skinny little pancakes and sweet sendoffs
Beyond the music, Green River continues to shine because of the extras: Skinny Pancake dished out crepes worth sweating in line for, Bart’s Ice Cream — again! — kept things cool, and a personal MVP was Twin Beaks, whose fried chicken and Twin Peaks reference earned both my stomach and my heart. Even in the heat, even with the occasional sound bleed or tight set change, the festival felt smooth, intentional, and alive.
Here’s hoping they keep the soul next year — maybe with 20% less humidity.
Shot for The Concert Chronicles. Original article here.
