NELSONVILLE, Ohio – The buzz was as strong as it gets for Geese, which was the opening-day headliner at the Nelsonville Music Festival.
The Brooklyn rock act’s aura was not only palpable, but visible. There were more Geese T-shirts in the crowd than at a migratory birdwatching expedition at Lake Erie in the spring.
Nelsonville Music Festival took place last week at Snow Fork Event Center, a sprawling and grassy garden in the forested hills of Athens County.
The three-day rock and folk fest ran from Thursday to Saturday this year, starting and ending a day earlier to meet the desire of attendees – and to close with a Saturday night bang rather than a Sunday evening whimper.
The Thursday turnout was heavy, thanks to Geese, and that night’s other top draw, Wednesday.
Geese and Wednesday were among several acts who had played the fest when they were still unknown and returned after finding fame. It happens every year at NMF, which is a proving ground for indie and Americana bands.
Geese’s previous show at NMF was in 2023, and it was a harbinger of what was to come. Cameron Winter, the band’s frontman and visionary, is a man of few words between songs, but he spoke of his remembrance of that show.
With their 2026 album “Getting Killed,” Geese raised its profile immensely over the past year – even landing the musical guest spot on “Saturday Night Live” in January.
The act is a headliner on just about every major rock festival this summer – with Nelsonville easily being the smallest one and the closest to Youngstown.
Geese’s mystique was on full display, grounded in a heavy beat and the occasional nursery rhyme melody. Its members were lit by spotlights on a stage covered in a foggy mist.
Every note had meaning. Winter’s lyrics were an extended growl, occasionally exploding into a roar.
The percussive breakdown in the song “Bow Down” brought their show – and the whole day – to a climax.
Nelsonville doesn’t put massive LED screens alongside the stage to give closeup views to the folks in the back. It’s rarely needed at the smallish event and wouldn’t really fit the vibe. But for Geese, it was almost necessary.
Wednesday
Unlike previous years, there was no intense heat wave at NMF. But there was a rainbow, which miraculously appeared during Wednesday’s set. It corroborated a storm that must have happened miles away, because there was nary a drop at Snow Fork.
As a special effect, it was untoppable. Karly Hartzman, front woman for the North Carolina band, said that’s what happens when the man upstairs takes over as lighting director.
Wednesday and its guitarist, M.J. Lenderman, are also NMF veterans. Lenderman played a solo show last year, and Wednesday was there in 2023.
With its country-ish flavor and its alter-ego dalliances in sonic dissonance, Wednesday deserves an annual invite from NMF.
The simpatico is mutual. “This is one of our five favorite festivals,” Hartzman said. “We’ll play here anytime they ask.”
The North Carolina-based act flew both of its musical flags with a set list that included the sweet “Elderberry Wine” and the hard-as-nails “Wasp,” which are both from its latest album, “Bleeds.”
Other Bands
Each year, Nelsonville Music Fest unveils a few newcomers who show flashes of greatness.
Here’s a look at some of the noteworthy bands I saw this year.
Unfortunately, I missed Day 3, which was the most rocking. It featured headliner Marcus King Band (which played Packard Music Hall in Warren in 2023), plus The Mystery Lights and Wine Lips.
Gillian Welch and David Rawlings: Performing on a bare stage and with no backing band, this old-school folk duo opened the eyes and ears of anyone who wasn’t familiar. Welch’s voice, the perfect harmonies and Rawling’s precise acoustic guitar solos were all that was needed to deliver the frills. And, yes, they were another example of an act that returned to NMF after becoming greater – in their case, iconic – since their initial appearance years ago.
Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band: This Louisville, Ky., act played NMF last year, but its fame has risen sharply since then thanks to its 2025 album, “New Threats from the Soul.” For some reason, the band was put on the small Creekside Stage, which wasn’t big enough for the crowd that wanted to see it. The act’s secret can be found in its name – it has the spirited flair of a roadhouse band. Davis himself is a storyteller who talk-sings his lyrics in a style reminiscent of the Bakersfield Sound of country music. With songs like “Monte Carlo/No Lights,” this is a band that is best seen live.
Jeffrey Lewis & the Voltage: This was the most memorable set from an act that I had never heard of. The band follows along with Lewis’ densely written and highly amusing lyrics. He writes as if the song is for a stage musical: heavy with rhyme and wit, sharply on topic and insightful in explaining the story beneath the surface. With his skills, Lewis could compose a Broadway musical. He is sad and funny at the same time when describing the foibles of life and love. But that’s not all he does. Lewis, who is also a comic book artist, delivered a CliffsNotes version of “The Great Gatsby,” showing dozens of scenes from the novel that he had drawn by turning the pages of a sketch book as he musically explained the plot. It was off-the-charts cleverness.
Mon Rovia: Before launching into each song, this gentle and wise folk artist explained the life lesson that he instilled in it. He’s had a life full of such lessons. Mon Rovia (real name, Janjay Lowe) was born in Monrovia, Liberia, and lived during that country’s civil war. He was rescued by missionaries when he was 7 years old and brought to the United States, where he blossomed into a most unusual folk artist. Mon Rovia, who spoke of the survivor’s guilt he feels, sings of his own search for identity on his latest album, “Bloodline.” He finished his set with the album’s remarkable single, “Heavyfoot.”
Mavis Staples: At 86 years old, this living legend was as feisty and funny as ever. She might have shown her age by occasionally taking a breather to sit on a stool and sip some tea, but she still has fire in her voice. Staples performed with two backup singers and a three-man blues band that looked like it came out of a juke joint in Memphis. Her set list, of course, included “Respect Yourself” (1971), the biggest hit from her days with her family’s band, The Staples Singers.
Memo PST: This LA act was the punk-rockingest band of Day 2 and maybe the whole weekend. It also played a 1 a.m. set in the campground that night that was probably even more intense.
Thee Sinseers: This 10-piece act with a modernized Motown sound is not from Detroit but, rather, East Los Angeles; it made that announcement several times. For one song, its brass players came offstage to play among the crowd and were joined by a trio of stilt walkers who were walking the NMF grounds that day. It was a memorable scene.
The Altons: The band performed a smooth and soulful set, delivered during the golden hour of a cool but sunny day. The Altons had the best one-two vocal punch of NMF, with lead singers Adriana Ponce and Bryan Ponce. She was sultry and smooth, and he had a killer high range. It was a good night for East LA, as The Altons also announced that they are from that Hispanic area in southern California.
Pictured at top: Cameron Winter performs with his band, Geese, at Nelsonville Music Festival. (Photo courtesy of Nelsonville Music Festival)
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