Hoxeyville devotees will flock to the Manistee National Forest site for Elephant Revival, Lindsay Lou and more. But three previously announced acts won’t be there. Lowdown and the revised schedule.
Let the Hoxeyville Dance Begin: The festival kicks off with a ‘pre-party’ on Thursday. (Photo/Anna Sink)
AUG. 8-9 NEWS UPDATE: Several recent developments have impacted this year’s Hoxeyville Music Festival, starting with the festival announcing at the 11th hour that one of the headliners, New Orleans funk band Galactic, would no longer be performing due to rising costs and lower-than-expected ticket sales. Organizer Jake Robinson then announced this would the final year for the festival, followed by artist-at-large and renowned keyboardist Holly Bowling revealing that she, too, would not perform because of issues involving “contractual obligations.z’ And on Friday, Sunday headliner Sam Bush pulled out, followed by Elephant Revival. More below, along with the schedule and festival playlist.
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As a veteran Hoxeyville Music Festival performer and attendee, bluegrass and Americana star Lindsay Lou revels in the tradition of this celebration in the northern Michigan woods.
“It’s like a family tradition where you go and meet up with your chosen family,” said the Michigan native who’s made her home in Nashville the past 10 years and performs at the Wellston festival on Friday night in the midst of national touring behind her new album, “Queen of Time.”
“It’s nice to have a place that you have deep roots that you return to and can have the big reunion with your family and your friends. … We were rehearsing and drafting up the set and I realized that most of the set is going to have someone sitting in. That’s what happens when you go to a family reunion, you play with your family.”
Embracing Her Michigan Family: Lindsay Lou at Hoxeyville 2023. (Photo/Anna Sink)
That “family” will include acclaimed keyboardist Holly Bowling and Dobroist Mark Lavengood, who’ll join Lindsay Lou and other acts on stage throughout the three-day festival, which has now been tabbed as the final Hoxeyville after nearly two dozen years.
Headlined by bluegrass mandolinist Sam Bush, transcendental folk outfit Elephant Revival and progressive bluegrass group The Kitchen Dwellers, the 2024 edition of Hoxeyville also boasts a who’s who lineup of Michigan-bred stars: Lindsay Lou, Myron Elkins, Full Cord, May Erlewine, Luke Winslow-King, Airborne or Aquatic and many more.
Unfortunately, New Orleans funk band Galactic — originally slated to perform as a headliner — will not play Hoxeyville. At the 11th hour, the festival announced that Galactic would no longer be part of the weekend lineup.
“With great disappointment, we are unable to showcase Galactic this weekend at Hoxeyville. The unforeseen economic downturn, rising costs to produce events, and lower ticket sales than anticipated have led us to have to make this difficult decision,” the festival explained on Facebook, adding that they “sincerely apologize” for the late change in the bill.
Lead organizer Jake Robinson, who’s also a member of Airborne or Aquatic, had earlier described it as “a great weekend of music with a great mix of musical styles and some top local picks,” attracting 2,500 to 3,000 people — many of them repeat Hoxeyville attendees.
But he later notified Hoxeyville “friends and family” that the 2024 festival — after 23 years — would be “the final Hoxeyville. If you or anyone you know is on the fence waiting to join us, let them know this will be the swan song and curtain call. … All good things must come to an end. I’m doing my best to see this end as a new beginning and an opportunity to move on to other things that will bring this collective family joy in the future.”
And just hours later on Friday (Aug. 8), artist-at-large and keyboardist Holly Bowling announced that she, too, wouldn’t be performing.
“Like other artists on the festival, we did everything we could to work with the promoter but after many unfulfilled promises and unanswered requests, I can’t put on the show for you that you deserve,” she wrote on Facebook in apologizing to festivalgoers. “In addition, the festival was not able to deliver on their contractual obligations, despite giving them many outs and extra chances until the last possible hour.”
On Friday, celebrated mandolinist Sam Bush pulled out. “Due to negligent omissions by andfrom the promoter of the Hoxeyville Music Festival, we are unable to make the 1,400-mile trip to Wellston to play Sunday. It is unfortunate for all of us that this is happening at such a last-minute pace. We have tried to work it out, but have been assured we will not be paid. We appreciate the Hoxeyville festival and are truly sorry for those already there and/or planning to attend. It sucks.”
Meanwhile, Christopher “Wink” Winkelman of the Traverse City band Soul Patch played the first Hoxeyville in 2003 and will be back for a 2:15 p.m. Friday set this weekend.
“We are stoked to return to Hoxeyville,” he insisted, noting Soul Patch will unfurl “reggae, funk, jam and a little more” during their performance. “I love this year’s lineup.”
Another important change for Hoxeyville 2024: The festival is now B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Beverages) because there will not be a beer tent.
“We have gone B.Y.O.B. for the entire event grounds, allowing coolers into the venue and not doing a beverage tent,” Robinson said.
Although the festival officially begins Friday, a special Thursday pre-party will feature The Whiskey Charmers and 1000 Watt Prophets, with admission available for a $60 “Thursday Entry Upgrade.”
HOXEYVILLE MUSIC FESTIVAL ESSENTIALS
Back at Hoxey: Luke Winslow-King (Photo/Anna Sink)
WHERE: 11130 W. 48-1/2 Road, Wellston (Manistee National Forest)
WEBSITE: https://hoxeyville.com/
THE LINEUP: Elephant Revival, The Kitchen Dwellers, Lindsay Lou, May Erlewine, Luke Winslow-King, Myron Elkins, Full Cord, Silver Creek Revival, Airborne or Aquatic, Ekoostik Hookah, Echoes of Floyd The Darkside of Oz, The Insiders Tom Petty tribute, Seth Bernard, Grace Theisen, 1000 Watt Prophets, The Whiskey Charmers, The Incantations, Tommy Prine, Soul Patch, Cris Jacobs.
QUOTE: “I always look forward to coming home to Hoxeyville. So many good memories there. … I’m playing most of the songs from ‘Queen of Time’ and a few songs from the old catalog that I like to play and I always like to have a couple of new covers for Hoxeyville.” – Lindsay Lou
TICKETS: Adult weekend tickets are $200; children 5-15 $75. Day passes are $100 each; $30 for children 5-15. Get tickets, upgrade information and more details online at hoxeyville.com.
HOXEYVILLE 2024: THE REVISED SCHEDULE
HOXEYVILLE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2024: The Local Spins Top 12 Playlist
Copyright 2024, Spins on Music LLC
