For the first time in 54 years to the weekend, a festival was held on the hallowed grounds that hosted Woodstock ’69, and what a weekend it was. Taking it’s name from the bird on the original Woodstock poster, the inaugural Catbird Music Festival was held this past weekend at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, NY. 

The two-day event was headlined by The Lumineers on Saturday and Tyler Childers wrapped everything up Sunday night. Also performing were Trey Anastasio Band, Dispatch, The War on Drugs, Band of Horses, Margo Price, Trampled by Turtles and more.

Contrasting the weather and delays of the original festival, this weekend was sublime. Almost every act began precisely when scheduled and you couldn’t have asked for more excellent days to enjoy two days of music, food, crafts and good vibes.

You also couldn’t ask for a more picturesque setting. What was once just an open field and some woods is now one of the nicest outdoor music venues in the Northeast. The 1,000-acre property features winding walkways, plenty of shaded areas, an idyllic brook meandering down the hill, comfortable seating areas, and, possibly most importantly, enough bathrooms that one never had to wait in line. I’m talking restrooms with plumbing, not just port-a-pots.

Food options were abundant and there was something for everyone. I even had a plant-based burger I enjoyed and ordered again on Sunday. Some of the food vendors had long lines, but that just signals that the food is delicious. More important to some festival-goers were the options for adult beverages, which rarely had lines. 

Throughout the weekend, I was impressed with how courteous and knowledgeable the entire staff was, from picking up my wristband and entering the gates (which was very smooth and pain-free) to the ushers in the covered seating pavilion. 

This was the first festival that I have attended solo, and there is something to say about doing that. I met so many cool people I am not sure I would have met if I were with friends. I snapped a picture of a girl taking a picture, talked for a minute and handed her my card so I could share the photo with her later. About an hour later, sitting in the grass on the “cell phone hill,” she yells, “Gary, you’re a G.G. too! I ran into her the next day and asked to take her picture with her friend. As we talked for a second, she handed me a bracelet she made with her phone number on it so I could send her the pictures. Very clever in my mind.

During the Band of Horses set, I noticed this cool-looking dude in the front row dancing and having the time of his life, so naturally, I took a few shots. In between sets, I was waiting for food when someone yelled for me and said that she saw me enjoying the Margo Price set and that if I wanted, she had a setlist for me. Little did I know that her husband was the cool-looking dude. Turns out they live 20 minutes away from me. Here’s where it really gets mind-blowingly small worldish. I post that photo on Instagram and a friend responds, “Hey, that’s Bobby! He and Marcie are some of my favorite people!” Then some of my other favorite people start commenting that they know and love them, too. Now we are going to get together sometime to hang out. I love when the universe works like this.

The lineup combined Folk/Americana, Indie Rock, and Country acts with a Roots feel. Alternating sets between the Main and Gala Stage, the show started on Saturday at noon and continued until 11:00 pm. I talked to a few people who would have liked to see a break between sets to allow time to get from one stage to the next without missing the start of the next act. But honestly, the walk wasn’t that far.

Rather than bore you with a recap of each artist’s performance and what songs they played or didn’t play, I’ll just give you my highlights for the weekend in the form of a Top-5 list. The internet loves Top-Whatever lists, right?

1- Margo Price:

This was the set that I was most looking forward to when the lineup wasreleased. She was the second artist I ever photographed when I began shooting concerts and I have been a huge fan since. Sporting a pink bodysuit and a sheer, pleated wraparound, Margo and her bandmates took the stage and jumped into “Been To The Mountain”- the first single from her most recent album, Strays. The driving rhythm and defiant tone had the crowd whipped into a frenzy by the time the final chorus came around and Price’s turquoise-bejeweled middle finger let everyone know that she wasn’t one to be pushed around.  

The set consisted of 11 songs and none were more touching than Price’s tribute to Robbie Robertson. Less than two weeks after Robertson’s death, on the same property that The Band cemented their lore during Woodstock ’69, Price performed a rendition of Robertson and Emmylou Harris’ “Evangaline.”

2- Band of Horses: 

I have enjoyed listening to Band of Horses for a long time. Their debut album, Everything All the Time, sees itself onto my turntable at least once a month. However, I have never seen them live, and honestly, I don’t think I have ever seen any of the band members. I was a bit surprised when frontman and sole constant member Ben Bridwell appeared. For some reason, I didn’t picture the man singing songs like “The Funeral” and “No One’s Gonna Love You” to look like he was the lead singer for Sprained Anus -the band whose shirt Bridwell was wearing.

The Band of Horses set makes the list because of how different the live songs were compared to the album, the energy exuded, and the unmistakable fun these guys had. You could see it in the way they played their instruments, the way that they interacted with each other and the way they interacted with the crowd. Even joking with the photographers as we were ushered out of the pit, “Bye, photographers. Don’t make us look bad. I wish you could stay forever.” It could be a bit sarcastic, but it’s still funny.

3- Dispatch:

This one was a surprise for me. I’ve never been a massive fan of Dispatch, but I love “The General.” What surprised me was the level of musicianship in a live setting. On top of that, it was clear that these guys were incredibly grateful to be playing music on this site. They even educated the audience that the first Woodstock festivals were held by an artist commune in Woodstock, NY, consisting of music and outdoor drunken orgies. Suddenly, their final song, “Letter to Lady J,” took on a new meaning.

4- Trey Anastasio Band:

So listen, I am not a Phish Phan, and I was not looking forward to this set. I have not listened to TAB before because it was just a different version of Phish. In the same way that the Jerry Garcia Band is better than the Grateful Dead, the Trey Anastasio Band is way better than Phish. It is much funkier and soulful. Now, I am looking forward to seeing TAB in Harrisburg in September.

5- The Lumineers:

There is only one reason that this made the list: the cover over The Band’s “The Weight.” Joining The Lumineers on stage was Margo Price and local boy Simone Felice. 

Bonus: Tyler Childers:

Tyler’s take on country music is refreshing in the face of all the frat-boy country that is everywhere now. And the stage set was amazing.

In its first year, the Catbird Music Festival was more impressive than expected for a first-year festival, and I can not wait to return next year. I can’t wait to meet some more incredible people. Hopefully, you’ll be one of them.