Recently, I attended my first ever 92.5 Riverfront Festival. The event was held at Waterfront Park in Newburyport, MA overlooking the water; an ideal spot to lie out a blanket on the grass and enjoy this free outdoor event.

Before the music even started, the event’s sponsors set up booths, many of which were giving away free samples. I spent quite a bit of time browsing and was able to snag a bowl of Gifford’s Ice Cream, Dunkin Donuts iced coffee, various Trader Joe’s products, some Cabot cheese, and Polar iced tea. I just couldn’t pass up the chance for free stuff!

I did eventually make it back to where we’d set up our blanket, just in time to catch The Brother Kite, the local opening band who had recently won the River Rising Stars contest. Although I enjoyed their music, I found myself anxious for the next band, Needtobreathe, and probably didn’t listen as closely to The Brother Kite as I should have. After a short intermission, Needtobreathe came on stage and began their set. Although all of their music was enjoyable, my personal favorite was More Time, which was featured in the movie P.S. I Love You. The band seemed very relaxed and laid-back, which made their show even more pleasant.

Next up was Matt Nathanson, one of my favorite artists! I was so excited to see him perform live! He was extremely laid-back and talkative, and informed the crowd that he grew up locally, in Lexington, MA, and that he was a “big fan of New Hampshire”. He played many of the songs from his latest CD Some Mad Hope, including my personal favorites Car Crash and Come On Get Higher. In addition to his wonderful music, Matt Nathanson was also hilarious! He was always making jokes, often right in the middle of a song! After a sing-a-long to a new song, Matt Nathanson left the stage into a tornado of teenage girls already lined up for autographs. He was by far my favorite act of the night, and most others in attendance seemed to feel the same way.

The last band, Blind Melon, was a huge letdown after Matt Nathanson’s amazing performance. I only heard a song or two before the rest of my party decided it would be a better use of time to pack up early and beat the traffic instead of listening to the mediocre band.

In all, I was incredibly pleased with my whole experience at Riverfront Festival ’08 and will be sure to go back next year.

If you’re interested in finding out more about these River artists, you can visit the following sites.

The Brother Kite

http://www.thebrotherkite.com/

http://www.myspace.com/thebrotherkite

Needtobreathe

http://www.needtobreathe.net/

http://www.myspace.com/needtobreathe

Matt Nathanson

http://www.mattnathanson.com/

http://www.mattnathanson.com/

Blind Melon

http://www.blind-melon.com/

http://www.myspace.com/blindmelon