17 bands, shows you need to discover at Treefort Music Fest in Boise

Despite its community-minded spirit, Treefort Music Fest can feel incredibly daunting to casual fans.

More than 500 acts will perform at the event Wednesday through Sunday in downtown Boise. From 19 countries. On 37 stages.

Yet how clueless do you feel having heard of, like, three total performers?

Don’t.

“That’s the point of it,” says Eric Gilbert, festival director. “It’s OK not to know anything and come down and want to discover things.”

As Treefort celebrates its 10th year this week, Gilbert hopes that Boise music fans make an extra effort to open their eyes, ears and minds. “We’ve been calling this the decade of discovery,” he says. “We are a festival highlighting things people haven’t necessarily heard of.

“We’ve been talking about when we had Lizzo here (in 2017), as an example, or Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (in 2015). That’s before most people had heard of them.”

Here are some picks for recommended yet under-the-mainstream-radar acts — curated by Gilbert, who also shares thoughts and descriptions.

▪ Acid Tongue — 4:20 to 5:10 p.m. Wednesday, Main Stage, 12th and Grove streets: “Featuring key leaders of Freakout Records, this band has become quite the force in the Northwest psych scene and music scene at large. They are bringing their full ensemble this year to kick off the Treefort main stage in full regalia on the first night of the festival. For lovers of garage, soul, rock ‘n’ roll, and community building at its best.”

▪ Shannon and the Clams — 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Main Stage, 12th and Grove streets; midnight to 1:20 a.m. Thursday, Sonic Temple Blue, 215 N. 10th St.: “Two opportunities to catch this popular West Coast garage quartet well known for their vintage sound drawing on elements of doo-wop, surf, garage-psych and classic R&B. Big fan, and we are excited to have them playing Treefort for the first time.”

▪ Indigo de Souza — 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Main Stage, 12th and Grove streets: “Buzzy indie R&B pop act from North Carolina with a great band. On the top of many year-end lists for her album ‘Any Shape You Take’ from last year.”

▪ VEMM — 6:20 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Linen Building, 1402 W. Grove St.; 5 to 5:40 p.m. Saturday, Sanctuary, 1185 W. Grove St.: “One of many great new Boise bands. Representative of the current wave of young bands emerging in this scene, post-pandemic. Solid indie rock/pop, high-energy live show. This is their second Treefort, and look for them to be playing to busy crowds at both of their shows.”

▪ Genesis Owusu — 12:10 to 1:30 a.m. Thursday night, El Korah Shrine, 1118 W. Idaho St.: “Ghanian-Australian artist from Canberra, Australia. On trajectory to have a breakout year. Future-funk, soul, R&B, hip-hop. Killer live band. This will be a hot ticket late Thursday night. We’re lucky to have him this year.”

▪ Magdalena Bay — 10:20 to 11:20 p.m. Friday, Egyptian Theatre, 700 W Main St.: “This star is rising fast. Very buzzy duo in the indie/electro pop/dance worlds. Magdalena Bay were on a lot of end-of-the-year lists last year for their album ‘Mercurial World.’ Playing a hot show on Friday night at Egyptian Theatre with Joshy Soul, Wilderado and Flipturn.”

▪ Mercury Rev’s Clear Light Ensemble featuring John Dwyer (osees), Ryley Walker, Mimi Goese, Brett Netson, Luke Wyland, Michael Mitchell, Andrew Dixon — 12:30 to 1:40 a.m. Thursday night, Egyptian Theatre, 700 W. Main St.: “This may end up being the most talked-about set of the weekend. Mercury Rev will be hosting an all-star improv ensemble of other festival players to live soundtrack Criterion Collection cult-horror film ‘Carnival of Souls’ late night at the historic Egyptian Theatre.”

▪ Sarah Shook & The Disarmers — 12:20 to 1:40 a.m. Thursday night, Humpin’ Hannah’s, 621 W. Main St.; 7:40 to 8:40 p.m. Friday, The Hideout, 1114 W. Front St. (free show): “Headlining a stacked night of outlaw country and Americana on Thursday night at Hannah’s plus a bonus show at the outdoor stage in the Manfred’s/Woodland Empire Ale Craft parking lot on Friday evening. For fans of whiskey-soaked, old-school outlaw country, rock ‘n’ roll, punk and LGBTQ rights.”

▪ Ata Kak — 4 to 5 p.m. Friday, Main Stage, 12th and Grove streets; 10:50 to 11:50 p.m. Saturday, El Korah Shrine, 1118 W. Idaho St.: “Ata Kak is the mysterious Ghanaian electronic/rap/highlife icon who kick-started the whole Awesome Tapes From Africa phenomenon,” according to his artist’s bio. For Gilbert, it’s a score for Treefort: “Ata Kak’s first tour of the U.S. was supposed to happen in the spring of 2020 and include Treefort until the world fell apart with the pandemic. We are so psyched to still be a part of Ata Kak’s first U.S. tour and to have him and his band playing two shows at Treefort 10. My 8-year-old daughter is a big fan, too, as we listen to him and dance to the music all the time. Great family-friendly option for the cool parents wanting to flex their indie cred muscles.”

▪ Deradoorian — 9 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Kin, 999 W. Main St.: “The solo project of Angel Deradoorian (The Dirty Projectors), this is one of the sets I am most excited about. Her records are some of the coolest indie-psych, art music of the last several years. Enamored with her work and excited to present her and her band in the unique outdoor setting at Kin in the heart of downtown. Kin offers a grassy hillside to get off your feet, a dance floor up front if you want to move around, and hot ramen noodles and tasty cocktails as well.”

▪ Pachyman — 1:40 to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Main Stage, 12th and Grove streets. “Puerto Rican-American dub project making some waves as of late. For fans of old Jamaican dub records from the likes of King Tubby, Scientist and more. Going to be the perfect early Saturday afternoon vibe on a warm spring day. Highly recommend prefunking with his latest album ‘The Return of Pachyman’ out now on ATO Records.”

▪ Vanishing Twin — 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, El Korah Shrine, 1118 W. Idaho St.: “I have been super into this London-based psychedelic pop quintet since we first booked them for Treefort 2020. I love their record ‘The Age of Immunology’ that came out in 2019 and they put out another great album last year called ‘Ookii Gekkou.’ Their records are haunting and beautiful, and I’m very curious to see them live.

▪ Atalhos — 6 to 6:50 p.m. Friday, Neurolux, 111 N. 11th St.; 6:40 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Radioland (free show in old Safari Inn parking lot), 1070 W. Grove St.; 3 to 3:40 p.m. Sunday, The Hideout, 1114 W. Front St. (free show): “Brazilian dream pop duo from São Paulo touring the U.S. for the first time. We are very excited to have them in Boise for Treefort and playing multiple shows at the festival over the weekend. Rising stars from Brazil and part of several Latin American artists playing Treefort this year.”

▪ Thee Sacred Souls — 10:50 to 11:40 p.m. Friday, Basque Center, 610 W. Grove St.; 8:10 to 9 p.m. Saturday, El Korah Shrine, 1118 W. Idaho St.; 1:50 to 2:50 p.m. Sunday, Main Stage, 12th & Grove St. “San Diego soul band recently signed to Daptone Records. Quickly making waves around the country and making multiple appearances at this year’s Treefort.”

▪ LP Giobbi — 10:30 to 11:40 p.m. Saturday, Knitting Factory, 416 S. 9th St.: “Austin, Texas-based piano-house producer LP Giobbi is headlining our biggest electronic show of the festival on Saturday night at Knitting Factory with Miss Dre and locals Brooke Would and Effy K. A night of female electronic producers in line with LP Giobbi’s Femme House movement.” According to her bio, “she is the founder and face of FEMME HOUSE — a nonprofit educational platform that seeks to create equitable opportunities for women and other marginalized gender expressions in the technical areas of music creation. Every Friday night, she hosts FEMME HOUSE Radio on SiriusXM’s Diplo’s Revolution, where she interviews other female and gender-expansive producers.”

▪ Moon Owl’s Mages — 5:50 to 6:40 p.m. Friday, Sonic Temple Blue, 215 N. 10th St.: “Another great example of the new wave of creative young talent here in Boise. Moon Owl’s Mages are really great live and I recommend getting familiar with their debut album ‘Skelly Bones and the Flaming Crown’ — cool mix of psych, alternative, rock ‘n’ roll.”

▪ Jackie Venson — 2:40 to 3:30 p.m. Friday, Main Stage, 12th and Grove streets; 11 p.m. to 12:10 a.m. Saturday night, The Olympic, 1009 W. Main St.: “I saw blues/R&B singer-songwriter and guitarist Jackie Venson for the first time last year and was blown away by her big spirit and awesome chops. In 2020, she was the first black woman to be named Best Guitarist in Austin, Texas, at the Austin Music Awards. No doubt that was well-deserved after seeing her live show. She writes catchy songs to go along with those skills, and is bound to be a favorite at Treefort this year.”

▪ Others to check out if you aren’t familiar already: Neal Francis, Neil Frances (regarding the aforementioned acts, both are awesome, both are quite different, but only one features a human named Neal Francis), Ghost Funk Orchestra, Deerhoof, Sinkane, Jens Kuross, McKenna Esteb, Holy Fawn, Grumpster, Nubya Garcia, Ryley Walker, Hot Garbage, Isla de Caras, Blix, Pink Fuzz, Shaina Shepherd, Dummy, Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band, Kari Faux, Nation of Language.

▪ Details, tickets: For more information or to purchase Treefort wristbands, visit Treefortmusicfest.com.

This story was originally published March 23, 2022 at 4:00 AM.