Fork Fest• June 11, 2022• Art Dye Park, American Fork
Reviewed and Photographed by Molly McCoy
Fork Fest is one of the summer music festivals I most look forward to. I love this festival because it highlights all of the amazing local artists that Utah has to offer and this summer’s lineup was no exception. Returning for its fourth year, Fork Fest was the perfect combination of music, art, and good family fun.
There were 3 stages at the festival. The bigger main stages are positioned right next to each other, which is nice when your favorite artists were performing back to back. There was also a more secluded stage, known as the Forest Stage, off in the tree line. This stage was decorated courtesy of Boxcar Studios. They know how to bring magic to this stage. Mainly singer-songwriter artists use this stage, so their acoustic sets with the pretty trees really bring in the magic of music.
I started off the day with the band Basement Waves, who recently were finalists in the Winter Battle of The Bands. They have an upbeat sound and their shows are always fun with high energy. This performance was no exception! Not only did they bring a good crowd that early in the day they really helped to start the festival off on a high note with their set.
Cardinal Bloom was one of my favorites from the day. I saw them for the first time when they won the Winter Battle of the Bands at the Velour. I Have loved them since. Guitar solos are probably the first thing that draws me into a band and Cardinal Bloom really knows what a good guitar solo consists of. Their songs are catchy and fun and all of their songs display each band member’s talent. They are definitely a band you’ll want to see in the future!
The day started to get hotter and hotter as it went on. That didn’t deter the amazing artists that performed or the fans that came to see them. Set after set, fans would stay to hear their favorites while simultaneously asking the security to douse them with water to stay cool. Those at the Forest Stage, however, stayed nice and cool as they sat in the shade and listened to artists like Michael Barrow and The Tourists, Obeeyay, and Carson Ferris. Fork Fest also had a cool hammock hang-out spot this year. It close to the main stages where people could hang out while still being close to all the action.
Brother. was another band that I didn’t want to miss out on. Their music is the definition of vibes. This four-piece band is considered Indie Alt with a lot of retro pulls and soundscapes. Their music is so catchy and fun and their frontman, Chuck, has a great stage presence. He includes the crowd numerous times but my favorite was definitely when he called for “Amens” and “Hallelujahs” from the crowd in relation to how hot it was.
With 3 hours left of the evening, it was time for local legends Sego, to return to the Fork Fest stage. They played at Fork Fest in 2019 and the crowd was definitely ready for their return. I had the opportunity to see Sego once before and they never disappoint. The energy they bring to not only the stage but also the crowd is remarkable. I appreciated their show of camaraderie with the other artists that performed that day as they invited them on stage during one of their songs.
Ritt Momney. I had only heard a few songs of theirs before so I didn’t know what to expect. Their set was honestly so much fun. By the time Momney was on it was finally starting to cool down a little and the crowd definitely grew. He played a lot of his popular songs and the crowd responded well by singing and dancing along enthusiastically. While he wasn’t an artist I really listened to before, his songs definitely ended up on some playlists after the day was over.
To end the night I raced over to the Forest Stage to catch some of Brendon Robbin’s set. He is in the band The Moth and The Flame but graced the stage and played a truly beautiful acoustic set. With powerful vocals and poetic lyrics, it was hard not to be completely entranced by the whole atmosphere. When the city’s quiet ordinance went into effect he continued his set unplugged. He stood among the crowd as he finished his final songs.
Returning for its fourth year, Fork Fest was the perfect combination of music, art, and good family fun. With lots of activities for kids, food trucks, art vendors, and of course good music this is an event you truly can’t miss. This year’s lineup was full of so much talent from start to finish. All of these artists are ones you want to keep an eye on. Whether you’re coming with friends, family, or just going by yourself Fork Fest is the place you’re going to want to be next summer!
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