Lydia Loveless is no stranger to Twangville. We’ve long been fans and she continues to impress. Somewhere Else, her most recent release, was among our favorite albums from 2014 and we are eagerly awaiting the follow-up.
The Ohio native, along with her band, are making their first visit to the Tweed River Music Festival this year. We’ve no doubt that their appearance will be a memorable one.
Loveless took a few minutes on a rare day off from touring to talk with us about how she treats festival performances differently than club shows (and why she enjoys festivals) and some activities that she enjoys when she isn’t on the road.
This is your first time playing the Tweed River Music Festival. What, if any, expectations do you have for the experience?
I’m expecting to have a great time and hopefully get to watch a few other acts, which is kinda the best part of any festival.
Are there any particular artists that you are particularly excited to see perform at Tweed this year?
Definitely Joe Fletcher, who I’ve known for quite a few years. Caitlin Canty for sure.
Vermont is a haven for outdoor sports and activities year-round. Are there any outdoor sports/activities that you especially enjoy when you’re not working?
Not sure if yoga counts, ha, but I love hiking and camping too. And baseball.
What is your favorite Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor?
Red velvet cake.
Do you think differently about festival shows than you do about regular shows?
They’re definitely a different animal. You’ll see more families and such at fests so I try to clean up a little nicer, ha! But In some ways they’re a little more freeing. You get that slap happy festival feeling.
Tweed has always been a festival that is built around community. How would you describe the music community in your home town/town where you live? How has it, if at all, influenced your music?
I pretty much only hang out with musicians, haha. Most people in Columbus (OH) play music one way or another. I’m definitely influenced by friends in town, musically–Two Cow Garage, Todd May, Nervosas….its a good, inspiring place to live. There’s a lot of conversation, musically, all the time.
How does “location” fit into your songwriting?
Quite a bit. I’ve been getting even more shameless with my town name dropping. Obviously, touring constantly will do that. You fall in love with different places, or you’re homesick, or you miss places…it’s very important.
Here are Lydia and her band playing the Bloodshot Records headquarters, performing the album b-side “Come Over.”
Tweed River Music Festival is less a showcase for bands and more a celebration of everything that great music embodies: the deeply personal link between artist and fan, the spirit of community and cooperation and, yes, the magical atmosphere of a great show in a stunning setting.
Set on a bucolic swath of land nestled between the Green and Northfield Mountains in the Mad River Valley in Waitsfield, VT, the 2015 Tweed River Music Festival will host more than 30 acts, including staples such as B​ow Thayer, Tim Gearan, Andrea Gillis, White Dynomite a​nd T​he Curtis Mayflower, ​while also welcoming B​loodshot Records r​ecording artist L​ydia Loveless,​ Vermont natives W​aylon Speed and​ A​lligator Records​ recording artist (and Boston native) J​esse Dee.​ Other great musical acts include J​oe Fletcher, JP Harris and The Tough Choices, Caitlin Canty ​and A​NTI Records ​recording artist C​hristopher Paul Stelling.​
Visit the Tweed web site for ticket information and additional details on the festival. Click here for more Tweed River Music Festival interviews and coverage.
About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.