May 26 – 29 2023 Camp Kee Wanee Greenfield, MA
In New England one of the first sign’s of spring, aside from the flowers blooming and the birds flying north, is the return of the Worms. Wormtown Trading Company has just announced the lineup for their annual Memorial Day weekend event, Strangecreek Campout.
This year’s festival includes an amazing array of bands on a double main stage, two other stages on the property, and two cabins for late night activities. Coupled with a family and kids area, vendors, art, and an amazing assortment of creative and amazing people, Strangecreek is always an amazing festival.
This year’s festival will see some amazing new talent to come to Strangecreek. First time appearances at this year’s festival include a diverse lineup of bands: The Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Kofi Baker’s Cream Faith, the James Montgomery Band, Harvest and Rust, Professor Louie and the Crowmatix, Shira Elias, Grammy winner Dave Gutter, Baked Shrimp, and others will be premiering at the festival.
There will be many returning bands also including the headliners of the weekend: Max Creek, the Infamous Stringdusters, the Machine, Start Making Sense and more. An array of other returning artists includes Outer Stylie, the Alchemystics, the Kings, Rebel Alliance, Adam Ezra Group, Bella’s Bartok, Creamery Station, the A-Bombs, Beau Sasser, Jabbawaukee, Jeremiah Hazed, Frank Viele, Leon Trout and a zillion others.
An array of bands are returning after a long while including Erin Harpe, Roots of Creation who are bringing their Grateful Dub set, the Get Right Band, Romano Project, the Duppy Conquerors, Ryan Montbleuau Band and more.
Something very cool about this year’s event, and in fact in years past too, is the presentation of elders from the scene with whom maybe younger festivarians may not yet be familiar. Several jump out of this list including James Montgomery who has been performing blues in New England and around the world for over fifty years. In his first appearance at Strangecreek, Professor Louie will be bringing a lifetime’s experience in roots and Americana music to the Worms. The professor was the producer of the last three albums by The Band, performed with Levon Helm and Rick Danko, was with The Band and on the soundboard for the final Grateful Dead shows in 1995 at Chicago’s Soldier’s Field, and his joyful band the Crowmatix will showcase all of that amazing experience for a brand new audience.
Max Creek, as the Saturday night headliners, are the ultimate elders of the New England live music scene. The festival is partly named for them (they are the Creek in Strangecreek; who along with Strangefolk were the original headliners of this event that is now decades old itself.) Celebrating over fifty years together the band continues to be a vibrant and innovative band, performing all over the northeast and all the way out to Colorado.
Fans of classic rock and tribute bands have a lot to look forward to this year including: Harvest and Rust (Neil Young), Start Making Sense (the Talking Heads), Duppy Conquerors (Bob Marley), Kofi Baker (who is the son of the legendary Ginger Baker and whose band will extend the legacy of his father’s bands, Blind Faith and Cream), and The Machine (Pink Floyd). The Grateful Dead will be strongly represented by Roots of Creation, Shakedown, Playin Dead, Bearly Dead, Dead Man’s Waltz, and I’m sure plenty of others who will perform some of that legendary band’s material.
rice – an American band will be completing the Wormtown 5 stage grand slam this year. By the end of this year’s festival the band will have played every stage at the festival (and or Wormtown) from their premiere on the Riverworm stage toward the dawn of the band, through both of the main stages, both of the cabins, and finally this year at Vernville. “What an honor! We couldn’t be happier.”
There will also be a series of Road to Strangecreek shows at venues across the northeast featuring some of these artists playing this Spring before the festival to whet the appetites of Worms getting anxious for festival season. Those will be announced soon, keep your eyes here.
WE CAN’T WAIT!
To submit an article an article or review, or to just say hello hit us at [email protected]
Also- check out the search feature in the upper right hand corner and search for your favorite artist, event, venue or genre. You’ll be surprised at what you find!
Check out the Live Music News and Review.com Facebook page for updates and announcements.
