North Myrtle Beach Times Serving our Community and the Grand Strand for over 50 years
By RUBEN LOWMAN and ANDREA MAESTRE
There’s no need to bury the lead, we’ll just come right out and say it – High Water Festival is hands-down the best festival in the country, and it’s honestly not even close.
It’s as if God himself had curated an experience just for us, hand-picking an unbelievably killer lineup fine-tailored to the chilled-out music aficionado, combining Southern rebellion, roots and authenticity with the laid-back, hazy vibe of a sunny day at the beach, yet still retaining an air of casual-chic urban sophistication.
Or to put it more simply – My Morning Jacket, Jack White and Shovels & Rope. The headliners paint the picture, and a close inspection confirms it’s a stunning piece of art.
In actuality, the North Charleston festival was created and curated by husband-and-wife duo Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, otherwise known as the aforementioned rock-folk troubadours Shovels & Rope, who trace their origins both as a couple and as a band to the Holy City. This year’s iteration returned to Riverfront Park for its fourth year and much like a bottle of the finest Kentucky bourbon, it just keeps getting better with age.
At this point, High Water clearly knows it’s lane and it doesn’t just stick to it, it floors it with the top down, sunglasses on, hair blowing in the wind, ‘70s AM radio blaring the Allman Brothers, as it effortlessly zooms by on the freeway.
A little like what I imagine Coachella used to be like before it was subsumed by “celeb” culture and extravagantly plush, high-end designer worship. Or like taking all the best elements of Bonnaroo (the previous throneholders in our humble opinions) without the massive, unrelenting crowds and a bunch of artists you’re not really fans of. And that is rather fitting, as High Water is co-produced by AC Entertainment in tandem with Shovels & Rope, which has a similar role for Bonnaroo.
Only High Water is actually better. Much, much better, in fact. And in so many ways, Charleston is the ideal location for High Water, and the festival is the perfect distillation of what the Holy City is and is all about. It’s a match made in Heaven, if you will.
The bigger festivals reel you in with the promise of a deep lineup, but it almost always rings hollow once you’re in the grounds. They’re typically quite top-heavy at this point anyway, and you’re always faced with the realization of missing out on some of your favorite artists that drew you there in the first place because there’s several stages playing simultaneously.
One of us learned this lesson the hard way very early on in life, even before the wave of the mega-festival truly caught on, when we had to choose between Wilco, Elvis Costello, The Decemberists and The Mars Volta all playing at the same time (The choice was Wilco, a decision that would be made again, but still, I mean come on).
The bane of the chilled-out music aficionado, and one of the few things that truly ruffles the feathers and hippie beads, is having to painstakingly decide between several artists you really want to see. You just end up circling a bunch of shows that you’ll never be able to catch and then inevitably looking back with regret, a love unrequited amid lingering thoughts of what could have been.
So with that in mind, one of the best and most underrated aspects about a smaller, more intimate festival like High Water is that they only have two stages which are just a short walk from each other, with alternating time slots so you never have to face the kind of dilemma experienced above. You actually get to watch every performance, you get to see and hear every artist, and you go home with great memories after enjoying every minute of the experience instead of questions about your (in)ability to make decisions.
The breakdown of each day’s High Water lineup is alternating sets between the two stages, aptly named in homage of nearby rivers Edisto and Stono, which helped form and color some of the early settings and inspirations for Shovels & Rope’s origin and songs.
In the only disappointing part of the whole weekend, a few mechanical issues prevented us from reaching our destination until midway through Delta Spirit’s set on the Edisto Stage. As big fans of the soulful rockers, we were in a bit of a huff that we missed half of their performance, as well as the opening sets by blues guitarist Cedric Burnside, and rising star and South Carolina native Asia Victoria, as well as veteran indie rockers the Felice Brothers and Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors.
Bittersweet would have been the word on the tips of our tongues upon arrival. But, such is life, with every missed chance comes fresh opportunities.
It didn’t take long to shake the melancholy.
Before even entering the High Water festival grounds at Riverfront Park, which was beautifully set amid live oak trees and Spanish moss, with palm trees lining the Cooper River, you begin to get a strong whiff of the effervescent smell of some downright down-home, backwoods cooking that would make Grandmama proud.
Instantly, we were both hungry.
And with a multitude of vendors hailing from some of the best local restaurants and eateries from all around the Lowcountry cooking up Southern delicacies with all the fixins you could possibly crave, High Water is an experience that verges on sensory overload in all the right ways. High Water’s food vendors have a bit of everything for everyone – serving up the Lowcountry requisites of fresh seafood and barbecue, while also offering vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options to suit all hungry stomachs. Needless to say, we tucked into a few plates and washed them down with a couple ice-cold beverages.
We were now officially cookin’ with bacon grease and fatback.
Onwards and upwards and on to the music.
Delta Sprit’s known for their wild, rambunctious performances, particularly frontman Matthew Vasquez, whose unhinged and soaring vocals could not only climb mountains but topple them such is the ferocity and emotion that emanates from them. If this was a call from the wild to let the sting of arriving late go, it was heeded. The growl in Vasquez’s voice perfectly encapsulated the rough and raw nature of the band’s songs, which made for a great combination with the late afternoon sun streaming out around the Edisto stage on a beautiful Saturday. A frenzied “How ‘Bout It” and an electric performance of “Trashcan” from their debut album had us bouncing.
With their stacked harmonies and call and response vocals, mixed with the tribal and percussive aspects of Local Natives’ sound – it all makes them such a compellingly talented band to see live, and their set highlighted all of their best qualities. Listening to them is a bit like sitting in on a campfire jam out in the woods, only if everyone was a supremely gifted vocalist and instrumentalist. Top-notch songs to match, as well, with personal highlights being the groove-heavy, shifting dynamics of openers “Megaton Mile” and “Wide Eyes”, along with the underground psych-pop nugget that is “When Am I Gonna Lose You”. Closing out their Stono stage set with one of their best songs, “Sun Hands”, from their 2009 debut album “Gorilla Manor” was like a jolt of adrenaline that really kicked the day into high gear.
Bahamas is a rather fitting name for the next band, as there is a distinct island vibe to many of their songs. The staccato guitar lines and delightfully crisp drum beats that plays a big part in their music made for a great Saturday Edisto stage set with the sun sauntering its way down the horizon. The band, which is the musical alter ego of frontman Afie Jurvanen, is a sharp and loose live band at the same time, able to switch on a dime. Personal highlights included “Trick to Happy” and “Caught Me Thinkin’”, along with the funny lyrics, spiky guitar work and falsetto backing vocals of “Own Alone”.
Indie veterans Modest Mouse rocked out on the Stono stage in their customary idiosyncratic manner, with frontman Isaac Brock a ball of nervous energy as he led his band through a whirlwind of a set. The stop-start dynamic and frantic vocal of “Bury Me with It” were a personal favorite, along with the more recent and delicate “Japanese Trees”. Closing with the jagged fretwork of “Dashboard” and their biggest hit “Float On” (which was pretty much the soundtrack of our high school years) the band definitely left all those thirty-somethings in the crowd feeling a pang of nostalgia, fitting given the setting sun as its backdrop.
The indie darlings of the weekend were quite clearly emerging band Caamp, which took to the Edisto stage to more than a few shrieks from the crowd. Frontman Taylor Meier has the throaty voice of a heavy smoker and the band’s songs are catchy, with just the right amount of banjos and twang to get two new fans. “By and By” was a highlight and closing the set with a cover of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” a delightful left-field selection.
My Morning Jacket is simply one of the best bands of the last 20-plus years, and a headlining set to close out the first night of the festival was highly anticipated by both of yours truly, as well as all of our fellow attendees at the Stono stage.
Frontman and principal songwriter Jim James is a musical shaman, healer, soothsayer, unbelievable vocalist and absolute guitar shredder all rolled into one. He is the epitome of one of the few remaining breeds – a true rock deity. For many in the crowd, the show was just as much spiritual awakening and transcendence as it was a rock concert, an exhilarating set with so many of the band’s iconic songs packed in (and the list is almost endless) and cranked up to 11.
Weaving in some songs from their most recent couple of albums, but mostly sticking to the tried and true better-known hits from their earlier works, MMJ more than lived up to its well-earned reputation as one of the can’t-miss rock bands on the festival circuit. “Wordless Chorus”, “Lay Low”, “Evil Urges”, “Wonderful (The Way I Feel)”, “One Big Holiday”, “Off the Record”, “Mahgeetah” – the band launched into the festival classics like they still had something to prove. Playing personal favorites “Spring (Among the Living)”, “Compound Fracture”, “Maybe I’m Amazed”, “Feel You”, sandwiched between both parts of “Touch Me I’m Going to Scream”, the band was nothing short of phenomenal.
MMJ took us all on an emotional journey that no one wanted to see end. Alas, as George Harrison sang, “All Things Must Pass” (which James actually covered several years ago in a Harrison tribute album) their amazing performance had to come to an end. One of the best bands of their time, and a firecracker of an opening night headliner for High Water.
With that, a sheer and pleasantly unexpected surprise – essentially no hassle or traffic to to not only find our car, but getting out of the festival grounds was a breeze, taking less than five minutes to navigate our way through relatively unchartered waters around the North Charleston waterfront.
After disappointingly missing the earlier acts on the first day, we were bound and determined to soak up every part of Sunday we could.
The day’s opener Jeremie Albino was probably the least-known act on the lineup, but he used that to fuel a great Stono stage set. With his throwback baritone voice and vintage look, his performance was a nice surprise. “Acre of Land” was a personal highlight for us, building and building to an early crescendo that set the tone for the day ahead.
We also took the chance to mosey around High Water’s excellent array of local craft vendors in The Market, where you can find handmade jewelry and clothes, as well as merchandise for the festival and performers. We walked away with some cool new bracelets and a ring or two, as well as the customary festival tee that truly marks the experience.
Indie rocker and High Water alum J. Roddy Walston brought his latest side project Palm Palm out to open Sunday’s Edisto lineup. Anyone familiar with the eccentric frontman knows he’s a loose cannon on stage and a supremely talented musician and songwriter. Walston’s voice sounds like it has been coated in molasses, and his dexterity and energy on piano and keyboards was infectious. “Cut the White”, with its shifting rhythms, slide guitar, earworm of a hook and extended jam, was a standout, while the band’s cover of the Stone Temple Pilots’ “Vaseline” was a real crowd-pleaser.
Stepping up on the Stono stage, Amythyst Kiah went about tearing through a collection of songs off her excellent album released last year “Wary + Strange”. With her supremely gifted voice and ample six-string abilities on both the guitar and banjo, she demonstrated a range of musical prowess that made her a crowd favorite. Her closer “I’m Black Myself”, which has received a Grammy nomination for Best American Roots Song, was a standout, as was her cover of “Sugar” by Tori Amos. Kiah is definitely an artist to watch going forward as her career continues to blossom.
Shannon & The Clams were a treat midway through the day, taking to the Edisto stage and possessing all the charm and stage presence of the seasoned group they are. Their throwback sound was like a mixture of some of the best elements of vintage ‘60s rock – girl-group harmonies, runaway guitar lines, haunting organ fills and sharp, tight songwriting. Shannon Shaw and Cody Blanchard shared vocal and guitar duties with nonchalant ease, with the Paul McCartney-esque “Midnight Wine” the personal highlight for us.
Even at 82 years old, Mavis Staples was an absolute powerhouse on the Stono stage. The longtime gospel, soul and R&B legend belted out her vocals with the energy and vigor of a woman half her age, and the crowd joyously celebrated her every movement. Still displaying all the vocal chops that she is well-renowned for, Staples and her excellent backup singers and band let loose on iconic rock and soul songs “This Is My Country” by The Impressions, “The Weight” by The Band and “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield, along with a sprinkling of classics from her own group The Staple Singers. The soul hit “I’ll Take You There” was a standout, and the rollicking gospel classic “Handwriting on the Wall” was especially memorable. Staples has seen a bit of a late-career revival over the past decade, recording several critically-acclaimed albums produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy, and it’s clear she’s still got a lot more left to give.
Jade Bird brought her one-woman livewire act to the Edisto Stage, performing solo with just an acoustic guitar, yet captivating the crowd through her siren of a voice and stage presence. The UK-born Bird launched into her songs with the belting, raspy voice of someone much older than her 24 years. Her voice and songs were excellent, and she closed out her set with phenomenal renditions of two classics that paid homage to icons of hers – Stevie Nicks’ “Edge of Seventeen” and Johnny Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere”.
Old Crow Medicine Show, who were first discovered busking in Boone, North Carolina by legendary bluegrass musician Doc Watson more than two decades ago, have expanded their sound through the years but have managed to stay true to their roots. That being roots music, of course. Jam-packing nearly 20 songs in their hourlong set on the Stono stage, the group was up for the thrill of performing close to home. Closing out the set with KISS cover “Rock and Roll All Nite” and their classic “Wagon Wheel” was a fitting tribute to the Carolinas, and brought a few tears for us. The group and the song were favorites of one of your writers’ father, who passed away in late 2020, and he would have loved to be here with us. Somewhere in the Southern tale in the lyrics, the plinking banjo, the gentle acoustic strum and the melodic harmonies, his presence was still felt in spirit.
With her magnificent brooding, ethereal opener “Jupiter 4” perfectly setting the mood for what was to come, Sharon Van Etten threw her emotions into each song, giving the Edisto stage crowd all of her heart and soul with each melodic lilt. Like the moon waxes and wanes as the tide ebbs and flows, Van Etten’s voice shifted from firehouse to gentle coastal breeze as her band masterfully shifted from crescendo to decrescendo. “Mistakes”, with its bouncy, elastic guitar line, skittering keyboards and catchy melody was a highlight, along with slow-burner “Every Time the Sun Comes Up”, with it’s languid roll and Van Etten’s show-stopping emotive vocals. Van Etten then closed out her set with the raw vocal of “Seventeen” off of her critically-acclaimed album “Remind Me Tomorrow”.
Van Etten was a hard act to follow, but The Black Pumas capably stepped up to the plate on the Stono stage. They had one of the most memorable sets for a band with only one album out we can remember, and their throwback funk and soul stylings capture the sound and vibe of Sly & The Family Stone in a fresh and modern way. Frontman Eric Burton skillfully embodied both the spirit and voice of a young Stone, combining both his husky tone and delicate falsetto with more than a touch of Curtis Mayfield thrown in for good measure. The band was excellent – at once dynamic and funky, loose and easygoing. The crowd was enraptured by the performance of Burton, in particular, who at one point ventured out into the photo pit, parting the sea of spectators to soak up the energy. Highlights included “Fire” and their hit single “Colors”.
As a fellow husband-and-wife creative team with a little one in tow, the dynamic that Shovels & Rope’s Trent and Hearst share when they’re on stage is something to behold, and the level of admiration we have for what they have been able to achieve throughout their career helps to drive us forward with our own collective ambitions. Their performances are all about their prodigious instrumental and vocal abilities and the telepathic connection they share – no-frills, just the two of them rocking and rolling their way through a smoldering slice of their own uniquely off-kilter Americana. Fittingly looking right at home closing out the Edisto stage for the weekend, the couple served up a heaping plate of full-throated county-fried rock and roll, barreling through a menagerie of their best and most heartfelt songs, interspersed with tender anecdotes about their origins as a band and their life on the road as a married couple. They switched instruments frequently throughout the set, demonstrating their chops and voracious musical abilities, as well.
The duo aptly opened with “The Show” off their excellent new album “Manticore” and it perfectly set the mood, with its rebellious stomp, close-knit harmonies and wistful lyrics sending a shockwave of rebellious energy through the crowd. “Birmingham” from their debut album “O’ Be Joyful” was excellent, raspy punk vocals and swaggering beat syncing with the earnest tale played out in the lyrics. After “Birmingham” they shared a touching anecdote of how they wrote their next song, “Bleed Me”, for and about their children, who accompany them on tour and everywhere they go. The song’s refrain “You are the best part,” sung in unison with heart and raw emotion by Hearst and Trent, laid bare for all to see how much their family means to the duo, and not for the first time during the weekend your writers were brought to tears. Their exuberant set was unforgettable, their energy and connection infectious to the crowd and it was a true moment to just take it all in, as the weekend was finding its way towards the end. As the duo closed with the lively “Domino” and the fuzzed out guitar tone and harmonies of their classic “Hail Hail”, we were left gasping for air.
It just doesn’t get any bigger than Jack White in today’s rock world, an artist who has skillfully navigated the fractured landscape that is the 21st century music industry for more than two decades. Taking to the Stono stage to the MC5’s (and fellow Detroiters) underground classic “Kick Out the Jams”, White dove headfirst into cranking out the jams. After raucously reeling off the opening numbers from his brand new album, “Fear of the Dawn”, he launched into several of his own modern classics, weaving through some of the best hits from his extensive catalogue of solo work and with bands The White Stripes and The Raconteurs – “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground”, “Love Interruption”, “You Don’t Understand Me”, “I Think I Smell a Rat”, “Hello Operator”, “The Hardest Button to Button”. One of the most prolific artists around, that’s quite the task in and of itself.
Never one to rest on his laurels, though, White ripped through his songs with the determination and ferocity to show the crowd he’s still the same edgy, brilliantly weird talent that burst onto the scene over 20 years ago. It’s well known at this point, but the musical omnivore White is an absolute unquestioned guitar god and he showed every bit of his virtuosic talents, throwing himself into his performance with all the skill, vibrancy and dexterity that has come to be expected in his live shows. After closing with “Carolina Drama”, a Southern gothic tale about a dysfunctional South Carolina family, White’s six-song encore put his guitar prowess front and center to the crowd’s delight, running through hits “Fell in Love with a Girl”, “Lazaretto”, “I’m Slowly Turning into You”, “Ball and Biscuit”, and “Catch Hell Blues”, before closing out the festival with the bell toll of “Seven Nation Army”, a song that is surely familiar to everyone on the planet at this point.
And with the icky thump of “Seven Nation” still ringing in our ears, it was sadly time to call it a day and head back home up the coastline, bleary-eyed and coming down from the highs of an unforgettable and exhilarating weekend.
Along the way, we passed several groups of deer nonchalantly grazing next to Highway 17 in the near pitch-black night. They were just as startled to see us as we were to see them.
The only thought in our minds was, “I can’t wait to see them again next year.”
