Gotta Fest: A First Timers Short Review

Gotta Fest 2019

Cheeba and I just got home from Gotta Fest in Bentonville, VA, and might I just say WOW! Between the loving atmosphere, the amazing people all around us, the grooviest music, and the greatest grilled cheeses, we felt a short review of our weekend was the least we could do to show just how dope this festival truly was. A big special thanks to Brad and Barbara Trivett for making this weekend possible, as well as Lacey La Plante for organizing the entire event!

*It’s worth noting we don’t live thru our phones, so we don’t have as many videos and photos as we’d like. We will be more prepared for the next festival we cover!

Day 1: Friday

We arrived at Low-Water Bridge Campground after a very gloomy, rainy drive thru MD, WV and VA. We got lucky enough to have 10 minutes of clear skies to find the first spot we could to set up camp, and as soon as we were inside the tent it began to downpour.

Not long after, Trevor Moore began to float across the campground, and halfway thru his set we were able to head out into the field where the stage was. Sitting on what many of our tent-neighbors would dub “The Lawn Vagina”, we were able to watch the first 20 minutes of WhYtE NoiSe Co.’s set before the rain made it impossible to enjoy ourselves. Box Era and Brachtopus had us jamming in our tents.

WhYtE NoiSe Co.

The rain lasted well after it was dark outside, but we were rescued from our tents by Barbara and our new friend Jake, and brought back into the festival society with enough time to catch the end of The Phryg’s set. They’re amazing, might I add. Space Koi took the stage after them, and melted our minds while the Nick Sullivan fire danced to our left. What a way to start the weekend, although the vodka did nothing to help the cold that night.

Nic Sullivan / Space Koi

Day 2: Saturday / 4/20

Around 9:30 a.m. someone yelled “TIME TO WAKE UP” and we opened our eyes to Afroman’s “Because I Got High”. It was 4/20, a personal favorite holiday of Cheeba and I. We woke up and began to celebrate the holiday, and after restocking on tobacco products for the day, we retreated to our tent to spend some time together. Being the extroverted introverts that we are, we got extremely lucky to have a campsite 40 yards from one of the stages, and we were able to hear all of music while getting to enjoy each other’s company on our weekend away.

​Might I just say, the second day truly had an amazing lineup. Do. Yourselves. A. Favor. And. Check. Out:

Groundhog Gravy
Mercury Retrograde
Ted & Company

We ran into some technical difficulties that took us away from the festival for a while as we dealt with them. We once again rejoined society that night to find a band on stage wearing masks. I just want to say, You Bred Raptors? is an absolutely DOPE band. Their centerpiece is their cello, and Tara Hanish plays it flawlessly. The New York natives, along with the Nic Sullivan fire dancing, truly set the stage for the night.

You Bred Raptors? / Nic Sullivan

We The People aka The Sweet Life headlined Saturday night and absolutely melted our brains. They filmed their first song of the set for use in an upcoming music video which was super cool to be a part of. Their energy and groovy tunes sent everyone off into the night in a fantastic vibe. Cheeba and I stopped to buy 3, $2 grilled cheeses and headed back to our tent to ride out the rest of the cold night in a cocoon.

Day 3: Sunday / Easter

We woke up around 10 with most of our neighbors already packed and left. Cheeba and I picked up 2 more grilled cheeses from our favorite spot, and spent some time enjoying the campsite a bit more before we went back and broke down the tent (we can have it all packed up in less than 5 minutes I might add). We sat by the Shenandoah River and ate our food in the sun, super dehydrated and emanating positivity and love. Gotta Fest was absolutely dope and if you have the chance to go next year, GO!

Check Out These Bands:

Trevor Moore
Whyte NoiSe Co.*
Box Era
Brachtopus
The Phryg
Space Koi
​Quostic Boo
Dennis Heflin
Miguel Hernandez
Groundhog Gravy*
Mercury Retrograde
Sonic Spell
Ted & Company
Ras Melville Parrish
The Seven Bends
You Bred Raptors?
​We The People / The Sweet Life*

*Performing @ Wanderlust Muzik Fest 2019

Gotta Fest 2019

Troupe Inc. Approval Rating: 95%
(-5% For Weather)

ARticle Author:
ZIG ZAG

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