Sound On Sound 2023: Day One

Though day one of the Sound On Sound music festival in Bridgeport, Connecticut might have been delayed by a few hours due to rain – that did nothing to dull the spirits of its almost 35,000 attendees. Lining up all around Seaside Park was a sea of rain jackets and Red Hot Chili Peppers merchandising, a true collection of locals and people from New York City and afar that came in for the singular goal of having a great time to their favorite music. 

Throughout the festival was a solid collection of food vendors representing some of the east coast’s very best; from pizza trucks, to the Little Pub stands and ice cream sandwiches, anything you craved could be found within a few steps of the music. If you were lucky enough to beat the crowd for the ferris wheel, all of Sound On Sound’s options could have been laid out in front of you from the perfect vantage point. 

While the energy was high as festival goers hopped in-between mud piles, the good spirits were a bit tested by the chaos of entering the festival amidst long lines and unsure staff. Once inside, Joy Oladokun’s beautiful and melodic voice greeted the day. People filtered in throughout her set.

With only one stage at this festival it gave people an opportunity to find the best spot for the day and get comfortable. 

Lord Huron took the stage next, bringing with it a cheery and comforting sound. The stage was over 10 feet high, but the view made it worth the front few rows craning their necks. The band danced around on stage, and the crowd began slipping and sliding through the mud in their attempts to dance alongside the music. One of the last songs was “The Night We Met,” and every couple in attendance seemingly took that as a cue to dance together. 

The energy continued to escalate with the bellowing and enthralling sound of Nathaniel Rateliff dominating the stage merely fifteen minutes later. The day was consistently very punctual, even with the artists all sharing the single stage. From the moment Nathaniel started singing, it was hard to look away from his commanding presence and electric energy. He brought a southern rock feel to the festival, the crowd unable to stop moving their feet through “SOB” and “I Need Never Get Old.” 

Trey Anastasio celebrated his birthday with 35,000 of his closest friends when his set began next. The smile on his face was contagious throughout the set, reflected back to him across the park stretching out towards the street. His impressive guitar skills were on full display as he would riff within the full band. 

As Trey’s set continued on, fans of the Red Hot Chili Peppers might’ve found themselves preparing by the picnic benches towards the outskirts of the festival and conveniently located near beer and sustenance. When the time did come for the Chili Peppers to take the stage, the crowd went absolutely electric with excitement. It definitely helped that they began their set with “Can’t Stop” – and the thrill certainly did not stop until the last sound of “Give It Away” reverberated into the beach waters surrounding it, closing out day one of the festival.

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