There is no better feeling than entering a festival and knowing that for four days, your life will be forever changed with memories – and there is no better place to do it than at Montage Mountain at The Peach Music Festival!

I have had the pleasure of heading to Montage Mountain for The Peach Music Festivals nine out of eleven years.

It’s four days where you can just immerse yourself into a scene of like minded music fans. There’s a certain aura that surrounds you arriving on the mountain. A feeling of peace and “home.” The music and the people are truly what makes a festival shine. Four days of pure bliss started on Thursday afternoon with a fitting tribute to the reason we were all gathered together, The Allman Brothers Band.

The 2023 Peach Music Festival Brings Music on the Mountain

:: PREVIEW ::

Friends Of The Brothers began their hour-long set with a rip roaring rendition of “Statesboro Blues,” a tune almost a century old by Blind Willie McTell, that became a staple in Allman Brothers Band setlists for years with Duane Allman’s distinctive slide playing. The beauty of this music is that whether its original members perform or close friends, the creativity and the flow is pure magic. This was just the tip of the iceberg, and a great start right out of the gate. Coming in hot, hot, hot from Connecticut was Goose. The way these young musicians have risen in the “jam band world” in such a short amount of time is something very special. They proved throughout their two headlining sets why they are destined to be a force in the scene for years to come.

Goose at The Peach Music Festival 2023 © AJ Kinney

The sun was shining on the first full day of music for the first full day of music and you could feel the energy bouncing around the festival. The beauty of a festival setting is that you reconnect with music and friends throughout the weekend, as well as finding new friends and music along the way. As I entered the gate the sounds of Baked Shrimp, the trio from Long Island, filled my ears from the side stage (The Grove Stage). Dang! The electrifying “jams” from these young cats gave you a smile from ear-to-ear. With any multi stage event, sometimes you need to make decisions on who to “catch.” Muscle Tough, a three piece out of The City Of Brotherly Love (guitar/drums/bass), had an A+ performance for their first time at the annual Scranton festival. A sweet but short set, mixed in originals and covers, including the Sheryl Crow classic “Everyday Is A Winding Road.”

YAM YAM, an outfit from The Keystone State’s capital, can weave in and out of genres with a drop of a dime. With almost eight years under their belt, the cohesiveness between band members was present. With the moon high above the wave pool, the audience went into a frenzy when the opening notes of “Window Shopping” (“Price Is Right” theme song). Fans were growing exponentially as the band entertained The Mushroom Stage late on Friday evening.

Ween: What can you say about the bread and butter of New Hope. As I took my seat for the headliner, the person next to me leaned in and said, “You’ll either love this band or hate them.” This was definitely any interesting take. As the lights went down, I buckled up for a ride of what was two plus hours of nitty gritty rock ‘n roll spanning almost four decades.

Ween at The Peach Music Festival 2023 © 2023

Coming into Saturday, with their mellow, trippy tones was Circles Around The Sun. Have you ever just been mesmerized by the unspoken language musicians use when onstage? For the whole hour they set their a vibe that transcends from the stage onto festival-goers across Montage Mountain.

Alan Paul, a New York Times Bestseller and renowned author, gave a great insight into the history of The Allman Brothers Band, with his wisdom he painted a picture of how unique the Georgia natives were to the scene decades ago and presently. The way he spoke was truthful, heartfelt and resonated with longtime fans of the musicians.

Mountain Grass Unit, hitting the early evening slot on The Grove Stage, brought the heat. Throughout their hour long jaunt, you could see fans getting down to their young bluegrass sounds. When it comes to bluegrass, technically is key, and these “kids” definitely have it.

As the sun set, the evening sets began, two of the most established bassists took the stage, Mike Gordon and Les Claypool. On the heels of his latest solo release, Flying Games, Gordon intertwined some new material together with fan favorites “Cities” (Talking Heads) and the well-known Phish number, “Carini.”

A few months back, it was announced that Mr. Claypool would be bringing back “The Flying Frog Brigade” after almost two decades. The quirky bass player delivered on all fronts along with his stellar backing band, performing a rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Animals.”

With decades under their belt, the ever genre-blending My Morning Jacket took the stage on Saturday led by longhaired rocker, Jim James. Faithful fans held tight to every lyric throughout the two hour jaunt. Paying homage to The Beatles, MMJ poured their heart and soul into the debut of “Ballad Of John & Yoko.” Rumor has it that they played it in honor of the late John Lennon’s son, Sean, sharing the stage with them the same day.

The Peach Music Festival © Jake Katznelson

Sunday, the day where it gets a little bittersweet for many. Four days of memories that will soon come to an end. The music was flowing like fine wine. The culmination was a set like no other. Tedeschi Trucks Band, led by one of the most magical duos, Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi. It all came full circle during their two hour festival closer, as they paid tribute to the reason for the season (Allman Brothers) as well as showcasing their polished originals.

Time on the mountain with family and friends, and holds a special place in so many hearts. The memories will last a lifetime, and the music brings us closer together until next year.

— —