Cold House On a Hot Day: Highwater Festival With Great Insight on Festival Culture
I arrived in North Charleston, South Carolina just hours before the gates were flooded with live music lovers. I trickled in behind, eager to photograph the band Winyah. They were the first set to kick off the festival. They had such confidence on the stage, and they played with so much energy. It was to the point that my ears were ringing from the crowd cheers after the first song.
The band Winyah I had the great opportunity of interviewing Winyah after their set. I inquired about their feelings towards festival life and being able to play in their home state. Lead singer and guitarist, Thomas Rowland, told me “There’s no place we’d rather be”. The band told me that it is very rewarding to be a piece of the festival. They are able to see how hard everyone works behind the scenes to make a large-scale event like the Highwater Festival happen. They told me “It makes us want to work harder ourselves”. Not only do the fans provide the band with an electric feeling, but the ones that make it all happen are inspirations as well.
The band’s perspective was amazing to hear, but I wanted to dig deeper. I moseyed around the festival grounds, looking for a vendor to interview. I found myself gazing at a portable set with a turf floor and decor that looks as if I entered a karaoke bar. I was able to meet two lovely representatives of Montucky Cold Snacks. I wanted to know how it felt to be able to represent abrand at a music festival. I initially thought Montucky Cold Snacks was a brand that sold food, but I was mistaken. This lager brand told me “Being here feels like going into a cold house on a hot day”. I agreed with the hot day comment as it was scorching that day. I thought deeply aboutthat line and genuinely reminisced on times where I have experienced that. I saw her vision, and I see why she said that. Being there made me feel cozy, but it also made me want to explore, dance, and socialize.
After interviewing the band and the vendor, I wanted one more perspective that I myself have experienced. What is it like to experience a festival as a fan or attendee? I wanted the perspective of someone that I saw on the barrier for every set. I wanted to hear the words from someone who has lost their voice. Right before Peach Pit’s set, I met a woman named Rhonda. She was with her daughter, and I had Rhonda at every set I photographed. She was the one I wanted to know. I asked her what her favorite thing about music festivals is. She told me she is a live music lover who also loves to spend time with her family. Rhonda and her daughter share the love of live music, and the Highwater Festival provides the opportunity to feel comfortable, listen to her favorite artists, and spend time with her daughter. This is exactly what it’s all about. Rhonda on the right with her daughter. The Highwater Music Festival allowed me to meet so many great families, artists, and photographers. The energy that this event brought was nothing that I have ever experienced before. The artists each brought their voices, and the fans brought theirs too. Every volunteer and employee for the festival was amazing as well, and like Winyah said, it made me want to work harder as well.
