Old Settler’s Music Festival 2017 was one of my favorite under the radar festivals of the year – loaded with excellent musical talent, the perfect venue setup, and overall positive vibes. This year, Earth Day fell on Saturday during the festival, which worked out perfectly for the fest goers that wanted to get close to Mother Nature and sleep under the stars. Old Settler’s offered campgrounds for people to lay their heads close to the earth, and Mother Nature did her thing, providing beautiful weather all weekend. Although it was a bit cold on Saturday, the Friday weather was perfect for a quick dip in Onion Creek. This is a festival setup that never gets old, so to speak.
Old Settler’s is not your typical music festival. In its 30th year of operation, the biggest hints of its long standing tradition were the smooth operations and ideal setup. Other festivals are more concerned with pushing festival merchandise than the festival itself, but Old Settler’s was more concerned with being hospitable for all of the guests and showing them a good time. All staff members that I talked to at the festival were mainly concerned with our safety and that we were having a good time. A true no-hassles festival.
All four days were jam packed with excellent events for the fest goers to enjoy, and Saturday was an epic marathon that went from to morning to past midnight. Saturday morning was kick started by an energizing yoga class at the Campground Stage, which was perfect for stretching outyour sleepy muscles and generating the perfect mindset to absolutely win the day.
After some invigorating yoga, Griffin Carter and Vasen kicked off the day on the Hill Country Stage, while the Youth Talent Competition got heated on the Bluebonnet Stage. The Youth Talent Competition was a hoot as usual, and these young talents brought their A-game this year – I expect we could see some of these acts on the main stage before too long.
Saturday featured many great shows to carry you on throughout the afternoon, including Peter Rowan Bluegrass, Wood and Wire, Elephant Revival, The Travelin’ McCourys, the California Honeydrops with their earthy tone, and the sharp sounds of The Honeycutters. The Hill Country Stage and the Bluebonnet Stage staggered their acts throughout the day and were not too far from each other, so you never missed a beat.
Navigating the crowds at Old Settler’s was like floating the current of Onion Creek, smooth and easy. Dancing all day to these folky tunes was the perfect recipe for a big appetite, and the selection offered by Old Settler’s did not disappoint. They provided an immaculate spread – from Pierre’s Gyros and the Banana Nutella Crepes at Crepe Crazy, to a Pork Ribs boat from the world famous Salt Lick BBQ. This grub provided the best fuel to finish off Saturday night watching stars like Nikki Lane, who is performing on The Conan Show this Wednesday; Texas born Grammy winner Sarah Jarosz; los siempre bueno Los Lobos; and Austin’s favorite Shinyribs
