The 2nd annual Treefort Music Fest offers over 260 artists: Starts March 21

Boise's homegrown heroes Built To Spill will play not one, but three different sets this weekend. All three shows will take place at the El Korah Shrine.For over twenty years, Doug Martsch has been writing and recording music as Built To Spill. The project has a fresh head of steam heading into 2013 with a new rhythm section featuring Martsch's longtime friends Jason Albertini (bass) and Steve Gere (drums) joining forces with Jim Roth (guitar), Brett Netson (guitar) and Martsch (guitar, vocals). Their first tour as this new lineup is traversing the NW in early February.We're excited that some of that fresh energy is being spent at Treefort Music Fest again this year, and this time Martsch and BTS have helped curate three unique nights of music at new Treefort venue the El Korah Shrine Center (all ages). The building has deep roots in historic Boise and seemed a fitting place for BTS to highlight some of their roots.On Friday, March 22nd, Built To Spill will play their first album "Ultimate Alternative Wavers" in its entirety for the first time ever to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its release. They will be joined by friends Quasi, Scarf, and The Apostrophes who will all open the show. Followed by live rock band karaoke hosted by Karaoke From Hell (based out of Portland and will play into the wee hours after each BTS show at Treefort).On Saturday, March 23rd, Built To Spill will play a mix of songs off of their six other albums. Lenguas Largas, Genders, and Dark Swallows will all open, Karaoke From Hell to follow BTS.On the final night of the festival, Sunday, March 24th, Built To Spill will play an entire set of cover songs. Camper Van Beethoven, The Hand, Tommy Dirtweed will open along with some potential Treefort-related surprises, Karaoke From Hell after BTS.FRIDAY 3/22, SATURDAY 3/23, SUNDAY 3/24El Korah Shrine10pm - 11:30pmBrooklyn, New York's Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have come a long way since their humble beginnings nearly a decade ago. On April 6th, 2010, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings marked history with the release of their fourth album, "I Learned The Hard Way". After selling a mere 100,000 copies of their previous album, "100 Days, 100 Nights", since its release in 2007, the band went on to move 23,000 copies of "I Learned The Hard Way" in the first week putting the album at #15 on the Billboard 200.In 2011 the band released "Soultime!", a compilation of non-album tracks.The group will headline the Main Stage Friday night.FRIDAY 3/22Main Stage8:30pm - 10pmOne of the Treefort Fest hidden gems is Minneapolis quartet, The 4on the Floor. The group just finished up at SXSW in support of their most recent release, "Spirit Of Minneapolis". The album and band are ripe with the spirit of American rocks roots that recall the likes of The Band and George Thorogood. They tap into all elements of blues, boogie, folk, and more.The 4onthefloor pull no punches. They won’t bore you with trying to explain how multi-genre and indefinable they are. The 4onthefloor play rock music. The 4onthefloor play blues music. And they do it in 4/4 time.Both "Spirit of Minneapolis" and "4x4", The 4onthefloor’s debut album, showcases the band’s heavy-handed (or should we say heavy-footed) rhythm section that, when paired with lead singer Gabriel Douglas’ gritty, baritone vocals, makes the listener both nostalgic and ready to drink… or maybe even fight. Through gutsy Delta–Blues and classic Americana, The 4onthefloor put their signature stomp on these classic genres with not one but four bass drums pulsing to the beat of every song.The 4onthefloor are Gabriel Douglas (Guitar/Vocals), James Gould (Guitar), Chris Holm (Bass) and Mark Larson (Drums). Douglas, Gould and Holm also play their own bass drum: 4 on the floor.Inspired by The Doors, Muddy Waters, CCR, Howlin’ Wolf, Tommy James & the Shondells and Waylon Jennings to name a few, all four members operate on the same hard-hitting, bourbon-infused wavelength while keeping perfect time.There’s a readiness to be found in listeners now. The fervor of discovery and innovation is coming back to the American masses and the excitement surrounding the birth of rock & roll is now roaring out of the doldrums with a fury. Let go. Take flight. Indulge in life’s pleasures and stomp with them.SATURDAY 3/23Main Stage2:20pm – 3:05pmView the list »
2nd Annual Treefort Music Fest begins March 21

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Austin, Texas plays home to the now legendary annual South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival, drawing bands from the world over to the week-long event that has become a catapult for some of the best new talents in music. Last year Boise launched its own independent, Treefort Music Fest that hopes to provide the Treasure Valley and Pacific Northwest with its own annual highly respected sonic pilgrimage. Treefort is grass roots, DIY and free of corporate sponsorship, and with an emphasis on emerging music.

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The 2012 inaugural event was hugely successful and proved that the Boise music scene is more than ready to stand on its own two feet, providing a showcase for the state’s blossoming local talents and those from around the nation and the world.

So excited were music fans about the Treefort experience that in October 2012, before any bands had even been announced for the Second Annual Treefort Music Fest, scheduled for March 21-24, 2013, the initial batch of early-bird priced wristbands sold out in 17 minutes: Succeeding ticket sales continued to be faster than those at the same time last year.

This year, Treefort is packed with more than 260 bands and artists from all over the U.S., Canada, and even the U.K., including more than 100 of Idaho’s strongest talents. Among the local artists performing will be Boise legends, Built To Spill, and Boise-based Youth Lagoon, which was one tabbed as one of Rolling Stone's "Twenty Must-See Acts" at SXSW. Los Angeles based Foxygen and Portland, Oregon’s Unknown Mortal Orchestra, also included in the twenty, shall be performing at Treefort 2013 as well.

The festival begins tomorrow night, March 21 at 6PM when local favorites, indie rock trio Finn Riggins hit the stage at the El Korah Shrine. Over the course of the next four days artists will perform each day and well into the night, at more than a dozen locations all over downtown Boise.

The event will also feature films. performance art, panels and more. Details here.

A full list of artists, locations, and times can be found here.

View The List for a closer look at 10 of the 2013 Treefort Fest bands to check out this weekend.

View the list
  • One of the Treefort Fest hidden gems is Minneapolis quartet, The 4on the Floor. The group just finished up at SXSW in support of their most recent release, "Spirit Of Minneapolis". The album and band are ripe with the spirit of American rocks roots that recall the likes of The Band and George Thorogood. They tap into all elements of blues, boogie, folk, and more.The 4onthefloor pull no punches. They won’t bore you with trying to explain how multi-genre and indefinable they are. The 4onthefloor play rock music. The 4onthefloor play blues music. And they do it in 4/4 time.Both "Spirit of Minneapolis" and "4x4", The 4onthefloor’s debut album, showcases the band’s heavy-handed (or should we say heavy-footed) rhythm section that, when paired with lead singer Gabriel Douglas’ gritty, baritone vocals, makes the listener both nostalgic and ready to drink… or maybe even fight. Through gutsy Delta–Blues and classic Americana, The 4onthefloor put their signature stomp on these classic genres with not one but four bass drums pulsing to the beat of every song.The 4onthefloor are Gabriel Douglas (Guitar/Vocals), James Gould (Guitar), Chris Holm (Bass) and Mark Larson (Drums). Douglas, Gould and Holm also play their own bass drum: 4 on the floor.Inspired by The Doors, Muddy Waters, CCR, Howlin’ Wolf, Tommy James & the Shondells and Waylon Jennings to name a few, all four members operate on the same hard-hitting, bourbon-infused wavelength while keeping perfect time.There’s a readiness to be found in listeners now. The fervor of discovery and innovation is coming back to the American masses and the excitement surrounding the birth of rock & roll is now roaring out of the doldrums with a fury. Let go. Take flight. Indulge in life’s pleasures and stomp with them.SATURDAY 3/23Main Stage2:20pm – 3:05pm
  • Brooklyn, New York's Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings have come a long way since their humble beginnings nearly a decade ago. On April 6th, 2010, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings marked history with the release of their fourth album, "I Learned The Hard Way". After selling a mere 100,000 copies of their previous album, "100 Days, 100 Nights", since its release in 2007, the band went on to move 23,000 copies of "I Learned The Hard Way" in the first week putting the album at #15 on the Billboard 200.In 2011 the band released "Soultime!", a compilation of non-album tracks.The group will headline the Main Stage Friday night.FRIDAY 3/22Main Stage8:30pm - 10pm
  • Boise's homegrown heroes Built To Spill will play not one, but three different sets this weekend. All three shows will take place at the El Korah Shrine.For over twenty years, Doug Martsch has been writing and recording music as Built To Spill. The project has a fresh head of steam heading into 2013 with a new rhythm section featuring Martsch's longtime friends Jason Albertini (bass) and Steve Gere (drums) joining forces with Jim Roth (guitar), Brett Netson (guitar) and Martsch (guitar, vocals). Their first tour as this new lineup is traversing the NW in early February.We're excited that some of that fresh energy is being spent at Treefort Music Fest again this year, and this time Martsch and BTS have helped curate three unique nights of music at new Treefort venue the El Korah Shrine Center (all ages). The building has deep roots in historic Boise and seemed a fitting place for BTS to highlight some of their roots.On Friday, March 22nd, Built To Spill will play their first album "Ultimate Alternative Wavers" in its entirety for the first time ever to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its release. They will be joined by friends Quasi, Scarf, and The Apostrophes who will all open the show. Followed by live rock band karaoke hosted by Karaoke From Hell (based out of Portland and will play into the wee hours after each BTS show at Treefort).On Saturday, March 23rd, Built To Spill will play a mix of songs off of their six other albums. Lenguas Largas, Genders, and Dark Swallows will all open, Karaoke From Hell to follow BTS.On the final night of the festival, Sunday, March 24th, Built To Spill will play an entire set of cover songs. Camper Van Beethoven, The Hand, Tommy Dirtweed will open along with some potential Treefort-related surprises, Karaoke From Hell after BTS.FRIDAY 3/22, SATURDAY 3/23, SUNDAY 3/24El Korah Shrine10pm - 11:30pm
  • With the cancellation of original headliners, Animal Collective, Baltimore's Dan Deacon takes up the torch. An outstanding composer, he is also a goddamned instigator. So while he made his Carnegie Hall debut last year, a few weeks later he was getting 10,000 people to do crazy dances at a massive Occupy Wall Street rally in Union Square.Deacon has always made trailblazing music that moves people to do things they wouldn’t normally do. But on his new album, "America", he takes that idea a giant step further. “I hope the people who take the time to listen to these songs enjoy them,” says Deacon, “but I hope that anyone looking for anything beyond that can find inspiration to change the world for the better.”SUNDAY 3/24Main Stage8:30pm - 10pmDan will also do a DJ set at 12:30AM the same night at The Linen building
  • Boise's own Trevor Powers, whose stage name is Youth Lagoon, began writing his debut album "The Year of Hibernation" in 2010. Based around the idea of psychological dysphoria, Powers tried to document the trails of his mind through songs of minimalism and hypnotic ambience.Powers later described his writing process as "my mind communicating with me, not the other way around...it can take me to scary places but I've realized those bizarre thoughts I have don't define me." After signing with Mississippi-based label Fat Possum Records in 2011, he toured much of the following year before going back into solitude to write."Wondrous Bughouse", Powers' sophomore album (released March 5 worldwide via Fat Possum), was spawned from what he describes as "becoming more fascinated with the human psyche and where the spiritual meets the physical world." During the time he wrote, Powers became intrigued with the metaphysical universe and blending those ideas with pop music."Youth Lagoon is something so personal to me because writing music is how I sort my thoughts, as well as where I transfer my fears," explains Powers."My mental state is usually pretty sporadic...a lot of this record was influenced by a fear of mortality but embracing it at the same time. Realizing that human life is only great because it is temporary. Experimenting with ideas about dimensions. I'm not a gifted speaker, so explaining things is difficult for me. But music always makes sense."SUNDAY 3/24Main Stage7:00pm - 7:50pm
  • Foxygen is the Los Angeles-bred songwriting duo of Sam France (vocals, Olympia, Wash., 22 years old) and Jonathan Rado (guitar/keyboards, NYC, 22). They are the raw, de-Wes Andersonization of The Rolling Stones, Kinks, Velvets, Bowie, etc. that a whole mess of young people desperately need.They create a sometimes-impressionistic, sometimes-hyper-real portrait of sounds from specific places and times. Yet, it never comes across as anything but absolutely modern music. They bring the manic, freewheeling qualities of an artist like Ariel Pink to those aforementioned influences to make for one of the most refreshing listens of the year. They are the real deal and total savants. Their albums are love letters to vinyl collections. The first track, "Abandon my Toys," only gives you two seconds of electronic soundery before acoustic instruments take over along with a vocal that sounds channeled in by a medium. "Why Did I Get Married?" plays like a mournful lounge act until about the two minute mark, when it starts to crash into something else, and a gooey kind of Ray Davies vocal gives way to shouts and barks. After you listen to even a few songs on the album, any attempt to define its genre will start with a discussion and end with a shrug, maybe a "rock and roll?" or a "psychedelic?" And that's how shit needs to be said. More question marks. Less periods. Less declarations. Cause it's only questions that can take us where we need to be, to a place of profound and active ignorance. As a tiny organism adrift on a sea of infinite nuance, ignorance is the only honest state of being. And "Take the Kids off Broadway" is an album full of question marks.THURSDAY 3/21El Korah Shrine9:00pm - 9:50pm
  • Closing out the festivities Sunday night, Teens emerged from Boise in late 2010.Practicing in a portioned off underground Cold War era bomb shelter outside of town, the band developed a sound that recalls mid-60’s psychedelic garage rock reminiscent of The 13th Floor Elevators or The Animals, while expanding on the current popular wave of fuzzy, garage and low-fi sounds with their own unique interpretation.Teens was recorded with a severe lack of professional equipment, in the same underground hole mentioned above. Only two microphones, severely cramped confines, archaic tracking devices, and a ‘first-take-is usually-the-best-take’ approach, all combine to give the album an effervescent charm that would be unrealized in more posh circumstances.SUNDAY 3/24The Red Room12:00am – 1:00am
  • One of the highlights of Thursday's performances will be Portland's Unknown Mortal Orchestra. The band received high praise from Rolling Stone appearing on this year's Top 20 list of must see band's at SXSW.Emerging from rampant hedonism and desperate isolation is ‘II’, the new album from Unknown Mortal Orchestra. Behind the cartoonish color of this collection of soulful, mind-addled psychedelia, lurks the fact that its author, Ruban Nielson, came close to never making it at all.“There were times when I felt that if I continued as I was that I would die, or some other bad thing would happen,” he admits, referring to the months following the release of Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s eponymous, self-recorded debut in June 2011, and a punishing, debauched touring schedule that would have a lasting affect on the 32-year-old multi-instrumentalist and songwriter.THURSDAY 3/21El Korah Shrine10:10pm - 11:10pm
  • Earth is an American musical group based in Seattle, Washington, formed in 1990 and led by guitarist Dylan Carlson. Earth's music is mostly instrumental, and can be divided into two distinct stages.Their early work grew out of the Seattle-area grunge scene and is recognized as pioneering the genre of drone doom — an experimental offshoot of doom metal, characterized by droning, minimalist, lengthy, and repetitive structures. Earth's early albums were usually recorded as a duo (Carlson and a bass guitarist), and could be seen as a variation of the experimental doom-influenced metal of The Melvins. Earth currently features a markedly different sound, slow-paced and lengthy, but now with a drummer and featuring strong elements of country music and jazz. Dylan Carlson founded the band in 1990 along with Slim Moon and Greg Babior. Carlson has remained the core of the band's line-up throughout its changes. Current players have included: Adrienne Davies on drums, Lori Goldston on Cello, Karl Blau on bass, Steve Moore on keys and Don McGreevey on bass.THURSDAY 3/21Neurolux11:30pm - 12:30am((( WavePOP Showcase )))
  • New York City's The Walkmen will headline the Main Stage Saturday night. The band was founded in 2000 and released its debut album in 2002. In 2012 The Walkmen released album number seven:"The detachment you can feel throughout our younger records is gone. We felt like it was time to make a bigger, more generous statement."When describing the new album, "Heaven", lead singer Hamilton Leithauser portrays a band hitting maturity, comfortable in its mastery, after a decade together. Adds guitarist Paul Maroon, "when you’re starting out, you’re sitting there trying to come up with a big idea, but after a while, you learn about the process of writing. You learn about your friends in the band and how they work best."SATURDAY 3/23Main Stage8:30pm - 10pm
View the list
Suggested by the author:

, Boise Music Examiner

Rustyn is a journalist with a profound passion for music. While he loves hard rock and metal, his tastes are eclectic and cover all genres. The former editor for a San Francisco rock magazine, and current owner of Metalholic.com and MetalholicRadio.com, he can be contacted at: rustyn.rose@gmail.com.

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