Event Review: Great River Folk Festival in La Crosse, Wisconsin
This understated gem of a festival in the Driftless area of Wisconsin never disappoints, with three days of songwriter-focused music in a broad range of folk styles.
Long Mama performing at Great River Folk Festival. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
The first time I experienced Great River Folk Festival five years ago, it captured my heart. Nestled in a small public park (La Crosse Wisconsin’s Riverside Park) on the bank of the Mississippi, the three-day event sets a high bar for other festivals to measure up to when it comes to intimate access to high-caliber acts and strong focus on the craft of songwriting.
Compared with other festivals I’ve attended, it’s a small event both physically (you can walk the length of the grounds in less than 5 minutes) and in terms of audience size. The setup is simple: one main stage and two smaller performance areas, plus a handful of arts vendors and food trucks. As a result it never feels hectic or overwhelming. But that feeling of calm is deceptive when every act is a can’t-miss, because the music never stops. (I found myself making impossible calculations about when I was going to tear myself away long enough to eat!)
Day One
Even though this was my third time attending, it’s the first time I’ve made it down in time for the Friday night shows. I just had to this year because the wonderful Milwaukee band Long Mama was opening the festival, and I don’t get enough chances to see them. They instantly appealed the first time I encountered them, for many reasons, including bandleader Kat Wodtke’s effortless lead vocals and well crafted, almost conversational lyrics. There’s something serious and occasionally sad yet buoyant in a laidback way about their sound that I love. One reason I realized this time around is that their music almost always lives in a midtempo zone, and I really love that sweet spot—not too frenetic but never draggy, it just carries me along like a leaf in a current.
Long Mama. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
I’d noticed when I first arrived that there were signs on either side of the main stage proclaiming it “Will’s Stage.” After Long Mama’s set we found out why when the parents of a young man named Will walked up to the microphone. They explained that they sponsored the stage after their son took his own life a few short months before the festival. They wanted to honor his life and his love of music, but they also had an urgent mission: to raise awareness that there’s help out there for others in a similar situation. They acknowledged that it takes a lot of courage to battle the problems that can lead to suicide but entreated anyone who was struggling or knew someone who was to talk to someone, be it a loved one, a healthcare professional or a hotline (they mentioned two: 988 or 211).
Main stage of Great River Folk Festival. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
The other act of the first night was Louisiana’s Cedric Watson Et Bijou Creole. Although this Grammy-nominated Creole/Cajun band had a totally different style from the Midwest alt-country of Long Mama, they too had a lightness and ease that warmed up the crowd—one suggestion from Watson about dancing and suddenly half a dozen couples emerged from the seated audience! I love that this festival and this crowd appreciate American roots music in all its forms, not sticking to a narrow definition of “folk”!
Cedric Watson. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
Day Two
I started Saturday, which is the longest day of the festival, at a morning song swap. These casual three-act sets are the jewel of Great River Folk Fest; a chance to see familiar and new acts playing their songs in a stripped-down format, trying out new material, choosing their songs based on inspiration from the others, and talking about their process and the thoughts behind their songs. The swaps generally take place in a tented area with artists and audience alike seated on folding chairs on the grass, and there are usually two running concurrently, leading to tough decisions for attendees.
My first song swap of the fest featured someone I first discovered at a swap in 2019: Luke Callen. After that I immediately began seeing him play as often as possible and have been a massive fan ever since, so it was cool to start my day with him. He recently released a new version (recorded live at St. Paul bar The White Squirrel) of a song I’ve loved for years, which I may have even heard at that first encounter. The earlier version is called “A Walk Out of Doors” and the new, very differently arranged version is “Take Heed.” Both are fantastic and highly recommended.
Luke Callen. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
Another participant in the swap was Alex Toast (who referred to himself as just Toast). A Minnesota-raised artist who spent time in Colorado and Oregon before moving back to the Midwest, he was a finalist in last year’s GRFF Songwriter Contest, an annual competition that starts online and ends with the finalists performing at the festival and the winner being announced on the last day.
Toast says he picked up fingerstyle guitar about six years ago. Watching his fingers fly over the strings, generating complex, often jazzy soundscapes with a single acoustic instrument, it was hard to comprehend how he’d gained his level of skill and creativity in that short amount of time.
Kat Wodtke of Long Mama rounded out the rounds, telling stories, showcasing her warm personality, and delivering beautiful solo acoustic renditions of her songs that highlighted her voice and lyrics even more.
Next up for me was the first main stage act of the day, Taylor James Donskey. If you’re in the Twin Cities and follow the local music scene even casually, you probably know Donskey. In addition to being a talented singer-songwriter-guitarist who puts out his own music, he can also be found holding it down on bass for many other bands in the Americana genre and beyond. The first time I ever saw him was pre-pandemic, hosting a songwriter rounds at Aster Cafe in Minneapolis.
Since COVID lockdown ended, he’s made those rounds a semi-weekly occurrence at Minneapolis’s 331 Club and St. Paul’s White Squirrel Bar and recently expanded them to the Minneapolis creative space known as Resource. He’s truly a music-community superconnector who tirelessly works to provide new and emerging acts as well as mainstays a chance to showcase their talents.
Although that first time I saw Donskey he was playing solo acoustic in the rounds, he typically plays with a full band, so it was a rare treat to see him at Great River as an acoustic duo with Haley E Rydell on fiddle. I love his songwriting, which is as eclectic as his genre-eluding folk/pop/roots sound—you never know what topic or symbolism will appear in the next tune (recent singles have featured themes ranging from the Greek philosopher Diogenes to a green sweater on the back of a chair)!
Taylor James Donskey and Haley E Rydell. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
After his set I headed to another tent for a song swap, featuring one of the acts I’d been anticipating the most at the festival. I’d wanted to see Wyoming-based married duo The Two Tracks ever since I missed all but the last two songs of their set at another festival (Storyhill) last year, so I was very excited when they were included on the Great River lineup. Their combo of instruments (Dave Huebner mainly plays cello, sometimes switching to guitar or adding harmonica, and his wife Julie plays guitar) gives them a chance to make Americana music that hearkens to classic roots while sounding wholly unique.
Also in the swap with them was Wisconsin’s Sarah Vos. Hers is a name I’ve heard often, both as a solo act and member of the bands Dead Horses and Rucksack Revolution, but had somehow never seen live. I was blown away by both her voice and storytelling and was glad I’d get another chance to see her shortly, because these swaps go by too quickly.
Sarah Vos. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
She and The Two Tracks were joined by a GRFF team member and last-minute substitute for an act that couldn’t make it, Jeffrey Kelly. He’s the kind of lyricist where a detail will be so striking that I fixate on it (and possibly miss the next few lines, but it’s worth it). A refrain from one of his tunes (“Vacuum Song”), comparing the ordinary detritus of a household such as dog hair on the floor to the remnants of memories that can hold us back, stuck with me long after the swap was over: “It's time to sweep the memory, shed my skin, and start anew.”
There were many other striking songs throughout the weekend, but I was often too captivated at the time to take notes, so the specifics elude me later. Song swaps at GRFF are like a sudden rain shower of thoughts and feelings—I’m frequently moved or inspired or off on a train of thought, but there’s always more coming so it’s impossible to relate them all (or even remember them all, really). It’s a relaxed and comfy atmosphere but also intense because of how much you get out of each song in this setting.
Sarah Vos had to leave the swap a song or two early, but only because she was hitting the main stage (with Adam Greuel) as folky duo Rucksack Revolution next. I loved that Vos had a song inspired by a music festival in her swap set, and another song about a different festival in this one! Those weren’t the only references to the magic of festivals that weekend; I also heard many stories from artists about friendships (and sometimes even love matches!) being formed at festivals. It added to the enjoyment knowing these happenings can be meaningful to artists as well as fans.
After Rucksack Revolution’s set I hurried to another song swap, this one between Hans Mayer, Haley E Rydell and Luke Callen. Mayer is a La Crosse local and veteran singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who’s played with many acts over the years. He brought to this set a mandolin, a guitar and a Native American flute he’d made. Rydell is a Minneapolis-based fiddler and singer/songwriter I’d heard about often, but this was my first chance to see her live. Along with Callen, the stories they told (in and between their songs) were profound and moving, spanning topics like health and grief and loss and queerness and the absolute necessity of protecting and preserving the natural world.
Haley E Rydell. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
Next I headed back to the main stage for a full set from The Two Tracks. After a year of waiting, I finally got to satisfy my desire to see this Wyoming act. Like at Storyhill last year, they performed as a duo, so I’ve still yet to see their full quartet in action live. I’d love to see them some more—hopefully now that they’re trying out the Midwest more, they’ll make it to the Twin Cities someday!
The Two Tracks. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
Making one of my hard decisions of the weekend, I left their set before it ended and rushed to grab dinner eating quickly so I wouldn’t miss the entirety of the next act. I got back in time to enjoy the second half of a swoony set by Tennessee-based Esme Patterson, a nature-loving, genre-defying indie-dream-pop act, while the most gorgeous sunset was happening over the Mississippi River. The effect was visually and sonically stunning.
Esmé Patterson. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
Next up on the main stage was an act I’d encountered in lockdown livestream times but truly came to love at the 2021 Great River Folk Fest: Chicago Farmer and The Fieldnotes. I adore this energetic heartfelt rootsy act and will never miss a chance to see them if I can help it. Everything about them is great—they have humor and humility yet rockstar energy, talent and swagger. Their songs are hilarious and heartwarming and oh so clever. They feed the soul, they feed the fire of righteous anger about injustice, and they somehow fulfill the need for human connection, making individuals feel seen even in a big audience. The standing ovation at the end of their fiery set said it all.
Chicago Farmer and the Fieldnotes. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
The last act of the night was a band helmed by the other half of Rucksack Revolution: Adam Greuel & The Space Burritos. While there were already a few dancers in the audience the previous set, this spicy Americana act brought dozens more to their feet. Even after a long day of music, theirs was irresistible and gave the crowd a shot of energy that sent us floating home on a wave of euphoria.
Adam Greuel & The Space Burritos. Photo credit: Rosei Skipper.
Day Three
I started my day with another song swap, featuring Johnsmith, Cody Diekhoff of Chicago Farmer and Eddie Allen. Johnsmith and Allen are both residents of the Driftless area of Wisconsin and longtime music veterans, folk singer/songwriters with very different styles but who play extremely well off each other. In fact, all three artists meld different levels of humor and sarcasm with sincerity and sentimentality in their songs. If I haven’t seen this exact configuration in a past year, I’ve definitely seen all three of these festival mainstays swap songs many times, and it’s always a joy. At this point it feels like coming home to me.
Next up on the main stage was McKain Lakey. I’d seen this Minnesota-based artist once in the the before times and had been impressed with her then, but this time around I was blown away by how much she’s developed as an artist in the intervening years. It’s hard to describe her arresting sound and creative lyrics, mixing humor with suffering and frustration as she talks about queerness, health struggles and more, but you should absolutely check her out. I was delighted to see her joined at GRFF by Twin Cities keyboard phenomenon Kevin Gamble and new-to-me Minneapolis cellist Mikey Marget.
I ended my time at Great River Folk Fest in the best way possible: one last song swap featuring a favorite and two new-to-me artists. The most brilliant thing about these sets is that you might be drawn by a specific familiar act but you’ll be exposed to new ones no matter what.
I loved having one more chance to see Cody Diekhoff aka Chicago Farmer, who stayed true to his promise of never repeating a song at any of his GRFF sets. I was impressed and intrigued by Wisconsin artist Wyatt B Thomson and his blend of classic country with other styles. I especially appreciated the echoes of Hank Williams Sr in his sound (and homages snuck into his lyrics). He’s just recently started releasing some singles, and I look forward to seeing him again and getting to know his music better. I also loved my first encounter with singer-songwriter James Grant, who’s been making music for over 50 years and who was brilliant in his set about spinning out a metaphor into a whole song without sounding at all gimmicky.
Sadly I had to leave the festival a little early, so I didn’t get to see the Songwriter Contest winner announced or see his set, but I learned later that the title went to Stuart Stotts, a songwriter, performer and author from LaFarge Wisconsin. Since the winner of each of these contests is invited back to perform the following year, I’m looking forward to checking him out at the 2025 Great River Folk Festival!
Show Gallery: Great River Folk Festival, Aug. 23-25, 2024, La Crosse, WI
All photos courtesy of Rosei Skipper
ABOUT THE AUTHOR & PHOTOGRAPHER
Carol Roth. Photo credit: Dan Lee.
Carol Roth is the primary writer, social media manager, podcast producer and event-calendar updater for Adventures in Americana. By day she’s a marketing writer/brand strategist. In addition to playing guitar and songwriting, she writes self-proclaimed “trashy” novels under the pseudonym T.A. Berkeley.
Rosei Skipper is a photographer, arts lover, wayward psychiatrist, fairly good gardener and excellent cat parent based in Rochester, Minnesota. She grew up in Oregon but fell in love with the Midwest in 2010. She loves live music, snail mail, going on walks and making stickers. She can also be found working for Rochester Public Music and sharing all things art with The Rochester Posse.
