Once a year, the small Wisconsin city transforms into a festival grounds for four days of magic.

Turn Turn Turn at Chadwick's. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

My sofa, one night in late July, became a sort of war room. I had multiple screens up on my laptop, including YouTube and a map of Appleton Wisconsin. I had an app up, flipping between a customizable schedule and artist bios, selecting and unselecting and re-selecting shows, slowly shaping my first four days of August like bringing a blurry picture into sharper resolution.

It’s a necessary step if you’re really serious about maximizing your experience at Mile of Music.

The annual festival, celebrating its 11th iteration in 2024, essentially transforms what looks like a charming and possibly sleepy small Midwest city (though I’ve never seen it in its natural state) into a festival grounds for a four-day, multi-genre exploration of music on a truly dizzying scale: 700+ sets by 200+ artists (playing multiple sets) at 40+ venues—most within a mile of each other, many right next door to another one—and all of them free to see.

You can tailor your experience to your music tastes, the kind of venue you prefer, and how much you want to be walking or outdoors—but it really helps if you make those decisions beforehand, because the days go by fast once you’re swept up in it. (I’ve spoken to several casual attendees who dip in and out for just a couple shows and have a great time, but of course there’s nothing casual about the way I enjoy music!) Essentially, it can be as mellow or intense as you want it to be.

Despite some small drawbacks (would love a more interactive map), their app works hard to help you plan your weekend, with a master schedule, a customizable one, and the ability to “favorite” the acts you want to see so you can adjust your plans and sub in a different set if a show is rescheduled or canceled. (It’s also great about announcing inevitable changes—surprisingly few considering the number of moving parts in this festival.

From an attendee perspective it’s one of my favorite annual events (and I’ve only experienced it twice now), and you can tell Appleton’s residents take pride in the event (and hopefully reap benefits from the influx of visitors that make up for the closed streets and crowded sidewalks). But what really elevates this festival is the way the acts themselves talk about it onstage.

I lost count of how many of the artists said it was their favorite festival to play—and not in a generic “Hey XYC City it’s great to be here!” way. Several of them mentioned how well they’re taken care of by Mile of Music, from access to free dental care to massages. But more often, they spoke about the audiences. While some venues are explicitly listening rooms, with reminders before the music starts to silence phones and take conversations outside, even the rowdier bars and outdoor venues seem to have a zone of respectful listening around the stage. The crowds take it seriously and self-regulate for the most part.

Multiple artists also mentioned how open the attendees are to experiencing new acts. Shows of hands from the stage revealed that often, the bulk of their audience had never seen them play before. And yet, at every set I attended, they listened attentively, cheered enthusiastically and quite often (in seated venues) gave standing ovations.

For my first Mile of Music (in 2023), I admit I tended toward the familiar; artists I knew well or at least had heard a ton of buzz about. I loaded up my days with two or even three sets by acts I knew I’d love. It was an incredibly gratifying experience, but this year, I decided to embrace that spirit of discovery that so many other attendees have. While I included quite a few familiar faves, I also filled out my schedule with names unknown to me, listening to snippets of songs and adding anyone who grabbed my ear.

I tried for an ambitious 20 shows over 72 hours. Due to schedule changes, planning snafus and my own human limitations, I managed to see 16 sets (15 different acts). So did the amazing photographer Sammie Jean Cohen (no_aesthetic_stills), who captured the magic while I soaked in each incredible set.

Day 1 (August 1)

Bandits on the Run at Hilton Appleton Paper Valley. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

I arrived Thursday afternoon just in time to park, check in, throw my stuff in the hotel room and catch my first show of the day: Bandits on the Run! They played at the Empire Ballroom at the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley, an epicenter of Mile activities. Not only is it where I (and many of the acts) stayed, it also housed several venues on two floors and in the courtyard.

I’d caught this quirky, talented and incredibly engaging Brooklyn-based trio once before and couldn’t miss them. Adrian Enscoe, Sydney Shepherd, and Regina Strayhorn comprise the group, which plays a unique blend of indie folk, pop and Americana with an unmistakable theatrical flourish (all three are actors who’ve appeared on both stage and screen). Their freewheeling set employed alternating lead vocals and three-part harmonies, a guitar, a cello, a suitcase drum, an accordion, and various novelty instruments (including a small megaphone!). The basement ballroom was hot and crowded but the audience was enthusiastic and enthralled, including me.

Rainbow Girls at The 513. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

I was tired after my day of travel, so my second and last show of the day was another act I was familiar with (from the Blue Ox Music Festival in 2023): Rainbow Girls, playing to a packed listening room in The 513 (an event space that hosts weddings and more). The Northern California trio took us on a journey of acoustic and electric instruments, harmonies, alternating lead vocals and even some killer beatboxing.

Multi-instrumentalists Vanessa Wilbourn, Erin Chapin, and Caitlin Gowdey are massively talented and charismatic, but their rockstar swagger is tempered with a down-to-earth vibe that makes them feel like friends, people you want to hang out and shoot the shit with. Their music, lyrics and stage patter combine revolutionary, sarcastic and sweary with uplifting and wholesome, and the result is fun and powerful and energizing.

Day 2 (August 2)

Julie Williams at Hilton Appleton Paper Valley. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

I once again started the day in the easiest way possible, at a venue within the hotel. I was there to see Julie Williams, a Florida-raised, Nashville-based artist I’ve encountered in Black Opry Revue, the lineup-shifting collective (which includes both touring and local acts in its rounds-style shows) and also in a rounds at last year’s Mile of Music.

Taking place in the ballroom at the Hilton, this was a special kind of set, a collaboration with Lawrence University’s Chamber Orchestra, so we got to hear some fantastic music from them, and then Williams joined them for unique arrangements of her original music. Her part of the set was tantalizingly brief—just two songs—but both were incredible: the heartbreaking (though ultimately triumphant “Southern Curls” and a new song that comes out in just a few days, “Just Friends?” This captivating story song tells of a long-ago friendship that could’ve become something more in the right circumstances.

Abby Posner at Mondo! On the River. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

Next up on my itinerary was Abby Posner at Mondo! On the River. I was caught out by the wine bar’s new location (last year it was much closer to the center of the action) and nearly missed the set due to capacity limits. Just as I was about to stop hovering by the door, someone left so I could come in, and I was so glad I stuck around.

This set started somewhat straightforwardly as good-quality singer-songwriter folk music (though with a cello accompaniment that already made it a little different). The Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter’s voice is clear as a bell and a pleasure to hear. But Postner’s seemingly simple set grew to include effects pedals, live looping, virtuosic playing (by both artists), powerful belting vocals, blues and rock elements… I (and everyone else there) was blown away.

Leon Timbo at Hilton Appleton Paper Valley. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

Next, I hurried back to the hotel to see Leon Timbo. This artist originally from Florida endured a cloudless sky and high temperatures in the courtyard of the Hilton without missing a beat (though he did thank every errant cloud that gave temporary relief)!

Beyond being spectacular in its own right—Timbo has a mellifluous, soulful voice and a disarming stage presence and was joined by a stellar bassist, drummer and backup vocalist—this set was special to me. When I co-founded Adventures in Americana a few years ago, I had a pretty simplistic, limited view of what the “genre” entailed. Timbo’s excellent 2021 EP was one of several things that expanded my thinking and set me on a path to embracing more and more nuanced, expansive definitions of “Americana.” I was delighted when he played the title track “Lovers and Fools,” which blends country and soul/R&B so beautifully that it prompted a seismic change in my perspective. I’m sure grateful for that.

Amanda Grace at The Bar. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

Next up was a familiar face (and voice): Amanda Grace, playing at The Bar. I knew from experience that this Minnesotan artist can deliver a sweet and thoughtful solo performance or a more rocking full band set, having seen both, and this was definitely the latter. The louder party atmosphere gave her free rein to unleash her powerful voice without holding back, and her tight backing band attracted several dancers during the set.

Nathan Graham at Hilton Appleton Paper Valley. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

I returned to the Hilton to yet another one of their ballrooms to see Americana rocker Nathan Graham. I’d added this Chicago to my list on the strength of about 30 seconds of a song during my research, but it didn’t prepare me for the fiery, rapturous experience that awaited me. It’s hard to describe the engulfing nature of this set, which thrilled on so many levels from vocals to band cohesion to songwriting to the most satisfying, chill-inducing guitar solos I’ve heard in a while.

In a particularly memorable moment, they absolutely brought the house down during a song, making the audience lose our collective minds, and then said it was brand new and that they weren’t sure about playing it! I’m not sure what it’s called, but I’ll be looking out for new releases from Graham—and for chances to see this stunning act live again. More than one friend told me that he was their top music discovery of the whole festival, and I’m not at all surprised that there was consensus about that.

Willi Carlisle at Hilton Appleton Paper Valley. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

After his set I headed to another ballroom in the Hilton to catch Willi Carlisle. I’d been wanting to see more of him since first encountering him briefly in a rounds-style private showcase set at the Folk Alliance International Conference in Kansas City a couple years ago. I’d missed a chance or two to see him in the Twin Cities since then, so I was thrilled to get the chance to see him here.

It was worth the wait. The attentive listening audience provided a perfect atmosphere for Carlisle’s wildly verbose, complex and witty lyrics, which have a disquieting way of bringing into focus many of my anxieties about the state of our world as well as the terrifying inevitability of mortality. At the same time they’re warm and funny and full of humanity, so it’s not all bleak; in fact I laughed most of the way through the set, even while contemplating our somewhat disastrous existence. I was entertained and disturbed and I hope I get to see him again soon!

Last up for me that night (though the party was far from over at Mile of Music), playing at Chadwick’s, was Midwest supergroup Turn Turn Turn! Collectively led by Adam Levy, Savannah Smith and Barb Brynstad, all mainstays of the Minnesota music scene, this is an act that knows how to turn the dial up or down depending on the venue, and they cranked it up in the loud space, drawing patrons from other parts of the bar with their more uptempo country and Southern rock-inflected songs and soaring three-part harmonies. Despite being at the end of a 10-hour music day, they had me bouncing along the whole way through.

Day 3 (August 3)

Despite my intention to see as many acts as possible versus seeing many of them more than once, I started my third day not being able to resist another chance to see Julie Williams, since the previous day’s set had been so brief. Despite the packed house in the Hilton ballroom, the storytelling between songs in this set added up to a very special set that felt incredibly intimate. I was especially struck by Williams talking about a somewhat hidden disability and our common human struggle to be at peace with our imperfections.

It was particularly notable because the day before, watching her with the chamber orchestra, I’d actually found myself thinking that she seemed perfect to me, from her voice to her outfits to her beauty to her gentle and generous presence. Somehow, the realization that even someone as perfect-seeming as Williams could be dealing with unseen challenges and struggling to accept herself made her music feel all the more important and universal.

Joy Clark at Bose Listening Room in Hilton Appleton Paper Valley. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

I left that show for a brief but heavenly set at Bose Listening Room, also in the Hilton, by Joy Clark. I’d first heard her in a rounds with Williams at last year’s Mile, so it felt fitting to see them back-to-back. Like Williams, she has a way of presenting the world in her storytelling and songs that’s both heartbreaking and inspiring. Although her 20-minute set felt like it was over before it started, I’m comforted to know she’ll have a showcase at the FARM (Midwest Folk Alliance) conference in Illinois in October, so I have another chance to see her coming up!

The Rebel Eves on the patio at Jim’s and Wooden Nickel. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

Next, I headed out into a hot sunny day to the patio shared by two bars, Jim’s and Wooden Nickel, to see The Rebel Eves! This trio of artists—Katie Pederson, Grace Theisen and Jilian Linklater—are from three different states and are also solo acts. The band has only been around for about a year, but their cohesion is fantastic and their songwriting is sharp, topical and relatable. They were one of several power trios I saw during this festival and, like the others, could trade lead vocals as well as deliver spine-tingling three-part harmonies.

Carsie Blanton at Appleton Beer Factory. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

From there, I walked a few blocks to the Appleton Beer Factory to catch an act I’ve heard about several times over the years but had never seen until now: Carsie Blanton. The New Jersey singer-songwriter held the crowd in the palm of her hand with her effortlessly great voice, lyrics that went from radical optimism and defiance to resigned despair to fuck it let’s party, and several rousing antifascist and anticapitalist singalongs. (Not to mention the adorable overalls she and her bandmate wore.)

It was the smartest, funnest set of protest music I’ve heard in a while, maybe ever, and I’m so excited that she’s coming to the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis soon. It’ll be the perfect venue (and crowd) for what she has to offer.

Pat Byrne at Copper Rock Coffee Company. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

Next I went to Copper Rock Coffee Company to see Pat Byrne. I hadn’t heard of him before (beyond listening to a brief sample of his music while creating my itinerary, but he was another great discovery. This Austin-based Irish folk artist has a way with words, lyrics that are personal and specific yet link to and thoughtfully examine universal struggles, and a clear compelling voice that held the packed room captive.

Christopher Gold at The 513. Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

I returned to The 513 to see an Appleton singer-songwriter I’d first encountered the previous year, Christopher Gold. I remember learning that he’s played every Mile since its inception (11 festivals total!). Sometimes it’s the funniest acts that get the waterworks going, maybe because they get you to let your guard down. Despite how many times his practiced stage patter and clever lyrics made me laugh, I also found myself crying during one of the more reflective songs. It was a surprisingly emotional end to the day but a welcome one. As happened the previous year, his teenage son joined in for a song, and their bond and obvious pleasure performing together was a heartwarming delight.

Day 4 (August 4)

Valley Fox Photo credit: no_aesthetic_stills.

I’d signed on to review a Minnesota show that evening, so I only had time for one set on the final day of Mile of Music, in yet another Hilton listening room. I could not have picked a better note to end on than Wisconsin’s own Valley Fox, yet another power trio made up of mandolinist Joe Wais (The MilBillies, Sugar Bush), guitarist Laura Bomber (Bomber and Red) and bassist Tori Yocum (Sarabi). Mandolin and early shows go so well together, and I hadn’t caught much string band music this weekend, so it was a real treat. The group recently released their first single, “Roll On Mary,” and this set made me excited to hear more from them soon.

Somehow, after seeing 15 acts play 16 sets at 14 venues over 72 hours, I felt more fulfilled than drained. This festival manages to be immersive without feeling overwhelming and lets you create your own experience depending on your energy and capacity. As I drove back toward Minnesota, I was sad that Mile of Music was over for me for another year, but they’ve scheduled the next one, so mark your calendars for July 31–August 3, 2025. It’s a testament to the quality of this festival that I’m already looking forward to heading back to Appleton!

More info on Mile of Music

Show Gallery from Mile of Music 11

All photos courtesy of no_aesthetic_stills

Bandits on the Run

Rainbow Girls

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & PHOTOGRAPHER

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.

Event Review: Mile of Music 11 in Appleton, WI