I’m interrupting the regular foodiness of this blog to bring you something way cooler. Yesterday I went to my first Mixfest hosted on the Esplanade.
Growing up around Boston and a regular listener of Mix 98.5/104.1, I had always been aware of Mixfest as an awesome star-studded concert but never gone since tickets were usually pricy and hard to come by. This year, however, the concert was free. And since my friends wanted to see the concert just as bad as I did, we planned out a day trip to Boston and made it happen.
We got to the hatchshell wicked early(can you spy the Bostonism?) and had a couple hours to kill before the performances started.
Cotton candy was an obvious snack choice. I’d like to say I don’t eat it much but this was my second time this week. I just love sugar so much.
There was also a stand that sold just about everything imaginable on a stick and covered and chocolate which a lot of my friends got. I was really in the mood for cotton candy, so I stuck with that. But if they set up shop in Providence, there’d be trouble.
Finally Javier Colon took the stage, winner of last season’s The Voice. I admittedly was a Dia Frampton fan but he did an amazing job singing songs like Time After Time and Stitch By Stitch and hit some incredible notes.
Next up was Michelle Branch, which would have been the highlight of my 2000’s childhood. It was a blast singing along to her older songs; I was surprised just how many hits she had and that I could remember all the words.
After Michelle was perhaps the highlight and main reason we decided to come to Mixfest: Sara Bareilles. I saw Sara a few weeks ago also in Boston so I knew to expect a spot-on performance. She sings JUST like she sounds on her album and always gets the crowd up and dancing. An easy favorite.
After Sara was Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. Admittedly I had never heard of them before. By the end of their set though, I was a fan. She brought the most energy out of any performer and rocked the house. Her fans were equally as amusing to watch; for a second it looked more like Woodstock than Mixfest.
During her first few songs I helped myself to a dinner of pink cotton candy. I think I prefer the blue flavor, described on the bag as “Boo Blue.” Yum, how do I make that at home?
The last performance of the night was Lifehouse. This could have gone either way but they ended up being really good and closing the night strong. Another band that I forgot had a huge number of hits. I think I lost my voice somewhere during Hanging By A Moment.
Start to end, the whole trip was 11 hours long. And then we ended up back in Providence dancing to some very different music with a very different crowd for a few hours. Today’s going to have to be pretty low key to recover from it all.
That looks like SUCH a fun day! I love outdoor music fests or street fairs and fests and live music is always just the best!
The pic of you with the cotton candy is THE BEST! LOVE IT! 🙂
And I havent had cotton candy in ages and now I want some. Pure sugar = pure happiness!
hahaha wicked early. everytime i see that i think about 30 rock with alec baldwin & julianne moore. i love grace potter and the nocturnals. they came about a month ago here <3
That is awesome that the concert was free with such well know artists! What a great way to spend the day.
Looks like wicked fun! 😉 I have a soft spot for cotton candy still, too. I think Bed Bath & Beyond and similar stores have a home cotton candy maker you can buy, if you want to re-create that experience at home. Just saying. 🙂
I like your new facial hair. Pink is a good color.
I can’t believe Michelle Branch is still playing music. I used to loveeeee her!
She played some new ones, too, and they actually weren’t bad. I’m going to download them right after I download everything Grace Potter & The Nocturnals
You have friends?
No, I made them up and paid a hobo to take a picture of me.
That looks like an awesome time! I haven’t heard Michelle Branch in what seems like forever.
Looks like a blast!! I have a friend that is a huge, huge Grace Potter fan. She keeps telling me to check her out, but just haven’t had a chance. I will have to soon!
That sounds like a blast. I used to love Hanging By a Moment….man, that feels like ages ago that was out. Fun day.
Grace Potter played once at my old work (Waterville Ski Resort) and all I remember is she requested a bowl of purple jelly beans in her dressing room. I like some of her newer stuff!