Summer Meltdown has come a long way since its first festival in 2000 on San Juan Island, where tickets were $10 a pop and came with a keg cup. Since its DIY roots, Meltdown has grown to be a Pacific Northwest staple, hosting bands of all scales and introducing music lovers to an array of artists from many genres.
This year, Summer Meltdown will take place this weekend at Sky Meadows Park in Snohomish, with a stacked lineup boasting a list of big names and incredible local acts from the Seattle and Bellingham area. Here’s a guide to some sets you don’t want to miss.
THURSDAY (7/28)
Cory Wong
On Thursday, Cory Wong will be the first headliner to play Meltdown. Perhaps best known for his guitar work in Vulfpeck, Cory Wong is a musician and producer with a portfolio that never seems to stop. His solo work creates and maintains a liveliness and energy that makes for a live act you won’t want to miss. You can catch his set at 8:30 pm on Main Stage.
Opiuo
Hailing from rural New Zealand, Opiuo grew up around music festivals and the interest in electronic music never ceased. Opiuo creates funky, psychedelic bass music that he’s toured the world with. On Thursday at 11:30, he will play Main Stage.
FRIDAY (7/29)
TeZATalks
Seattle singer/songwriter TeZATalks will be taking the Forest Stage at 6 pm on Friday. Her music is equal parts emotional and energetic, creating a soundscape that is engaging and danceable. If you missed her set at Lawnstock this year, be sure to check her out at Meltdown.
Jade Cicada
Hailing from Great Barrington, Massachusetts, Jade Cicada will be another bass/electronic act that will take Main Stage on Friday evening at 8:30.
SATURDAY (7/30)
Ebony
Bellingham’s own Ebony will be playing Mesa VIP at 2 pm on Saturday. Ebony is a local favorite with a voice you have to see live to believe. Her songs are catchy, intimate, and engaging, and we’ll be lucky enough to catch her both as a solo act and in Miles Harris and the Deep Cuts.
Dirtwire
San Francisco’s Dirtwire is a duo that uses a wide range of genre descriptors: “swamptronica,” “electro-twang,” and “spaghetti step” to name a few. Mixing acoustic instruments with electronic production, Dirtwire’s music is as unique as it is danceable, and they’ll be playing Main Stage on Saturday at 8:20.
Korra the Kid
Korra the Kid is a favorite in the local bass scene both in Seattle and Bellingham. If you’re a fan of Wobble Night at the Wild Buffalo, Korra the Kid’s DJ set in the Late Night Tent at 8:50 on Saturday will be a must-see.
SUNDAY (7/31)
The Rhetorician and the Duper Humans
Winners of the 2022 Meltdown Showdown, The Rhetorician and the Duper Humans are going to play the Forest Stage on Sunday at 3 pm. Composed of local rapper The Rhetorician and Supermissive-session-band the Duper Humans, the act is a sort of supergroup in the local scene. Blending a live band sound with The Rhetorician’s lyricism, this is one you won’t want to miss.
Munch
From Bellingham, Munch is a four-piece bluesy-rock band that will be playing the Forest Stage at 6 on Sunday at Meltdown. With a powerhouse vocalist and a grooving instrumental section, Munch delivers an energetic set no matter where they go.
Miles Harris & the Deep Cuts
Another Bellingham local legend, Miles Harris & the Deep Cuts will be taking the Garden Stage at 6:50 on Sunday. Fronted by incredible blues-rock guitarist Miles Harris, this act is a multi-genre experience composed of some of the best musicians this town has to offer.
Lettuce
Icons in the instrumental funk world, Lettuce is a band from Boston, Massachusetts that will be headlining Meltdown on Main Stage at 8 pm on Sunday. Having been active for more than two decades, the group is tight and groovy and is sure to deliver a fantastic live set.
Greensky Bluegrass
What would a Washington outdoor festival be without a healthy dose of bluegrass? Michigan’s Greensky Bluegrass will be wrapping up Main Stage at 10:30 pm on Sunday with a fine-tuned folk set. After a weekend of bass, blues, rap, and everything in between, the bluegrass five-piece will be the perfect end to the festival.
Catch these bands and even more at Summer Meltdown next weekend, July 28-31, at Sky Meadows Park in Snohomish.