Festival lineup — Week 1

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

The Festival at Sandpoint gates open Thursday, July 27 for the 40th annual summer concert series, showcasing new faces and old favorites over eight exciting nights. Missing this year: the iconic white tent (for more on that, see Page 4), but the show will most definitely go on. Below are the acts for the opening week. Tickets are available at festivalatsandpoint.com.

Thursday, July 27

Brit Floyd
Regarded as one of the most successful tribute bands of all time, Brit Floyd is on tour celebrating the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon. Since forming in 2011, Brit Floyd has captivated audiences around the world with their theatrics and faithful renditions of Pink Floyd’s repertoire. Damian Darlington — musical director, guitarist and vocalist — has played more than 2,500 Pink Floyd-inspired concerts, according to the Festival’s recent press release. Brit Floyd’s performance promises an authentic experience with the same “wow” factor as Pink Floyd’s final tour in 1994.

This will be a seated show, meaning the area in front of the stage is general admission short-chair and blanket seating only, and dancing areas can be found to the left and right sides of the stage. General admission tickets are $49.95 before taxes and fees. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the music begins at 7:30 p.m. 

Friday, July 28

Gary Clark Jr. w/Brady Watt
Four-time Grammy-winner Gary Clark Jr. can’t be defined by a single genre — or three or four. This master of blues, rock and soul has taken the stage in front of live crowds, TV audiences and a sitting president. His most recent album, This Land, reached No. 6 on the Billboard Top 200 and is celebrated for its socially conscious themes, exploring the national political climate and his experiences as a Black man in the U.S.

This will be a standard show, meaning the area in front of the stage is standing-room only. Tickets are $54.95 before taxes and fees. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the music begins at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, July 29

Train w/Better Than Ezra
With familiar titles like “Play that Song” and “Drops of Jupiter,” it’s no surprise that this three-time Grammy-winning band has garnered a following far beyond their loyal hometown fans. Train has sold more than 10 million albums, with 14 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 list — including the most-downloaded single of 2010, “Hey, Soul Sister.” With nearly three decades of hits under their belt, this concert promises to blend early 2000s nostalgia with new songs from their latest album, AM Gold.

This will be a standard show. General admission tickets are SOLD OUT. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the music begins at 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, July 30

The String Cheese Incident 

The String Cheese Incident will play Sunday, July 30 at the Festival at Sandpoint. Photo by Dylan Langille.

The String Cheese Incident (SCI) became a pioneer of the music industry in the ’90s with their unprecedented use of the internet. SCI was among the first bands to publish information online, going so far as to start their own ticketing, merchandising and travel companies to give fans easier access to their music. Come for the innovative performance style, stay for the humanitarianism. With philanthropic ideals at its core, SCI advocates for eco-friendly tours and has helped to support nonprofits like Conscious Alliance and HeadCount. 

This is a standard show. General admission is $59.95 before taxes and fees. Gates open at 6 p.m. and the music begins at 7 p.m.

See festivalatsandpoint.com for full biographical information about each artist. Check the Aug. 3 edition of the Reader for a recap of Festival — Week 2 performers.