By Reader Staff
The Festival at Sandpoint announced the return of a crowd favorite for Thursday, Aug. 3; Michael Franti and Spearhead with SOJA. Franti and Spearhead are no strangers to the Festival at Sandpoint stage, playing under the white tent in 2010 and again in 2011.
Franti is a globally recognized musician and activist revered for his high-energy live shows and uplifting reggae, pop and hip-hop-inspired music influenced by the power of optimism. Throughout his multi-decade career, Franti has earned three Billboard No. 1’s, with hits “Sound of Sunshine,” “Say Hey (I Love You)” and “I Got You,” as well as six Top 30 Hot AC singles, 10 Top 25 AAA Singles and three Billboard Top 5 Rock Albums.
Michael Franti and Spearhead with SOJA will play the Festival at Sandpoint Thursday, Aug. 3 at War Memorial Field. Courtesy photo.
Spearhead’s 12th studio album, Follow Your Heart, was released in June 2022 and debuted at No. 2 on the iTunes Pop Chart.
In January 2019, Franti released his self-directed documentary Stay Human, which won an array of awards at film festivals worldwide and influenced the album Stay Human Vol. II (Thirty Tigers), which debuted at No. 1 on both the Americana and Independent Album charts and received critical acclaim from USA Today, Billboard and more.
Franti continues to foster community both on and off stage, with a wish-granting nonprofit, Do It For The Love, which he founded with his wife, Sara. Do It For The Love brings veterans, children, those with life-threatening illnesses and others with severe challenges to concerts worldwide, fulfilling more than 3,300 wishes and touching the lives of more than 12,000 people to date.
For more than two decades, SOJA has entertained international audiences with a fresh yet timeless take on roots reggae, born from a shared passion for making music that transports and inspires.
On the band’s Grammy Award-winning album, Beauty in the Silence, the SOJA deepens that communal spirit by collaborating with artists from all corners of the reggae world, including the UB40, Slightly Stoopid, Stick Figure and Rebelution.
SOJA is comprised by Jacob Hemphill (lead vocals, guitar); Bobby Lee (bass, vocals); Ryan Berty (drums); Kenny Bongos (percussion); Patrick O’Shea (keyboards); Hellman Escorcia (saxophone); Rafael Rodriguez (trumpet); and Trevor Young (lead guitar, vocals).
Michael Franti and Spearhead with SOJA on Thursday, Aug. 3, is a standard show, meaning the area in front of the stage is standing room only.
Tickets are available now at festivalatsandpoint.com. General admission is $54.95 before taxes and fees. Gates will open Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. and the music begins at 7:15 p.m.
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