The Inaugural Sound on Sound Music Festival in Bridgeport, CT – September 24-25, 2022

Music festivals are making their comeback! Following the pandemic, it’s been a rough go for all things music. Fans have been desperate to get back into their favorite venues to hear their favorite artists play once again. Artists have likewise been ready to get back on stage, but with a world of new regulations, policies and restrictions, we have seen less tours. When word of the brand new “Sound on Sound” festival made headlines, people bought, booked and began planning their exclusive musical weekend. 

The entire industry has faced ups and downs on the new road back to normal. The planners behind this music festival knocked it out of the park. With 2 days of incredible line ups without overlapping sets, great food selections, world class VIP areas and unique entertainment this festival came to play! Artists like The Lumineers, Brandi Carlile, Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds, Father John Misty AND Steve Nicks took to the stages! This was a lineup of a lifetime, it makes perfect sense that they had visitors from all over the country and beyond. 

I had the pleasure of meeting attendees from San Francisco, Knoxville, Denver and so many more! People traveled all the way to Bridgeport, CT for Sound on Sound, and it was worth it. The weather was perfect, warm in the afternoons then breezy and cool in the evenings. People gathered around the stages with scarfs and their favorite blankets while they sang lyric for lyric. 

As with any first year festival, it’s an active learning experience for planners. There were a few hiccups with wait times, long lines and a few set start complications. Although I must applaud the PR team and Ops teams who took all the day one feedback and perfected day two. With new plans for chairs and blankets, shorter lines and wait times, no audio or tech mishaps, they learned swiftly and improved as much as they could, as fast as they could. 

Headliners are what sells the event, and seeing Stevie Nicks was like watching a dream come to life live on stage. The 74 year old musician came out dressed head to toe in black velvet. All eyes were locked in as she began performing. Being able to hear “Dreams”, it was nothing shy of a core memory. Even with little to no movement outside of her mouth, felt like hearing it for the first time back in 1977. This is one track that will never lose its momentum. 

The Lumineers also headlined Saturday night, with each member stealing the show at least once! Lead singer Wesley Schultz undoubtedly leaves an impact, his vocals so crisp they pierce a piece of you. Just before performing “WHERE WE ARE” he spoke briefly about a car accident he had been in. Driving through Arizona in the rain, they crashed and flipped multiple times, leaving witnesses horrified at the wreckage and in awe that they survived. He connected this wreck to the last few years during the pandemic. How so many of us felt lost and as if our own lives had flipped three times and yet, here we are. It touched the crowd, who had struggled to connect during the madness of the pandemic. Wesley connected everyone during that song, and had people applauding as it finished. The sounds of the applause just barely covered up the faint sounds of a few cries throughout the audience. That’s how much The Lumineers work has touched hearts around the world. 

Brandi Carlile, Gary Clark Jr, Zach Bryan, The Roots, Caamp and Father John Misty were among some of the other artists who took to the stage earlier in the weekend. Singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile took to the stage with 4 talented, all-female backup vocalists. They enhanced her show and had their own solos. Brandi stood behind them and cheered for them each time they took the stage’s forefront. The wind coming off of the beach and straight onto the stage became the perfect hairstylist. Wind blowing Carlile’s hair back as she sang some of her top hits with her crew became the optimal photo opportunity for all photographers and viewers alike! 

Zach Bryan gave us a third time’s a charm set, attempting to start his show three times before actually getting started. The very first was a timing mishap, as he began on time – although Caamp was still performing on the opposite stage. After the crowd, photographers and technical assistants noticed, he let out many swift apologies and headed backstage. Following that incident there were technical difficulties, all cutting his set a bit short. This did NOT stop Zach from giving the performance of a lifetime! With vocals that turned everyone with ears into a blushing Southern Country teen heartthrob, Zach has us swooning. 

Both The National and Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds were cut short due to a thunderstorm that invaded the skies above, truly letting Sound on Sound go out with a bang! This was the final show for The National, as they wrapped up their Summer 2022 tour. They absolutely gave the grand finale to Sound on Sound, with lighting that was interstellar, and such a compliment to their entire set. Dave Matthews was the final headliner to conclude Sound on Sound, going on in a bit of a mist that was soon to become a downpour, accompanied by an untamed thunder and lightning storm just a mere 25 minutes from his start time. Dave was traveling with his long time lead guitarist Tim Reynolds. Needless to say Tim is a guitar master, and left many wishing they could even adjust a turning key. While the duo cracked jokes between breaths and Dave sung into the mist, they certainly put on a show to remember. 

All of the artists who took to the dual Sound on Sound stages were unique, festival organizers did a spectacular job organizing this weekend lineup. Each came with their own sounds from indie rock to smooth country and back to the blues, rock and soul music. This festival had it all, something for everyone! Overall this festival was a worthwhile experience, the perfectly stacked set times, the lineups, the festival areas, food and beverages, atmosphere and weather! Sound on Sound gets a 9/10 from me. I hope to see this festival again next year!

Check out our highlights gallery below, and let the images speak for themselves! Click on any of the band photos to bring you to even more festival coverage here on The Entertainment Outlet!