By Claire Burnett, The Current Co-Editor-in-Chief
On Saturday September 30 and October 1, Merriweather Post Pavilion held their third All Things Go music festival, which has previously been held at the Union Market and Yards Park in Washington, DC.
Held since 2014, All Things Go features a variety of artists throughout the day, performing on both the main pavilion stage and the smaller chrysalis stage. This year’s festival consisted of 32 artists, including headliners Lana Del Rey, boygenius, and Maggie Rogers, with other popular artists such as Peach Pit, Lizzy McAlpine, Alex G, and Ethel Cain.
This year’s festival achieved an all-time high of attendance, selling out of its nearly 20,000 capacity, with an additional 40,000 people placed on a waiting list for tickets. The effects of the sold out event could be felt at all aspects of the festival, from concert merchandise selling out after the first day, the lawn being packed nearly shoulder to shoulder with people, and lines to enter the festival extending along the street. Luckily, some All Things Go merchandise was made available online after the festival concluded, but many of the artists who had merchandise do not have online options for purchase.
With River Hill’s proximity to Merriweather, many students secured tickets to the concert and went to see their favorite artists as well as some lesser-known artists. Senior Becca Karon recalled, “All Things Go was amazing! It was a surreal experience to see such famous artists perform so close to home.” Some of the most popular activities for concert attendees were listening to music, hanging out with their friends, and taking pictures to share on social media.
A few of the most popular artists seen by River Hill students seem to be Lana Del Rey, Lizzy McAlpine, and Peach Pit. Becca commented, “I loved Mt. Joy’s and Lizzy McAlpine’s sets on Saturday at the Chrysalis Stage! I’ve streamed their music for a while now and to see them both perform live at Merriweather was very special.”
Not only is Merriweather a popular place for River Hill concert goers, but it is also a common workplace for many River Hill students and some staff. In order for such a large festival to run smoothly, a large team effort is needed, including food preparation, security, and guest services. This results in a large need for staff, and high school students seem to be some of the perfect candidates for the job- mostly summer events, night shifts after school, and the ability to listen to live music while at work.
Senior Aubrey Heighes worked at the All Things Go festival and she commented, “I could hear [the artists] when I was working because of where I was, and I got to see snippets when I was on a break.” In addition to seeing artists while working, Aubrey remarked that overall, “I do like working at Merriweather because my coworkers are really fun and management really cares about us as people and make a great environment.”
This year’s All Things Go festival was overall a huge success and hopefully it will continue to grow in the future.