By Jonas Chisolm
September 16th, 2022.
The photo was taken by Sorena Dadgar.
The Hopscotch Music Festival has always been about discovering new artists and people. New acts and new experiences are added to the lineup every year. Club shows were added at Slim’s and The Pour House Music Hall, similar to last year. There were lots of experiences to be had even with the rain. The year included main stage performances from the likes of Kim Gordon, Seun Kuti, Perfume Genius, Charlie Crockett, and Makaya McCraven, as well as packed club shows featuring acts like Black Haus and loamlands. Hopscotch has changed over the last 12 years. A lot of what makes it special is still the same.
Here are some of our favorites from the festival.
Wand
It is not something you would expect to hear a band playing in a park while relaxing on a blanket, but that is what made this one of our favorites. Many were beginning to trickle in for the night after their performance at Moore Square Park. With a backdrop of visuals reminiscent of falling deep into a void,Corey Hanson’s vocal performance was as quietly confident as his lead guitar performance was electric. The sixty minutes were packed to the brim with tight transitions and face-melting solos. There was a full display of the Los Angeles band’s synergy.
Courtney Barnett
The headliners of Hopscotch 2022 were known for their songs such as “Avant Gardener” and “Pedestrian at Best”. Even with some technical difficulties, Barnett and his band never wavered in their performance as they played to what may have been the largest crowd of the weekend. Her stage banter carried with it small moments of humor. The audience became more and more invested when she said that the song was about trying to buy a house. One of the best sets of the weekend featured the closing tune, “Write a list of things to look forward to”
Jooselord
Slim’s was filled with a sea of bodies as Jooselord took the stage. While in a room that could barely fit about 100 people, he and his partner in crime Jovi Mo$coni, dressed in their signature all-black aesthetic, pulled people through a flurry of trap- infused chaos. As Joose said to go, the crowd members threw their bodies around with reckless abandon. Joose’s newest song “Quarantine” shook the dive bar with chants of “Let me out this b**tch!” while old favorites like “Pirates” and “Vent” brought along with them. It was reminiscent of the days of 2020 when we all wanted to be somewhere. Crowd surfing, headbanging, and moshing could be seen at the show. Jooselord looked right at home in Slim’s, a bar with a rich punk and metal background.
Headkicker
The Headkicker shredded to a packed Slim’s crowd on Saturday night. Headkicker, a new band, brought a sense of urgency to the show. It felt like it mattered more to Steve than it did to him. The sound of Andrew Manson’s amplifier was deafening. There was never a wasted second when performing the songs. The crowd seemed desperate to take blow after blow as Headkicker worked through their setlist.
Dawn Richard
The power of moving your body can be used to heal. Danity Kane and Dirty Money member has reinvented herself many times. Richard’s band had a seemingly endless supply of energy to match his performance. A gumbo of sounds fresh to those in attendance was served by Richard.
Flock of Dimes
The solo project of singer and guitarist Jenn Wasner, who is half of Wye Oak, seemed determined to go with the flow even though they had technical difficulties. All of these issues looked like a breeze as the artist wove through each song with all of her sonic humor. The band performed in front of a sparse but attentive crowd. The hour long set saw Wasner attendees dazzle with a plethora of captivating guitar solo and lush vocals from the Baltimore native.
Kassie Krut
The music of Hopscotch can be really unique. The new project from Palm’s Eve Alpert and Kasra Krut is heavily influenced by the noisy and aggressive electronic music of the past. The Philadelphia group was joined by Matt Anderegg, who played a drum pad and had two looping guitars. The tightly packed crowd of onlookers didn’t seem to always understand what they were hearing, but throughout the 45 minutes, what may have been a curious gaze turned into a gothic dive bar dance floor.