It’s not just any music festival that can return for its 27th go-round, but Twangfest isn’t just any music festival. Three nights of Americana and roots music come to Off Broadway (3509 Lemp) this weekend. Thursday brings ClassicTwang, Friday is SoulTwang, and Saturday is IndieTwang.
Andrew Scavotto is part of a team of volunteers who run the nonprofit that produces the show, with support from the Regional Arts Commission and Urban Chestnut Brewing Company. He credits the festival’s longevity to one thing: love.
“I really do think it comes down to Twangfest being a nonprofit that was founded and developed organically by music lovers,” he says. “If this was a for-profit business, it would have failed a long time ago.”
Instead, it’s been a can’t-miss part of the city’s music calendar since 1997. Twangfest itself is just a part of its mission, with weekly Saturday Sessions at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market showcasing the depth and diversity of the city’s music community, bringing all kinds of St. Louisans together around music.
“It’s really driven by consistent and significant volunteer effort over the years—volunteers who care about music and are devoted to the history and culture of music in St. Louis, who genuinely believe that St. Louis has an important place in music history,” says Scavotto. “It’s a nonprofit that has a year-round mission, too.”
In setting up each year’s slate, Scavotto and other volunteers prioritize bands that put on a heckuva show, of course, but they also operate with a mind to discovery, introducing audiences to new and interesting music that they might not hear otherwise.
The fest has welcomed big-deal acts such Jason Isbell, Neko Case, Alejandro Escovedo, Matthew Sweet, and The Jayhawks. At the same time, though, Scavotto loves the thrill of finding something new, such as his favorite live band, Marah, an act he first discovered at a past Twangfest.
This year, outlaw country heavy hitters Dale Watson and Chuck Mead are on the bill for Thursday. So is Eliza Thorn, an emerging singer-songwriter out of Nashville. On Friday, the St. Louis-based Playadors perform a set of soul favorites from Stax Records, followed by Freedom Affair. And on Saturday, hear River Shook, Rosali, and Candi Jenkins.
While Scavotto says the whole lineup is great, he’s particularly stoked for the Playadors Stax Revue. “It’s like my personal dream show, but I also think it fits our mission, and it’s going to be fantastic,” he says. “It’s not your average Playador show. I’d say they’re, like, the coolest band, but calling it a band is almost an understatement. I think it’s going to be really fun to see this many great musicians coming together to do a lot of your favorite soul songs.”
While he’s familiar with all of the acts, he’s never seen Eliza Thorn, Rosali, or River Shook in concert. “I’m really looking forward to that, because I strongly believe that a key function of Twangfest is introducing people to music discovery,” he says. “I just want people to show up and have fun.”
Doors open at 7 p.m., and shows are at 8 p.m. Individual tickets start at $25, with pass options available.
