At the River and Marina stages, the focus was on singer-songwriters and rock acts, including Dawes, Portugal. The Man and Little Feat.
Rob Baidokas spoke to WHYY News while waiting to see one of his favorite bands, St. Paul and The Broken Bones. A self-described WXPN supporter for more than a decade, Baidokas said the community cultivated by the station keeps him coming back to the festival each year.
In addition, it also serves as a way to get into up-and-coming artists who get a boost from playing in front of so many people.
“Seeing some artists when they’re just starting out and then a few years later, they end up becoming big, touring around the country and the world,” Baidokas said. “They always come back and show their support for us.”
One artist that came to mind was Mt. Joy, a Philly-based indie band that’s set to play down the street at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion on Friday.
“I’ve seen them at Union Transfer, at Ardmore, at The Mann,” Baidokas said. “It really is insane to see how the community has helped them grow.”