The second inaugural In Between Days festival kicked off this past weekend in Quincy at the Veterans Memorial Stadium. In just one year, the festival has doubled its roster, stages and duration, proving that they could overcome all odds and host a wildly successful weekend, featuring Modest Mouse, Lord Huron, Phantogram and many more.
In Between Days festival was started last year by Alex Magleby, CEO of the New England Freejacks, the professional union rugby team that occupies the stadium throughout the year. Magleby’s venture into the music festival scene came to fruition in 2022 with headliners Manchester Orchestra, Hippo Campus and Tennis, along with other national and local acts. This year, the festival spared no expense booking artists of even greater variety, expanding the vendor selection, and improving the fan experience overall.
The two days of the festival felt like separate events entirely, given the artist lineups, weather and energy. Saturday stayed a bit cooler and overcast, and featured a selection of bands that erred on the heavier rock spectrum – standouts include Modest Mouse, Sunny Day Real Estate, The Beths and Weakened Friends. The somewhat dreary weather complimented the vibe of the music, and gave fans a nice break from the summer sun that has been plaguing New England this year.
Sunday followed with opposite intentions, boasting a gentler and folk-centric lineup in comparison to the previous day – including names such as Lord Huron, Trampled by Turtles, Phantogram, and Cautious Clay. Fans ditched their jeans and hoodies for tank tops and sunscreen as the sun beamed down on the turf field of the stadium. “Please remember to stay hydrated today!” says Adrian Galvin (better known under his stage name, Yoke Lore) in between songs. Galvin took several opportunities during his mid-afternoon set to remind folks to drink water and apply sunscreen with the noticeable lack of cloud cover.
Despite hosting huge acts across both days, the festival did their due diligence to give space to local acts that made the weekend feel like a homecoming of sorts. Some artists came up in New England (Weakened Friends from Portland, ME), others came up in Massachusetts (Slothrust from Boston), and a few even came from right down the street (Mint Green from Dorchester or Shallow Pools from Quincy). Given the nature of competition between festivals nowadays, it’s always welcome to see talent buyers promote local acts and give them a platform in front of audiences they might not get otherwise.
After much anticipation for the second round, it was exciting (and somewhat relieving) to see the team at In Between Days improve the festival in almost every aspect. Stay tuned for more information regarding In Between Days 2024!
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE FESTIVAL VISIT THEIR WEBSITE HERE!
