All Things THING Festival

I recently had the opportunity to attend THING Festival just outside Seattle and it was a great weekend. Here is my review of the weekend.

Venue: Remlingers Farms was a great venue for a festival. First off, it was a scenic drive out in the farmlands east of Seattle. There was ample free parking right across from the entrance. Additionally, the gate was well organized. I loved that there were plenty of trees for shade. Overall, it was a smooth and enjoyable experience getting into the venue.

Stage setup: The two opposing stage setups were great. Plenty of people set up blankets in the middle to relax and enjoy musicians on each stage without moving. The stages were oriented East-West so on one stage you were looking at the musicians perfectly lit by the sun and on the other stage you were in the shade of the grandstand. This was well thought out and executed by event organizers. 

Food and beverage vendors were plentiful and on the outer edges of the stage setup. While I was there, I didn’t see long lines anywhere. I appreciated that the company took time to maximize the festival goer’s enjoyment. Music was clearly a priority.

Musicians: I showed up for Killer Mike but before him, I got to see Arlo Parks. Her voice was a pillowy dream and the positive vibes and energy were palpable as soon as she hit the stage. She and her band were having a great time performing together and the crowd was right there along with them.

Killer Mike was the main event for me. I’ve been a fan for a long time. He performed songs from his latest album Michael, which is a deeply personal body of work for him. It was an emotional experience watching him perform because many of the subjects he raps about I can relate to; some of them almost to the T. I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to witness and photograph his performance. I shed tears twice during his set if I’m being honest; a testament to the power of music.

I stayed for Toro y Moi’s headlining set and WOW was I blown away by his light show!  It was incredible!  When all the lights fired it lit up the whole crowd; I was blown away. For most of the set, the lights weren’t at 100% so they perfectly matched the chillwave vibe of his music. It was a fitting nightcap to a great day out at the farm. 

I will totally go back to concerts and festivals at Remlinger Farms. They’ve got a great thing going and its proximity to Seattle yet located in a bucolic, open setting is a really great combination. Check out the next big THING! Here is a link to the album where these photos are located.