Feels Like Home Lives Up To Its Namesake

Feels Like Home Fest Lives up to its Namesake

“Come on Brownswood, I know you can do better than that” the lead singer of Midland teased the crowd about halfway through their closing set. “This is the inaugural year of this festival so we’re gonna need some more noise from the crowd”. The crowd roared, satisfying Midland and proving that the town of Brownswood deserved their new festival and that they were here to stay. Brownswood, TX is a small town about 2.5 hours north of Austin but the acts and the attendees made the venue seem very large on this day. This family friendly festival was chock-full of fun things to do besides just the music. From the axe-throwing, mechanical bull riding, to the bull lasso challenge and giant Jenga/Pong, there were a lot of things for the attendees and their children to keep busy with as they listened to the sweet country music all day long. On top of all of that, there was some of the top local BBQ spots all serving their delicacies as the food of the festival. One pulled pork sandwich was all I needed before I had to take a rest laying down on the grass field to recoup but there were so many more briskets, and BBQ options that I missed out on. 

The day started off with the MC of the evening hyping up the crowd and doing a few giveaways. Once he got the crowd warmed up, they transitioned nicely into their first act, Hudson Westbrook. Hudson clearly had some dedicated fans, as they were up on the rails bright and early wearing his gear and singing his songs. He performed an adornment of songs and even sang a few covers including “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift, and “Feb 28, 2016” by Koe Wetzel. Hudson definitely kicked off the festival in the best way possible, and he would also be my favorite of the day even though I wouldn’t know that till driving home and listening to his music over again. Hudson stole the hearts of some fans in the front row and really captured the essence of what this festival was going to feel like. 

Before the next act graced the mainstage, there was another local artist side stage that had 4 acts throughout the day as they played beneath the shadow of a large grain silo. Brent Wade, Throttleneck TX, The Cadillac Thieves, and Mason & the Mercenaries were all the acts that played that stage throughout the day as the mainstage crew did their fastest versions of breakdown and set-up that I have seen at a festival before. 

Up next was Tyler Halverson, who handled lead singing while also playing the harmonica and the guitar all at once. This might seem normal to the average country fan but for somebody as green to the music as I was, it was thoroughly impressive. The crowd began to pack out a little more, and fans set up their folding chairs across the back part of the festival grass as they got settled for the long day ahead of them. At this point in time, I wandered around the fest and met some fans, many of which were swing dancing with their partners all around the festival grounds. It felt really intimate, and it felt really sweet. Most of all, it felt like home. Young cowboys were trying their hand at the axe toss and a few strong ones were testing out the Marines pull-up bar, seeing which of them could get the most reps. Throttleneck TX jammed out at the local stage and then it was time for Micky and the Motorcars. 

I spent most of Micky’s set laying down in the grass due to the aforementioned incredible BBQ and I have to say that their music was the perfect energy to stare up at the blue Texas sky and just watch the clouds pass by. They were certainly rocking but they also had a nice relaxing feeling about their tunes and their singing that I’m sure settled the people in their lawn chairs into a nice comfortable position as the sun began to set. 

Next up was Casey Donahew, and he brought a boatload of energy and patriotism to his set. He proudly exclaimed a few times during his set that the one requirement for listening to his music is being proud to be an American and loving the flag we all live under. The crowd loved this energy and sent a few hollers back his way whenever he took a break from the music to speak his love for our country. The most memorable part of Casey’s set, besides the epic CO2 blasts that intro’d certain songs, was when he took a few minutes to introduce all the members of his band. He knew them well and had a story lined up for each and every one of them as they took center stage and jammed out on their respective instruments. Casey ended his set with a slew of autograph signings for the adoring fans and the final transition period set in so the headliners, Midland, could take center stage. The lights dimmed, red lights splashed the stage, and a few shadowy figures walked out to their spots on stage before they broke out in their first number.

Midland’s stage set-up was certainly a spectacle, complete with all sorts of panning lights, colorful backdrops, haze, and instruments stretched side to side. They made sure to get the crowd engaged early and often. They talked to the crowd, encouraged others to move up in the area so they could pack the stage out more, and made sure the people sitting in their lawn chairs could get up and dance along to their tunes as much as possible. With the sun set and the stars showing in the black night sky, Midlands performance was a perfect cherry on top of an already impressive day. An hour and a half later, it was time to say goodbye to Brownswood and head back home from Feels Like Home Fest. The tunes of the day kept me company as I drove the dark highways back to Austin. I certainly intend to be back next year and I am excited to see who they bring out next time. Thank you Feels Like Home, your festival truly did live up to its namesake.

Here is an album with all of the photos taken!