High Water Festival Returns After Two Years

I get so excited every time I see a new festival lineup announced. It still seems surreal with the chaos we all experienced in 2020. The most recent drop that has me excited is for High Water Festival, a two-day festival in North Charleston, South Carolina. I really enjoy two-day festivals because they are easier to attend without burning too much PTO, but what really has me hooked is the stellar lineup for 2022. There are two top-tier headliners, the infamous Jack White and legendary My Morning Jacket, that you know will have unopposed sets. Both artists have such deep catalogs that merit having longer sets. I would love some Raconteurs mixed with some Z-album-era Jim James. Additionally, you have a stellar undercard with Modest Mouse, the Black Pumas, Shovels & Rope (who are one of the producers of the festival), and a personal up-and-coming favorite of mine, Caamp. Even deeper in the lineup, you have Cedric Burnside, the grandson of blues artist R.L. Burnside. R.L. Burnside is one of the reasons we have The Black Keys, my all-time favorite live rock band. Seeing his grandson continue his legacy gives me the warm fuzzies.

With High Water taking place in late April and in the South, the weather will be perfect. I’ve lived in Georgia my whole life, and late spring is the best time to get outside before the humidity really kicks in. If you’re from the snowy parts of the country, this would be a good chance to shake the snow off your boots and catch some rays while raging to some amazing live music. Or you could kickstart your 2022 festival season early with a nice weekend getaway. Or if you want to get practical, tickets for this festival are priced at $185, which is probably less than what you’d pay just to see Jack White and My Morning Jacket at tour shows.

For some, this might be your first time out since the before times. There’s no shame in that. My advice for anyone planning to go to festivals next year is to keep track of current CDC and federally recommended guidelines for live events. My prediction is that events in 2022 will require booster shots on your vaccine card.  Live events might keep the other option of negative testing instead of having a vaccine card, so make sure you know the entry requirements before heading to North Charleston. You really don’t want to be stuck dealing with surprise covid requirements, especially in a new city while on vacation. Stay safe y’all, and I hope to see you at High Water Festival next year!