Kicking off the festival was a stellar performance by none other than Rijah, a Jersey City jazz artist mixing R&B and home inspired tunes to bridge a new wave of authenticity and grandeur. Between uplifting lyrics, awesome guitar riffs, and purely fantastical vocals, Rijah’s friendly and vulnerable atmosphere flourished alongside heartwarming lyrics and poetry. Their sophisticated performance brought the crowds to full cheers, allowing Rijah to showcase their new and upcoming discography. Promoting their recently released sophomore EP, Motion Pictures, songs like “House in Tattoos,” and “the only one I know,” brought forth a full wave of dance-worthy tunes, flooding the early morning goers and patrons of the Soundside scene.

Next artist was none other than Madi Diaz, setting up tales of heartbreak and loss with her acoustic guitar and crowd stopping vocals. Diaz altered between moving, personal tales of heartbreak and life- altering sadness, with lightened funny quips about writing for Kesha and being excited to open for Boys II Men. Songs like “Resentment,” which has over 9 million views on Spotify, bellowed out between her lovely vocal breaks and soft picking acoustics, with fellow drummer and keyboardist softly hitting with a mallet in the background. Other hits like “Don’t Do Me Good,” and “New Person, Old Place,” showcased Diaz’s amazing vocal cries and screams, alongside her talented acoustic style where each note rang in a fascinating and captivating motion. Overall, Diaz received a huge cheer, especially after her quick quip about seeing her aunt in the crowd.

Lisa Loeb proved her and Nine Stories are still making fun and memorable hits, rushing onto the stage with Loeb’s iconic glasses and beautiful acoustic guitar. With the 30 year anniversary of Tails coming soon, Lisa and the original Nine Stories band came back in full and rocking fashion, bringing a wide array of acoustic indie, electric rock and fun pop to life. Performing hits from the 80s to their recent release, “The Compost Bin,” Lisa Loeb and Nine Stories took the stage by storm with songs like “FairyTales” and “Stay (I missed you).” Reliving classics, Lisa’s branded iconic eyewear and beautiful vocals rang with expertise and style, making good use between magical acoustic strums and exhilarating electric solos. Between the expertise in hitting high to low and even jamming singularly with a blaring bass and drums in the background, the original 80s rock group flourished in the windy rain.

Christone “Kingfish” Ingram set everyone in a frenzy with his iconic entrance, dawning a signature black guitar and casually walking onto stage with no haste in his step. The opening lines contained one of the best blue licks and electric solos ever known to Bridgeport, and would soon mark the beginning of an epic set. Between the iconic blues and classical musical genius, the keys and drums soloed back and forth in moments of pure improvisation, with Kingfish screaming in the backdrop in a beautiful tone. From hits like “Outside of this Town” and “662,” Kingfish delivered pure moments of rock and blues eloquence, showcasing his talent with amazing vocal riffs that served as a backdrop to harmonious chords. This doesn’t even cover the amazing keys and bass solos, where each art took minutes to solo and fully let their talent shine. Overall, Kingfish did not disappoint, bringing forth an unforgettable performance that brought an authentic blues and rock groove that Connecticut can never reimagine again.

Thee Sacred Souls blasted through with their unique combination of love and peace, rocking trio of vocals, and a beautiful mix of guitar, bass, and drums to shine it all together. Originating from San Diego, Thee Sacred Souls energized the crowd, rushing past the barricades and inviting everyone to join in. Holding hands with viewers in the rain, the blaring songs of love and peace came through like sonic tidal waves, rushing through everyone with their unique R&B flavor. “Love is the way” held the optics of a truly magnificent experience, declaring behind cool jazz riffs and beautiful back up vocals, the magnificent screams of lead singer Josh Lane with vocalists Astyn Turr and Viane Escobar quickly harmonizing behind. Songs like “Can I Call You Rose,” and “Easier Said Than Done,” rang perfectly among the fields. Thee Sacred Souls gave a truly unforgettable performance, showcasing why they have been ramping up notoriety from figureheads like Alicia Keys and Kylie Jenner.

Grace Potter rolled in with her trademark Vermont guitar and leather jacket. The band, full of electric guitars and sick basses, dawned iconic 70s fashion and rock enthusiasm to perfection, blaring between their teeth a truly authentic and electric experience. From the starting blues riff to the intricate acoustics, to the minute long solos and ground fusing electric rock and roll, Potter brought forth eloquence to set. Grace Potter zoomed about in her dangling golden chain and leather dress, stomping in boots between awesome line riff sets and rocking piano solos. Among the beautiful style references to classic magnificent was the beautiful vocal screams and immense talent of Potter and her band. Hits like “Something That I Want,” and “Empty Heart” ran furiously and passionately among the crowd. As well, moments of sophistication and heartwarming talent reached the audience with acoustic slow ballads like “Stars.”

Boyz II Men, one of the first of the headliners, came out in euphoric fashion, dawning their white and dazzling outfits, singing in high acapella to a beautiful symphony of fan favorite hits. Gaining the most attention of the crowd, from the synchronized choreographed dances to the total crowd shocking cover performances, Boyz II Men won the hearts of thousands in minutes. Boyz II Men brought back classic hits from Prince’s Purple Rain to magnificent crowd stoppers like “Come Together,” the three piece group took the time to showcase their instrumental prowess, vocal abilities, and even beautiful high pitched excellence. From the many hits Boyz II Men performed, most if not all brought the crowd to full amazement and participation. Famously, drawing back to their time spent with Mariah Carrey and their hit “One Sweet Day,” Boyz II Men enamored the audience and conducted a fully wonderful symphony of crowd screaming and crying, bringing at moments all of S0undside to sing the chorus together. Their performance was filled with chemistry, highlighted by songs like “I’ll Make Love to You,” during which they handed out roses to the crowd. Overall, Boys II Men made a stellar appearance, dawning on the beautiful falsetto and vocal agility of professional singers, ranging high and low while hitting perfect harmony in beautiful ecstasy. Furthermore, their excellent guitar and bass solos rang perfectly over what could have been a perfect vocal masterpiece, highlighting the immense talent and artistry of the long-loved group.

Fleet Foxes rose to stage in the most harmonious session. A dazzling spectacle unfolded as Fleet Foxes took the stage with their full band, featuring saxophones, multiple acoustic guitars, bass, drums as well as a stellar electric guitarist. Dazzling with few breaks in between, Fleet Foxes set out to perform a wide spectacle of most of their hits, ranging from their early 2000s hits to their most recent projects. Songs like “Ragged Wood,” showcases the folk and indie power that brought this band to heightened fame, while other songs like “White Winter Hymnal” brought them to other-worldly status. This Seattle indie folk band took to full power the majestic earthy tones with lush sophisticated lyrics and musical composition. Moments of pure harmony of 3- 4 singers blared over long notes mixed fully with complicated crescendos and solos lasting minutes at a time. From the amazing flood lights and cinematic moments, to the simple acoustic strums and picking of lead singer Robin Pecknold, Fleet Foxes continued to amaze and dazzle the audience beyond belief. Between the pure mountain sound to the modern art and indie surprise, nothing can describe Fleet Foxes better than authenticity and talent. This may explain why such beautiful folk and earthy tunes can sound so wonderful next to magnificent screams and mandolin solos.

The Goo Goo Dolls rocked the stage as if it was the 90s once again. Dressed in a cool leather jacket and cargo pants, John Rzeznik led the original band through the greatest hits that defined generations. From “Name,” a true crowd pleaser to the opening moments of “Slide,” the frenzy of audience members screaming and cheering alongside the famous lyrics and awesome rock riffs shook Bridgeport all together. Such wonderful applause and crowd participation highlights what made The Goo Goo Dolls such an awesome success long ago. As well, the acoustic drama and beautiful vocals of Rzeznik flourished in more dramatic and thoughtful titles like “Sympathy” and “Black Balloons.” Overall, the nostalgia rock and pure intensity were not to be missed, with full out group solos, head banging, screaming vocals, and quick changing fast paced movements led the crowd into an upright frenzy. Rzeznik was constantly running up and down the stage, gathering moments at a time with full out dances and stomps between his maniacal strumming and intense solos. Truly gifted moments came in between the rocking hits, as Rzeznik opened up about the journey of The Goo Goo Dolls, how he became famous, and stating how great the festival and artists performing are. Finally, in a full moment of ecstasy, the rain continued to pour over cloudy Connecticut, building to the ultimate masterpiece of “Iris” to be played in full cinematic fashion. The crowd, like countless times before, mirrored back every line and lyric to Rzeznik. In full wonder, the crowd took hold and sang together most of the chorus. The unmatched energy startled and dazzled the entire festival, creating a pure moment between fan and artist and cementing an extravagant performance of a lifetime.

Noah Kahan gathered the masses in a frenzy, fans lined up for hours before finally making it to the front. The cheers were undeniable, erupting into a fervent response as Kahan finally walked onto stage. Between his single presence and acoustic guitar, Kahan began strumming and plucking the most beautiful masterpieces that have stretched and expanded the current music age. His significant exposure and vulnerability in songs like “All my Love,” and “You’re gonna go far,” ranged heavily to his more folky tunes and tracks like “Northern Attitude.” Overall, this Americana-fused rock expert stood heavenly on stage, dawning between his tracks, meaningful talks about song meanings, to self deprecating jokes, only to finally continue in sophisticated musical picking and composition— delivering home with eloquent and extravagant vocals of pure ecstasy. His most famous song, “Stick Season,” reaching the Grammys and over 1 billion views on Spotify, drove the crowd into a complete trance, battling loving silence with shouting of lyrics and pure emphatic cheering by the end. The mass wave of excitement showcased just how magnificent Kahan’s grasp on the audience was, allowing his simple guitar and beautiful harmony to transport a whole generation into his New England childhood and current life. This, of course, ranges between his begotten musical excellence, creating fusion between guitar melodies and significantly excellent vocal harmony and performance, undoubtedly causing his rise to fame. Overall, the crowd, ranging in the thousands, squished in a huge mass huddle to watch the finger picks and fast strums mix with tales of disappointment, resentment, and loss. The beautiful vocals searched high and low, trailing the eyes and tear jerked mega fans that raised their hands to his words. Truly bringing a majestic festival and gorgeous sound without question, a showstopping act that swiftly and perfectly capsized the ending act for a perfect first day.

Noah Kahan Setlist

1. Dial Drunk
2. New Perspective
3. Everywhere, Everything
4. She Calls Me Back
5. You’re Gonna Go Far
6. False Confidence
7. Forever
8. Maine
9. Paul Revere
10. All My Love
11. Homesick
12. Call Your Mom
13. Orange Juice
14. Northern Attitude
15. The View Between Villages
16. Stick Season