Watershed will be performing at the final Independents' Day Festival Sunday, September 17th at 5pm. FREE. Details and location here.

For some reason, it seems there is a constant undercurrent in Columbus suggesting we need one truly great music festival. Maybe I'm just lame, but to this lifelong resident, it feels like we have a music festival every other weekend and most seem pretty great to me. In fact, by September, I'm all festival'ed out. Except of course, for the final big one of 2017, the Independents' Day Festival. 

The folks at Indyfest say this 10th outing will be the final edition. While it will be sad to see this magical gathering disappear, I admire the decision to pull the plug sooner than later. In my opinion, one of the biggest bullshit lines in the world is, "If you aren't growing, you are dying." Whoever tells you that is probably trying to sell you something. How many businesses go bust by expanding too soon or too much? Way more than go bust by staying true to core principals and playing it safe. 

In its ten year run, the Independents' Day festival has been just right. It grew a little, but not too much. It kept 95% of it's vibe intact. And helped revitalize TWO different neighborhoods in Columbus. It doesn't need to get bigger or go on forever. Mission Accomplished. Game Over.

Or put another way, Independents' Day was like the BBC version of The Office. It had a beginning, a middle and an end. And it was flawless. No need to stretch it out like a sitcom covering the same story lines until people finally grow tired of it. 

I've been lucky enough to play the Indyfest twice. Once with the Lonely Bones on the Pearl Alley Stage and once with Watershed on Gay Street. The sky was so blue. Hope everybody can make it Franklinton the weekend of September 16/17. It's going to be special. Once again (click here for details)