Plenty of people love megafests. They love traveling a thousand miles to see a band who also traveled a thousand miles play for a crowd too big to fit into Fenway. Now this experience isn’t without its rewards (like peeping, for the first time in years, a reunited Pixies or Outkast or Rage Against the Machine). But it can be overwhelming.
“I love a big music festival,” In Between Days festival director James Macdonald told the Herald. “There’s something truly magical about 40,000 people singing the same song. It just happens that’s not an experience I like to create professionally.”
Macdonald joined In Between Days in time for its second, greatly-expanded-but-still-manageable festival this weekend at Quincy’s Veterans Memorial Stadium. As someone with Massachusetts roots (his resume includes work with Life Is Good and Guster), Macdonald was attracted to In Between Days’ emphasis on local music, vendors and vibes.
“We’re right on the Red Line, equally close to two train stations as Boston Calling is to Harvard Square, truly an event that’s accessible,” he said. “And there’s a lot more to this festival that says, ‘Boston this is for you, this is part of the community.”
Macdonald says being part of the community means booking homegrown talent. The 2023 fest was mostly booked before Macdonald came on, but it reflects his wisdom. Of the event’s 24 bands, 12 are from New England and have strong Boston ties including Weakened Friends, Mint Green, Dutch Tulips, Carissa Johnson, Dwight & Nicole, Kat Wright and Quincy’s own Gypsy Moths.
“Trying to show people that we are part of Boston comes with supporting local music and local vendors,” Macdonald said.
Beyond great sets from international forces such as Modest Mouse and the Beths and all those worthy locals, the festival grounds will feature popup shops from Rhode Island’s Little City Thrifty Vintage Market network. That means good tunes can come with new-to-you retro threads or classic vinyl (that you can drop off at the bag check so you don’t have to carry a stack of LPs to front of the stage to see, say, Sunny Day Real Estate).
From top to bottom, In Between Days is meant to differentiate itself from the megafest. And it’s doing a good job with that goal.
“I like to have a festival that you can wrap your head around, and wrap your arms around,” Macdonald said. “There’s a trend at some festivals to have more, more, more. More types of tickets. More stages. More everything. Sometimes simplicity goes a long way.”
“Not to get too heady about it, but the world is very busy, we’re all very busy, complication at our music festivals isn’t always the thing,” he added.
Not all the answers are simple but some are: Put your fest next to T stops and put a dozen hometown acts on stage.
For tickets and details, visit inbetweendaysfestival.com
