The 2024 National Cherry Festival ended July 6 with a stellar concert at the Pepsi Bayside Music Stage featuring Northern Michigan’s own Joshua Davis and The Accidentals. Both acts put on a phenomenal show and we at The Jam Files fell in love with Traverse City all over again. This was our first Cherry Fest and a beautiful reminder of one of the greatest things about this city: the sense of community that permeates every corner of it.
Thanks to a random encounter with Terri Ray from KLT, The Rock Station, we were hustled backstage for a Meet & Greet with Joshua and the ladies of The Accidentals before the show started and that was a very nice surprise. We struck up a conversation with the couple sitting next to us who have been huge fans of The Accidentals for years. It’s so wonderful to meet people who share the same love of local live music that we do.
Joshua Davis, 2015’s third place winner of The Voice, a prolific singer/songwriter, and music teacher, opened his set with "Paper Boats", a deep tune about grief. Josh sings with the intention of connecting with the soul of his audience and hits that mark profoundly. It was a treat to hear the stories behind his songs and I was particularly struck by "Congratulations and Condolences" which touches upon the importance of forming true bonds with others in the digital era we are living in. Joshua’s band is amazing and includes some of the most uniquely awesome percussion I’ve ever heard. "The Market" is a song that really shines a spotlight on each band member and this performance made room for solo time for every one. Joshua Davis’s eyes shine with a sparkle of love for community and he invited fellow staff members from Interlochen Center For The Arts onstage to join him in a song. This was a touching moment and the audience responded with raucous applause. The whole set was incredible and a perfect opener. Davis’s music draws listeners in and also includes them because the reality of the human experience is at the heart of it. If you haven’t already, do check this talented artist out.
The Accidentals opened their set with a cover of Blondie’s "Heart of Glass", a crowd favorite. Their set included a lot of cover songs from their latest album, Cover Art, but also included Accidentals classics like "Fractals" and "Memorial Day". There is something magical that occurs when The Accidentals perform. The way they rock their instruments is so high energy that those watching can’t help but respond back with the same amount of appreciation.
It was a joy for us to see this band play again, as they were the first live show we saw in Traverse City, and this time we were able to sing along to our favorites with the rest of the spectators. Bob, who works the ladies’ merch table, was honored again in the song “Bob Is A Hero”, (tee shirt now available!), and other covers such as Ani DiFranco’s "Manhole" and "Everyday Is A Winding Road" by Sheryl Crow were received wonderfully.
The ladies themselves claimed that this set would be a “nostalgic journey” and it definitely was. "Closer To Fine", an Indigo Girls cover, was a big hit. Drummer Katelynn Corll joined Sav Madigan and Katie Larson at the front of the stage as they performed an acoustic ballad version of "Not Strong Enough" by boygenius. Joshua Davis joined the band for their song "Sleeve" and that was a magnificent highlight.
The moment of the night for us though, was the closing song "Michigan and Again". It couldn’t have been timed more perfectly as the song drew near its end and the Cherry Fest Finale Fireworks began over the Bay. What an ending to a perfect concert and to a truly wonderful time at the festival! We are extremely grateful to have attended and are excited for next year’s party already!
Please visit joshuadavismusic.com/ and theaccidentalsmusic.com/ for more on what these marvelous musicians are up to!
Jennifer Patino lives in Traverse City and loves music. Visit her blog at thistlethoughts.com