Every summer, I look forward to the Davis Music Festival. Now in its 14th year, the festival transforms downtown Davis into a celebration of live music, with performances taking place on outdoor stages as well as many of the venues that regularly support live music throughout the year. Even better, the festival raises money to support music education in our community, making it an event that’s easy to support year after year.
Rather than trying to see every performance, I spent the weekend enjoying the music, taking photographs and discovering artists both familiar and new. Here are a few that caught my attention.
Bloodsugar at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen. A Chico-based band blending pop hooks, grunge textures and a DIY spirit.
MAITA at Armadillo Music. Led by Maria Maita-Keppeler, MAITA brings careful, emotionally detailed songwriting to songs that feel both intimate and sharp.
Rosemother at Delta of Venus. Rosemother has grown from bedroom recordings into a full live band built around ethereal synths, vocal harmonies and dreamy ambient rock.
Megan Claire at Sophia’s Thai Kitchen. A Davis-born singer-songwriter blending indie-folk, indie-rock and alt-pop with raw, emotional songwriting.
Not Yet, Old Dog at Delta of Venus Cafe. A Santa Cruz and San Francisco-based band whose music sits somewhere between indie rock, Americana and heartfelt dream logic.
I left the festival with a camera full of photographs, a notebook full of artists to revisit and an even greater appreciation for what the Davis Music Festival brings to the community each year. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend adding it to your calendar.
Photos by Steve Beck.
