Trampled By Turtles brought a piece of Duluth to the River Stage

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a band more enthusiastic in their music than Trampled By Turtles. Their set on the River Stage at XPNFest was a non-stop party, with the audience on their feet, dancing and swaying to their songs. Their rousing bluegrass sound inspired many jigs and step-dances throughout the crowd, a welcome pickup during day three of the fest.

Trampled By Turtles started their set with a track from their latest release, Always Here. “You Never Let Me Down” was a merry warm-up for the songs to come. A folktastic set, they played a combination of original songs and covers, such as “The Swimming Song,” originally by Loudon Wainwright III. They even performed the live debut of their new song, “Forever.” “We figured we could screw it up in front of you because you’re so friendly,” joked lead singer and guitarist Dave Simonett – a precaution that was entirely unnecessary because they smashed the song in typical form. Their extensive discography allowed for a selection of songs that pleased their fans, who noted their approval with whoops, whistles, and cheers.

An intricate lineup makes a festival return

Based out of Duluth, Minnesota, the six-piece finds Simonett joined by Tim Saxhaug on bass, Dave Carroll on banjo, Erik Berry on mandolin, Ryan Young on fiddle, and Eamonn McLain on cello, with the entire band contributing with backing vocals. It’s an impressive lineup, to say the least, and the band was spread out across the stage in one line, playing together in a synchronous frenzy. Formed in 2003, Trampled By Turtles released their first studio album Songs from a Ghost Town in 2004. They last played XPNFest in 2013, with some crowd members around me reminiscing of their last appearance.

Their fall season is just starting, with a slew of shows scheduled around the US for the remainder of the year. You can find all their tour dates here. Check out photos from their set below!