Summer Camp Music Festival returned to its traditional Memorial Day home this past weekend at Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, IL. The four-day festival extravaganza featured top performances from moe., Umphrey’s McGee, The Smashing Pumpkins, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Little Feat, STS9, and many more.
The weekend marked a reunion of sorts for Umphrey’s McGee after the band had played without lead guitarist Jake Cinninger during SweetWater 420 Fest—as well as a late-night show at the Variety Playhouse—while he focused on his health. Jake was back in action this past weekend, playing beside his bandmates for UM’s daily performances including two shows at the Red Barn in one day.
While this weekend was a homecoming for Umphrey’s McGee, co-hosts moe. played on without their lead guitarist, Chuck Garvey. The founding guitarist remains sidelined as he continues his recovery from a stroke he suffered last November. Garvey recently gave an uplifting health update in the first episode of the band’s new Podcrash series, saying that he’s working hard toward getting back onstage with moe. In his absence, keyboardist Nate Wilson (Percy Hill) and guitarist Suke Cerulo (Schleigho) helped fill in the sound at the band’s daily shows.
Beyond those headliners, Summer Camp Music Festival also hosted a recreation of Little Feat’s landmark 1978 live album, Waiting For Columbus. The festival featured an array of electronic artists across the digital spectrum from a Shpongle DJ set by Simon Posford to Zeds Dead to Liquid Stranger, NGHTMRE, Big Gigantic, and many more. Andy Frasco & The U.N. had the honor of closing down the festivities with the final set of the weekend, which began right at the musical madman’s sweet spot of 2 a.m.
Other notable acts that performed throughout the weekend included lespecial, Doom Flamingo, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Moon Taxi, Leftover Salmon, Aqueous, Maggie Rose, Death Kings, Here Come The Mummies, Dopapod, Magic Beans, Eggy, Maddy O’Neal, and more.
Check out a gallery of images from Summer Camp Music Festival 2022 below courtesy of photographer Keith Griner as well as an array of videos.