Though the lineup may have been stripped down, there was little lacking in the two-day celebration SweetWater 420 Fest delivered in Atlanta over the weekend. The 2024 edition of the festival from SweetWater Brewing Company lost its main headliners earlier this month as it transitioned to a “free” festival (with $10 donation) but held onto heavy hitters Gov’t Mule, Big Gigantic, Grace Potter, and more.
For SweetWater’s debut at Pullman Yards on Saturday and Sunday, the long-running Atlanta fest was originally due to bring in Beck, Slightly Stoopid, Black Pumas, and Cory Wong to top the wide-ranging lineup. Two weeks before gates opened, however, organizers announced they were losing those top acts and presenting a streamlined lineup. Additionally, ticketholders would be refunded as the festival became a free event with a $10 donation to Waterkeeper Alliance.
The lineup shift placed Gov’t Mule in the headliner slot on Saturday, April 20th, with frontman Warren Haynes delivering a moving tribute to his late Allman Brothers bandmate Dickey Betts. The founding ABB guitarist passed away on Thursday at 80 following a battle with cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Between Betts’ death and the show on Saturday, Haynes shared a touching remembrance of Dickey, with whom Warren played in the Allman Brothers from 1989 to 1997 as well as in the Dickey Betts Band.
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Saturday marked Gov’t Mule’s first show since Dickey’s passing, and Haynes delivered a touching performance of “Blue Sky” in his band’s 90-minute headlining set. Elsewhere, Haynes also snuck in teases of other Betts-written Allman songs including “Mountain Jam” and “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”, and finished off the show with his own ABB classic “Soulshine”. Haynes also called up frequent collaborator Grace Potter—who performed immediately before Mule—for a cover of “Take Me To The River”.
Gov’t Mule wasn’t the only act to honor Dickey Betts on Saturday, with Larkin Poe jamming on a brief “Jessica”.
Gov’t Mule — “Blue Sky” (Allman Brothers Band) — 4/20/24
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Gov’t Mule, Grace Potter — “Take Me To The River” (Al Green) — 4/20/24
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Larkin Poe — “Jessica” (Allman Brothers Band) — 4/20/24
[Video: pwm112]
Sunday saw its fair share of highlights too from a stylistically diverse lineup featuring Big Gigantic, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Papadosio, Little Stranger, and more. During its afternoon set, Little Stranger referenced missing headliners Slightly Stoopid with a cover of “Officer” and welcomed guitarist Shawn Eckels of Andy Frasco & The U.N., who had performed the previous day. New Orleans favorite Trombone Shorty also paid tribute to Prince with a cover of “Let’s Go Crazy” on the eighth anniversary of his death, and Big Gantic offered up a new song “In The City” in its festival-closing set.
Check out a gallery of images from SweetWater 420 Fest 2024 courtesy of photographer Emily Butler along with a collection of fan-shot videos.
Andy Frasco & The U.N. — “What We Used To Be Is Not Who We Are” — 4/20/24
[Video: Memnoch’s Curse]
