By: Kyle Rutherford

With summer festival season winding down, it seems that every festival scheduled during the last weeks of warmth have stacked their lineups to give music lovers the best experience before being forced to retreat back to clubs and small venues. Ohio based concert production company Essential Productions is no different, stacking their third annual Resonance Music & Arts Festival with some top tier talent. Located at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH, which has already played host to The Werk Out and Dark Star Jubilee, Resonance is a definite must for music lovers all around.

According to EP, Resonance is not only a “gathering of like minded, motivated, music loving individuals.” It’s a transformational experience unlike none other in the Midwest. EP also states “the law of Resonance provides the answers as to how the law of attraction operates and creates the events, conditions and circumstances in your life.” With a troupe of some of the most amazing visual & performance artists in the Midwest, a conscious group of yoga & workshop leaders, and an unbelievable musical lineup, Resonance is the premier festival for the body, mind and soul.

Since its inception in 2014, Resonance has always boasted a strong variety of music on its lineups. Each year the list grows in length and strength, and this year’s showcase might be impossible to top anywhere. The electronic, jam, bluegrass, blues and reggae acts that encompass the bill range from amazing local and regional talent to national and international artists that have been wowing crowds for many years.

Heading back to the homeland to headline their third Resonance is the ever-spellbinding Papadosio. The band has a ton of history at Legend Valley, with multiple appearances at The Werk as well as All Good. They’ll be performing a total of four and a half hours of music over the course of the weekend on Main Stage A, and we’re excited to see how explorative the quintet will get over the course of the three sets. With all of the teasers we have been seeing for their forthcoming Pattern Integrities EP, and with throngs of Papadosio fans from all around coming out, the anticipation is insurmountable.

With the most mainstream electronic success out of other act on the lineup, Tycho will be closing out the Main Stages for his first appearance at Legend Valley. With a new album being released later this year, the downtempo/ambient electronic artist has been touring extensively solo as well as with his live band. Making stops all over at festivals like Burning Man, Electric Daisy Carnival, Ultra Music Festival, Euphoria, his unique sound has been well received by tens if not hundreds of thousands of music fans of many tastes. His chill, spacey sound combined with the venue’s gorgeous environment and visuals will create the perfect atmosphere for all those witnessing.

Over the last decade, Chicago’s Dark Star Orchestra has become a staple at Legend Valley. The legendary tribute band has been “continuing the Grateful Dead concert experience” since 1997, performing over 2,500 sets of Grateful Dead music.

After hosting all of their Dark Star Jubilees at the venue and performing over 100 shows in the state, the band has amassed a strong following throughout Ohio. Their Thursday night extended set on Main Stage A will be the perfect way to close down the first evening’s main stage music, especially since it will be on the same grounds The Dead played on multiple times more than 20 years ago.

Rounding out the list of headliners is another artist that is no stranger to Legend Valley: Shpongle. Performing at All Good in 2012, Simon Posford was most likely the first artist to introduce the festival grounds to psychedelic electronic music, and his Saturday set on Main Stage B will show while he is still one of the best. It’s been a while since Posford has performed in Ohio, so the buzz amongst Resonance attendees is already very strong.

The multitude of electronic artists filling the middle of the lineup will all be adding to the amazing uniqueness of the festival. Late night sets from Ott. and Ott. & The All Seeing I will provide an amazing, ambient soundtrack for everyone when the sun goes down. Manic Focus will get everyone moving with his upbeat, funky electronic on Friday night, and who knows really what will happen when EOTO joins Keller Williams in the tent on Friday night.

Jam fans will love the fact that many of their favorites will all be playing multiple sets throughout the weekend. Baltimore’s funketeers Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will be performing all three nights on three of the four stages. Dopapod is making its third Resonance appearance, performing sets the first two nights, including a Pink Floyd tribute late night on Thursday. After seeing the band join The Werks and Papadosio in performing Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety at The Werk Out in 2014, it’s already certain that the band’s tribute to the legendary prog rockers will be nothing short of magnificent. New York’s TAUK will also be making its third Resonance appearance. Rest assured they’ll be bringing explosive energy for both their Thursday late night slot and their Friday afternoon spot on the main stage.

The beauty of Resonance is the fact that Essential Productions bring so many types of varying genres together that all fit together in perfect harmony. Set after set on all three days, you won’t be hearing the same kind of music back to back.

The music of Wookiefoot blends perfectly into the festival’s diversity, with the band bringing forth a psychedelic circus to each show they play. Their Friday and Saturday night sets will sonically stimulate the Resonance crowd with their fusion of reggae, jam, world music and hip hop, while visually arousing our eyes with their light show, props, magic and costumes.

Other artists that fit into this diversity include Louisiana-based world music group Rising Appalachia, who performs afternoon sets both Friday and Saturday. Trevor Hall’s acoustic rock/reggae will create for a beautiful Thursday evening Main Stage B experience, and Andy Frasco & The UN’s upbeat, bluesy rock will get Main Stage B going hard early Friday and the late night tent going strong on Saturday.

The popularity of full cover and tribute sets has also becoming a staple at jam shows all across the country. On top of Dopapod’s Pink Floyd set, there are three other amazing bands performing some tributes. New York, New York’s Consider The Source will be showing us how they combine their Middle Eastern influenced progressive rock with the music of Radiohead on Saturday evening. We’ll also be hearing the classic music of The Beatles reimagined through The Heavy Pets late night on Friday. Last, the ever funky Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band will be throwing down some of the hottest 90’s hip-hop music late night Saturday, which will definitely be a must see for the weekend.

While the whole lineup should be witnessed throughout the weekend, there are 10 acts out there that we don’t think you should miss out on. These talented artists range from popular local and regional acts as well as established national acts still making their way to the top.

10. Ernie Johnson From Detroit

High energy and high quality musicianship, Cincinnati, Ohio’s Ernie Johnson From Detroit is a full on instrumental funk onslaught. Even after only being together for less than a year, the septet has been turning a lot of heads in the region. They’re Saturday set on Main Stage A at 4:00 pm won’t be hard to hear from your site, but you have to get down close to watch these guys do what they do.

9. Electric Orange Peel

Since their inception in 2013, Columbus, OH’s Electric Orange Peel has always been one of Ohio’s favorite festival bands. Fusing progressive rock, jam, jazz and funk, the band’s impressive sound and live show has even earned them spots at Summer Camp twice! The four piece will be throwing down at the Woodlands Production stage at 4:00 pm on Friday so make sure to show up and get groovy.

8. Alejo

Southwest Ohio is becoming a mecca for bass music, with many talented producers emerging from the scene in the last few years, including Yheti, Spankalicious and Toadface. With an impressive psychedelic structure to his bass music, Alexander Alejo will definitely be the next one to break out in the area. Already performing across the nation at festivals like Infrasound, Boomtown, and Creatures of the Night, the Resonance alumnus will definitely get you moving during his Saturday set at the Tent stage.