This summer marked the 25th annual celebration of Blues On The Green, a traditional series of concerts that are free to attend and star some big names in music. This year’s concerts took place on June 3, July 22, Aug 5, and Aug 12. Some of the artists included Walter Lukens, Kaleo, Bob Schneider, Rise Against The Storm and Shakey Graves. Graves was a popular choice for many music-lovers, and a favorite of junior Deirdre Wolf, who got up close and personal with Graves at this year’s festival.

“After Graves’s set, when I was talking to one of the security personnel, he said ‘You know what? If you go backstage, you’ll meet him. No one will stop you,’” Wolf said. “When I met him, he was really quiet, almost timid, but he was really sweet. I had assumed from the fact that he’s a reasonably big music star and from his mildly angry Twitter, that he’d be a big, talkative character offstage.”

The performance by Shakey Graves on Aug 12 was also greatly enjoyed by junior Paris Varnier.

“During the performances by Graves and Rise Against The Storm, my friends and I were at the front of the crowd,” said Varnier. It was really cool because you could see and hear really well and you could take pictures of the crowd from the front.”

You may be wondering “Who is Graves?” or “What is it that makes Graves the favorite choice of so many concert-goers?” Wolf believes it’s due to his relatable, yet original, music style.

“Graves’s music is a mix between blues, country, rock, and Americana,” said Wolf. “What I like most is that his music is simultaneously really original sounding, while also being comfort music. It sounds like your best friend’s cool older brother’s band while maintaining enough professionalism to appear on a big stage.”

While Shakey Graves is relatively popular, everyone has their own taste. There were many bands who played music from several genres, senior Ayan Alomari found Kaleo to be her personal favorite.

“They’re an alternative band from Iceland,” Alomari said. “They have a unique range in musical style that makes them so appealing. Plus, the lead singer is pretty cute.”

Blues On The Green is about friends and listening to music with others who appreciate and relate to it the same way you do. Most people enjoy meeting others who share their interests and opinions, including Alomari.

“I went with all of my best friends and we did some of the wazoo dancing and beach ball passing,” said Alomari. “My favorite moment was when Jamestown Revival was playing ‘California,’ and me and my friends started belting along, the people around us stared, then nodded in acceptance and belted it with us.”