Homegrown festival in Lisle a foundation for growing music, arts community
Aaron Williams is on a quest to level up local music.
His objectives: Bring bands together. Bring fans together. And have fun.
Five years into his pet project, Williams, the Glen Ellyn native and founder of the Homegrown Arts & Music Festival, is excited about this year's potential.
“The momentum is definitely huge. The bands are pushing us really hard this year.”
The festival, an annual celebration of suburban arts and music, is taking over Lisle's BaseCamp Pub & Eatery again this year on Saturday, July 29. BaseCamp's location in the Four Lakes community is ideal for the festival; it's off the beaten path, but easy to get to. Plus, there's room to grow.
At its base, the Homegrown Arts & Music Festival is about the music. The Homegrown Stage, the Harvest Stage and the Acoustic Stage will feature a combined 20 bands and a number of acoustic performers staggered throughout the day.
The mostly DuPage-centric lineup includes a hearty selection of Homegrown veterans — Downers Groove, From the Start, North of Eight, Invisible Cartoons, The Threads, The Kings Rising and the Aaron Williams Band — but there are also some exciting new acts chosen from the nearly 125 submissions Williams received this year.
“It was very flattering,” said Williams. “Every time any band, even if they're from two blocks away, applies I'm flattered just because it's awesome that they're interested to play this thing, that that kind of vibe is out there about the fest.”
Williams hosts the Skyline Music shows at BaseCamp Pub, putting four or five local acts in front of crowds monthly. But Homegrown is his opportunity to truly foster relationships between musicians.
“That's the beauty of this whole thing,” said Williams. “That's how a lot of connections have happened. It's been a great hub. ... Homegrown has surpassed my original idea and entered a beautiful new world of its own, and I love it.”
Over the last five years, nearly 350 local musicians have graced the stages at Homegrown. And last year's fest drew just over 1,000 guests, up from roughly 800 the year before.
“This year I'm hoping 1,200 to 1,500 people come. But the point isn't about the numbers,” said Williams. “We want 1,500 people there to experience the music. We want 1,500 people there to have a great time and to go off and spread the word about how much fun it was, how the vibe at Homegrown is amazing. We want 1,500 people to experience this thing so we can catapult this into the bigger thing we hope to make it next year.”
While music may be the primary draw, Homegrown has other elements to appeal to festgoers. Weather permitting, the vendor section will be set up a little differently this year, with 15 art vendors — including a cosmetic artist, a henna artist and artists selling paintings, jewelry, T-shirts and hand-painted glass, just to name a few — spread out throughout the festival.
And don't forget the food: BaseCamp's full menu and bar service will be available inside and outside on the front and back patios with the Harvest and Acoustic Stages.
“One of the most exciting things about Homegrown this year for me is the documentary that's being made,” said Williams.
The documentary, which chronicles all five years of the Homegrown fest through performance footage and band interviews, will be finished up after this year's festival. Williams plans to screen it later this fall, with an eye toward a DVD release and festival submissions soon after. But why end the documentary after five years?
“The film ends here because the grass-roots part of it, the underground part of it, ends here,” said Williams. “The spiritual essence that's going to kick-start Homegrown into a bigger, more beautiful thing for everyone … It's been five years. This is the foundation of Homegrown.”
Aaron Williams Band
Members: James Scott, Ryan Birkett, Peter Spero, Courtney Stone, Aaron Williams
Genre: rock, pop
Hometown: Glen Ellyn
Hear it: aaronwilliamsmusic.com
Black Bolts
Members: Henry JBC, Dan Scherrer, Bob Redman
Genre: '60s/'70's-inspired rock, soul, garage rock
Hometown: Woodridge
Hear it: blackboltsband.com
Blameless Lake
Members: Matt Wilke, Ruth Gray Wilke, John Contreras, Kevin Jensen
Genre: power pop
Hometown: Lombard
Hear it: blamelesslake.bandcamp.com
Dear Dario
Members: Anthony Dario, CT Garcia, Eric Johnson
Genre: alternative rock
Hometown: Chicago
Hear it: deardario.com
Downers Groove
Members: Danny Mazzarella, Johnny Hayes, Josh Izzo, Dima Larionov
Genre: rock, blues, jam
Hometown: Downers Grove
Hear it: downersgroove.com
Evening Glow
Members: Aaron Cada, Vincent Tieri, River Snyder, Aidan Cada
Genre: indie rock
Hometown: Chicago and Batavia
Hear it: eveningglow.bandcamp.com
Fantastic Mammals
Members: Fantastic MrMammal, Brad Bordyn, Jon Bode, Mike Fye
Genre: alt-rock, pop-punk
Hometown: Elmhurst
Hear it: fantasticmammals.com
The FeverTones
Members: April Panichaya, Luis Alvarez, Sarah Snow, Oscar
Genre: indie rock
Hometown: Hinsdale
Hear it: thefevertones.com
From the Start
Members: Brian Nauss, Andy Lechner, Jake Larson, Matthew Pieper
Genre: alternative rock
Hometown: Lisle
Hear it: fromthestart.bandcamp.com
Invisible Cartoons
Members: Chris Shern, Justin Birchard, Jeff Goluszka, Ryan Worthy, Ryan James Caldwell
Genre: Smile rock, dance funk
Hometown: Aurora, North Aurora
Hear it: invisiblecartoons.com
Julianne Q & the Band
Members: Julianne Q, Jimmy Provan, Ricky Hendrix and Jeff Mills
Genre: contemporary blues-pop
Hometown: North and Southwest suburbs
Hear it: julianneqmusic.com
The Kings Rising
Members: Jarred Mason, James Lippert, Ryan Mason, Josh Fritschle
Genre: blues-influenced hard rock
Hometown: Woodridge
Hear it: tkrband.com
The Millennials
Members: Michael Henehan, Lindsay Kent, Jonathan Tatooles, Ellie Guido, Victor Buccellato
Genre: classic rock, pop
Hometown: Hinsdale, Westmont, La Grange, Shorewood and Lockport
Hear it: millennials.band
Noah's Arcade
Members: Noah Gabriel, Chad Watson, Justin O'Connell, Adam Gardner
Genre: roots rock
Hometown: Aurora
Hear it: noahgabriel.com
North of Eight
Members: Steve Peterson, Ray Di Julio, Bob Koutek, Matt Psenicka, Max Meador
Genre: rock
Hometown: Downers Grove
Hear it: northofeight.com
Rebel Soul Revival
Members: Matt Keen, Aaron Martinez, Drew Doepke, Kevin McMahon
Genre: rock/funk
Hometown: Warrenville
Hear it: soundcloud.com/rebelsoulrevival
Seven Corners
Members: Eric Binder, Vijay Ramasami, Bill Karmia, J.J. Jung
Genre: alternative rock, progressive
Hometown: Hinsdale
Hear it: 7cornersmusic.com
She Rides Tigers
Members: Joe O'Leary, James Scott, Ryan Birkett
Genre: psych-rock
Hometown: Wheaton
Hear it: sheridestigers.bandcamp.com
The Threads
Members: Sam Abboud, Nick Abboud, Justin Bell, Duke Hiatt
Genre: rock
Hometown: Lemont
Hear it: thethreadsband.com
Aaron Williams and Michael C Hayes
Members: James Scott, Matthew Nanke, Peter Spero, Michael C Hayes, Aaron Williams
Genre: Americana rock
Hometown: Glen Ellyn
Hear it: aaronwilliamsmusic.com
Acoustic acts
• Pete Jive
• Johnny Perona
• Bobby K and Steve
• Courtney Stone
• Allison, Bowman and Rodney
• Ryan Herrick
• Fredo Fosco
• Matthew Sulkin
• Teapot Fury
Homegrown Arts & Music Festival
<b>When:</b> The daylong fest starts at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 29
<b>Where:</b> BaseCamp Pub & Eatery, 5750 Lakeside Drive, Lisle, (331) 777-4712, <a href="http://basecamppub.com/events/5th-annual-homegrown-arts-music-festival-2017/">basecamppub.com</a> or <a href="http://www.homegrownartsandmusicfestival.com/">homegrownartsandmusicfestival.com</a>
<b>Tickets:</b> $15 at the door; $12 discounted tickets are available from band members