Idaho is for (Music) Lovers: a Treefort Music Fest Recap  

There’s nothing quite like Treefort Music Fest. 

Held annually at the end of March, Treefort spans a grand total of five days. The festival turns the typically quiet town of Boise, Idaho into an energetic core of creativity, culture and community. Since its inception in 2012, Treefort has made a name for itself as one of the most diverse and impressively organized independent festivals in the U.S. The festival seems to know no limits, with over 500 artists spanning genres from indie rock to electronic to pop-punk to hip-hop, executing electrifying performances all across the city. You’re almost guaranteed to discover a band you’ve never heard of but will quickly become obsessed with.

However, it’s important to note that Treefort is more than a music festival. With the inclusion of 13 different “forts” such as dragfort, alefort, skatefort and yogafort to name a few, the festival has something for everyone. Whether you're a first-timer or a seasoned festival-goer, Treefort Music Fest promises an unforgettable experience where the spirit of community takes center stage.

I, along with K-UTE, had the chance to attend Treefort for the second year in a row (!), diving into another whirlwind of 120 hours.

Day 1: I wake up around 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 26th. Drive 5 hours and 8 minutes (give or take) to Boise. Stop for an ice cream cone at Dairy Queen on the way if you so desire. Unpack - but don’t take too long because the first show starts in about an hour at Shrine Social Club, a unique music venue located in the heart of downtown. The first show of the festival for me was Ora Cogan in the Shrine Ballroom. Cogan is a Canadian singer-songwriter whose haunting melodies translate to an electrifying live performance. Accompanied by a full band, Cogan effortlessly tackles vocals, guitar and violin in her performance to great success. After her set, we take some portraits, and I feel a bit starstruck in the face of such great talent.

After Cogan’s set on came Jessica Pratt, whose presence conjures up the feeling of being in the room with a supernatural force. Pratt is on a winning streak after her 2024 record “Here in the Pitch” gained widespread acclaim. Her unique voice seems to stop the audience in their tracks as she plays top hits such as “Back, Baby.” Accompanied by an incredibly talented band, this is a set that sounded identical to the recordings and was visually stunning, albeit personally blurry since I was crying for the majority of it. 

The second day is when things start to kick into gear. The streets start to get a little fuller, lines are a little bit longer, and a sense of anticipation hangs in the air. As I walk to breakfast, I pass a group of five well-dressed young adults and let my musings of which band was that? carry my steps. Later that day I had the pleasure of taking portraits for two bands: Shower Curtain and Casino Hearts. During my photos with Shower Curtain, Victoria, the frontwoman, explained to me that they stopped in Boise early to check out some of the festivities before their set on Saturday. Some of those festivities included the set of Casino Hearts later that night at the Shrine Social Club Basement, the grungy twin of the venue’s upstairs ballroom. While taking their portraits, the members of Casino Hearts were incredibly fun and kind, which made their show all the more enjoyable. Their music is best explained as if you were in a comfortable dream, the distorted sounds lulling you into a trance - evocative and melancholic.

Friday, day 3, is a day of calm. I focus on checking out everything the festival has to offer aside from music. Treefort places a high emphasis on community involvement, and it shows. While some cities may turn up their nose at the high volume of tourists that Treefort attracts, Boise welcomes it with open arms. I can’t remember a time before Treefort when I had so many friendly conversations with strangers on the street. The thing that sets Treefort apart so well is the fact that it doesn’t feel like a music festival at all. Instead, it’s like a city-wide celebration. While many music festivals see their demographic in teens and young adults, Treefort spans a much wider range. On any given day you’ll see everything ranging from newborns to groups of older women. 

Saturday, day 4, requires some mental preparation, in part because Amyl and the Sniffers is in town. Frontwoman Amy Taylor can best be described as unapologetic in the best way possible. While I didn’t stay in the mosh pit for very long (due to some very expensive camera gear), this was one of my favorite sets of the festival. Amyl and the Sniffers put on an unforgettable performance, with gritty energy to the max. To say the least, they know how to get a crowd going.

Later that night is the long-awaited Shower Curtain at neurolux, one of the coolest bars downtown. Lines are out the door at every venue, people packed together like sardines. Simple, stripped-down and moody, the bar feels like the perfect place to host their set. Shower Curtain is a band that stands out - the love for their craft is felt in all their interactions. Somewhere between dream pop and grunge rock, listening to this band’s music makes you feel like you’re in some sort of elite cooler-than-you club. 

Sunday, day 5, begins with snoozing the alarm. It is the last day of Treefort Music Fest, but that doesn’t mean that the collective energy of its attendees and musicians alike starts to dwindle just yet. The first show of the day on the main stage is Hinds, the explosive and enchanting girl-group originating from Madrid. The band, which celebrated its debut in 2011, is like a pop song on a distorted radio. They are nothing like what you would expect and can easily capture a crowd’s attention. Their 2024 record “Viva Hinds” has been received extremely well, and the band seems to show no signs of stopping. 

The bittersweet finale to the festival is Lowertown, a duo consisting of Olivia Osby and Avsha Weinberg. The two have explored a variety of genres across their music career - including respective solo projects. Now, the group’s sound is raw and experimental, floating between electronic and acoustic. No matter their sound, Lowertown puts on one hell of a show. After their set, K-UTE met up with them for an interview, and I was struck by their down-to-earth nature. Despite having just met them a mere 5 minutes ago, it felt as if we were all just friends having a conversation.