By WILL ROSS
Over the years, music festivals have been a hotspot for hippies, freethinkers, and music lovers alike, but they often come with an unseen cost that leaves a sour note hanging in the air for days after the festivities. When hordes of people pack into the gates of a venue hoping to leave with memories that will last a lifetime, they often leave behind a heap of waste, not to mention the emissions that are associated with mass transit, stage electricity, and vendors.
On Saturday, two friends from Woodstock held a festival in Brandon in hopes of breaking this norm. In a field off Steinberg Road, the first-ever Imagine Zero Music Festival kicked off. With help from the Solarfest team and many other local organizations, the festival showcased the power that eco-friendly initiatives can bring to music venues.
The two co-organizers, Ben Kogan and Cliff Johnson, hatched the idea for a sustainable music festival in 2022 and set off to work, knowing the task ahead would present many challenges but still facing the looming logistics head-on in hopes of creating a brighter future in the music industry. The two approached the problem scientifically, identifying any sources of waste or carbon emissions associated with music festivals and determining which of those could be reduced or eliminated entirely.
The result was a festival free of trash, powered entirely by a 5-kilowatt portable solar array, complete with reusable cups and plates, compost bins located on site, and solar-powered food vendors. During the show, the pair took the stage to discuss which different aspects of music festivals create the most waste and how they could address them. Johnson discussed how the venue itself usually contributes a third of overall carbon emissions for things like heating, cooling, lights, gear, and electricity; another third is associated with band travel; and the final third is audience travel.
Johnson noted that audience travel is the biggest obstacle in something like this, and while they encouraged carpooling and electric vehicle transport, there is only so much that can be done as the audience needs to get to the show. He says they hope to provide more public transportation in the future to cut down on waste.
All the artists involved were passionate about the mission, many of whom would go on to sign a pledge for the organization Musicians for Sustainability, founded by Kogan with the goal of getting bands to push for sustainability at the venues they play. When addressing the eco-friendly initiatives of the festival, artist Kat Wright said, “We are just really proud to be from Vermont, where we are making events like this a reality.” Additionally, all profits from the event will go to the organization One Tree Planted, which is dedicated to reforestation, increasing biodiversity, and creating a positive social impact.
BEN KOGAN BAND mid-set with a wide range of instruments that let the band’s sound traverse from honky-tonk bluegrass to more contemporary alternative.
The tents were set, the sun was shining, and the crowd was beginning to roll in when Earthworm, a band of UVM students, opened the show in an upbeat performance full of harmonies, funky rhythms, and righteous guitar solos. The opening act was followed up by Brandon Heisler, who, along with Andrew Bayard, put on an acoustic folk set with melodic harmonica and plenty of twang to spare.
Michael Daves was next in the lineup, and he put on a stellar solo bluegrass performance showcasing his ability to capture the audience with only a guitar and his voice. Ben Kogan himself was next to take the stage alongside a band that grew from four members to six, complete with standup bass, sax solos, and a ripping fiddle.
The latter half of the concert began with Billy Wylder, who put on a high-energy performance, capturing a sound that transcended categorization. Wylder was followed up by Myra Flynn, who kept the crowd moving with a gospel-inspired, soulful performance alongside her bandmates. Kat Wright was next up, and she blew the audience away with stellar vocals and grooving melodies. The big name of the night was Dawes, a band based out of LA that came all the way to our humble little town for the festival. As the sun set, Dawes brought the audience to their feet in an epic set, at one point leading the crowd in a birthday serenade to bassist Wylie Gelber before closing out the night with two of their big hits.
When reflecting on the show, Earthworm guitarist Daniel Bouvier said, “We’ve never been a part of something like this, so it’s really cool to see and to be involved in the community within the greater Burlington area.” The mission of the festival is reflected in Earthworms own songwriting, as lead singer and bassist Rachel Zieff pointed out: “This Thursday, May 18th, we have our first single, Tears of God, coming out. It’s a little bit about climate anxiety, so I think it suits this event well timing-wise.”
Kat Wright echoed this sentiment, stating, “Events are so wasteful, and all of our waste is kept out of our sight, and that is really disturbing.” Adding, “We are just so proud that this happened, and now it can be improved upon, built upon, and replicated.”
The vendors were all focused on sustainability as well. Reusable cups and plates were provided by a company out of New York City called Cup Zero. The company brings reusable cups and plates to different venues, preventing the need for single-use materials.
BRANDON HEISLER (RIGHT) strumming out a tasty lick, accompanied by Andrew Bayard (left) on lead guitar.
Among the vendors were Mach’s Woodfired Pizza from Pawlet, VT, dedicated to providing all organic gourmet, locally sourced, and foraged pizzas. Sustainable Eats was another food truck on site that focuses on using clean foods from a combination of local, all-natural, antibiotic-free, and organic sources. Alongside these two were Taco Truck All-Stars, who arrived with a solar system already in place mounted on the hood of their truck. Anna’s Empanadas and Blue Pig Ice Cream were also there, both of which focus on organic, locally sourced foods. Black Flannel Brewing out of Essex had a tent set up serving adult beverages, one of which was a session IPA brewed specifically for this event.
There were also tents dedicated to organizations that are striving to spread the word about other sustainability initiatives, including Keep Vermont Cool, a climate campaign with the goal of helping Vermonters take action against climate change. Casella Waste had a tent set up to share information about their new partnership with TerraCycle dedicated to resolving issues with sorting recycling.
There were around 600 audience members in attendance at the festival, which goes to show that even in a small community, people are passionate about music and sustainability alike. As Johnson pointed out, they knew they wouldn’t be able to completely remove emissions from this event; however, it is important to change what we can now and continue to look to the future. If we can take the first step in a small community like Brandon, there are sure to be great changes coming down the pipe. Hopefully, we will continue to see festivals take this approach to ensure our planet stays healthy and music lovers stay happy.
