Mike DeWald // @mike_dewald
Sonoma Harvest Music Festival announced the line-up Monday morning for the second annual Sonoma Harvest Music Festival at Glen Ellen’s historic BR Cohn Winery. This year’s festival boasts an impressive and eclectic expanded line-up of offerings spanning four days over two weekends in September. Headlining the sophomore outing for the festival will be Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals, Ms. Lauryn Hill, CHVRCHES, and Death Cab for Cutie. Each individual day’s musical offerings fit a loose stylistic theme, from indie rock and pop, to r&b, to roots and soul.
“The inaugural Sonoma Harvest Music Festival was such a success in 2018 that we’ve doubled the fun,” said Dave Graham, Partner, BottleRock Presents. “The festival will now be two full weekends in 2019, with each weekend offering a unique lineup of terrific artists.”
Modeled as a large scale music festival in a casual setting, the fest offers many of the same attractions festival goers to Napa’s BottleRock would expect, but in a more relaxed setting. The line-up is rounded out by acts like Silversun Pickups, Cold War Kids, Walk the Moon, Cee Lo Green, and MisterWives. Returning as well is the showcase of Sonoma County culinary gems including Zazu Kitchen + Farm, Thistle Meats, the girl and the fig, Hog Island Oysters, and more. Wine will continue to be a staple of the festival, held with the distinct back drop of the vineyards of Sonoma Valley, with BR Cohn and Vintage Wine Estates providing the vino, along with local craft breweries. The festivals mission is to reflect the more casual, relaxed, and intimate setting of Sonoma’s wine country and translate that into the music festival experience.
“B.R. Cohn Winery has a longstanding music heritage and live music is in our DNA,” explained Pat Roney, CEO/Founder of Vintage Wine Estates, who purchased the winery in 2015. “We are thrilled to now have two weekends of incredible music in our beautiful natural amphitheater overlooking Olive Hill Vineyard.”
Week one of the festival kicks off on Saturday, September 14, featuring Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Iration, The Record Company, Mandolin Orange and Maggie Koerner. Sunday, September 15 features Ms. Lauryn Hill, CeeLo Green, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, North Mississippi Allstars and Monophonics. Chvrches kicks off weekend two on Saturday, September 21, with Walk the Moon, MisterWives, Atlas Genius and The Score rounding out day one. Sunday, September 22 headliner Death Cab for Cutie will share the stage with Silversun Pickups, Cold War Kids, Mondo Cozmo and Nightly.
Live music returned to the historic winery in 2018, picking up up on the long legacy of BR Cohn’s Fall Music Festival, which was relocated to Sonoma’s town square before it’s eventual cancellation in 2016.
Two-day festival passes for both Sonoma Harvest Music Festival weekends at B.R. Cohn Winery range from $249 General Admission, to $499 VIP. Weekend passes will be available beginning Wednesday, June 12 at 10 a.m. at www.sonomaharvestmusicfestival.com. Single day GA and VIP festival passes will be available at a later date. The Harvest Music Festival benefits Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation.
This article also appears at RIFFMagazine.com
