Find the setlist and available recordings here: https://spaffnerds.com/shows/2017-08-12
We checked the forecast daily leading up to the Peach Festival. It changed daily, from rain everyday, to no rain, and back and forth and everything in between. We planned for the worst and that is what we got for most of Friday. In addition to the weather issues, there was a big power issue that plagued the two stages inside the main festival area with no sound.
We were so pumped to see Spafford. We passed out I’m Killing It stickers to everyone we could and told them they should not miss the band. It was great to hear from so many that were already planning on going. When Saturday finally came around, the forecast called for more rain, right around the time they were to start. Fortunately, there was no rain all day. The sun was out, the humidity was bearable, and we were ready to jam.
Prior to Spafford, we were at the opposite end of the festival grounds watching another band when I realized I did not have my mic nor enough time to go get it. I met a Spaffnerd the first night who was hauling festival goers around in golf carts for the weekend. He was able to help us out, and I was able to stream the show. So, a huge thanks goes out to Conner!
We all got out of the cart behind the main stage and set off towards the Grove stage, or as I had been calling it all weekend, the Groove stage. There was already a good-sized crowd when we arrived. The familiar sound of "Check Check" was in the air. We got settled in and I started the live stream. After a moment, it became clear the band was having technical issues. The sound guys and the band were checking all the plugs here and there, trying to figure out what the issue was. When the band started jamming, I thought it was just part of the sound check, to validate the issues were gone. I was mistaken and our Spafford Peach Journey was on its way. As soon as the music started the crowd instantly got into the groove like they had been anxiously waiting for Spafford’s performance as much as we were.
The energy in the crowd was very high and clearly people were ready to get funky. I expected the crowd to sit back a bit and watch and try to figure out what this band was about. But one song in you could see everyone was feeling it and couldn’t wait for each of the next songs to come. The crowd was huge to begin with and kept getting bigger until it filled the entire roadway and stage front area-the largest crowd at the Grove stage for the entire festival. We walked away from the show knowing that Spafford proved to the Peach Festival they could command any of their bigger stages-and they should!
The Peach has been treated to a spectacular set of electro funk therapy by the leading practitioners.
