I looked at the forecast before leaving for UTOPiAfest, and knew that it was supposed to rain all weekend. I have to admit it. After the first day of relentless rain, I sat on the bumper of my car debating whether or not I should stay. The light rain permitted me to shoot photos for most of the first day, but since the rain had begun to fall harder, it hadn’t stopped. I feared the worst. Quitting is something I almost never do—to a fault—but this time I couldn’t be happier that I stuck around for what turned out to be an outstanding second day of UTOPiAfest 2012.
The heavy rain continued until after 2:00 AM, but when I woke up around 8:00 the next morning, the air was crisp and cool and the rain had stopped. Climbing out of my tent yielded a mysteriously beautiful view of thick fog clouding the green hills surrounding the festival grounds. In the still, cool of the morning, a broad smile stretched across my face—this is, largely, what UTOPiAfest is all about.
The coffee line snaked epically from a single dispenser, much of the grounds still wallowed in a massive mud pit, but an unmistakable hopefulness moved through the barefoot, mud-caked attendees. Crews went to work laying a bed of hay on the muddiest parts of the grounds. By the time Texas folk songwriter Sid Fly took the Cypress stage to kick things off, the sun had burned off much of the fog and patches of blue littered the sky.
Jitterbug Vipers and Flying Balalaika Brothers followed Fly, sharing the quality of being some of the most unusual artists of the entire festival lineup. Jitterbug Vipers aren’t all that strange, save the guitarist’s Mickey Mouse pajama pants and the fact that their jazzy swing numbers fall beyond even the eclectic bill of UTOPiAfest. The Balalaika Brothers, on the other hand, would be odd almost anywhere with their unique brand of Russian folk music. Digital Antique followed with upbeat instrumental numbers, and the day had already presented so many disparate artists it hardly seemed likely they could share the same stages.
With Sons of Fathers on the Cypress stage, the fest fell back into its groove of Americana and folk, performing an impassioned set that the crowd adored. The next band, The Plastics Revolution, emerged as one of the festival’s best kept secrets. I had no idea who these guys were until half way through their set. These pop-rockers hailing from Mexico City possess as sharp a sound as many American indie-rock bands such as Walkmen or The National, but with an added, expressive onstage joy, not to mention their international mystique. 
These guys are just great. They exemplify that risk-taking mindset possessed by the creators of UTOPiAfest. But as I watch them, I notice something else about all of the artists playing the festival—they all appear genuinely thrilled to be on stage performing. As crazy as it sounds, it’s something I see far less often than you’d think.
This trend of relaxed, easy happiness would continue throughout the evening with Texas outlaw folk musician Ray Wylie Hubbard and the blues-infused, angular guitars of White Denim. Bass extraordinaire Victor Wooten’s set carried a cooler feel, but the soulful sounds of his new vocalist, Krystal Peterson, made the set stand out.
As dusk began to spread out across Four Sisters Ranch, two of the festival’s most talked about performers geared up to play. The first, UTOPiAfest favorites The Wheeler Brothers, were one of the few returning artists to have played the festival last year as well the 2012 installment. 
Though their core members number five, they brought along a fair amount of help in the form of a brass section. Continuing the trend of absolutely joyous stage presence, the band rocked through their upbeat Americana songs. Owning a ranch nearby for recording, practicing, and general hanging around makes the Wheeler Brothers somewhat of a locally known sensation, and the group emphasizes the regional roots from which UTOPiAfest derives—some of the fest’s creators are from nearby.
As Ben Kweller finally geared up to play, a crowd assembled early for one of the only times during the weekend. A kid near me shouts, “I came for you Ben!” Kweller smiles sweetly and says, “Aw, thanks so much, man.” Further along in the setup and soundcheck, another guy yells, “I love you, Ben!” To which Kweller immediately shoots back, “Love you too, bro!” This embodies that open, honest feeling that permeated the weekend. Often, at best, artists ignore these remarks, and at worst, seem visibly rattled or annoyed that anyone would yell such insanity. 
Kweller instead seemed to meet his fans love and joy with his own love and joy. After my recent interview with him, I wrote that Austin is lucky to have a force like Kweller working within the music community, and this experience solidified that belief. As I’m snapping a few pictures, Kweller spots me and flashes rock-out devil horns and a smile.
His set, too, embodies the raw energy that most of the artists from the weekend possessed, but pushes things to a whole new level. Kweller won’t stop moving onstage, frantically swaying and dancing as he rocks out. He’s a great performer. 
The set incorporates some of his earliest material and some of his newest and leaves everyone happy but wanting more. This is the pinnacle of UTOPiAfest—it simply doesn’t get any better.
UTOPiAfest is a festival unlike any other, with its regional emphasis, independent production, adventurous bookings, and pure love. While some festivals sit around in offices booking names, UTOPiAfest is busy booking bands. You might not have heard of them, but don’t underestimate them. They will surprise you. I was a convert after I attended last year, and despite the rain and mud, the newest installment of UTOPiAfest emerged equally as triumphant.
