Courtesy of Emma Dinkelspiel ’25
As the “season of the sticks” makes its way from Vermont to Connecticut this September 28 and 29th, Connecticut College students need not “be far from here” to experience Soundside, Connecticut’s largest (and most epic) music festival. To shamelessly co-opt the lyrics of Noah Kahan, those who make the short trek down the coast are sure to reflect back on the weekend with a fondness summed up in a single phrase—“I miss the way you made me feel.”
For a third year in a row, the nearby city of Bridgeport, Connecticut will play host to the two-day Soundside Music Festival (formerly known as Sound on Sound), featuring a lineup of chart-topping acts including Noah Kahan, the Foo Fighters, the Goo Goo Dolls, Fleet Foxes, Boyz II Men, Norah Jones, and Teddy Swims. Bleachers will replace Queens of the Stone Age as an additional headliner following concerns surrounding the health of band frontman Josh Homme, who underwent emergency surgery just a couple months back.
In spite of this unexpected change-up, the event is poised to continue to live up to its legacy as an energetic kick-off to the fall season, serving as a preview of rising music industry stars. Soundside’s inaugural setlist included Zach Bryan and Noah Kahan, whom few would dispute to be some of the biggest names in music today. Two years ago, however, these artists weren’t even headlining the event. As Soundside founder Jordan Wolowitz shared with The Voice last September, “[t]hat’s why festivals are so great. Over the years, you can see artists grow from club acts to arena acts or stadium acts. In the meantime, a festival can help support them.” This is certainly true for Soundside, and 2024 attendees can look forward to seeing Kahan headline the event. The “Season of the Sticks” singer will close out a full day of performances Saturday, while the Sunday portion of the festival will be wrapped up by the iconic Foo Fighters. In the fitting words of this latter performer, “I wonder […] if anything could ever be this good again!”
Held on the shores of Seaside Park, Soundside attracts music lovers from all around New England, boasting a single stage occupied from 12pm until close. The venue is only an hour away from Conn by train, easily accessible to students interested in listening to the talented lineup. Spectators are free to roam around the space’s 325 acres throughout the day, and enjoy a variety of cuisines ranging from bagels, to burgers, to dumplings, to hot dogs, to craft beverages. Parking passes, lockers, and nearby hotels can be reserved through the Soundside website, making it a breeze to conveniently access all event information through a single core source. Ridesharing, biking, and walking are also encouraged, and details surrounding dedicated racks and dropoff sites are set be released closer to festival dates. Unfortunately, boat access at Seaside Park is restricted throughout the festival—attendees will have to be content dancing on dry land in order not to “rock the boat” with festival security.
Rebranded as a collaboration between C3 Presents (the team behind Lollapalooza), and past organizers of Sound on Sound (including Wolowitz), Soundside 2024 is all but guaranteed to offer concertgoers an unforgettable weekend. Over the past few iterations of the festival, organizers have worked through a multitude of kinks: although first year crowd members noted flooding near stage areas made for an uncomfortable viewing experience, last year’s audience sections were better equipped for unanticipated rain.
Single-day General Admission tickets to the Saturday portion of the festival are currently sold out, but a limited number of single-day General Admission tickets to Sunday’s festivities remain available. Viewers looking for a premium one or two-day auditory adventure can purchase General Admission +, VIP, or Skydeck (21+) passes through the Soundside domain, which offer varying levels of stage viewing, private food and drink, and lounge access. General Admission Plus rates start at $349 for a single-day ticket, while top-tier Skydeck passes begin at $875 per day. Those who move now are able to buy at a lower cost, circumventing price increases closer to event dates. Take action early to save on an experience sure to be worth every penny!
