Day two of Aubfest, featuring a lot of the main attractions of the weekend, began and ended in most memorable ways for a music festival worth celebrating.
I hurriedly made my way to Boggin’ on the Plains on the morning of October 4th, eager to catch the first band. I arrived with just enough time to park, stretch my legs, and then get settled in before Okay Kenedi and her band strummed their first notes. Her indie singer/songwriter style felt like the perfect opening to what was looking like a great day. The band drew a decent crowd for it still being 11:00 in the morning after a long first night of the festival.
Once the set was over, I got up and wondered around. I found the vendor halls, some food trucks, and The Grove stage over the hill from the main stage. I even found a table set up by the local chapter of the organization End Overdose who was offering on-site rapid Naloxone training. While exploring, I was struck by the familiarity and friendliness of it all. I hadn’t even met up with anyone at that point and yet everyone felt so welcoming and at home.
The next band up was the Sandpipers. Their self-described “surf rock” sound drew in a large crowd and really got everyone energized. Then DJ Mourning Dove (also known as Eli Standard) joined the band on stage, playing his trumpet. After an amazing solo, he jumped into the crowd, sending up a cloud of dust thick enough I could taste it as nearly the whole crowd started moshing to the music. After that fantastic performance, I met up with some friends, sat down, and chatted while I drank some much-needed water.
The next set of my day was May Weather. The noise musician had a shocking hyped crowd. I spent most of the set dancing to the music or in the midst of an unexpected mosh pit. Despite using more energy than I probably should have so early in such a long day, the show was an absolute blast.
Despite the rising exhaustion, I rushed to The Grove community stage in order to catch the Mizfits Drag Show. It was the first drag show I’ve seen since I’ve been here in Auburn. The queens and king did phenomenal, despite problems surrounding a power outage to the stage lights mid performance.
I made my way to back to the main stage right as Sunhouse started their set. I had a great view of the next three bands from the top of the giant brush pile next to The Bog that was planned to be burned later that night. These included Sunhouse with their classic pop rock style, the funk jazz sound of Queen City Avenue, and the innovative instrumentals provided by the sitar rock of Shock Tea. After three sets in a row, I climbed down to get some water and do some final browsing of the vendor stalls, where I then bought a high-quality, vintage leather jacket.
We finally get to County Road Basement with the biggest crowd up to that point. Their driving beats and passionate vocals really got the crowd excited. The band asked the crowd if they wanted three more songs, and the crowd went wild. After the excitement of being on the front of the crowd for County Road Basement, I went and sat down for the next set.
The final set I watched of the night was Carmine Sun. Their smooth and chill sound were a nice way to finish out the night. Of course, they had to end with a hype banger in the form of a cover of Take the Power Back by Rage Against the Machine. The lead singer, Gerrit Notch, even dived into the crowd on this final song.
Overall, Aubfest Fall 2025 was an absolute blast. I got to spend time getting closer with friends and got to make new ones! I cannot wait until Spring comes for the next one. The festival was one that I am going to remember for a long time. I know that I am going to keep an eye on all the bands I saw, and for anyone doing the same, I will see you all in the Spring!
