When I learned that inventive indie rockers, Lord Huron, would be headlining one of the days at this year’s High Water Festival, my interest was immediately piqued. The band’s atmospheric mix of folk, country, and rock paired with catchy pop melodies has been haunting my mind and multiple streaming services since I first heard them perform more than 10 years ago at Silver Lake Lounge in Los Angeles. As I read the complete lineup with acts like Amos Lee, Julien Baker & Torres, Waxahatchee, and Arcade Fire, attending the festival felt like a no-brainer. I had to be there.
For two days North Charleston’s Riverfront Park transformed into a haven for music lovers as the High Water Festival returned for its seventh year. Taking place April 25 and 26, the event showcased a thoughtfully curated range of indie, folk, and rock artists on two stages beneath bright blue skies and the picturesque backdrop of the Cooper River.
I arrived a little after 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning for best dibs on free parking. Once my vehicle was secured, I headed inside the gates where I scoped out food and beverage ahead of the first act, Easy Honey, set to perform at 1:30 p.m. on the Edisto Stage. Floating among the aromas of pizza, Asian noodles, hotdogs, corndogs, barbecue pork, pretzels, all manner of chicken, and a range of deserts, including ice cream and fried Oreos, I noted plenty of options for late afternoon snacking in addition to the roasted veggies, quinoa, and boiled eggs strategically stashed within the cooler in my car.
Easy Honey was a great festival opener. Their music is fun, upbeat—pop punk meets surf rock with occasional jam band indulgences—effectively setting the day’s mood for dancing and bopping around. Originally from Sewanee, Tennessee, the four-piece recently relocated to Charleston to tap into the city’s emerging music scene. The band tours all summer throughout the Southeast.
Immediately following Easy Honey’s final downbeat, Irish singer-songwriter Darren Kiely took over the Stono Stage. Initially, I thought it was Marcus Mumford—Kiely’s tone and vocal delivery are similarly contemplative, soulful. But as I listened, Kiely’s own nuance shone through, colored with a hint of David Gray. Kiely tours extensively in the eastern U.S. and Canada through late July when he returns to Europe for a series of performances.
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Then, I caught Medium Build, a band multiple friends had recommended. The brainchild of writer/singer/guitarist Nick Carpenter, his music comes across as thoughtful, emotional rock with strong country undertones. When Carpenter launched into “Gimme My Soul Back,” most around me knew the lyrics and sang loudly. The same engagement hit on the chorus of “Rage,” which quickly had me singing louder and louder, caught in the tight, driving synergy between band and audience. Clearly, I was a new initiate into the phenomenon of Medium Build.
After that set I took a break to appreciate Riverfront Park. Earlier I’d seen an osprey hovering over the river and hoped to glimpse it again. Near the Stono Stage a new concrete pedestrian bridge spanned a tidal slough connecting the primary festival grounds to another section of the park. I headed toward the bridge, completely smitten with the beauty of the day. With temperatures in the low 80s and distinct layers of clouds—cotton ball cumulus beneath wisps of high-horsehair cirrus—the warm sun with the depth and contours of the sky made the afternoon a music and nature lover’s best of best days.
I wanted to share this passionate sentiment with whomever was walking behind me. I could hear footfalls and knew people were there but had no idea who it might be. When I turned to gush about how much I appreciated this day, the two guys, clad in white t-shirts, shorts, and sunglasses paused, smiled, and gave me solid fist bumps before continuing on. They didn’t say a word but possessed an otherworldly ethos suggestive of Jay and Silent Bob halted in momentary reverie.
From the bridge I headed back to the food vendors for a veggie hotdog and refilled my water bottle at the hydration station. At 5:15 p.m. Amos Lee was on the Stono Stage, and I definitely wanted a good spot for that performance.
Here’s the thing about Amos Lee: that man’s lung capacity and vocal control surely make him a contender for a Guiness world record. More than once he delivered a seeming paragraph of scorching lyrics with a melody line that ranged from deep tenor to high falsetto. Such flawless, consistent execution left me motionless, made me drop my jaw because, as a singer and musician, I know the precise difficulty in what his is doing. Amos Lee is absolute vocal brilliance. With perfect intonation to boot.
And then the stage camera turned to capture an image that included Lee and the drummer behind him. With both in frame, I recognized them immediately—these were the two guys to whom earlier I’d professed my love of the day. Except on the bridge, Lee wasn’t wearing the fuzzy coverall suit he was currently performing in.
No wonder they didn’t say anything—what could they reasonably speak in response to the wacky festival lady talking about birds, music, and sweet habitat?!
Truly, smiles and silent fist bumps was the most appropriate rock star response.
At 6:15 p.m. Julien Baker & Torres gave a grounded, yet sassy, performance on the Edisto Stage, their harmonies and presence smoldering within their obvious mutual respect for each other and love of playing music. Mt. Joy, then, followed on the Stono Stage and brought out Amos Lee to close their set with a cover of the Wheatus hit, “Teenage Dirtbag.”
I took one more food break, this time to my car to indulge in the veggies and quinoa I’d brought from home. I needed to be well-fueled for the last act of the night, Lord Huron.
Lord Huron did not disappoint. Being outside on a clear spring night surrounded by people eager to enter the band’s unique sonic realm, akin to the bardo of becoming—this is how Lord Huron is meant to be heard. They began with “Meet Me in the Woods,” apropos of the setting, then played most of their biggest songs, leaving “The Night We Met” for second-to-last until the encore, which included four more tunes. Before finally leaving the stage, they played “Not Dead Yet,” pop-tempo perfect, highlighted with their haunting harmonies.
If you like Lord Huron, this was the night to see and hear them. They were pure, heart-expressed magic. I had goosebumps. And not because I was cold.
High Water Festival 2025 was a celebration of music, community and the unique spirit of the Lowcountry, with performances that will resonate long after the last notes were played. Set within the natural beauty of Riverfront Park, the event is testament to the power of music in bringing people together to create meaningful, lasting memories.
I will be back.
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