Shakori Hills Art Center Pittsboro, NC
Contact: shakorihillsgassroots.org
Web: shakorihillsgassroots.org
Players: Various
Don’t pack away that tie-dye just yet. For nearly two decades, the Shakori Hills Music Festival has been a twice-yearly rite of passage in North Carolina—a colorful gathering of roots, rhythm, and rural soul. But the Fall 2025 edition felt more like a comfortable rerun than a revelation. Same as it ever was—just more so.
Donna the Buffalo opened the weekend on Thursday, as they have since the festival’s founding, setting the familiar tone. What followed was a steady flow of polished, bluegrass-tinged and folk-inspired acts—competent, easygoing, and predictably safe. Fiddles, harmonies, and one or two original songs dotted the sets. Local performers were well slotted, and a few managed to stand out: Ric Robertson was a genuine treat, while The Tan and Sober Gentlemen were equal parts head-scratcher and hoedown—strange, but irresistibly fun.
The Vicious Fishes deserve honorable mention for the name alone, offering a refreshing detour from the standard festival sound. But that highlights the central issue here: plenty of acts, plenty of variety, plenty of players—yet no spark to unite them. There was no clear torchbearer saying, “Follow us—this is where it’s headed.”
Friday’s lineup stayed full but scattered. The Deacon Band brought some energy, and a newcomer called “New Planets” turned heads during their set. As evening settled in, the crowd thickened, and for a moment, it felt as if Shakori might finally slip into its groove—stretching out, shaking off the dust, and becoming its own circus midway. Almost.
By Saturday, the focus shifted from music to spectacle. The “Paperhand and Bulltown Strutters Parade” added color and nostalgia, a nod to the countercultural spirit of Wavy Gravy, The Merry Pranksters, and The Hog Farm. It was comforting to see that lineage carried forward—just not particularly groundbreaking.
A few names still shone through the haze. David Childers remains a master craftsman and heavyweight songwriter, his set a lesson in lyrical precision and grit. The Shoaldiggers—a local legend known to frequent Nash Street and The Cat’s Cradle—delivered a lively, grounded performance that reminded everyone why roots music endures.
But with four stages and dozens of acts, it was surprising how often the weekend felt “safe.” Given the festival’s roots in Donna the Buffalo’s Southern Tier and Ithaca scene, one expected a little more risk, a little more chaos, a little more soul fire.
In the end, Shakori Hills 2025 was friendly, familiar, and well-run—just missing that jolt of inspiration that turns a good gathering into something unforgettable.
