“Back to School Fest” was one last hurrah to celebrate the end of summer. On August 22, Heartwood Soundstage in Gainesville, Florida, filled up for a night of live music. Toro, Dumpster, Buboy, and Tobacco Road set the stage for Winyah and Penelope Road, who co-headlined the night. The second Winyah took the stage, the energy of the whole night shifted. Fans who had previously been sitting toward the back immediately stood up and made their way closer, somehow making an already packed crowd even bigger. Between fans singing along, dancing, and even holding up handmade signs, the energy was impossible to miss. Thomas Rowland, the group’s lead vocalist, was even wearing an “I <3 Winyahelope Road” shirt, which was being sold as merch and could be spotted throughout the crowd.

The band fed off that energy throughout the entire set, playing fan favorites such as “Feel It All Again,” “Fool’s Game,” “Lovely Girl,” “Thread,” “Lay Me Down,” and “Lot to Learn.” They also gave the crowd a taste of their new music with “Spinning” and “Canopy.” There wasn’t a single song where the crowd wasn’t singing along, whether it was any of their older favorites or one of their brand new songs.

Winyah’s set came and went with the blink of an eye, probably quicker than anyone had wanted. There’s something special about a Winyah show that makes it feel like there’s genuinely “no place you’d rather be.” Between the handmade signs, fans repping the band’s merch, and the entire crowd getting on their feet the second they started, it was obvious this crowd came ready to see Winyah. The room was still buzzing as the set came to an end, making way for Penelope Road’s set and carrying the excitement on for the rest of the night.

Photos and review by Francesca Barra