7:09 p.m.: Don’t sleep on Canada’s country artists! Angelica Appelman performed in the barn today, and her combo of vocals and stage presence is a winning one!

6:25 p.m.: Lots of powerful vocalists throughout today’s lineup, and Vanessa Lio is no exception. Have a listen!

5:07 p.m.: Our Sunday adventure continued with glam rock cowgirl Jessica Sevier — and her noticeably fantastic songwriting!

4:27 p.m.: Onto today’s performances! Blackstock kicked things off, and those vocals were STRONG to start our Sunday!

2:52 p.m.: Simply put, last night rocked. If you need further evidence, check out this moment from Cigar Club.

2:27 p.m.: The Blues Emergency brought big energy to Saturday night’s lineup — and they’re fronted by Andy Du Rego, whose Black Suit Devil project has been featured here on UMC before. Small world!

2:00 p.m.: Speaking of last night, look at how Fortunate Losers had the whole place rocking! Tremendous set — shades of Tool, Deftones, and early Our Lady Peace (think Happiness… and earlier).

1:40 p.m.: My upload speeds have been a little slow out in the field, as well, which is contributing to the backup in updates.

BUT… we’re going to get caught up, and it starts with this clip featuring the mega-talented Harley Olivia, whose performance lit up a picturesque late summer evening in Ontario.

Sunday, September 15 | 1:23 p.m.: Oh man… I’m behind the 8-ball here! I guess that’s what happens when you fully immerse yourself in an event this epic. There are lots of videos on my phone, which we’ll be rolling out here, Instagram, and YouTube.

While I get caught up, I want to thank everyone who attended and empowered my Perfect Your Pitch seminar this morning! I’m grateful to have been on this stage, and for the connections made!

8:16 p.m.: What do you think? Should Tyler Lorette come hang in Nashville sometime?

7:07 p.m.: Things just got HEAVY with Burning Bridges!

6:22 p.m.: Seattle psych legends General Mojos delivered an impressive set, showcasing their seamless musicianship earlier this afternoon. The audience took notice — a LOT of people came up to the front for a closer look.

5:50 p.m.: Lots to update you on, starting with the fun brought forth by alt-rock trio Wishwell.

4:42 p.m.: A couple more performances coming in! The first is Italian-born Alessandro Montelli rocking the afternoon crowd, followed by folk trio Wild Bloom covering Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club.”

3:17 p.m.: One thing I appreciate about Gussapolooza is not only the dedication to showcasing original music, but original music from across genres. With that in mind, here’s a little snippet from pop/R&B artist David July.

1:54 p.m.: Plenty of great insights from Matt Bacon. Here’s one for any artists reading this to digest…

How is content making your audience FEEL?
What emotions will your audience experience coming to a live show or engaging with you?

1:07 p.m.: “It’s never been easier to get the word out about yourself as a musician.” Matt Bacon emphasizes that while marketing platforms may change, the strategies behind marketing are timeless.

12:44 p.m.: And, as a friendly reminder, a familiar face presents tomorrow at 11 a.m.! 😉

12:41 p.m.: Easy start to the day, about to take in Matt Bacon’s social media marketing seminar before the (musical) games begin for the afternoon!

Saturday, September 14 | 12 p.m.: Top of the afternoon to ya!

Let’s kick today’s coverage off with last night’s closing performance from CMAGIC5, who brought out all the bells and whistles to conclude Night 1!

11:20 p.m.: Still coming down from the spiritual experience The Manic Boys & Girls Club gave us…

9:45 p.m.: Feral Minks with one of my favorite sets of the night. A lot of groove in their music — reminds me quite a bit of Kings of Leon.

9:26 p.m.: If you know me, you know the level to which this is high praise: Gussapolooza reminds me of the stories I’ve been told about the early days of Musikfest (which is now the largest free, non-gated music festival in the US). There’s clear passion, vision, and attention to detail, and you can tell that everyone in this community believes in this festival.

9:01 p.m.: And, just like that, Ashley Gilmore & Friends are here to show that an all-acoustic arrangement can be just as powerful!

8:45 p.m.: Cudbear is the truth! They didn’t stop bringing the energy in torrents for their entire set. In fact, they seemed to only gain more power as the set went on.

8:12 p.m.: Stumbled upon a party in the barn with Usual Suspektz!

7:14 p.m.: As I was making the previous update, I was uploading this fun little snippet from Gussapolooza veterans, Freightliner. Come get some!

7:09 p.m.: Been making my way around, and caught In Your Walls playing a new tune inside at the MTAV Barn Stage!

6:14 p.m.: Sweet chili Thai chicken pouting from Foodiez Barrie. I’m already in love.

6:03 p.m.: We are underway! I set up my tent and came back up from tent city, just as Barrie, ON native Brigitte Eve kicked off Gussapolooza 2024.

12:26 p.m. ET: We’ve arrived in Canada! This thing that started with a USB mic and a laptop in my childhood bedroom is officially an international movement.

Friday, Sept. 13 | 9:42 a.m. ET: Woke up like dis…

I pulled into the lovely Monroe KOA in Petersburg, MI shortly after midnight last night. Day 1 on the road took a little longer than expected; I had to stop for new tent poles, and when I couldn’t find what I needed, I ended up buying a new tent. That, plus a missed turn that briefly took me into Indiana, led to a slight delay.

After all of that excitement — and setting up my tent in the dark — I woke up like dis…

Nonetheless, it’s onward to Gussapolooza from here!

Thursday, Sept. 12 | 12:17 p.m. CT: The Blog-a-Thon is back, baby!

We only pull this one out of our arsenal for the most epic of quests. I’d say our first trip to Canada — for UMC, as well as my first trip to Canada ever — for an independent music festival unlike any other is an adventure worthy of live updates, all weekend long!

We have the opportunity to mix it up with 40+ artists and scores of creatives this weekend in Cookstown, Ontario. And so, I’ll be chiming in to give you the sights and sounds — plus anything interesting I find along the way.

I’m about to get on the road, so buckle up, as we take you for a thrilling ride! Keep checking back here for updates, and if you need some traveling music, here’s what I’ll be bumping on my way up north…