Charleston’s homegrown music fest is back for its ninth year — and so is SceneSC. Last year, High Water pulled off indie-folk’s dream double in Hozier and Noah Kahan. So how do you top that?
Answer: You don’t just book one or two, you book four huge acts. This year’s lineup is headlined by Lord Huron, Mt. Joy, Arcade Fire, and Counting Crows — four bands that may come from different eras, but all live in the same emotional, festival-ready space. It’s the kind of lineup that feels like your indie playlist came to life, packed into one weekend.
But High Water’s always been about more than just the big names. The undercard is stacked this year too. You’ve got fan-favorites like The Backseat Lovers and Flipturn, plus a handful of newer artists you need to catch (or at least search on Spotify). Charleston’s own Easy Honey opens the fest Saturday afternoon, hopefully winning over new fans and welcoming some familiar ones. Ethan Tsach has been on my personal “ones to watch” list for months, with new music on the way — fingers crossed we hear it live. And then there’s Gigi Perez, whose “Sailor Song” blew up a few months back. She’s got a full album dropping Friday, just in time to celebrate it on stage. So if you missed her sold-out tour, don’t worry — catch her Sunday.
Twenty artists, two days, and one riverside weekend—it’s a packed lineup, so map your day and don’t be afraid to stage-hop. A few tickets are still floating around if you move fast. And if you’re watching from afar, SceneSC will be on the ground all weekend with photos, recaps, and plenty of ways to catch the moment.
See you in Charleston. And catch up on our artist sneak peeks throughout the week.
