‘It was the sickest set we’ve every played’: Spokane bands share their experience at Treefort Music Festival

Early spring in Boise is characterized by the Treefort Music Fest. Every year, the multiday indie-rock festival brings many fans and musicians from across the country to southwestern Idaho as the city immerses itself in music and the arts.

Alongside headliners like Remi Wolf, Sofi Tukker and Shakey Graves, many of Spokane’s staple musicians and bands also made the journey to play the beloved festival late last month. A few names on that list include Treefort first-timers The Bedheads and Timeworm as well as Vika and the Velvets, who made their second trip in as many years.

In fact, Timeworm was tasked with performing the first set of the entire five-day festival. In front of about 400 people, it was the relatively young band’s biggest crowd to date – even if many in the crowd didn’t exactly know the band prior.

But being an “unknown,” of sorts, only gave Timeworm more reason to put it all out on the line.

“It was the sickest set we’ve ever played,” said J. I. Gassen, the band’s drummer and lead vocalist. “I don’t think any show we hit every single note or every single beat, but that energy on that stage was the craziest we’ve ever had.”

Overall, it was a Treefort of many firsts for the Spokane-based groups. For instance, it was the sheer excitement and intensity of their festival-opening set that led to Gassen throwing a drum stick into the crowd for the first time. Although, he’ll be the first to admit his form could have been better.

“It was too horizontal, it had no arch on it,” Gassen said. “I didn’t see where it landed, so hopefully, I didn’t send anyone to the hospital. Next time I’m going to lob that thing for sure.”

With Olivia Vika’s second trip to the festival, an artist in the crowd took the opportunity to finish a portrait of the Vika and the Velvets frontwoman that they had started during Treefort 2024. She completed the painting live while Vika and the band played this year’s outdoor set in the rain.

Meanwhile, members of the Bedheads played acoustic sets in a different environment than usual – a Boise city bus.

Landon Spencer, the band’s lead singer, and his guitar played two hourlong sets as the bus took festivalgoers to and from their various destinations around the city. The main challenge Spencer experienced came from staying balanced as the large moving vehicle shifted and swayed with every turn, although it was a sudden stop that tossed Spencer over a seat and onto the bus floor during one song.

Nonetheless, Spencer loved the experience, and it was one he won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

“I would play as many times on the bus as they’ll let me,” Spencer said. “If they gave me six sets on the bus, I’d ask for seven.”

All three also had new songs to show off for the many that didn’t know of their music prior. Timeworm had just released the single “Don’t Be” while the Bedheads had also just released their own, “Nancy Kerrigan.” Meanwhile, Vika and the Velvets had “Carousel of Love” and “Dream Girl of the Century,” which will be released April 25.

Another commonality for all three musicians is that the community aspect of Treefort stands out as a key portion of what makes the event so special.

Multiple different types of venues, vendors, bands, genres, artists and fans from all places come together upon an involved Boise with one primary collective – a love for music.

Spencer specifically saw many regular concertgoers within the Spokane scene make the trip south to see them play.

“People are travelling from Spokane all the way down to Boise to see their favorite local bands play on a bigger stage, part of a bigger festival that’s really cool and unique to experience,” Spencer said. “And once you’re down there, it’s a festival of discovery.”

This is also a major reason why they are all hoping to return next year.

“I just feel honored to be a part of a collective of people who truly just are there to enjoy music and share this love of music,” Vika said.