Summer music arrives with the 6th annual Don’t Sweat it FEST in Rock Hill

A sure sign that it’s officially summer is that it’s time for Don’t Sweat It FEST Friday and Saturday, part of Concerts at The Courtroom at The Gettys Center in downtown Rock Hill.

Now in its sixth year, DSI Fest is actually a three-day event that kicked off Thursday, but don’t despair, there’s much more still ahead for this all-ages throw down of music, art and ingenuity.

Mike Gentry is the enthusiastic mad scientist of music creating the Courtroom concert productions for The York County Arts Council. He explains DSI Fest saying, “this festival is my annual wild party, where we have all of our favorite locals come and play, as well as regional bands, mostly those who've played the courtroom before and had a good response.

“There are a few acts on the bill,” Gentry emphasized, “that are regional trending bands and have been handpicked to play. That,” he maintains, makes for “an introduction to Rock Hill audiences.” Which also means there’s a very good chance that among these hip, emerging bands lie trending artists and/or sounds soon to be all the rage.

“If people are curious about what the bands sound like, they can check the digital version on the Don't Sweat It FEST Facebook profile and can also get more from a DSI Fest zine around town.”

Incidentally, Gentry will be working both sides of the stage since he’s performing with two of the bands this weekend – Mall Goth and Motel Glory – in addition to his role as producer.

Lineup for DWI Fest is as follows:

Friday inside the Courtroom: Gardeners, 9 p.m.; Vanity Plates, 9:45 p.m.; Konvoi, 10:30 p.m.; Jenny Besetzt, 11:15 p.m.; and GASP, midnight.

Saturday on the Loading Dock: Mariah van Kleef, 4 p.m.; Chocola, 4:45; Blame It on Bart, 5:30 p.m.; Darby Wilcox, 6:15 p.m.; The Old Paints, 7 p.m.

Saturday inside the Courtroom: Chase Warren & The Homewreckers, 9 p.m.; Motel Glory, 9:45 p.m.; Totally Slow, 10:30 p.m.; and Amigo, midnight.

The emcees and deejays of the festival are Adam Matonic and Brandon Byron of The LowDownBeat. They’ll be introducing the bands and introducing tunes between the bands.

Other festival highlights include local artisans selling pins, prints, zines, clothes, photographs, ceramics, and more. Artisans include Dylan Bannister, Emily Furr, Nathan Matthews, Meaghan Westfall, Robert Simoneau, Dominique Gadsden, Alex Lacey, plus others. Food will be served by The Bulb in the parking lot on Saturday from 3-9 p.m. Plus, excitement is building for the Bicycle Scavenger Hunt that starts at 2 p.m. Saturday in the Gettys building parking lot.

Party on at Don’t Sweat It Fest 6, Friday and Saturday out on the loading dock, in the parking lot, and upstairs for Concerts in the Courtroom at The Gettys Center, 201 E. Main St., Rock Hill.

Coming up

Friday: Chase Killough at McHale’s On Main, Rock Hill; Revelry Soul at Sandbar Grill, Rock Hill; Soul Therapy at Empire Pizza-Newport, Rock Hill; Larry Giles Duo-Songwriter Showcase/Open Mic with host Michael Wayne Avery at Ledo Pizza, Rock Hill; David Williams at Handle Bar Tavern, Catawba; Donnie Honeycutt at Hobo’s, Fort Mill; Mike Faulkenberry & The Whiskey Prophets at T-Bones on the Lake, Lake Wylie; Heroes at Last at Wild Wing Café-Ayrsley, Charlotte; Jeff Shows at Pineville Tavern, Pineville; Jordan Middleton at Dreamchaser’s Brewery, Waxhaw; Analog Daze at The Lodge-Ballantyne; The Rockaholics at McKoy’s Smokehouse & Saloon, Charlotte.

Saturday: Cassette Rewind Band at Hickory Tavern, Rock Hill; Whit’s End at Revolutions at Galleria, Rock Hill; Porter & Wolf at Original Empire Pizza, Rock Hill; Catawba River Monster at 21 Roadhouse, Fort Lawn; The Rockaholics at John’s Place, Fort Mill; Sonic Rewind for Summer Concerts at Walter Y. Elisha Park, Fort Mill; Little Johnny Trailer Trash at Hobo’s, Fort Mill; The Oneppo Brothers at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Fort Mill; Troublemaker at Brew’s Tavern, Fort Mill; Fiftywatt Freight Train at T-Bones on the Lake, Lake Wylie; Early Ray at Wild Wing Cafe-Ayrsley, Charlotte; Parker & Co. at Pineville Tavern, Pineville; Popular Tent Revival at Dreamchaser’s Brewery, Waxhaw; Shannon Lee & The Grab Bag Band at The Lodge-Ballantyne.

Sunday: Chubby Knuckles at Handle Bar Tavern, Catawba; Brandon Davidson at T-Bones on the Lake, Lake Wylie,

This story was originally published June 23, 2017 at 1:45 PM with the headline "Summer music arrives with the 6th annual Don’t Sweat it FEST in Rock Hill."