Rock out and eat guac out: Your guide to music and concerts at the Farm-to-Fork festival

The Farm-to-Fork Festival is returning this year with a motley lineup of bands and musicians from across the country. From Friday, Sept. 17 to Saturday, Sept. 18, attendees can listen to live folk, pop, soul and rock tunes for free in downtown Sacramento, while enjoying local wines, brews and treats.

With appearances from the Fantastic Negrito and White Reaper, here is a rundown of all the musical artists taking the Farm-to-Fork stage this year.

The Record Company

Grammy-nominated rock band The Record Company will join the Farm-to-Fork musical lineup on Saturday, Sept. 18. Based in Los Angeles, the trio consists of Chris Vos (vocals and guitar), Alex Stiff (bass) and Marc Cazorla (drums). The band gained recognition following their debut and sophomore albums, “Give It Back to You” and “All of This Life,” respectively In anticipation of the release of their upcoming record this year, the band shared a new single, “Out Of My Head,” which they will perform on the Farm-to-Fork stage.

White Reaper

Before setting off to the Life is Beautiful Festival in Las Vegas, White Reaper will blast their arena rock, punk and garage bops at the Farm-to-Fork Festival on Friday, Sept. 17. The band, originally from Louisville, Kentucky, has a unique punchy cadence, blending the signature sounds of Van Halen, Cheap Trick and the Ramones. They recently released a trail of singles, including, “Real Long Time,” following their 2019 album, “You Deserve Love.”

Meg Myers

Singer and songwriter Meg Myers can entrance listeners with her emotional storytelling, angsty melodies and eclectic vocals. The Nashville-born and Los Angeles-based performer has opened for Awolnation, Alt-J and the Pixies, and taken on stages, such as New York’s Governors Ball Music Festival in 2014. Her appearance at the Farm-to-Fork Festival on Saturday, Sept. 18 comes after her latest release, “Nowhere Generation,” a collaboration with the iconic punk rock band Rise Against.

Jeffrey Gaines

Since debuting in 1992, Jeffrey Gaines has made a name for himself with his dynamic performances and lyricism. The singer, songwriter and guitarist recently returned from a 15-year hiatus in 2018 with “Alright,” a 10-track record featuring soulful-yet-gruff serenades and lofty guitar solos. He’ll take center stage at Farm-to-Fork on Saturday, Sept. 18.

Fantastic Negrito

Xavier Dphrepaulezz, better known as Fantastic Negrito, is an R&B, blues and rock singer and songwriter, hailing from Oakland. Balancing a hybrid line of funk, folk, punk and hip hop, Fantastic Negrito’s edgy sound landed him a win on NPR’s inaugural Tiny Desk contest in 2015. He’s also won Grammys for Best Contemporary Blues Album for all three of his albums: “Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?” (2020), “Please Don’t Be Dead” (2018) and “The Last Days of Oakland” (2016). He will be playing at the Farm-to-Fork Festival on Friday, Sept. 17.

Magnolia Boulevard

Magnolia Boulevard is a five-piece blues and rock outfit from Lexington, Kentucky. With vocalist and guitarist Maggie Noelle, keyboardist Ryan Allen, drummer Todd Copeland, guitarist Gregg Erwin and bassist John Roberts, the band infuses a cornucopia of genres, from psychedelia and bluegrass to funk and soul. Magnolia Boulevard debuted in 2019 with their single “Sister.” They’ll be on the stage at Farm-to-Fork on Saturday, Sept. 18.

Raelyn Nelson Band

On Saturday, Sept. 18, the Raelyn Nelson Band will blast some tunes for Farm-to-Folk attendees. From Nashville, Raelyn Nelson sings against a backdrop of ukulele, guitars, bass and drums. The country and rock artist, who is also the granddaughter of music idol Willie Nelson, played live at Farm Aid in 2014.

Tré Burt

Tré Burt, singer and songwriter from Sacramento, is bringing his poetic ballads and folksy croons to Farm-to-Folk on Friday, Sept. 17. His appearance comes after the release of his sophomore album, “You, Yeah, You.” The record features collaborations with Brad Cook of Bon Iver and Waxahatchee, Phil Cook, Kelsey Waldon and Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso.

For the Kids

Indie alt-pop rock band, For the Kids, will be playing at the festival on Saturday, Sept. 18. The Sacramento-based trio, which includes Michael Hidalgo on vocals, Bird Vallas on bass and Levi Vigna on guitar, debuted in 2019 with their single “City Lights.” The band nostalgically fuses pop and grunge from the ‘80s and ‘90s, creating a style uniquely their own. They anticipate releasing new singles later this year.

According to Visit Sacramento, the schedule for the live musical performances are as follows:

Friday, Sept. 17 concerts

5-5:45 p.m. Tré Burt

6:15-7:15 p.m. Fantastic Negrito

7:45-8:45 p.m. White Reaper

Saturday, Sept. 18 concerts

2-2:45 p.m. Raelyn Nelson Band

3:15-4:15 p.m. Magnolia Boulevard

4:45-5:45 p.m. Jeffrey Gaines

6:15-7:15 p.m. Meg Myers

7:45-8:45 p.m. The Record Company

This story was originally published September 13, 2021 at 5:00 AM.