Editor’s Note: High Water Festival starts Saturday. Here’s a look at one of the bands performing this weekend. Stay tuned for more coverage.
Charleston cosmic Americana act She Returns From War finally will perform next week at High Water Music Festival in Riverfront Park. The band was originally invited to play the 2020 festival, but that never panned out due to the pandemic.
“It’s something that I feel like we’ve worked really hard for,” frontwoman Hunter Park told the Charleston City Paper. “I was hoping this kind of opportunity would come my way again, and when it did, I was extremely happy.”
High Water Festival is a two-day music and culinary bonanza that has brought people together since 2017. High Water returns to North Charleston’s Riverfront Park April 15-16 headlined by Rainbow Kitten Surprise, Beck and Wilco. The music lineup is curated by world-renowned, Charleston-based folk-rock duo Shovels & Rope.
As the only local group on the bill (aside from Shovels & Rope), She Returns From War will represent the Holy City during its debut at the outdoor festival. Park aims not only to put on an excellent performance, but bring celebratory energy as well.
“It’s about more than just representing the local scene,” she said. “I want to remind folks that this is a community-based project. It’s a beautiful thing that they’re bringing people here, and it encourages people to go out in the world and do the same for their community, I hope.”
She highlighted that the festival doesn’t just bring good tunes, but also donates proceeds to local nonprofit organizations such as Charleston Waterkeeper, which advocates to preserve local waterways.
“There’s so much awareness this festival brings,” she said.
Festival creators Shovels & Rope, husband-wife duo Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, wanted to ensure that High Water would be an event that gives back, Park said.
“They’ve made it their dream festival — something that was so local-centric and something that incorporated artists who wouldn’t usually tour here,” she said. “That was a lot of blood, sweat and tears directed into something.”
She first heard Shovels & Rope’s music playing on the radio at the Charleston airport.
“I always associate Shovels & Rope’s sound with coming home,” she said.
Park and Hearst have become close friends after years of orbiting the same musical circles.
“She’s kind of like a guide for me. She can help me from the wing, you know? She believes that I can do it on my own,” Park said.
Hearst does everything with a certain selfless joy of spirit, Park added.
“I think that’s a really great mindset going into the festival. ‘If you put all the happiness into it, you’ll get that back triple fold,’ ” Park said. “That’s a direct quote from the boss lady.”
Hearst told the City Paper she is particularly excited about Big Boi’s performance because it’s the first hip-hop act booked at High Water. Big Boi, of famous Southern rap act Outkast, hits the stage on April 15.
“I think that the cool thing about festivals like ours is it bridges the gap between generations,” Hearst said. “You have Beck and Wilco, who are rock ‘n’ roll legends, and then the next generation — Rainbow Kitten Surprise and Bleachers.”
High Water Festival will feature musicians from all over the country, as well as culinary experiences and a market highlighting local goods. For more information and to get your tickets, visit HighWaterFest.com. Chelsea Grinstead contributed to this story.
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