Atlanta’s SweetWater 420 Fest Announces Initial Roster, Topped By Trey Anastasio Twofer

Courtesy of SweetWater 420 Fest – SweetWater 420 Fest
SweetWater 420 Fest returns to Atlanta next year topped by Oysterhead and Trey Anastasio Band.

Jam-centric Atlanta event SweetWater 420 Fest shared the initial roster for its 2020 event, slated for April 26-28, on Monday, and it’s topped by a double dose of Trey Anastasio.

The Phish singer and guitarist will headline SweetWater both with Oysterhead, his supertrio with Primus’ Les Claypool and The Police’s Stewart Copeland, and with Trey Anastasio Band.

Last week, Oysterhead announced its first gigs – two February shows at 1stBank Center in Broomfield, Colo. – since 2006, and the SweetWater booking suggests more may be on the way. Trey Anastasio Band, meanwhile, played several shows this year, among them a headlining turn at Lockn’, and already has 2020 dates on the books, including multiple January shows at both the Capitol Theatre, in Port Chester, N.Y., and Los Angeles’ Wiltern.

The tireless Anastasio also has dates slated with Phish, including New Year’s shows at Madison Square Garden, and solo acoustic shows planned for later this month at Carnegie Hall. Plus, earlier this year, he debuted another group, Ghosts of the Forest, playing eight gigs for a total gross of $1.9 million, according to Pollstar Boxoffice reports.

Anastasio’s 2020 SweetWater Fest bookings represent his second time at the event, following Trey Anastasio Band’s 2017 appearance.

The event’s lineup also includes bluesman Gary Clark Jr.’s SweetWater debut. Touring behind his latest album, released in February, Clark has grossed $2.8 million in 2019; his only Atlanta-area appearance was at the city’s Shaky Knees Festival in May.

Additionally, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead will bring its caffeinated Grateful Dead homages to SweetWater for a third consecutive year. The band has become one of jam world’s more reliable draws, grossing $1.5 million in 2019, including a three-night January stand at the Capitol Theatre that brought in $275,188 and a sellout at Washington, D.C.’s Anthem that moved 5,002 tickets and grossed $235,550.

Other announced artists for SweetWater 420 Fest include Lake Street Dive, The Floozies, Dr. Dog, The Marcus King Band, Larkin Poe, Delta Rae and Funk You. SweetWater promises more than 30 additional artists will be added to the bill going forward.

Staged by Happy Ending Productions, SweetWater 420 has been organized by SweetWater Brewing Company since 2005. Recent headliners have included Widespread Panic, The Avett Brothers, The String Cheese Incident, Umphrey’s McGee and Ween.

Three-day early bird passes begin at $125, with subsequent price tiers set at $139 and $154. For more, visit SweetWater 420 Fest’s site.