Written and Photographed by Angel Park
This past weekend saw the return of WXPN‘s highly anticipated XPoNential Music Festival at Camden Waterfront’s Wiggins Park and Freedom Mortgage Pavillion. With over 25 years of experience curating this two-day live music experience, the team at WXPN successfully exceeded all expectations for this year’s XPoNential fest in terms of layout, vendors, and talent.
Upon entering the venue, the first thing that became apparent was the simplicity and spaciousness of the festival layout. Camden Waterfront’s Wiggins Park, while outdoors only, provided a simple pathway to the event’s Marina and River stages. Grassy hills and dips also provided attendees with perfect spots to sit (blankets and all) and listen to their favorite bands’ play. All while being just a stone’s throw away from a variety of food and drink vendors (our favorite was the Thai boba tea from Oishii!). In addition, attendees interacted with the live automobile set-up for Subaru, who sponsored the event. They grabbed a few complimentary cans from Coca-Cola, who had their truck set up right by the River Stage.
When it came to talent, XPoNential never has (and so far never will) fallen short by any means. With over 20+ local and national artists slated to play the two-day event, there was a set for everyone to enjoy. Popular picks for day one included the opening set from a local Philly Ska band, Catbite, along with memorable afternoon sets from The Felice Brothers. Despite being the first ones on the bill, Catbite had no issue reeling in the crowd with their high-energy performance. Armed with the perfect blend of old and new style SKA tunes, they had the crowd dancing right from start to finish with fast-paced, two-tone heavy singles such as “Everybody Talks,” which is fresh off their latest EP titled “Wavebreaker #2.”
The Felice Brothers was another act that played for the second day of XPoNential. This Catskill, NY-based folk/country rock group was named one of XPN’s artists to watch, dating back to 2008, and their set at XPoNential showcased the best of their most recent album, “Dreams to Dust.” Heavily influenced by the Americana genre and rich with storytelling lyrics, the Felice Brothers captivated the packed Marina stage with tracks such as “Jazz on the Autobahn.” Their set, while on the mellower side, delighted the attentive ears of both older and newer folk fans alike.
For another year in a row, XPoNential Music Festival served as a well-deserved, annual mainstay of Philadelphia’s events scene. With a carefully curated lineup, vendors, and its cozy, open-air stage set-up, Xponential hit the sweet spot in balancing the mix of locally sourced talent with more corporate sponsorships. They provided a high-quality outlet for attendees to discover their new favorite artists.
Here’s hoping XPoNential 2023 will be on the same level, if not better!
