No longer a hidden gem of Auburn, Ashley Spencer didn't expect Aubfest's humble beginnings to soar into a semester tradition. Aubfest, a local music festival held at Boggin' On The Plains once every fall and spring semester, had its spring festival on March 23.
Spencer, junior in environmental science, is the founder and chief executive director of Aubfest. After a lonely first year at Auburn University, Spencer discovered a DIY music festival on national forest land while interning for the US Forest Services in Fairplay, Colorado. Spencer saw an opportunity to bring the same experience to Auburn.
Back in Auburn, Spencer contacted the US Forest Service's Tuskegee Ranger District to see if she could obtain a permit to hold the festival in the Tuskegee National Forest. However, Spencer discovered she'd need a permit, to rent portable restrooms and sound equipment.
Instead, Tuskegee rangers redirected Spencer to Boggin' On The Plains, an off-roading park off Highway 29. There, Spencer would already have accessible bathrooms and a stage.
Turning into Boggin' On The Plains, festival-goers met windy off-road paths. Still, even the oldest of Honda Civics could chug through the terrain. A small, enclosed patch of land appeared as they emerged from the entrance.
Crowd members dancing at Aubfest in Boggin' On The Plains on March 23rd 2024.
For Spencer, Aubfest's creation exemplified Auburn's local music scene. Although she knew of a few musicians and bands, Spencer had no connections to the community. As she searched, Spencer realized how vital the local music scene is for many Auburn students.
"It helped me realize there's a huge community of people I didn't know about that are doing music and being creative." Spencer said. "It's just a really beautiful community of people."
The lineup for the fourth Aubfest included Zeph Embers, Sophie Wise, Medicine Bus, Mad Cow, Audiophile, Brunch with Rosie, The Normas, The Band Silhouette, Bruh Collective and Lemon's.
Standing on a stage in front of the patch of land, Ashley thanked the crowd for attending and introduced Zeph, the first artist of the musical lineup. For his first song, Zeth covered Daniel Caesar's song, "Best Part."
After he sang his first song, Zeph began to sing songs from his 2019 EP, "For the Days In-Between." The last few songs Zeph performed included an improvised song he created with the crowd, a cover of Manelbro's "Your House" and a new song from his recent album, "TAWL," which he released on March 29.
After each performer finished their sets, attendees had time to check out the vendors selling at Aubfest. Adjacent to the field, vendors sold artwork, jewelry, Aubfest posters and t-shirts.
Among the vendors stood Dakota Goodwin, a local artist selling her painted acrylic portraits. Goodwin describes her art as black-and-white photorealism and uses poetry to accompany her pieces. Goodwin produces life-like portraits using acrylic paint and a small detail brush.
One of her pieces, "The Stages of Forgiveness," which she sold at Aubfest, depicts the journey after a breakup.
"It was called 'The Stages of Forgiveness' and it's basically about going through a pretty bad relationship and learning to forgive and just let go at the end of it." Goodwin explained. "That was like the first time I really kind of dove into a different art style. With that piece I actually wrote poetry that went with it, and that was the very first series of poems that I've written since I was 13."
After Embers, local musician Sophie Wise came to the stage. In a long black skirt, black t-shirt and kerchief, Wise talked about her recent EP, "Live at the Living Room." Her first song drew the crowd back to the stage as she sang and played an acoustic guitar and harmonica.
Before coming to Auburn, Wise lived and performed in Georgia. Wise explained that she derives her sound from Folk music and personal experiences. This was her first time performing at Aubfest.
"It was not my first time being there, but it's definitely my first playing. My first time on a big stage — I like that actually." Wise explained. "I have been to Aubfest one other time, and it was such a blast, so I was super excited when they invited me to come play."
Austin Shiver, senior in theater at Columbus State University, traveled to Boggin' On The Plains to see Aubfest. His first time at the music festival, Austin liked the atmosphere Aubfest created.
"These are some talented people, and I'm excited to see what they have in store for us." Shiver said as he waited to see the next band, Medicine Bus.
From covers by the Tuscaloosa-based band Medicine Bus to the erratic punk beats of Mad Cow, numerous musicians played as the day lingered on and the tempo of the music increased. As the music sped up, crowd members changed their slow-paced dancing to rapid headbangs and made room for mosh pits.
Mosh pits formed once the music sped up at Aubfest in Boggin' On The Plains on March 23rd 2024.
Calling themselves Birmingham’s "sweatiest rock band," Audiophile performed next. The band utilized two drummers, two guitarists, a keyboardist and one bassist. Their music is a mix of pop, rock and covers.
Mad Cow is a local punk duo that recently released their debut album, "Disease." Mad Cow's performance brought mosh pits from the crowd and one wrestling match.
Brunch with Rosie, a local favorite, emerged from the stage at sunset. Formed in 2022, Brunch with Rosie is made up of three close friends: main vocalist and guitarist Hunter Price, bassist John Evans, and Drummer Isaac Hayes. Evans described Brunch with Rosie's sound as a mixture of different genres.
"[We're] pretty funky; we can get a little soulful. It's kind of indie. It's a blend of a lot of different things," Evans explained. "We try to play the music we think is the most indicative of who we are."
Evans, junior in music composition technology, plays bass for numerous bands around Auburn, including Bruh Collective, the penultimate band in Aubfest IV's lineup.
John Evans performing Rage Against The Machine's "Take The Power Back" at Aubfest in Boggin' On The Plains on March 23rd 2024.
Brunch with Rosie's rendition of "Take the Power Back" elicited an energetic mosh pit from the crowd. Evans explained that the band's cover of the song has become a tradition since Price's birthday party. The band plans to release a new single, "Redder," in the near future.
"Swamp rock" band The Normas performing at Aubfest in Boggin' On The Plains on March 23rd 2024.
Returning for their third time performing at Aubfest, The Normas took the stage. Based in Georgia, vocalist and guitarist Logan Swaim founded the group in 2019. Members include Swaim, keyboardist and vocalist Josh Mellman, drummer Trent Golden, bassist Charles Glausier and guitarist Lars Smallwood.
The Normas described their sound to the crowd as "swamp rock" and started their set with an unreleased single.
For River Styx, senior in fine arts at Columbus State University, The Normas and Mad Cow were her favorite of the lineup. She explained she loved the Aubfest environment because of the energy from the crowd, and she felt free to express herself.
The Band Silhouette brought the hype to the crowd as they began to perform under a full moon, performing their songs "Runaway," "Freefall" and "Good People." Based in Auburn, members Will Scarpa, James Berryhill, Brenner Oakes, and Dylan Deal define their sound as post-indie. On April 12, the band will release their debut album, "Seedlings."
Bruh Collective led the night with an Aubfest tradition, the lighting of a giant bonfire. Forming the band during 8th grade, Evans, Sam Harrison and Duncan Selle create a fusion of funk and electronic sounds with the other members, Hayes, Catie Tucker, Jeremiah Cowling and Clifton Stimpson.
During their set, the stage exploded with different sounds. From a theremin to a cowbell, Bruh Collective's eclectic sound raised the energy of the Aubfest crowd. Later, the lights on the stage dimmed, and a rumbling emerged from a didgeridoo. Laser beams dashed across the crowd, and viewers sat on the floor listening to meditation instructions from Bruh Collective.
"In," members from Bruh Collective instructed, "and out."
Bruh Collective plans to release a new single, "Shoebill," soon, and Evans also releases solo music under the alias Pondylus.
Lemon's began the final set as the embers from the bonfire darted across the sky. The band is from Memphis, Tennessee, and has three members: Susie Hydrick, Jackson Williams and Ben Spiegelman.
Lemon's popped onto the music scene in Feb. 2021. The indie rock band's songs are full of tuneful guitar riffs and purposeful lyrics. When Lemon's finished their last song, a roar of encores ripped from the crowd and Lemon's obliged.
It's been around a year and a half since Aubfest debuted on Nov. 12, 2022. For the first Aubfest, only Spencer and a couple of volunteers directed the event. At the latest, Spencer now has a panel of herself, Tyler Padgett, Ryan Carraway and Emily Ammons, who help execute the festival.
A member of the crowd watches The Normas perform at Aubfest in Boggin' On The Plains on March 23rd 2024.
Spencer explained that although she is excited to pass the torch to Carraway and Ammons once she graduates, the moment is challenging.
"I know it's going to be sad for me to let go and let it get passed on," Spencer said. "It's like a flood of really happy emotions and bittersweet feelings it's over. I'm going to be really sad, [but] I want to pass it on with love."
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
