On Saturday, March 22, the local DIY music festival AubFest united young creators and music lovers for its sixth edition at Boggin' On The Plains, a local ATV recreation park. Hosted once every fall and spring semester, the day-long festival welcomed those of all ages to enjoy musical performances, local vendors and group activities at the Vibes Tent.
Winding dirt roads, off-road vehicles and tents selling art work, jewelry and crystals welcomed attendees as they found their way to the stage.
John McGhee, senior in aviation management and owner of Micropothecary, was one of the vendors at AubFest. He sells all-natural cold processed soap made with food-grade ingredients and plastic-free bath accessories.
After receiving a gift set of cold processed soap from a family member, McGhee was surprised to discover how expensive the retail price was. In response, he began making his own soap and passing it out to friends so they could test it for him.
“My goal is to do it as naturally and as healthily as possible here locally, and sell it for less than the big guys,” McGhee said regarding his business’s mission.
Aiden Calderón-Wyant, Vibe Tent coordinator, described AubFest as a place for all creatives, whether it be musicians, artists or poets.
“They all have their own talents,” Calderón said. “Everyone brings what they have, and they create it into something beautiful.”
The lineup for AubFest VI included Timothy Rose, Lawn Dog, Speak Easy, Blood Moon Riot, Blxck Sheep, Lunar Parque and Brunch With Rosie, Weary Pursuit, Nordista Freeze, County Road Basement, Carmine Sun, Jombi and Bruh Collective.
Dubbed “America’s Folk Sweetheart,” Timothy Rose opened AubFest followed by Blendie group Lawn Dog with their lighter, upbeat sounds.
Lawn Dog formed recently during the summer of 2024, according to lead singer and guitarist Garrett Moore. Moore, who is also a senior in commercial music, originally planned to attend veterinary school before realizing his passion for music.
“Here in Auburn, it’s very tight knit,” Moore said about the music scene. “People have each other’s backs and everyone’s pretty close, and it’s very nice to be able to play shows with my friends instead of just like opening for a band I’ve never talked to before.”
Community is a vital part of the DIY culture in Auburn, and according to the lead singer of Lunar Parque Sally Little, it is her favorite part about AubFest.
Little first joined the local music scene during her sophomore year when she began living at the 512, a popular spot for live music.
“I was like, wait, this is awesome,” Little said. “There’s so much community here that’s just untapped that we need to tap into.”
As someone who attended the inaugural AubFest, Little reflected on the festival’s growth fondly and how much the local scene can unite people from all walks of life.
Festival attendance steadily increased as the afternoon weather warmed up. Hippie-inspired styles and alternative fashions mixed with the venue's more southern crowd who frequent the ATV park. Regardless, everyone flocked to the stage to watch each performance.
Speak Easy, a group of Troy University students, opened up the mosh pit with covers of nu-metal classics by Limp Bizkit, Korn and Rage Against the Machine before the witchy Blood Moon Riot continued with the hard rock-and-roll sounds.
Next up, BLXCK SHEEP kicked off with a heavy set of moshing before switching to a pop-rock-filled set. No matter what genre they played, the singers asked the audience to participate in positive affirmations: “If you love yourself, say I love myself.”
Strxnge, lead singer of BLXCK SHEEP, said the band combines a mix of genres, especially rap and rock, and compared the band to XXXTentacion. Similar to the music community in Birmingham where the group is based out of, Strxnge said the Auburn music scene is like a family.
Losing his older brother to gang violence and police brutality at the age of ten pushed Strxnge to use music to commemorate his brother.
“It just became his destiny. It became mine as well too. It also saved my life, and I love the fact that sometimes we get ourselves in places and put ourselves in positions where people look at our past and just find something that makes you a better person and brings you to peacefulness,” Strxnge said. “And once you find that peaceful Earth, you realize that your mind, your body, your spirit is open to the planet.”
At AubFest, passion for community, creativity and authenticity pour from the hearts of the minds behind the festivals, the music of artists and the students who have found their place in Auburn’s DIY scene,
With AubFest’s founder Ashley Spencer graduating this May, Noah Dimon has taken over as the festival’s production manager this year while Spencer stepped back from her leading role.
“She [Spencer] feels a lot of trust and pride in her legacy that she’s left and the people who are gonna continue her legacy forward,” Dimon said. “Yeah, man, and that’s me.”
Dimon first joined the crew for AubFest IV after learning about the festival from member of Bruh Collective Colin Style, one of the cornerstone bands in the Auburn music scene.
Since then, Dimon has delved into Auburn’s DIY music scene with full force, ensuring events like AubFest run smoothly no matter what. When their usual production company Bham Productions was unable to commit to this festival’s date, the students set it up themselves.
“We adopt the DIY way, where we don’t have a concert around we can afford, we make it ourselves,” Dimon said. “I think there is something special about organizing of creative minds to create music. I think it's something even more special about organizing those groups of creative minds and bringing them all here."
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Jennifer Santiago is a freshman in exploratory studies from Enterprise, AL. Santiago has been with The Auburn Plainsman since Fall 2024.
