Missouri musicians respond to Treeline cancellation with disappointment, sympathy
Missouri musicians set to play this fall's Treeline Music Fest expressed a mixture of disappointment and sympathy after the festival's 2023 edition was canceled Thursday.
"We understand and support Treeline’s decision to cancel. We’re disappointed — we were looking forward to it— but we love the Treeline team and hope they’ll be able to continue to work toward an event for next year if that’s what they decide to do," area string band The Lonesome Companions posted on Facebook.
News of the fest's cancellation hit social media and the Treeline website Thursday, with organizers citing "significantly higher than expected expenses (making) it impossible to produce this event to the standard the community deserves."
Per its history, dating back to its founding as the Roots N Blues festival in 2007, Treeline was set to feature a lineup of national, regional and local acts.
Columbia artist Audra Sergel was set to appear at this year's festival as a part of The Quorus. Sergel has a long relationship with the fest, and drew on that link while expressing her sympathy via Facebook.
"I love Treeline Music Fest. From the early days in my career with the Record Collector to the music I made more recently with Broadway Christian Church to Violet and the Undercurrents to The Quorus: Columbia's lgbtqqa-z Community Choir to Rochara Knight and the Honey Doves, I’ve seen nothing but support and elevation of local artists on their national platform," she wrote.
"I’m so very grateful for the amazing work that the Treeline team executes to make magic, music, and community connection happen," Sergel added.
Western States, a band with St. Louis and Columbia members, also went to Facebook with support for festival organizers.
"Sending lots of love and healing vibes to the entire Treeline Music Fest team as they process this disappointment. They are pure class and have made Columbia one of the most special places in all of live music each fall," the band wrote.
Western States will still play mid-Missouri that weekend, joining the bill for Biscuits, Beats and Brews, a free festival in Rocheport that moved its date up a week to "fill the void" left by Treeline's cancellation, according to a post Friday. Western States bassist Bryan Maness is the principal force behind local restaurant Ozark Mountain Biscuit and Bar, which sponsors the Rocheport festival.
Several artists expressed hope for community support and a festival return next year.
The Lonesome Companions' post compared Treeline to the True/False Film Fest and "innumerable other arts-related activities" that "generate a lot of economic activity in Columbia. It will be a shame if they’re not supported in getting back on track next year."
Sergel posed a not-so-rhetorical question no doubt on many locals' minds, wanting to know how she could help the festival make its future.
"This news is so hard and my question is how do we support you, Treeline Music Fest? How can we show up for you right now to let you know how much we appreciate all you do to make music be accessible and available to CoMo and beyond?
"We wanna support you! Thank you for all you do. We see you and stand with you."
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He's on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Local musicians disappointed by Treeline Music Fest cancellation
