Photo courtesy of Matt Sanderlin.
Venture Boi is one of the bands playing at this year’s Euphonious music festival at the Birmingham Zoo.
Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, the Euphonious Music Festival is returning, with a few additions, to the Birmingham Zoo on June 17-19.
The festival, founded by Vestavia Hills resident Bradley Metrock, also features local talent, including the band Venture Boi, led by Vestavia native and 2008 Vestavia Hills High School graduate Matt Sanderlin.
The band’s early years were spent playing at venues such as WorkPlay and Saturn, and the band received a “big, positive” response, Sanderlin said. The band’s lineup includes Jonathan Ruiz on drums, Mila Oliveira on bass and Cameron Riddle on guitar, in addition to Sanderlin, who sings and also plays guitar.
“If you like anything ’80s-tinged, you’re in for a treat,” Sanderlin said.
While Sanderlin loves all things ’80s, the band is influenced by many musical backgrounds, all of which make an impact on their songs, Sanderlin said.
It’s meaningful to know people in his hometown listen to the band’s music, he said. The success of Venture Boi kept Sanderlin rooted at home instead of pursuing a previously planned move to Nashville.
“I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for Birmingham,” Sanderlin said. “It’s where I cut my teeth.”
Seeing the Birmingham music scene take off in his early years and then having the chance to become part of that scene was special, Sanderlin said.
Music allows the artist to “take some expression of yourself and turn it into something creative,” he said. It allows him to “do something with excitement and passion.”
Being asked to perform at Euphonious was an honor, Sanderlin said. The band will be the local opener on the final night of the festival.
Local opener Pixellay will open the festival on June 17, with the Pat McGee Band to follow. Headline act Better than Ezra will close out the first night of music. Janet Simpson, the local opener on June 18, will be followed by Maddie and Tae, while Colbie Caillat headlines the second night of the event. Harry Mack will follow Venture Boi on June 19, with headliner Collective Soul set to close out the festival.
Metrock said while the festival saw about 2,000 visitors over the course of the weekend last year, they’re expecting 2,000 per day this year.
“There’s a lot of excitement about it,” Metrock said.
Tickets are available at euphonious.ai. Single-day tickets are $99, with $170 weekend passes also available.
Metrock said people are beginning to understand that Euphonious is here to stay. He hopes to continue growing the festival, which brought people from 18 states and four countries to Birmingham last year. The festival is Metrock’s effort to fill the void left by City Stages, the longtime Birmingham music festival Metrock and many others grew up attending.
This year’s festival, in addition to the music scene, is hosting the Euphonious Pro/Am on the campus of United Ability, the festival’s charity partner.
The pro/am is a video game tournament in which players can pay and register to battle one another in Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo Switch.
“There’s definitely an esports circuit,” Metrock said.
Players will compete for the inaugural Alabama Cup, and the event will also include food trucks, vendors and industry speakers.
The pro/am is part of what Metrock calls a “constellation of events” at Euphonious.
For more information and tickets, visit euphonious.ai.
