The Setlist

Continuing the 12th annual Greggfest season, the kickoff at the New Moon Inn started with a bang as Battle of the Bands runners-up Dakota James and Run Don’t Walk hit the stage.

The local historic New Moon Inn, previously The White Birch Farm, has hosted Greggfest Kickoff for the past two years. Owned and operated by VTSU Lyndon alumni Alex and Miles Haimovitch, the inn has marked a connection between the Lyndon campus and the local community.

MEISA student leaders chose to highlight the history of the festival, sharing the original story of Jake Gregg at Kickoff this year. The Jake Gregg documentary reminds students and the community that, even 12 years later, Greggfest is more than a music festival. A portion of the proceeds from the weekend is still donated to an endowment in Jake’s name. Although the festival has grown in size, students continue to recognize and honor Jake’s memory by bringing the community together for a weekend of music and celebration.

Dakota James, as the fourth-place performer from Battle of the Bands, opened the night with a fun selection of covers that set a rocking mood for the evening. Joined on stage by Ben Perreault on bass, Finn Paterson on guitar, Max Groft on keys, and Brody Jackson on drums, the group jumped in with a cover of “This Love” by Maroon 5. The upbeat pop song quickly had the crowd singing and dancing along.

The group shifted into a more rock vibe with covers of “Creep” by Radiohead and “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash. Quickly, the energy jumped up to a 10 as the group continued to rock out together. Although the group has only performed together twice, the energy and connection on stage were palpable.

Finishing the set, the group played into the high energy of the night, performing a cover of “Buddy Holly” by Weezer while the audience danced and sang along.

Next to take the stage, Run Don’t Walk opened with “No Escape,” the group’s newest unreleased single. Drummer Campbell pushed the beat forward as the band jumped right into “Subliminal War” off their album Emergency Procedures. The song highlights the talented guitarist Charlie Mack with intense soloing.

The intense, high-energy rock had the audience jumping into a wild mosh. As the band continued to perform, transitioning from “Subliminal War” into their classic song “Warming Up” from the Emergency Procedures album, the energy continued to rise. The addition of Alex’s vocals has brought these classic Run Don’t Walk songs to a new level of intensity.

The band continued to perform their singles “Electric Doom” and “Asylum,” the newest songs the band has released. The energy in the room boiled over as Run Don’t Walk jumped into a cover of “Killing in the Name” by Rage Against the Machine.

The band has always brought a high-energy performance to every stage, and Greggfest Kickoff was no exception, as the audience danced and screamed along to the final song. Bassist Noah LaPointe ended the set shouting, “F**K ICE, FREE PALESTINE, F**K DONALD TRUMP, AND F**K AMERICA.”

The history of punk and hard rock has roots in political activism, and Run Don’t Walk has refused to back down from these roots throughout the turbulent political climate in recent years.

With a strong shift in energy levels, Autumn Chamberlain, a singer-songwriter and alumna of Vermont State University, took center stage with her acoustic guitar. She started her set by performing “Carousel,” “Second Chance,” and “Not to Think” off her EP My Turn. The EP, produced by Eneekay Records through the Vermont State University Music Business and Industry program, captures the heartfelt emotional experience of love and loss.

She continued to perform her original songs, and her powerful voice rang through the room as she performed “100k,” a single based on her journey and reflection as her first car hit 100,000 miles. Autumn continued to share her story through song with her personal favorite original song, “Sideways.” Keep an ear out, as these songs will be released on her upcoming album, set for release in June.

By audience request, Autumn wrapped up her set with a lively cover of “Stick Season” by Noah Kahan. Joined by the audience, the song rang through the room, creating a feeling of connection and community.

Before headliner Bitter Sweet took the stage, it was finally time to announce the lineup for Greggfest 2026. On May 1st, night one, you can catch Mollie Jean, Whenzdaze, Paper Lady, and headliner Blanket Approval. On night two, May 2nd, Breaklight, Nate Perry & Ragged Company, Chase Murphy, and headliner Dred Buffalo will be performing on the Northern Vermont University-Lyndon campus.

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After the exciting Greggfest announcement, headliner Bitter Sweet took to the stage to immense applause. The group, featuring Mollie Jean on lead vocals, Noah LaPointe on guitar, Ben Perreault on bass, and Jimi Piluso on drums, jumped in with their uptempo original “Money and Fame.” The unreleased song features a heavy beat and a fun call-and-response with the audience.

After a brief introduction, the band performed “SPITE,” a hardcore original song featuring an intense breakdown. The heavier sound rivals the band’s traditionally hard rock style. Continuing their set, Bitter Sweet performed a couple of covers, the first being one of the band’s go-to songs, “Misery Business” by Paramore, and a new addition, “Metalingus” by Alter Bridge.

Bitter Sweet then jumped into their first original song, “Hero Complex.” The song marked the start of the campus band and its history. Finishing the set with their most popular song, “Waist Deep,” the intro began and the energy steadily rose throughout the crowd. The incredible energy in the room jumped to new heights as Mollie began to sing, and the entire audience joined in.

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DAKOTA JAMES
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RUN DONT WALK
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AUTUMN CHAMBERLAIN
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BITTER SWEET
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VTSU LYNDON MEISA
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NEW MOON INN
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