For years, jam-rock enthusiasts could count on a summer weekend that included the All Good Festival, along with many of their favorite bands and countless mind-melting performances. That ended in 2015 after twenty years of hard work and a desire to move toward different events. Ten years later, the festival returned—rebranded as All Good Now—and boasted perhaps one of its best lineups yet. The first day featured heavy hitters like Joe Russo’s Almost Dead and The String Cheese Incident, alongside a host of other well-known bands.
This version of the All Good Festival differed slightly from past editions; many previous iterations were held in the mountains of West Virginia, far from the cries of everyday life. Instead, the promoters opted for a suburban setting on the grounds of Merriweather Post Pavilion. We have always had a soft spot for this incredible venue, which offers plenty of parking and ample hotel accommodations within minutes of the gates. The festival notably did not include camping, but it was considerably easier to attend for those with mobility limitations.
The festival utilized the two existing stages on the campus. The artistic, geometric Chrysalis Stage, set in the woods, is designed as a habitat for the park’s creatures when the stage is not in use. The larger, more familiar Main Stage has hosted bands like the Grateful Dead and Phish; it features a permanent rooftop that doubles as a sky deck for lucky attendees.
The festivities began at the Chrysalis with a bittersweet final set from The Bridge. Led by guitarist Cris Jacobs, the band formed at an earlier edition of the All Good Festival and, over the years, emerged as a Mid-Atlantic fan favorite and a staple at most prior All Good events. Although they have chosen to pursue new creative directions, they first treated fans to one last throw-down at the festival that brought them together.
The rising band Dogs in a Pile followed The Bridge and delivered an inspiring set of their own. They knocked their original “Go Set” out of the park and into “Dancing in the Streets,” and capped the performance with a notably jazzy cover of Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets.”
Neal Francis proceeded with a tasty set of psychedelic rock and funk. The New Orleans-influenced pianist offered a thoughtful cover of “Higher and Higher,” as a tribute to the recently deceased Sly Stone.
Jamtronica titans The Disco Biscuits kicked off the music on the Main Stage with a rare daytime set—their fifth appearance at All Good. The band opened with the vintage “Mulberry’s Dream,” circa 2003.
The remainder of the set was a stacked jam sandwich that included new tunes “Scars of the Brave” and “Country Royale,” which debuted in 2025 and 2024, respectively. Fans were enamored with the closing tune, “Svenghali”—another old-school favorite that highlighted guitarist Jon Gutwillig’s prowess and bookended the show with classic originals.
Grammy-winning artist Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway brought the music back to the Chrysalis with a dose of their signature bluegrass. She belted out a thoughtful cover of the Grateful Dead’s “Standing on the Moon,” earning enthusiastic applause.
The sun was slowly sinking toward the horizon as the bluegrass-meets-EDM-and-funk outfit The String Cheese Incident performed a fuego set on the Main Stage. This was arguably their fourth appearance at All Good—counting their headlining gig at Merryland in 2016—and certainly one of their finest. Their set showcased the band’s powerful, team-first approach. The music opened with the bluegrass-inspired “One Step Closer” by guitarist Billy Nershi and flowed into an upbeat psychedelic jam. Two blues-rock numbers followed: keyboardist Kyle Hollingsworth’s “Can’t Wait Another Day” and multi-instrumentalist Michael Kang’s “Give Me the Love.”
The band delivered only its second performance of the reggae-rebooted Bob Dylan perennial “Like a Rolling Stone,” which debuted on May 25, 2025, in Wilmington, NC. Molly Tuttle joined the boys during “White Freightliner Blues,” contributing vocals and guitar licks while joyfully trading lines with Kang and Nershi. The group then demonstrated their Ableton Live skills during “Hi Ho No Show,” followed by a fifteen-minute “The Big Reveal” packed with peaks and valleys that hit just right.
The centerpiece of the set arrived at the end with a raging “Jellyfish”—highlighted by Nershi running laps around the stage—and a dark jam that slid into “Sirens.” The ominous mood continued into “Just One Story,” which closed their stellar set with a bang.
The night was far from over: Joe Russo’s Almost Dead closed Day One with one of their finest performances to date, marking their second All Good appearance. Guitarist Tom Hamilton brought his A-game, while multi-instrumentalist Marco Benevento sprinkled color throughout classics such as “New Speedway Boogie” and “Estimated Prophet.”
JRAD also debuted two politically charged covers: “Fortunate Son” by Creedence Clearwater Revival and “Street Fighting Man” by the Rolling Stones—the latter segueing perfectly into a concise “Jack Straw.”
The band unfurled another pair in the same political vein: the Grateful Dead’s “Throwing Stones” and Pink Floyd’s “Pigs (Three Different Ones).” The crowd was exhilarated as the quintet charged into “Terrapin Station,” which spiraled into “The Other One.” The show wrapped up with set-list staples “Fire on the Mountain” and “I Know You Rider.” Many attendees told us afterward how impressed they were by the finale of JRAD’s set.
The first day of All Good Now was not just all good—it was all great. The bands were every bit as excited to be there as the fans. Stay tuned for more coverage of Day Two.
Check out more photos from Day One at All Good Now!
Festival: All Good Now
Date: June 14, 2025
Location: Columbia, MD
Venue: Merriweather Post Pavilion
Band: The Bridge
Set: Let Me Off This Train, Big Wheel, Chains, Shake ‘em Down, Drop the Beat, Colorado Motel, Bury My Bones, Brother Don’t
Band: Dogs in a Pile
Set: G Song, Samba for Sam, Jack & Coke > Go Set > Dancing in the Street[1] > Go Set, Bennie and the Jets[2], Say Something
Notes:
[1] Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
[2] Elton John
Band: Disco Biscuits
Set: Mulberry’s Dream, Scars Of The Brave > Country Royale > Tricycle > Svenghali
Band: String Cheese Incident
Set: One Step Closer, Can’t Wait Another Day, Give Me The Love, Like A Rolling Stone, White Freightliner Blues[1], Carnival, Hi Ho No Show, The Big Reveal, Jellyfish > Sirens > Just One Story
Notes: [1] with Molly Tuttle
Band: Joe Russo's Almost Dead
Set: New Speedway Boogie > Estimated Prophet > Fortunate Son, Street Fighting Man > Jack Straw, Throwing Stones, Pigs (Three Different Ones), Terrapin Station > The Other One > Fire on the Mountain > I Know You Rider
