NEPA jamgrass band Cabinet returns from hiatus to play Peach Festival in Scranton on July 19
In a surprise announcement today, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre jamgrass band Cabinet revealed that they will return from hiatus to play only one show in 2018 – the Peach Music Festival at The Pavilion at Montage Mountain in Scranton on Thursday, July 19.
Garnering a huge local following and touring the country since forming in 2006, the popular group declared an “indefinite hiatus” late last year, playing a final farewell concert at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre on New Year’s Eve. They have since split into various other projects, including solo efforts by Pappy and JP Biondo and an experimental Americana/funk/blues band called Gatos Blancos, who recently released their first single, “Sunset in Stone.”
For the past five years, Cabinet hosted and performed multiple sets at their own successful music festival at The Pavilion, the Susquehanna Breakdown, attracting national acts and earning write-ups by major music publications like Rolling Stone, so with no Breakdown this year, longtime fans (referred to as “CabFam”) are thrilled to see them not only return to Montage Mountain, but to Peach Fest, which they also played at every year.
The announcement was made just a few hours ago on the band’s Facebook page as the festival announced its daily lineup:
“Cabfam, you didn’t actually think we were going to miss Peach Fest this year, did you? We haven’t missed one yet so why start now? It’s tradition! Join us Thursday for our only performance of 2018! #seeyouatthepeach”
Twiddle, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Turkuaz, and The Marcus King Band will also be playing the opening night of the seventh annual Peach Fest; the four-day festival runs through Sunday, July 22 with Phil Lesh (legendary bassist from the Grateful Dead) and The Terrapin Family Band, Gov’t Mule (playing two sets, including a special performance of “Dark Side of the Mule”), Dickey Betts (founding member and guitarist of The Allman Brothers Band), Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Chris Robinson Brotherhood, The Revivalists, moe. and Little Feat performing “Waiting for Columbus” featuring Turkuaz Horns, Oteil & Friends (Oteil Burbridge, Melvin Seals, John Kadlecik, Jay Lane, Weedie Braimah, Alfreda Gerald, Scott Metzger), up-and-comers like Hayley Jane and the Primates, and many more acts announced last month.
See NEPA Scene’s photos from the 2017 Peach Fest here and see Beautiful People of NEPA portraits of Peach attendees here. See photos from the 2017 Susquehanna Breakdown here and Cabinet’s final show here. Watch or listen to JP Biondo talk about Cabinet and their last album, as well as his own solo work, in Episode 8 of the NEPA Scene Podcast, which includes two exclusive acoustic performances:
by Rich Howells
Rich is an award-winning journalist, longtime blogger, photographer, and podcast host. He is the founder and editor of NEPA Scene.