Lawrence Field Day Fest began with a set of free shows, but was hardly a low-key affair.

Love Garden hosted a trio of performances from mostly out of town bands. Field Day Jitters, of Manhattan, brought synth-infused pop to the festival. Danny Pound crooned and delighted with many tunes off of his most recent album, Hobby Howl. Missouri-based Slanted Plant rounded out the night with a super funky set heavy on wah wah pedals and some super fun guitar riffs (even those who tried to stand still couldn’t help but groove a little to this band). This was Slanted Plant’s first Lawrence show in 15 years.
 
 
Wonder Fair was another unconventional venue for the festival, and this is where it was truly “Ladies’ Night.” The art gallery opened up their “secret” back patio and invited an all-female lineup to the stage to support their week of female-oriented art events. Vigil and Thieves opened up the delightful evening on the rooftop, while Katy Guillen and the Girls displayed a strong connection anyone could be fond of. La Guerre, featuring the incredibly talented Katlyn Conroy, rounded out the female-powered lineup and delighted with a cover of “Drunk in Love.”

Editor’s note: I Heart Local Music commends the organizers of this year’s Lawrence Field Day Fest for reaching far and wide to make sure female musicians were properly represented at the festival this year. Anyone who says there aren’t enough female musicians in this town is not looking hard enough.

Night 2 of Lawrence Field Day Fest begins this Friday evening. You can view the full schedule here.

Words by Fally Afani, photos by Fally Afani and Lillian Wright Smith