It was one of those nights where the stars just aligned so well. How else could you explain such an enthusiastic turnout for a concert that had barely a week’s notice with the public? On Friday, in conjunction with Downtown Lawrence’s Mid Summer Night on Mass (a nighttime Downtown-wide event), The Bourgeois Pig hosted their annual anniversary show with The Lil’ Pig festival. Four bands brought big energy to the small stage, along with local favorite DJ Jon Harrison (a man also known for his fountain of music knowledge).

THIMASTR is the closest we’ll ever get to seeing The Velvet Underground here, and they started the evening with the chillest vibes, followed by 95 Sweetbird’s spacious and reverb-filled indie sounds. Sweeping Promises made a rare appearance with quite possibly one of the best sets we’ve seen this year (yes, they should be your new favorite band), followed by a rowdy show by rockers The Whiffs.

The entire show drew out such a diverse crowd of ages, it felt more like a school reunion than anything. The “mail order weather,” as Sweeping Promises put it, was perfection despite the heat. We can’t remember the last time a street festival featuring strictly locals on the lineup went over so well. This is important to note because we’ve had many-a-festival this year, and it’s easy to get burned out on watching shows in the heat. But, on this night, the stars were aligned and the sliver of a moon hung just right for all the best vibes. That’ll do, (The Bourgeois), Pig.

If you want to see Sweeping Promises before they head out on tour, head to White Schoolhouse Thursday, June 29.

Photos from the night below: