The Queen City Shout Festival kicks off Wednesday evening, August 21, 2019 with 93 music acts, an art gallery and film festival. The five-day event is held on historic Commercial Street in Springfield, and organizers say proceeds go toward alleviating poverty here in the Ozarks.
Music, art, film, poverty relief. These are the elements that make up this year’s Queen City Shout.
I first learned about the festival when one of my bands played there years ago. I’m back this year with another band.
Organizer Eddie Gumucio started the event about 12 years ago at the now defunct Borders Bookstore. That name might sound familiar; Gumucio also hosts and produces KSMU’s indie/alternative music program, Beneath the Surface. And he plays the festival with his band, Eddie Gumucio and The Electrics.
“And I had this idea of like ‘Queen City Shout,’ and I approached my GM about it and explained, ‘Hey, how about we bring some music in?” said Gumucio.
The festival ran for six years—but it hit a speed bump when the Borders store closed. When Gumucio was ready to get the festival going again in 2017, Commercial Street was waiting for him with open arms.
“C-Street, with all the venue owners, it was pretty much from day one like, ‘Let’s do it. Yeah, sounds great,’” said Gumucio.
This year’s Shout will showcase 93 music acts, and the bulk of them are local.
“With the name in itself, y’know, the idea of Queen City Shout – total respect to Austin, total respect to Nashville – but, we have such a deep, deep pool of talent here,” said Gumucio.
Lindberg’s Tavern, Moon City Pub and White River Brewing make up the backbone of venues, with White River boasting an acoustic patio stage and the Main Event Stage in the back of the brewery.
Q Enoteca will feature smaller acts like singer/songwriter performers and duos.
New this year is the outdoor Do Good Lawn. Each of these venues has a different feel, letting the Shout feature something for everyone.
“Moon City Pub is kind of, it’s got that sort of rustic rock n roll vibe to it. And Q Enoteca, I mean the acoustics there for a songwriter or a duo, you don’t need much of a PA, like it’s like singing in church,” said Gumucio.
This year, the festival will host a gallery of local art in the Q Space, next to Q Enoteca. A film festival down the street at Big Momma’s will feature works by local filmmakers.
“I always had a vision of this as like our own little South by Southwest. And I don’t mean that in the sense of like, it’s going to be this massive, international, week-long destination thing, but more from the sense of like a festival that is celebrating the arts for an extended period of time where it’s like this city is rich with it,” said Gumucio.
This year, seven organizations will benefit from the festival’s proceeds, Gumucio says.
“OACAC, Community Partnership of the Ozarks, Great Circle, Victory Mission, the Kitchen, Harmony House and Isabel’s House. So, either directly or in some way, those nonprofits work to support poverty relief,” said Gumucio.
I ask Gumucio to describe the vibe of the Shout.
“Happy. That may be a little cheesy, but people are having a good time. Community,” said Gumucio.
Those hoping to attend can buy one-day wristbands or five-day passes online at queencityshout.com, at the event, or at participating venues.
