Fourth Annual River Revival Music Fest Kicks Off

River Revival was born in 2013 as a company retreat and later expanded into the weekend-long festival, Brennan said.

By, Andrew Blanton | Exclusive To Corridor News

The fourth annual River Revival Music Fest kicked off Thursday, September 27, at the KL Ranch Campgrounds in New Braunfels.

The family-friendly weekend, hosted by the Houston based Splice Records, blends a variety of sounds, modern tastes and outdoor activities.

Campers can loosen up at the daily morning yoga class and are encouraged to enjoy outdoor activities throughout the day.

The campgrounds sit along the Guadalupe River and offer hiking, canoeing, tubing and workshops before the nightly music from 6 PM ‘til midnight. An unplugged campfire performance will provide after-hours sounds.

“It’s a rite of passage as a Texan to float the Guadalupe River,” Shaun Brennan, CEO of Splice Records, said. “I don’t know if any other river feels that way.”

The music line up blends the saltiness of the gulf coast, the soul of the south, the blues of the city and the Americana of the hill country.

The Suffers, a ten-piece-soul band from Houston, will headline the event, along with Folk Family Revival, Bayou City Funk, Jackie Venson and Tomar and the FC’s.

River Revival was born in 2013 as a company retreat and later expanded into the weekend-long festival, Brennan said.

Brennon graduated from Texas State University; he has a connection to the culture that surrounds the San Marcos and Guadalupe River.

“I used to spend long summers and long camping trips in New Braunfels,” Brennan said. “Being by the river is something that just brings me peace.”

Meals for the festival-goers will be prepared by Little Kitchen HTX. Jason and Becca Kerr started the farm-to-table catering company in Houston’s Chinatown in 2017, operating along with their storefront Eat My Pralines.

Chef Jason Kerr said he worked with Brennan to create a menu that coincided with the evening music line up, the feel of the Guadalupe River and the down-home southern and Cajun tastes of the region.

“I really can’t say enough about how excited and grateful we are to get the opportunity to be a part of (River Revival),” Kerr said. “It’s really going to be like a campground cookout on eleven.”

Brennon is conscious about the amount of pollution that can come with an outdoor festival and works with recyclable products to keep the festival environmentally friendly. A river cleanup is sponsored by Splice Records to ensure a minimal carbon footprint.

“I can honestly say the river is cleaner than after we got there,” Brennan said.