All Things Go
- Insider’s senior music reporter recently attended All Things Go, a small music festival in Maryland.
- The sold-out event featured all-female headliners and a refreshing, laid-back approach to live music.
- Cofounder Stephen Vallimarescu told Insider that it was intentionally designed to be anti-Instagram.
Since the advent of social media, the phrase “music festival” has typically evoked images of Ferris wheels, massive art installations, and hordes of young fans tightly packed together. As an experienced festivalgoer and Insider’s senior music reporter, I appreciate these experiences for their unique appeal: a chance to escape reality and showcase envy-inducing backdrops.
But at my core, I’m simply a fan of live music. I recognize the need for alternatives that strip away the extravagant frills and focus solely on the music itself.
Enter All Things Go, an independent music festival held annually in Columbia, Maryland. Launched in 2014, the festival has grown from a one-day event with a capacity of 5,000 to a two-day extravaganza. Despite its expansion, All Things Go remains the smallest and most refreshingly manageable festival I have ever attended. This year, it accommodated a daily capacity of 20,000 people, a far cry from the overwhelming crowds of festivals like Coachella (125,000 attendees), Lollapalooza (115,000 attendees), or Primavera Sound (estimated 66,000 attendees).
The festival boasts just two stages: the main stage at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, an amphitheater-style venue, and the Chrysalis Stage, located a short walk away in the forest grounds. Both stages are positioned at the bottom of a gentle slope, allowing attendees to choose between the energetic proximity of the pit or the comfort of a lawn ticket without sacrificing a good view.
Perhaps the festival’s most unique aspect is the absence of set time overlaps. Attendees have the opportunity to fully experience every advertised performance without having to make difficult choices.
During my inaugural All Things Go experience, I was treated to an electrifying lineup of women and queer artists. Headliners like Maggie Rogers, boygenius, and Lana Del Rey graced the stage, alongside cult favorites such as Lizzy McAlpine, MUNA, and Carly Rae Jepsen.
The festival’s reputation for championing female artists can be attributed in part to the involvement of Maggie Rogers, who collaborated directly with the organizers in 2018. According to cofounder Stephen Vallimarescu, Rogers expressed frustration at the lack of female headliners at music festivals. In response, the festival embraced her idea of curating an all-female lineup.
Vallimarescu and fellow cofounder Will Suter have since made it their mission to maintain Rogers’ vision. They have booked acclaimed artists like Billie Eilish, HAIM, Charli XCX, Lorde, and King Princess, ensuring that women remain at the forefront of the festival’s lineup.
What sets All Things Go apart is its commitment to inclusivity, as both fans and performers have a voice in shaping the festival’s direction. Unlike many larger festivals owned by major entertainment companies, All Things Go operates independently. This independence allows for greater input from artists and attendees alike.
The festival founders view feedback as gospel, particularly when it comes to lineup suggestions. They actively seek artist requests for future editions and conduct numerous polls on Instagram to gauge fan preferences.
Thanks to the festival’s responsive nature, it has become a fiercely supportive space for the LGBTQ+ community. During her headline performance, Maggie Rogers expressed how safe she felt while looking at the crowd. MUNA’s Naomi McPherson affectionately dubbed All Things Go “Lesbopalooza”.
Unlike the influencer-driven spectacle often associated with Coachella, All Things Go intentionally avoids pretentiousness and picturesque aesthetics. Its purpose is not to cater to a small group of affluent patrons, but rather to provide a safe and laid-back environment for live-music enthusiasts. The festival is greatly enhanced by the amenities offered by the Merriweather Post Pavilion, including real bathrooms, seats, and abundant water-refill stations.
Vallimarescu summarizes the festival’s ethos by saying, “What we’ve learned, not focusing on Instagram moments or ferris wheels, is that our fans just don’t really care about that stuff. They’re not hanging out in the VIP. They’re watching music.”
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