At Snallygaster, attendees may be all about the beers, but they still soak up some great music while in attendance. And Snallygaster 2024 set the bar high when it came to bands with two DC legendary acts and two young acts providing entertainment at both ends of the festival.

On the main stage, go-go icons Trouble Funk led the bill against the backdrop of the Capitol Building — what a scene! Earlier in the day, reggae punks The Pietasters set a rowdy tone appropriate for beer drinking. And on the secondary stage, power pop quintet Dim Wizard were the first full band of the day, soon to be followed by Massie, a power pop trio.

The music, the beer, and the lovely weather made for a remarkably pleasant day.

At the end of the day on Oct. 12, Trouble Funk were all business as they checked through their equipment in preparation to close the show. Big Tony Fisher sat on one side of the stage, checking things over to his satisfaction as other members of the large group readied their instruments.

Soon, Trouble Funk got the party started with their signature mixture of R&B and funk as they turned the asphalt of Pennsylvania Avenue into a dance floor. They kept spirits high with tunes including “Pump Me Up,” “Drop the Bomb,” and “It’s in the Mix (Don’t Touch That Stereo).

Trouble Funk actually drew people to them and away from the beer to form a congregation, which is no mean feat for DC’s smartest and biggest beer festival.

Watch Trouble Funk play an NPR Tiny Desk Concert in 2018 via YouTube:

Here are some photos of Trouble Funk headlining Snallygaster on Oct. 12, 2024. Photos by Mickey McCarter.

Earlier in the day, The Pietasters truly set the stage for a beer drinking spirit with their punk rock raucousness and reggae vibes. Stephen Jackson led his merry crew through a foot-stomping revue of the band’s catalog, including songs like “Maggie Mae,” which they happily sang out: “Maggie Mae bring us another beer we need another beer Take away our troubles, dear Maggie Mae.”

Watch The Pietasters perform “Maggie Mae” live for the 2021 Supernova Ska Festival on YouTube:

The Pietasters were as always a site for sore eyes. Their timing signaled the true beginning of the Snallygaster celebration as by this time, everyone was loose and in tune with their surroundings. Many folks had made themselves comfortable and conquered their first beers by the time The Pietasters took the stage. Pie stalwarts like bassist Dave Vermillion and saxophonist Alan Makranczy are really excellent musicians who make the sound happen — as indeed are all of the members. Steve Jackson remains an institution, and you can count on him being a class act, as a performer and a human being.

Here are some photos of The Pietasters performing at Snallygaster on Oct. 12, 2024. Photos by Mickey McCarter.

Massie held down the secondary stage later in the day, and the trio drew a lot of curious onlookers, several of whom stopped to groove in place to the band’s music. Massie is a fresh trio consisting of guitarist and singer Emily Yaremchuk, drummer Samantha Collings, and their new bassist. All three of them were pretty fierce! Emily seemed to tower over everyone at her mic and Samantha was a blur of devilish joy behind the drums. The bassist (whose name I do not have — apologies!) was no slouch either, commanding stage left with some thunderous rock thumping.

In the spring, Massie released a debut EP, Grady Says Serotonin — a nod to the fact that the band once were called Grady. At Snallygaster, they zapped through several of the punk-flavored numbers on that record, including “Never Live Without You Again.”

Watch Massie perform “Never Live Without You Again” for Classroom Sessions via YouTube:

Here are some photos of Massie performing at Snallygaster on Oct. 12, 2024. Photos by Mickey McCarter.

Dim Wizard got the bands rolling in between DJs early in the day on the Snallygaster secondary stage. This five-pieced band also is a relatively young group, which formed during the pandemic-era lockdowns. Fronted by David Combs of Bad Moves, the band has a shaggy garage quality in its music. At Snallygaster, they played singles including “Shoplifting,” which had a throwback ’90s vibe, and “Ride the Vibe,” which is more or less about reconciling yourself to disappointment.

Watch Dim Wizard play “Ride the Vibe” in a brewery earlier this year on YouTube:

Here are some photos of Dim Wizard performing at Snallygaster on Oct. 12, 2024. Photos by Mickey McCarter.

Snallygaster 2024, hosted as always by the Neighborhood Restaurant Group and directed by Managing Partner Greg Engert, was a great time in the sun with not only good beer but good music as well. Bottom line: At Snallygaster, you can come for the beer and stick around to jam while you drink.

Bookmark the Snallygaster website and make plans to go next year!