I’ll be brutally honest — I fell in love last week. Not in the typical storybook sense, but with the way Boise, Idaho came to life during Treefort Music Fest 2025.
Here are my five favorite shows from the five days that downtown Boise became my playground.
Ora Cogan at the Shrine Ballroom
This show was the perfect way to kick off Treefort Music Fest. Vancouver Island based artist Ora Cogan put on the set of my dreams.
With her smoky vocals, haunting violin and romantic psychedelic sound, the Shrine Ballroom was left in a daze when her set came to a close.
While Ora Cogan wasn’t someone originally on my radar, “Cowgirl” — a track with the perfect blend of atmospheric tones and edge — was an immediate addition to all of my playlists.
Rudy Love & The Encore at Cyclops
Day two of Treefort taught me that the best shows are the ones you didn’t originally intend to see.
While riding a Lime scooter through the city to my next show, I found myself drawn to Cyclops, the 8th Street stage where Rudy Love & The Encore were playing.
Despite only catching the tail end of their set, I was immediately immersed in their musical trance. Rudy Love & The Encore is a neo-soul band including Rudy Love Jr., Marrque Nunley, Rachelle Love, Mariel Jacoda, Sherdeill Breathett and Willy Simms.
The band’s energy on stage was unmatched and had the entire crowd dancing the night away — right in the heart of downtown Boise.
Remi Wolf at Main Stage
As a newfound fan of Remi Wolf after her 2024 release of “Big Ideas”, I’d been eagerly anticipating this main stage set since its announcement — and she did not disappoint.
With three vibrant screens with tour visuals and lyrics complimenting the Main Stage for tracks like “Cinderella” and “Disco Man”, Remi Wolf’s set was as much a visual spectacle as it was an auditory one.
Despite the rainy Friday night weather, this set was the perfect excuse to let loose and lean into the festival’s energy.
Lucas Benoit at The District Coffee House
Up-and-coming Portland, Oregon based folk artist Lucas Benoit played one of my favorite shows of the festival on Saturday night at The District Coffee House.
Acknowledging the mix of his warm vocals and honest delivery, Benoit delicately describes his work as “sweet treasures from the pockets of careless lovers” and “tokens of wisdom scratched onto napkins by old friends”.
Closing out his coffee house set with “Pretty Flowers” and “She’s Sick”, Benoit left the entire crowd and I excited for his next studio album releasing in early spring 2025.
Lowertown at the Shrine Basement
If I could only have one takeaway from Sunday night, it would be that Olivia Osby and Avsha Weinberg of Lowertown are literal rockstars.
The band had palpable stage presence from the start of the show — palpable enough to get the tight Shrine Basement crowd moshing from the second track on the setlist.
Halfway through the show, Osby joined in on the fun and began crowd surfing during an interlude. As a casual listener of Lowertown, this set made me love them even more.
It’s become clear to me that Treefort Music Fest is about so much more than just music. It’s about the city itself — the way Boise welcomes you to explore, the energy other concert-goers bring and the collective experience of discovering music with good friends.
