OUR STORY

It is the summer of 2008, unfortunately, when this story begins.

School is out and six friends are kicking around the idea of starting a band with a single goal in mind: Play a show for their friends before it’s time go to back to college. They performed as Slim Pickinz & the Gentlemen Callers and, while the name lacked brevity, the witty and charismatic nature of the three front men jelled with the Beasties-meets-Chili Peppers influence of the band. Friends and families gathered in late August for a backyard rock n’ roll show that, unbeknownst to anyone, would become an annualized, end-of-summer tradition.

It is speculated that most people showed up to that first show for the free beer. Regardless, the band was ecstatic from the performance and relived every epic moment and wonky note through the 3-inch screen of someone’s camcorder. It wasn’t the politest way to treat people who did come for the music, but the feeling evoked from watching the fuzzy video screen over and over again was exhilarating and unforgettable. That footage encapsulated the founding spirit of OH7! Music Festival; though it wouldn’t be known by that name for another year or two.

The excitement, the spirit of curiosity and the desire to create music with friends and share it with anyone who was willing to listen encouraged the band to host a concert the following summer. Other friends from their circle were asked to form a band of their own and perform as the “opening act”. Today, Dwayne Stoving and Morage is a crowd favorite and they never fail to electrify the audience. Year after year, more friends and friends-of-friends picked up musical instruments and lent their voices to the show. Now the concert runs 10+ hours before Dj Bo Bo’s final drop.

Entering a new chapter in the short but storied life of OH7! Music Festival, the Planning Committee wants to play more music and introduce more local artists to the growing audience that attends each year. In addition to the music, the OH7!PC is looking for ways to give back to a community that has never failed to support them. Since 2014, OH7! Music Festival has been hosted as a 3rd party fundraiser donating all profits from the event to Main Line Animal Rescue; a truly incredible organization making a difference in the lives of animals in Chester County. More information on OH7!’s fundraising can be found here.