Power and Sound: Mother-Daughter duo brings vintage cars and classic rock to the Triad

Katei Cranford

Contributor

Start those engines, y’all! The Power & Sound Revival returns for its third year celebrating bands, bikes, and beasts of the road with a two-day music festival and vintage auto show, May 19-20, at the Camp Springs Bluegrass Park in Elon.

Presented by The Rockingham Company, a mother-daughter booking duo, the Revival sets to celebrate all that is Kustom Kulture, with vintage cars, motorcycles, and vans while showcasing the Americana, country, and rock’n’roll sounds of the southeast.

“We like to dub it ‘bringing back that old school feel’,” festival “Head Honcho” Olivia Jewell Williams said of the Revival — which has also become something of her family’s own “Mother’s Day” celebration. Her mom, Michelle Williams, co-organizes the festival — with the pair having spent the past three holidays gearing up to bring gearheads together.

“We both have our strong points,” Williams said, singing her mom’s more matter-of-fact praises. “She’s the one making sure I’ve crossed the T’s and dotted the I’s so to speak. I handle a bulk of the organization and communication; she deals with most of the bookkeeping, note-taking and helps make sure all the last-minute stu gets handled.”

“We book the music together,” Williams continued, “and she’s who I honestly have the most fun with planning the lineup.”

Playing favorites only for the holiday, Williams enjoys ways her whole family gets involved. “We’re definitely a familyrun business,” she said — pointing to the ways her dad Justin Williams, brother Seth Williams, and extended family and friends all pitch in. “We couldn’t pull this o without the love and support of these folks.”

And its support they look to share with their sister company, the non-profit, Arts & Trade of North Carolina Inc. “A portion of the money raised at our event will go towards the ATNC’s mission of supporting and backing local artists, tradespeople, and creators,” Williams explained. It’s a mission dear to their brood — Seth was part of the band Whiskey Foxtrot and plays in JSW. The whole family are avowed vintage van enthusiasts — part of the Kustom Kulture crowd of classic car lovers, which they enjoy incorporating into the festival with a custom van, car, and motorcycle show and competition in partnership with Speed & Kulture Magazine

“We love that we can showcase it at our own event and have so many of our good friends come, support and celebrate it,” Williams said. “We’re both part of a local van club called the Foggy Mountain Van Club where we take road trips to di erent shows and campgrounds just to enjoy the lifestyle.”

“Kustom Kulture is a huge part of the event because it is a huge part of our lives,” she continued. “We’ve always been involved in the automotive world, specifically that side of things, so it’s great to see people put their own style and influences into a vehicle and make it their own. Not only with automotives but also with art, music, and lifestyle.”

An a ection for vintage elements is intrinsic to the Revival experience. “We like to market the festival as bringing back that old-school feel,” Williams said.

“We want to make attendees feel like they’ve stepped back in time when they step onto the property.”

“We’ve had such great support from local and out-of-state people,” Williams continued. “It’s amazing to see over 1,000 folks come out and support — that so many people enjoy the idea of stepping back in time with an event like this!”

While the classic rides and bellbottomed organizers aid the vibe — the bands are the backbone behind the throwback eras. Pulling from independent artists from around the southeast, Williams is excited to o er a mix of country, blues, and rock.

On the 2023 bill, Jive Mother Mary, Chuck Mountain, and JSW rep the Triad artists. Abby Bryant & the Echoes, Andrew Scotchie & the River Rats, and Kyle Kelly are rolling down from the Western hills of Asheville and the Catawba Valley. Woody Woodworth & The Piners will ride down from Richmond, Virginia, while Chance Howland is coming up from South Carolina; Luke Whittaker and Ace Monroe are heading over from the Music City of Nashville, Tennessee; Lance Rogers from Kentucky; and the Texans in Quaker City Night Hawks are set to headline.

In a rad and rootin-tootin last-minute addition to the lineup, Arkansas ballad bad-boy (and a favored guest in the Triangle) Dylan Earl, will play Friday on the festival’s inaugural second stage.

And while the bands rock those stages during the day, the party rolls into the campground at night with three camping areas for hammocks, tents, and van-lifers (one with a fishin’ hole to boot). Chuck Mountain has announced they’re hosting a cornhole tournament in the camp — for which Williams shared her excitement (along with the “great bath house” the property boasts).

“We like to o er something for everyone, even the families who come!,” she said, pointing to the activities for all ages and interactive vendors o ering face painting, henna, games, photo booths, and Tin Type portraits. “We have over 35 vendors this year, and we put a lot of e ort into making sure our vendor market is unique and o ers our attendees oneof-a-kind art, jewelry, handcrafted items, and great tradesmanship.” As for food, o erings from an array of food trucks and a full-on food court from Blissful Palette will be available to keep folks fueled throughout the weekend. !