Wedgestock celebrates local musicians

Nick Hilbourn, Morning News
Published: August 21, 2008

You won’t find any $10 bottles of water, kitschy festival collectibles or violent mosh pits at Wedgestock. And in that sense, it bears similarity to its nominal progenitor Woodstock, what with its performance space set in a wide open field in the country and placid atmosphere.
“Wedgestock is a family friendly event so we try to keep it as comfortable and relaxing as possible,” said Phil Sports, organizer of the one-day music festival.
Although this is only the third incarnation of the annual Manning festival, it’s actually been going for seven years, albeit not as a public event.
“Wedgefield started out as a neighborhood get-together,” said Sports, “where people would get together and socialize, share food and pick up a guitar on occasion.”
Sports said that he decided to make the event public in 2006. About 500 people attended the inaugural Wedgestock and that more than doubled with the following year’s event.
“The impetus (is) the love of music and appreciation for the art,” said Sports. “These artists practice really hard and love what they do. It feels good to give them a stage.”
Wedgestock features 16 musical acts, most from South Carolina, ranging from the raw southern rock of Rippin Dixie to the 1980s pop and party rock of Radio Cult to the modern indie sound of headlining act Hot Lava Monster. There will be food vendors, some retail booths, crafts and Wedgestock souvenirs.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

If you’re going
WHAT: Wedgestock 2008
WHEN: Noon Aug. 31
WHERE: Off U.S. 301, five miles from June Bird Road on the right
COST: $10 advance, $12 at the gate, free for children younger than 12
INFO: (803) 905-7625