Meet the strong, varied musical lineup playing Columbia's two-day Earth Day celebration

Music long has been a part of Columbia's Earth Day festivities, as local artists set a soundtrack for drinking in natural light and fresh air and equipping ourselves to keep the planet moving ahead.

That goes double this year, as organizers have expanded the celebration, stretching it across an entire weekend. From jazz and folk music to indie rock and percussive daring, this year's music lineup is strong and varied. Here's a glimpse at what listeners can expect to take in later this month.

Party for the Planet (Saturday, April 22)

The first event of this year's double bill features stages in Peace Park and at Columbia mainstay Sub Shop.

Peace Park acts will play later in the day, from approximately 3 to 9:30 p.m. Among their number: Augusta Cooper, a singer and bassist whose jazz- and soul-inflected work recalls such luminaries as Erykah Badu and, quite naturally, Esperanza Spalding.

William Russell Wallace creates a world in story songs, populated with hard-luck hustlers and almost lovers. Last year's "Confidence Man" was among the best Missouri records of 2022, and Wallace is a master at making sadness and desperation sound so very appealing.

More: How Columbia songwriter William Russell Wallace creates a dark cast of characters

Violet and the Undercurrents remain among mid-Missouri's finest, shifting shape and substance in songs that join folk and rock, earthy virtue and ethereal vision. And one of Columbia's true-blue studio legends, Wil Reeves, fulfills indie-pop ideals with his Penny Marvel project.

The Sub Shop stage, going from around 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., will see sets from the likes of The Quorus, Columbia's LGBTQIA choral ensemble.

Columbia Area Earth Day Festival (Sunday, April 23)

Running from around noon to 7 p.m., Sunday's event features the same two stages with quite an array of artistic ideas and talent. At Sub Shop, festgoers can experience artists such as Meredith Shaw, whose strong-willed, second-chance country has made her a favorite of the Roots N Blues/Treeline festival set.

More: Columbia country singer Meredith Shaw brings lived-in songs to her second chance

Also at Sub Shop, Luna Hawk and Hounds offers a sort of hard acoustic blues sound that will keep listeners engaged.

In Peace Park, diverse ensembles such as Dance Arts Studios and Mizzou Percussion will take the stage. Attendees can get down to the groove-oriented, classic rock-inspired sound of The Brink as well as BadNames, an act that features standout Columbia musician Ben Hinkebein and promises "basement dad rock grooves for the soul."

Among the other acts headed to Peace Park: the strong country sound of Tanner Lee Band and the funky stylings of Ruby Lane.

Learn more about both events and see a full list of musicians, at https://columbiaearthday.org/.

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. Find him on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Two-day Earth Day celebration features diverse lineup of local music