Long before the first act stepped on stage at Stateside on the Fourth of July, Hertz helped set the tone for the weekend, according to Rolling Stone. As the official car-rental partner for the magazine’s inaugural festival in Kingston, N.Y., the company turned the drive to the event into part of the experience.
Sydney Rose and Nick Mateyunas of Arcy Drive were among the artists who made the trip north in a Hertz rental. They were greeted by members of the company’s Gold Squad, a fleet of Golden Retrievers, before loading their bags and heading toward Hutton Brickyards.
During the ride, the musicians talked about what it meant to be part of Stateside’s first lineup and about how road trips remain important in the lives of working artists. Rose said she had “never been more excited,” while both musicians said time on the road with bandmates often creates some of their best memories.
At the festival, the Gold Squad was present throughout the grounds, greeting guests, posing for photos and hanging out near the Hudson River, a lemonade stand and the platinum lounge. The day’s canine highlight came when all 26 Golden Retrievers crossed the field together for a group photo in front of Hertz’s giant “Roadside Attraction” license plate.
Rolling Stone wrote that the dogs helped make the festival feel like a backyard barbecue, and that the trip itself became part of the memory for Rose and Mateyunas. For the artists, the journey to Stateside was a reminder that some festival moments begin well before the music starts.
