Cardinal Harbor performs at the Gallery Stage. (Abby Jeffers’18/Staff)

Music filled the Short North on Saturday during Steadfast Fest, a one-day music festival hosted by local music publication TUNED UP. 

With three stages and 17 bands, music mogul and event organizer, Ryan Getz, certainly had enough on his plate—yet still prioritized greeting fans and volunteers. This is Getz’s second year of running Steadfast Fest— still learning what works. The lineup, for example, is shorter this year: just a few performers shy of last year’s 20 artists.

The multi-genre festival aims to unite music fanatics of all styles, so there was no theme to the event. Instead, performances ranged from blues rock to Christian folk, from both local and regional bands.

In some cases, total opposites played nearly back-to-back. Cardinal Harbor, a Chicago-based rock band, played in one room right before indie Christian band Matt & Toby went on in another.

It would be easy for a diverse music festival like this to fall flat if its fans were too different, but under Getz’s leadership, the rooms were filled with laughter and chatter between sets.

Steadfast ran for a grand total of nine hours at Veritas Church, but unlike most all-day events, it was difficult to get bored because new and exciting different genres of music played every half-hour. 

Although many of the bands were previously unknown to the majority of attendees, the event achieved its goal of unity. 

The lineup was diverse enough that there was something to satisfy every fan, bringing together over a hundred people through a shared love of live music.

Music is the easiest way to bring people together, and through Steadfast Fest, Getz proved exactly that.