Join WTTS bloggers Rob Humphrey and Jim Ritter this weekend at the Forecastle Music Festival in Louisville, Kentucky. They’ll share stories, pics, and more right here in the Forecastle Festival blog, courtesy of Brothers Floor Covering.
SATURDAY – 3:31PM
Here we are. Ready for Day Two at Forecastle 2016.
Day One was eventful and hectic. It all started with the festival being evacuated, due to weather, a little over an hour after it started. Forecastle was evacuated last year on the first day as well. That happened late in the evening during Sam Smith’s headlining set. Both evacuations went smoothly and without incident, this years was a little more confusing because no one was sure when we would be let back in and how the lineup was going to be affected. Turns out they reopened the gates after an hour and a half or so. All of the performers played with a slightly modified schedule.
On the topic of the performances, if the festival is being scored like a competition, Bully won the first day. The relatively new band from Nashville took the Port Stage right around sundown and delivered a blistering set. Other highlights included the headlining set from The Avett Brothers and Dr. Dog’s late night show.
Can’t wait to see what today has in store.
Saturday – 6:26
It’s been an amazing day and a half of music. After being evacuated last night (due to weather) it has been show after show of jaw dropping. Hands down the best show so far was Bully. They played last night at 8:45 and as the sun went down the band kicked it into another gear. The veracity of Alicia Bognanno howl is perfectly complimented by the aggressive playing of the band.
I just got done watching The Arcs and the Dan Auerbach led group knows how to entertain a crowd. Dan had the aura of a Rock star from the moment he took the stage and he even tried to moon walk. It’s been so much fun to see all of these amazing musicians and I’m looking forward to catching Nothing, Local Natives and Alabama Shakes tonight!
Jim
SUNDAY – 1:13PM
The heat arrived in Louisville for Day Two of Forecastle. It wasn’t the punishing heat that was here last year but it was hot enough. Staying cool and hydrated was the order of the day.
Highlights from Day Two included a solid set from Shakey Graves during which he brought Kelsey Wilson of Wild Child on stage to sing “Dearly Departed” with him. The set from Philadelphia band Nothing was without a doubt the loudest that I have ever heard at a festival and Local Natives were great on the Mast Stage.
The best performance of the festival, so far, came in the middle of the day from The Arcs. When Laura Duncan spoke with Dan Auerbach about the band, he was hesitant to call it a new band because they have all been playing together for quite awhile, which showed when they were on-stage. Festivals are full of distractions for the audience. You have four stages of music going at once, food trucks, tons of vendors and booths (this year you can literally do everything from buy a turntable to take a virtual reality adventure), the heat beating down and the beautiful setting of Waterfront Park. If a band can take the stage and make me forget all of that and focus solely on them, they are killing it. I didn’t move an inch while The Arcs were on-stage.
The headliner last night was Alabama Shakes. If you were at WTTS Rock On The River last year, you know how great they are live. Last night was no exception and they would have been a strong contender for the best show of the day but their set was marred by a bit of a sound issue. The band was tight but their set was quiet. The Mast Stage sits at the front of a massive open park area, the interstate runs right behind the back of the park. Even halfway back, I could hear the traffic on the interstate as the band was playing. I’m not sure why they didn’t crank it up a bit louder.
One final thing about yesterday and then it’s off to enjoy the shows. This is the third straight year I have attended this festival and every year I’m surprised by at least one band. I found that band yesterday. I had heard about Nashville’s All Them Witches a couple of times but wasn’t super familiar with the band. I had an open spot on my schedule for the day and saw that they were getting ready to play on the Port Stage. I walked over there and saw the largest crowd that I have seen at that stage. The band came out and I realized why everyone was there. They put on an energetic live set and I can’t wait to dive into their music further. Short notice but I did see on their schedule that they will be playing the Hi-Fi on Tuesday. If you want to see a great show, get on it.
Time to go see what there is to see today.
Rob
Sunday – 4:15
This has been the best three days of my life. The music and atmosphere of Louisville has been so positive. Every time I come to reflect on the performances it gets better and better. Last night, Big Gigantic won my heart. Every time the singer/saxophones told the crowd to throw your hands up, the crowd put their hands up. Every time he told us to jump, the crowd went wild. For being a duo they defiantly knew how to involve the crowd and get a big sound.
Alabama Shakes was a close second. They brought members of the Louisville’s Orchestra up on stage to perform songs from their second album Sound And Color. I could not believe how in sync they were. If you saw them last year at our first Rock On The River you know the spectacular sound they produce. It was the perfect way to end the night.
As for today, The Suffers got it all started for me. I had never heard of them but they brought funk and soul to the festival. Also performing at the same time was Anderson East. I jumped over to catch the second half of his set and I have to say, he sounds exactly like he does on his album. If you haven’t seen him live, check out his performance last year in Sun King Studio 92. The rest of the day has another great lineup of music. White Denim is next followed by Unknown Mortal Orchestra, followed by Death Cab For Cutie and Ryan Adams. My only compliant about the festival is that the musicians can’t play longer.
There are few things in this world that bring people together like listening to music. Dropping the needle on a fresh piece of vinyl comes with an unbridled excitement, mystery and pure enjoyment that is impossible to recreate. In honor of Record Store Day, we’re bringing back WTTSAlbum Side Saturday. Join us April 16th as we spin classic album sides all day long. Every hour, win exclusive vinyl releases and qualify for the grand prize, a copy of every album we play and a portable turntable, signed by Tom Petty! WTTS Album Side Saturday is April 16th starting at 6am, brought to you by Indy CD & Vinyl, your local home for live music, exclusive releases, and sales on everything from turntables to the records that play on them.
Summer is around the corner and we are sending one lucky listener and a guest to the beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama. WTTS and Karma Records teamed up with Meyer Vacation Rentals for the Hangout Hookup. Congratulations to our winner Roy Partida! Roy just won three-day festival passes and condo accommodations to Hangout Music Festival. Thanks to everyone who registered.
The alphabetical journey through our library is over. We played 2,016 song to ring in 2016. 92-3 VIPs received this list first in a special email on January 15.
Pick up The WTTS Indy Eleven New Music Sampler at Tom Wood Automotive Group dealerships during normal business hours:
Tom Wood Porsche and Audi – 3473 East 96th Street Indianapolis IN 46240
Tom Wood Ford – 3130 East 96th St. Indianapolis IN 46240
Tom Wood Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo – 4620 East 96th St. Indianapolis IN 46240
Tom Wood Toyota and Scion – 4202 Lafayette, Rd Indianapolis IN 46254
Tom Wood Subaru – 3230 East 96th St. Indianapolis IN 46240
Tom Wood Volkswagen – 4545 East 96th St. Indianapolis, IN 46240
Tom Wood Lexus – 4610 East 96th St. Indianapolis, IN 46240
Tom Wood Nissan – 4150 East 96th St. Indianapolis, IN 46240
Stop by Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard and make a food or pantry supply donation to receive a free copy of The WTTS Indy Eleven New Music Sampler. Donation hours are Monday – Friday from 11am to 6pm. Find out more about donating to Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard at their Official Website.
1100 W. Allen – Suite A
Bloomington, IN 47403
Drop by The Foolery and grab a copy of The WTTS Indy Eleven New Music Sampler during normal business hours.
Friday, 7:13PM – Roughly halfway through the first day of the festival. Forecastle 2015 has been fun so far, extremely hot however. So far I have discovered a new band, Fly Golden Eagle, taken in a bit of Cold War Kids and watched St. Paul & The Broken Bones wow another audience. I highly doubt those guys will ever come across an audience that they can’t win over. There has also been some delicious tacos and crazy good doughnut holes glazed in a local stout and covered in Fruity Pebbles, you have to love life on a festival diet. Cage The Elephant is taking the Mast Stage soon…which is my cue to get back out there. – Rob
Nathan Willett of Cold War Kids
St. Paul of St. Paul & The Broken Bones
Click Here to see all the photos at Forecastle Festival 2015.
Saturday, 2:09PM – Last night was interesting, to say the least. Cage The Elephant put on a fantastic show. Lead singer Matt Shultz attacked the music, the stage, the crowd and anything that came near him and it was fun to watch. I saw the last part of Houndmouth’s performance on the Boom Stage after Cage The Elephant had finished. Houndmouth is a great live band and the huge audience that they drew was a testament to that.
Sam Smith was the headliner last night, and this is where things got interesting. He opened his set with “I’m Not The Only One” which engaged the crowd as everyone sang along. He was personable with the audience….marveling at the fact that this many people in Louisville, KY even know who he is, he told the story of a tough breakup that lead him to write most of his first album and he had the crowd say hello to his father, who was in attendance. There was a fireworks display to the right of the stage, over the Ohio River during his set. Night one of Forecastle 2015 was headed towards a perfect ending. Then the winds came. Seemingly out of nowhere, strong wind just started blowing dirt and dust around the grounds, there was an announcement on the loudspeakers that heavy storms were moving in and the festival site was being evacuated. Twenty minutes later, we were in our car. The staff of the festival deserves a tip of the cap for doing a great job in getting everyone out of harms way in a quick and calm manner.
There were three after shows last night. One of them was planned on-board a boat, so the weather forced it’s cancellation. The other two went off as planned. We went to a club called Headliners to see Lord Huron. I was concerned that I wasn’t going to be into the show. It had been a long hot day and the music wasn’t starting until after midnight. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. Lord Huron’s new album Strange Trails is one of my favorites of 2015 so far and as good as the band sounds on the record, they sound even better live. Their stage show is full of energy and everyone in the club was having a great time. No one seemed to be bothered by the fact that it was nearly 3AM when the show wrapped up. Based on the energy in the place, the band could have played as long as they wanted and no one would have complained.
It’s off for Day 2 now….let’s find out what else Forecastle 2015 has in store. – Rob
Matt Shultz of Cage the Elephant
Matt Myers of Houndmouth
Click Here to see all the photos at Forecastle Festival 2015.
Robert Randolph of The Word
Cary Ann Hearst of Shovels and Rope
Sunday, 2PM – Day two of the Forecastle Festival was full of great performances, with a couple of surprises thrown in. The day got off to a late start. There was some prep work that needed to be done to the grounds from the storms on Friday night, which delayed the opening of the gates by an hour and a half or so. This delay caused the schedule of performances to be shuffled around slightly.
The first band that I took in was Desaparecidos, the political punk band fronted by Conor Oberst. Their show was high energy throughout and full of political themes. The crowd seemed to be right on board.
After Desaparecidos, there was a little time to kill. I was able to utilize this time to get a strawberry-banana smoothie. Can’t beat that, especially in this heat. I was also able to take a bit of time and walk around the grounds, checking out some of the local art that is on display before making my way back to the Mast Stage for the start of The Word.
The Word is a super group of sorts. Made up of Robert Randolph, John Medeski, Luther Dickinson, Cody Dickinson and Chris Chew. The performance was pretty much what you would expect from musicians of this caliber. They tore though the songs, flawlessly.
Once The Word had finished it was time to make it to the Boom Stage for Shovels & Rope. This is when it occurred to me that there wasn’t going to be any down time between shows with the new condensed schedule. Shovels & Rope put on a fun show, they drew an amazing crowd.
Adam Granduciel of The War On Drugs
Click Here to see all the photos at Forecastle Festival 2015.
Sturgill Simpson
After Shovels & Rope, The War On Drugs took over the Mast Stage. I enjoyed listening to them, although I was surprised that their set was as laid back as it was. I really expected more punch from these guys.
The next stop was the Boom Stage to take in Sturgill Simpson. I had heard a lot of good tings about this guy and he lived up to every one of them. I expected to like the show, I didn’t expect to like it quite this much. Sturgill lives in a realm somewhere between alt-country, Americana and jam music. The package comes together wonderfully and the audience never stops dancing.
After Sturgill Simpson I found myself with a little time to kill and I wandered around until something caught my ear. There was a sound coming from the Ocean Stage that had just a hint of funk to it and I had to check it out. What I found was the biggest surprise of Forecastle 2015, so far. Cherub was on stage. A duo that is part electronic, part dance, part funk and part 80’s pop. As their set went on the crowd continued to get larger. There was an intense party atmosphere around the stage and no one was standing still. Cherub, as of this moment, put on the best show that I have seen here at the festival. A huge surprise considering I hadn’t heard of them until stumbling across them playing the smallest stage on the grounds.
Almost the minute that Cherub wrapped up, My Morning Jacket took the Mast Stage. Nothing fancy about their show, just amazing songs played perfectly in front of a rabid hometown crowd. There wasn’t a lot of banter between songs either, although Jim James did stop down long enough to talk about the great arts and music scene here in the city of Louisville.
Jim James of My Morning Jacket
Click Here to see all the photos at Forecastle Festival 2015.
Day two at Forecastle 2015 was a wonderful experience on all fronts and I expect great things from this third and final day. As I’m typing this in the media tent, I can hear Noah Gundersen on the Boom Stage playing a hauntingly slow cover of Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” That means it’s going to be a great day, right?
Kanene Donehey Pipkin of The Lone Bellow
John Gourley of Portugal. The Man
Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse
Click Here to see all the photos at Forecastle Festival 2015.
Join WTTS bloggers Rob Humphrey and Josh Lantz this weekend at the Forecastle Music Festival in Louisville, Kentucky. They’ll share stories, pics, and more right here in the Forecastle blog courtesy of Karma Records, Indy’s place for vinyl, CDs and more since 1970.
Forecastle Blog: Day One
Rob
The early part of Day 1 started with rain. As soon as we got out of our vehicle…the rain started to fall.
The first stop after entering the gates was the Mast Stage to see Benjamin Booker. The crowd was sparse to begin with but it didn’t take long for him to grab everyone’s attention. For a three piece band, these guys know how to make some noise, the best kind of noise.
After seeing Benjamin it was a short walk over the the Boom Stage to catch The Black Lips. The crowd was into these guys from the moment they took the stage until the moment they left. The Black Lips bring a ton of energy in their live show.
After seeing The Black Lips it was off to the Port Stage to catch the last half of Foy Vance‘s set. The crowd was really into the Irish singer’s music, singing along and enjoying the more laid back vibe that he brought to the festival.
When Foy Vance finished I had the opportunity to talk briefly with Benjamin Booker. We talked about the excitement and nervous energy surrounding the release of his debut album.
After chatting with Benjamin it was back to the Mast Stage to see Gary Clark Jr. and then over to the Boom Stage where I was scheduled to talk with Jim Eno of Spoon.
Josh
While Rob was listening to music and interviewing bands, I was walking around soaking in the Forecastle atmosphere. From a giant boat being painted to row of art galleries the Festival is full of music, art, and all kinds of random sightings. Friday was full of different combinations of music. I was excited to see Outkast later on that night so I positioned myself near the middle of the crowd for the last part of Gary Clark Jr. on the main stage (Mast Stage). Thankfully I did. Just as expected when Gary finished I was able to move even closer for Twenty One Pilots. Having never seen or heard their music, I was shocked by their set. A two piece band brought intense sound and crazy energy that eventually led to the entire crowd jumping and singing. Promising to give the crowd everything they had, the 75 minute set ended with a bang. Hoisted up by the crowd, the drummer and lead singer played separate drums that propelled liquid off of them.
Having grown up listening to Outkast, it was a show that I would not miss. Once Twenty One Pilots finished I quickly made my way through the crowd to the second row. In for the long haul like others around me I quickly made friends to create a “Great Wall of China” -like barrier. There would be no storming by to get closer from others behind us. What felt like an eternity quickly turned to heavy beats and guitar riffs. The set started with B.O.B. and ended with The Whole World with all the hits in between.
I am going to be completely honest. Making my way back into the media tent after the Outkast set and sitting down after a long day of standing and carrying equipment was heaven. It was the best 10 minutes that I could have asked for at that moment. 10 minutes quickly flew by before Rob and I realized that it was time to make our way to the late show at Headliners featuring Curtis Harding & St. Paul & The Broken Bones.
Forecastle Blog: Day Two
Rob
The second day at Forecastle has been all about music and interesting sights. Bands we’ve seen today: Boy & Bear, Spanish Gold, Lord Huron & Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings.
Boy & Bear put on a solid set this morning on the Boom Stage. Spanish Gold was the biggest surprise of the day for most of the crowd. They had everyone in front of the Mast Stage jumping and dancing. It was fun to watch the area in front of the Boom Stage fill up as Lord Huron starting playing and grabbing the attention of people walking by. Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings put on an incredible show. Everyone was dancing and smiling the entire time they were on stage.
It’s off to the Mast Stage to see Band of Horses next….
Josh
Day 2 for me was a little bit different from Day 1. I was able to walk around and interact with a lot of people in attendance. Got a chance to meet a gentleman by the name of Joe who was a huge Dead Head. He and I talked music for almost half an hour after the Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings set. Found out that he and I attend another music festival at the same time earlier this year. Thanks to Joe, I have some new books to pickup to learn more about marketing, music and The Grateful Dead.
My second encounter was with a young lady by the name of Joy. Talk about a huge Jack White fan. She had been to Nashville and Third Man Records a thousand times. Literally had seen Jack White hundreds of times. I am pretty sure it was borderline between fan and stalker. That said, she was super friendly and nice. I respectfully declined the brownie she offered me.
After a quick stop at the media tent to reload on Red Bull (thank God for that this weekend), I was off to have my face melted off by Jack White. Rob took my strategy from Day 1 and positioned himself correctly to get close to the front as possible. Myself, I stayed back (helpful tip to all those who attend a music festival, ladies make the best blockers when moving through giant crowds). I feel bad but I did not get the lady’s names who helped me position myself in the middle of the crowd about 20 feet back from the stage. Having only listened to Jack White and the White Stripes, I became a huge fan in 2.5 seconds of the first song. Amazing musician and great performer. I don’t know about Rob, but I will definitely try to see him again the next time he is close to town.
The night ended with Rob and I heading back to the hotel for a good night’s rest..NOT! While in Louisville it would be rude not to check out 4th Street. Talk about an area that is fun, loud, intense, energetic and full of passion for dancing. One could compare it to KOK (Kilroy’s on Kirkwood) and Broad Ripple times 10.
Last stop of the night, FOOD. Nothing like late night Steak N Shake to cap off a day/night of fun. Can’t wait for Day 3…
Here are some of the sites from around the festival.
Forecastle Blog: Day Three
We’re back for day three of Forecastle. Tonight’s headliner is Beck and we’re not leaving until he walks off the stage. We’ve been looking forward to this show all weekend long. Ray LaMontagne also plays tonight, along with Brett Dennen and Trampled By Turtles. It’s going to be a busy Sunday.
Last night we took in Band of Horses and Jack White. Band of Horses may have been the best show of the weekend, so far. Another highlight of the festival was Dwight Yoakam’s cover of Jackson Browne’s “The Pretender”. Jack White closed out last night’s festivities. His 90 minute set included songs from his new solo album Lazaretto as well as The White Stripes catalogue and The Raconteurs. He brought energy and excitement to the stage and he seemed to be enjoying it himself, I wouldn’t swear to it, but I think I saw him smile once or twice.
Lucius is starting…that means it’s time to hit the Mast Stage.
Josh
Well the sun finally showed it’s bright face today for the first time all weekend. HOT! Water was key for survival. I was able to bounce around again today checking out Lucius, Brett Dennen, Trampled By Turtles, Jenny Lewis, Nickel Creek, The Replacements, Ray LaMontagne, and Beck (heading there). My feet are cooking from all that walking. Of the 8 artists I was able to see, Trampled By Turtles was my favorite. It was the mandolin player’s birthday day (Erik Berry). Super cool to see and hear thousands of people sing “Happy Birthday” to him. Well, like I said, Beck is getting ready to start so I am hustling over to catch it. More of an update and photos to come later.
…Later Simply wow. Like Jack White, I was familiar with Beck’s music but had never seen him live. He was no disappointment at all. From start to finish he entertained the crowd and put on a tremendous show. The music, the crowd, the lights, the visual background screen behind Beck, the jokes that Beck told, were all just super cool. Sunday was a long hot day and it was well worth it once thousands of people started singing “Where it’s at. I got two turntables and a microphone”.
Photos of Day 3
Forecastle Blog: The Monday After
Josh
It’s lunch time on the Monday after Forecastle. Rob and I elected to make the drive back home Sunday night after the show. We were both really jacked up on adrenaline thanks to Beck so the first hour flew by. It wasn’t until I dropped Rob off in Bloomington that I got a chance to really collect my thoughts. The drive from Bloomington to Indianapolis is a peaceful journey at 2am. Thinking back over the weekend I was thoroughly impressed with the Festival. Not that I am a festival expert by any means. This one was different from other festivals I have been able to attend in the past. The music was great don’t get me wrong. Getting in and out was very easy. The crowd each day was friendly. Let me explain on that. I’ve been to festivals where people constantly push through because they HAVE TO BE upfront. Not the case here. People allowed you to move through the crowd until it was obvious there was no where else to go. People were happy. I never encountered the overly intoxicated drunk you normally see at shows. I also didn’t encounter too many people on drugs either (which was different). I got offered a brownie once (like I said before I respectfully declined), saw some young adults take a hit of acid, and some here and there were smoking (non-cigarettes of course). But overall that was it. This festival seemed more family friendly. Saw a ton of kids. Even little babies with headphones on which you can see in some pictures. I called the babies future rock stars in training all weekend. Which all of this leads me to the final ultimate question, “Would I attend again next year?” For the price of admission, cost of food and drinks, quality of music, crowd assessment, staff friendliness, quality of cleanliness, flow of traffic…Yes. Yes I would come back and encourage others to do the same. Bonnaroo is Bonnaroo. Hangout is on a beach but expensive. Coachella is a hike to try to get to from Indiana. Forecastle is a great festival for those looking to get a solid 3-Day music festival experience, and enjoy it!
Lastly I would like to thank the staff at Forecastle Festival for allowing me to attend and supplying me with Red Bull all weekend. Gracious hosts. I would also like to thank Karma Records who helped make this blog possible. I hope you enjoyed our coverage and photos of Forecastle Festival 2014. Thank you for joining Rob and I every step of the way this entire weekend.
Laura Duncan was in Manchester, Tennessee for the 2014 edition of Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. Follow Laura’s journey, including her experiences and insights, right here on the WTTS Blogaroo! And for more exclusive content, “Like” WTTS on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and follow Laura’s Twitter.
Day One
We arrived on the farm Thursday at about 5pm and were immediately ushered to the radio compound for a great BBQ dinner. The special thing about THIS BBQ was the fact that The Wild Feathers were dining with us and joining in on the hang. Great bunch of guys who will be playing at Sun King‘s downtown brewery on June 28.
Monster Truck
After getting settled, it was off to see the music. We ventured out to see an artist perform (who I had selected before arriving) and were excited about the possibilities of the pending show. On our journey, we heard the rumblings of an electric guitar screaming just barely above the screams of the audience. I was pulled, completely drawn, to the sounds coming from the distance. When we finally arrived at the modest performance space, we witnessed a throw down of massive proportions taking place on stage. The band was Monster Truck, who came from Canada to Tennessee locked and loaded with the energy of 5 bands, giving the best performance of their lives.
At 11:30 Thursday night, I was about to make my way to a tent far, far away on the muddy grounds to see J. Roddy Walston & The Business. I was approached by someone from the J. Roddy camp and asked if I would like a golf cart ride to the show (a wonderful perk for radio broadcasting campers). In addition to the mad front-man skills presented by JRW, his band was as tights as I’ve seen. The pure and authentic personality of the music was only matched by the joy delivered by it’s makers. When J. Roddy determined the evening of music was a wrap he defined it perfectly as described by this note I took while watching: Throws chair, flips hair, goodnight.
A little adjustment made to the radio broadcast area upon my arrival.
What year is it?
A beautiful first night on the farm
Anticipation can be hauntingly beautiful.
They love J. Roddy Walston & The Business
The J. Roddy hair flip
I found this on my pillow when I arrived. <3
We take over a radio station in Manchester, TN and have a variety of different hosts and music all weekend.
Day Two
Friday at Bonnaroo is always an exploratory day for me. I like to walk around the farm, take in the sights, meet music lovers and follow the music. Friday the 13th at Bonnaroo includes a sea of fun costumes and attitudes which we have captured with photos. I’ll let the pictures do the talking. WTTS photographer, Amy Castillo with RIF (Rhythm In Focus) has access to capture some wonderful images. Visit the RIF site next week to dig in further. Internet is down on this 700 acre farm, but we will pass along what the machine powering these flying particles allow later today. Please follow our updates on Facebook and Twitter.
ZZ Ward
Sam Smith in front of the Hay Bale Studios
Friday the 13th on the farm.
Sometimes it’s great to soak it all in from “the hill”
The Head and the Heart
Vampire Weekend played Roooooooo
Day 3
Saturday in Manchester, TN and the heat decided to stay away. It’s always a great thing to have temperatures in the 80s with beautiful sunshine. That was the state of the state today at Bonnaroo.
We started our day with a performance right outside our bus in the radio compound. UK singer/songwriter James Bay talked to all of us as he prepared to play in a casual tent/couch setting. He was grateful to be attending this monstrous festival of music and community. We all enjoyed his set as we dined on wraps and sipped our bloody marys. Directly after James Bay played, The Wild Feathers stepped up and played a few songs for us. The band is from Nashville and loves the drive down to Bonnaroo to hang/perform. The band can throw down a performance like you’ve never witnessed. Remember, all of this is happening right outside the door of my bus. I just walk out and start listening to music. As I was walking from the Wild Feathers’ performance, I noticed the guys from Cage The Elephant standing next to the Hay Bale Studios. Quickly, I approached one of their management team and worked my way into the intimate show that was about to take place. Inside a small but equipped room, the band took their places behind their instruments as I sat on a chair next to a friend of mine and placed the headphones on my ears. It was just me, Mike (a friend of mine), the crew and the band. It was SUCH an incredible performance and a look into the softer presentation of the band.
Hours later, it was off to see the plugged in version of Cage the Elephant. The Wild Feathers joined a few of us as we watched Cage The Elephant from the side of the “Which” stage. They were ready to impress and did just that. I was mesmerized by the rhythm the guys exampled as they synced up and exploded in front of the charged audience. We stood on stage and watched the family of the band members sing every word and talk of personal experiences shared with their favorite musicians. For the last song, the tour manager opened the gate of the barricade which held us all, properly, on the side of the stage. All of the 20 somethings that were standing next to me rushed on stage and began to dance. I was 2 seconds from joining them when the stage manager sent all rogue stage participants back to the pen. Whew, he saved me from sharing embarrassing dance moves.
I watched a bit of Cake and Blackberry Smoke and a number of smaller bands perform as I walked around Centeroo to explore the goods that will eventually call my name. After heading another RV camp to hang with friends, I was alerted to the meeting time and place for those of us wanting to see Lionel Richie perform (The Saturday night headliner). I had never seen Lionel perform and was interested in his presentation, so I decided to make the play for a pit stance in front of the stage. I was very optimistic and feeling nostalgic. I am not one to spread negativity through the minds of enthusiasts, but I was so disappointed I left early. His set list was filled with a bouncing ball of emotionally rhetoric. We were dancing one minute and then thrown to the ground as the breaks were put on by Lionel without warning. The band was not synced at times and I endured a harmonica solo that was sharp and uninspired. I appreciate all kinds of music and embrace diversity, but a live performance on the main stage at Bonnaroo demands all the best. Attention all future Bonnaroo performers, please bring your A+ game.
Enjoy some photos of our Saturday experience. More to come when I get back to a place with wonderful wifi.
Cage The Elephant from the side of the Which Stage.
Cake
James Bay performing for a radio lunch crowd.
The Wild Feathers
Blackberry Smoke
Day 4
In years past, we would wake up on Sunday and leave the farm for civilization. This year, Elton John was the headliner on Sunday which made the decision easy to stay for that last day of festival fare.
There is a fine art to working one’s way to the side of the stage for a headliner’s performance, especially rock royalty like Elton John. The request began a month back on the phone in my office. By the time we departed Indiana, I received an email saying it had been worked out. The fact that I attend Bonnaroo every year, sleep on an air-conditioned tour bus, attend private studio sessions with the most talented musicians and hangout with the world’s best broadcast professionals, is not lost on me. I am grateful for every single moment, including being chosen as one of 50 people to watch Elton John’s performance from the stage while 80,000 watch from the field.
Sir Elton John
Sir Elton John is one artist whose performance I have never witnessed. All of the opportunities have passed without even a glimpse of Elton in person. I have been a fan my entire life and have celebrated his musical evolution since I was smart enough to appreciate fine music. The anticipation of the night’s performance began to swell as soon as my eyes opened on Sunday. Thoughts of singing along and feeling the memories associated with each song were forefront as the day progressed. A couple of hours before the show, I gathered with dear friends for a last night cocktail or 4 and pre-show discussion. The lanyards were placed around our necks and we were off to the What Stage. It is a freeing experience to walk up to a guarded gate (where many have gathered to try and work their way backstage), flash a badge and be waved right through. No hassles, only smiles. We worked our way up to the third level of the stage and bellied up to the gated barrier where we enjoyed a perfect, unobstructed view facing Elton John’s piano. When I heard the beginning keyboard contribution to “Funeral For A Friend”, I knew it was going to be a magical night. Sir Elton walked on stage as the song continued, sat at the piano and became the snapshot of a musical memory that will never be forgotten. The night was cool, a breeze wafted from the field and the crowd was a gracious and unfiltered. One by one my heart was lifted as the master of the keys and his talented cast of contributors filled the farm with musical notes that seemingly floated through the air. There were no mistakes, no arrogant “off topic” conversations, no appearances of festival adjustment to the playlist. It was an A+ performance on a beautiful night filled with a community of passionate consumers of musical expression.
Here are some photos taken on the last day of Bonnaroo. These were taken with my phone camera. WTTS photographer, Amy Castillo of RIF, will have some wonderful (professional) photos this week on the RIF website, so be sure to visit. Thanks so much for following along. I hope you felt like you were a part of every moment.
The Blogaroo is back! Brad, Laura, and Keefer are spending the weekend in Manchester, Tennessee at the Bonnaroo Music And Arts Festival. Check out their commentary and some of the backstage interviews and performances below!
Brad’s Recap
Day 2
Brad Holtz here, live from Bonnaroo on Saturday morning. As hard as it is to believe, I’ve been to nine of these things. Nine times… Over the years, I’ve seen some really cool music at this 700-acre farm in the middle of nowhere. Last night marked not only the coolest-ever Bonnaroo moment, but perhaps the coolest music moment I’ve ever had the good fortune to experience. I watched Sir Paul McCartney play for nearly three hours from a platform 20 feet above the stage. Pinch me.
He opened with a rollicking rendition of “Eight Days A Week” followed by “Junior’s Farm,” a track he laid down right here in Tennessee back in the early 70s. Along the way, there were plenty of Beatles and Wings classics, alongside some you might not expect. “Let Me Roll It” (a personal favorite), “1985,” “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite” and “Listen To What The Man Said” were perfect surprises on a night punctuated by an ever-youthful, high-energy performance by the rock legend.
Being backstage before and after Paul’s concert, the security scene was more reminiscent of the arrival of a sitting president. A multi-car motorcade, a large contingency of police and plain-clothes security officers, helicopters in the air. If you think about it, though, is there a more famous person in the world than Paul McCartney? Think about it. And here he was, in the middle of a field in Manchester, TN with 80,000 fans. It was certainly a night to remember.
Other Friday highlights for me: Calexico, Of Monsters & Men, and Passion Pit to name a few. Our pal Keefer is here too, interviewing many of the artists who come backstage to perform. Enjoy the conversations and live songs.
-Brad Holtz-
Pictures & Video
Brad and Laura got a bird’s eye view of Paul McCartney’s performance Friday night. Listen to the shrieks of the crowd as Paul stepped onto the stage!
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Pick up The WTTS Brothers Floor Covering New Music Sampler at Brothers Floor Coveringduring normal business hours starting November 14th.
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The WTTS New Music Sampler is available at the following business during normal business hours:
Pick up a copy of The WTTS Brothers Floor Covering New Music Sampler at any City Barbeque location (Avon, Carmel, Fishers, Greenwood, IUPUI) and receive a coupon for a free pulled pork sandwich while supplies last.
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When radio people emerge from their slumber, it is like a scene from a zombie movie. One by one, they slowly come from the buses to the radio lounge area. This is a tent with couches, music, fans and a bar where we rally in between shows. After roughly 4 hours of sleep, the day began with a quick sip of some sludge coffee that I made (couldn’t find the filters or measuring device) and a mental planning of the day’s activities. As I stretched out in a chair and contemplated my concert selections of the day, I was approached by a man associated with Michael Kiwanuka. He told me that Michael would be playing “backstage Bonnaroo” and wanted to know if I was interested in attending the session. The backstage facility is a trailer with hay bails stacked around it for sound proofing purposes (the same area where I watched The Black Keys 2 years earlier). There is a wonderful set up inside but very small, only equipped to contain 4 or 5 onlookers. Since Michael Kiwanuka is one of my favorite emerging artists, I was thrilled to receive the invite and headed over to the area for entrance. The performance was absolutely beautiful and uplifting. What a great way to start the day.
Radiohead as seen from the soundboard
As the day continued, I had the opportunity to see Two Door Cinema Club, Trampled By Turtles, Feist, Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings. My daytime attendance was cut short by the live broadcast of my afternoon show on 92-3 WTTS. After the broadcast, all thoughts turned to the headliner of the night, Radiohead. Whispers begin while trying to figure out the secret passage to the best seat in the house. I was approached by a man in charge of the media area of Bonnaroo. He whispered that I should gather in a secret location in 15 minutes and he would usher me to the “pit” to watch Radiohead perform. I was instructed not to tell anyone and to be ready to roll quickly. Feeling at ease that I was about to enjoy a wonderful show from a coveted vantage point, I grabbed some water and readied myself for the mad dash. At that point, I was approached by a man associated with Radiohead management who slipped a special wristband in my hand and whispered the gathering location. He told me that he only had a handful of wrist bands and would usher me to the soundboard to watch Radiohead perform. Dilemma, do I stand in the pit in the front or head to the soundboard where any great Radiohead fan would want to take in the light display and enjoy the ultimate sonic experience? I chose the latter and began the trek, with 6 others, to the soundboard. I would guess, there were 50-60,ooo people in attendance for the show. We were ushered from stage left, past the front row of the pit and walked the platform down the middle of the crowd to the soundboard. When we arrived on the soundboard platform, it was apparent that I had made the right choice. I watched the show with about 25 people who had been selected to enjoy the concert from the special perch which included an unlimited supply of beer (when I saw that, I KNEW I made the right choice). We were ushered out of the show the same way we were ushered in which took about 5 minutes. It is an amazing experience to attend a music festival with 80,000 music fans who all appreciate every second of the diversity. It is a fantasy to attend these shows the way I just described and I don’t take one second for granted.
Well, it’s off to plan my day and try to figure out how to get the next great “seat” for Red Hot Chili Peppers tonight. I’ll take you with me wherever I go. Let’s talk at 4 this afternoon. Oh, have I told you lately how much I love my job?
George and I are both wrecked from being on our feet all day. Although it is late, we wanted to share more with you before officially calling it a night. George has some phenomenal pictures to post, but I took some quick shots to help you visualize the day.
We used the press area as our meeting place and escape. However, we had to fight for space in the tiny tent and fight for a place to set up our cameras and laptops to bring the festival to you.
George was hard at work most of the day; taking and uploading his pictures.
If George has one weakness, it is screen-printed concert posters. There were literally dozens of different vendors for this kind of specialty item and hundreds to choose from. It was the proverbial kid in the candy store kind of situation.
I had some fun browsing around in the record sale, but I resisted my urge to walk out with my arms full of LPs. Seems that there were plenty of great deals, though.
One highlight for us was the plethora of unique mustaches. George diligently kept a tally whenever there was a few minutes of downtime.
On a more serious note, there were some incredible bands and wonderful people at the festival on Saturday. My personal highlight was Beirut’s beautiful hour-long, horn-heavy set. Zach Condon and crew brought new life to the songs and had the crowd singing, clapping, and crowd-surfing along to their own unique blend of Eastern European folk-influenced rock. The National closed out the night with an incredibly intense set in which the band had the audience roaring in approval through the duration of their time on stage.
Bowerbirds, Cymbals Eat Guitars, The Antlers, Doom, Yeasayer, and Matt & Kim all had great showings as well. I missed some of the bands on the bill, but there isn’t enough time to get everything in, unfortunately. We were very busy throughout the day, but we had a blast. We hope you’ve enjoyed following along. We’re doing our best to keep some good stuff coming your way and we’ll be helping put together a nice rundown for Indy Underground when we return on Monday. I’m going to catch some sleep after I post my interview with the Antlers, but we’ll be back at it in a matter of hours.
Bowerbirds are a favorite of Indy Underground. The stage they’re playing on is the smallest of the three stages (the Balance stage), but yet, the crowd is PACKED. I had trouble getting to the stage just to take pictures, and there’s a spot blocked off strictly for press and I still had a tough time. I’m going to hurry with this post and head back over there not only to catch the rest of their amazing set, but also to interview them shortly after. I’ve already said hello to the bassist (whom I’ve talked to at a short length before) while walking through the crowd. For now, Bowerbirds: