Forecastle Festival 2015: Day Two Recap
I’m happy to report that the weather for day two of Forecastle here in Louisville was not nearly as eventful as last night ended up being, but we have traded in the high winds and lightning for no wind and overwhelming humidity. Hot weather, though, gave me all the more excuses to walk around and take in this lovely Saturday at Waterfront Park with a bourbon on the rocks (courtesy of Four Roses bourbon, who have kindly set up shop in the media tent) and cool off the good old-fashioned Kentucky way. The festival had a bit of a delayed start, with gates not opening until nearly 2 pm to allow time to spruce up the grounds after yesterday evening’s winds toppled a few things over, but no one seemed bothered by the halt; it’s much better to see event organizers putting the safety of the people first.
Today started off with taking some time to get acquainted with the artists who have set up shop around the grounds, partly so I could share with y’all the names of some very talented people by the time I wrap up this recap series but also to plot what posters and paintings are coming home with me to take up residence on my living room walls. I have such a deep appreciation for any individual who strives to create and get his or her craft out in the open for the public to enjoy, and I applaud the organizers at Forecastle for selecting such a fine representation of local art for festival patrons to enjoy. I collect posters, and I have about 40 at home that need to be framed and displayed in my home, so of course I’m going to increase that number by probably three or four by the time the weekend is over. It’s just choosing several out of the seemingly endless variety that’s hanging me up.
After perusing the art booths and making mental notes as to what I plan to return to buy, I was off to hit up The Revivalists at the Boom Stage. This New Orleans-hailing band is, much like their eclectic hometown, hard to pin down in terms of a specific genre, but that’s probably what makes them so appealing to a live audience. Are they rock? Are they funk? Who can tell, but their genre-spanning sound certainly works.
Next on my list was Kentucky native turned Nashville local Chris Stapleton, whose rich, twangy voice reels you in from the moment he sings the first note. While a lot of you may not be as familiar with Stapleton in the Nashville country scene as a performer, his writing work is very prominent around town, as he has collaborated on songs with big names such as Darius Rucker and George Strait. I personally am not a huge country fan, but Stapleton is an exception. His voice is real and raw, a truly welcome break from what Nashville has dubbed “bro country” music that is played on a loop around town.
The festival grounds have numerous bars and food stands scattered about, and I took some time after enjoying Chris Stapleton to peruse the offerings. The Kentucky Bourbon Lounge hosts chats and meet-and-greets with big names in the production of this bluegrass favorite, along with trivia and games plus mixing classes; I hope to make it to one of their info sessions tomorrow, but I did check out the lounge this afternoon between sets. Entrance to the lounge requires a festival attendee to be over 21, so that’s the first plus, as it’s a nice adults-only escape from the sticky humidity; drinks are served in a pretty sweet collectable bronze mug, plus instead of physically paying cash or with a credit card, tickets may be traded in for drinks and whiskey pours, allowing your credit card company to stop wondering why you’re swiping plastic at every single vendor booth on site. Fifteen tickets ran for $30, and with a beer alone costing on average $8, that’s a pretty darn good deal. I also stopped by Gonzo Bar, located on the Great Lawn, and it is an instant crowd draw with its colorful painted facade and sun-shaded tent interior. Gonzo of course uses bourbon as its base for drinks, with Southern favorites like Kentucky mules and mint juleps available for thirsty festival attendees.
Much like Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival (also affiliated with AC Entertainment), Forecastle also takes pride in keeping their grounds clean and promoting being green and environmentally friendly. They too host a Clean Vibes Trading Post, similar to Bonnaroo’s but on a smaller scale. Attendees can do their part to clean up trash and reap rewards, with each water bottle, cigarette butt, and crumped napkin redeemable for an assortment of goodies on display in the tent, ranging from shirts to CDs to other festival merchandise.
Shovels and Rope were on at the Boom Stage at 6:30 pm, so I put my grounds exploration on hold to go check out their set. I had first heard of these guys when I picked up the single they released through Third Man Records’ Blue Series collection of vinyl, and I have enjoyed their sound ever since. Husband and wife duo Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst have combined their musical backgrounds to produce a sound that’s part folk, part rock, and all around an excellent addition to any festival lineup.
The WFPK Stage on the opposite side of Waterfront Park is where a good majority of smaller indie and local bands have been performing this weekend, with the stage itself being sponsored by Louisville indie radio station 91.9 FM. I swung by to catch most of Broncho‘s set, which started at 5:30 pm, and found the band to be a promising up-and-comer as far as indie rock goes. They gave off a bit of a Strokes vibe, although whether that is intentional or pure coincidence isn’t certain. I also gave the Chicago rock foursome Twin Peaks a listen after wandering back over to the WFPK Stage a bit after 7 pm; the four boys in the band could have passed for high schoolers, but their raw vocals and intense guitar shredding skills were on a level beyond school kids. Hanging at this stage was my first exposure ever to both of these bands, and I look forward to checking out more of their work as they carry on with their musical journeys.
I ducked away from Twin Peaks early to attempt to snag a fairly decent spot for The War on Drugs over at the Mast Stage. These guys have been steadily gaining more and more momentum over the past couple years, especially on the festival scene, and I was not at all surprised to see that they had amassed quite a crowd. Since they released Lost in the Dream last year, lead vocalist Adam Granduciel and bandmates have been a festival favorite, stopping off at Bonnaroo last month as well.
It would be a darn shame for a lover and supporter of all things Nashville to miss out on the next act, so I made my way back over to the Boom Stage to cheer on Sturgill Simpson for his 8 pm set. Since moving to Nashville several years ago, Simpson has made his presence known around town with two excellent albums and even a coveted spot on the Grand Ole Opry stage. There have been a few scheduling conflicts for me this weekend, I will admit, and choosing bands has been a bit difficult at times, but it was a no-brainer that I was going to pick Simpson’s show over the other two in the 8 pm/8:30 pm range before the evening headliner.
There was an overwhelming amount of excitement in the air as the crowd waited for this evening’s headlining act at the Mast Stage; Saturday’s headliner was none other than Louisville natives My Morning Jacket, a favorite band for us here at MusicFestNews as well. I was unable to get even anywhere near close to the stage due to the crowd that had gathered to express their love for a band of locals who are definitely going places in the music world, but I didn’t mind that at all. Their set was the perfect, energizing musical experience to end off a jam-packed day, and I can’t believe I haven’t checked them out live before. They just released their seventh studio album, The Waterfall, and Forecastle was the first date of their summer tour; we were lucky enough to catch them last month as well at Bonnaroo.
Day two of Forecastle was just as epic as yesterday was, minus the crazy pop-up thundershowers, and I’m sure tomorrow will bring just as many of those good vibes along as well. We look forward to bringing you all of Sunday’s details, and keep checking us out on social media for photos and updates! We are thrilled to be able to enjoy the event with all of you, and we will be back out there having a blast early tomorrow afternoon!