Kentucky’s Forecastle is a music festival that I had never been to before this year. At the end of Day 1, I was asking myself why.
After spending the majority of my Friday bouncing from stage to stage and tent to tent (still with much more to explore today), I found myself having the time of my life in this little temporary corner of Louisville known as Forecastle. Despite the spitting rain and chilly temperatures, the energy here is booming, the crowd is eager (though polite, for the most part) and the mood is happy. It’s obvious that it would take quite the storm to sink this ship, and it’s looking like smooth sailing from here for the next two days.
When I first got to Louisville after encountering terrible traffic (if you plan on going and are traveling south, LEAVE EARLY), I found myself a free little parking spot along River Road and proceeded on my trek to the festival. Free parking has its price, I suppose. For the record, you can pay to park, but was this gal was going to do what it took to save her pennies.
Thankfully I found CityBeat’s own photographer extraordinaire Jesse Fox at check-in, and we both arrived just in time for our interview with Punk band Against Me!. We waited under the press tent about 20 minutes past the scheduled interview time (you get used to this in the music world and begin to expect it) until Laura Jane Grace and Atom Willard entered the scene. Jesse and I shook their hands with mouths agape and eyes wide, nervous as all-get-out. They turned out to be very kind and Laura complimented my belt (therefore I am wearing it every day forever now). It’s the little things, you know? This is what I love about music festivals, conferences, etc. — it truly is a different world.
After our interview with Laura and Atom, we went to the Boom Stage to check out The Black Lips. These Atlanta-based dudes rule. Once their set finished I retreated once again to the media tent for some ’za from Mellow Mushroom and ah-mazing moonshine cocktails from Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine. (I also went to charge my phone.) I found familiar faces in the media tent as the CityBeat crew quite literally funneled in and took it over. I couldn’t have been more excited. I met new folks and took time to chat but was quickly out on the field again to explore. There is just so much to see!
I found myself back at the Boom Stage for Against Me! The band put on an amazing, high-energy performance with Laura Jane Grace bouncing around the stage. They played their best old hits (“I Was A Teenage Anarchist,” anyone?), but of course cranked out the new record, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, too.
Once Against Me!’s set ended, I had a bit of time to explore. The layout of the festival is quite nice, really. Nothing is too far from wherever you want to go and food/restrooms are almost always within arm’s reach. I had no difficulty traveling from stage to stage and found it easy to find almost everything (except for the Port Stage, that one takes a bit more exploring to get to). I can appreciate these details about a festival of this size.
I saw some old favorites one day one — Local Natives and Outkast, just to name a few — but I wanted to take the time to try something new as well. This was when I wandered to the Ocean Stage to find Nightmares On Wax. I had no idea what to expect and stood in the (what seemed to be very young) crowd, staring at the stage with the words “Nightmare On Wax” rotating in lights along the back of the stage. I began to get antsy, second-guessing my decision. Just then, the band excitedly entered the stage and began. The beat dropped and I couldn’t stop moving. The band’s sound is hard to pinpoint — there were definitely Reggae and Hip Hop influences in it, but it was perhaps more of a jam-band sound without all the instruments. I didn’t care what it was. I was into it, and so were the people around me. Not a soul was standing still. If you haven’t checked out Nightmares On Wax, the apparent brainchild of England native George Evelyn, you need to, especially when you’re sitting by the pool or driving on a summer night.
Outkast ended the night of course, playing all the hits (“SpottieOttieDopaliscious” and “Da Art of Storytellin’ (Pt. 1)” are my personal favorites, but they played a lot of their later material, too). Their show was nothing short of amazing. Andre 3000 is as odd as ever, Big Boi was as cool as ever and the two are truly a match made in heaven. You don’t need me to tell you that, though. With sore feet and limbs, I trudged back to my car to retreat for the night. I’m already excited for day two.
Things to check out if you’re Forecastling this weekend: Old Smoky Tennessee Moonshine cocktails. They are amazing. I suggest the Dolly, but they are all delicious.
Giant creatures walking around. You can find a giant monkey, bird, man, caterpillar-thing. These things just make you happy.
Poster exhibit on the far side of the festival (next to the Boom Stage). There are amazing band posters (which I’m a total sucker for) featuring tons of artists to check out. Go show ’em some love!
