Hello again and thank you for keeping up with all things InTents! Last weekend I hit up the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, KY which took me slightly out of the realm of festivals I had been frequenting. First of all, Forecastle was held at the Belvedere in downtown Louisville. Everything was located within the 7 acres that make up the water-front park on the Ohio River…no on-site camp or sprawling hills. Secondly, the line-up was a little more prominent than the smaller regional festivals I’ve been sticking to and, lastly, I was fortunate enough to spend time with and stay with my best friend, Abby, all weekend. All of those things combined pretty much secured Forecastle as my favorite festival so far.
The Ohio River from the Belvedere
I headed down Friday afternoon to catch up wth Abs and after dinner and some drinks, we headed down to register for our passes which included access to the VIP section…this was a first for me, but proved to be pretty cool. The VIP section basically consisted of several different areas to hang out in and around, a separate supply of porta-pots, discounted drinks and, best of all, a HUGE fan for heat relief. Concrete and humidity made for some sweltering weather both Friday and Saturday, but the music was well worth it.
So, onto that! We entered near the East stage and Extreme Sports area (amazing kids rocking out on bikes & boards all day…rad!) and headed straight toward the West Stage. The path from one stage to the next was lined with vendors ranging from normal hippie wear and jewelry to designer threads; an odd mix of hippies and hipsters that was pretty interesting. We arrived at the main stage just as Zappa plays Zappa finished setting up. I was a little disappointed we missed the Whigs, but Zappa definitely offered some positive energy and upbeat vibes. They’re pretty jammy and a little funky, so it was a nice start to my night. Find out if you dig them at myspace.com/zappaplayszappa.
After investigating the VIP section further and hanging with some friends, it was time for Pretty Lights to start. Pretty Lights consists of Colorado-based producer Derek Vincent Smith and drummer, Cory Eberhard. I hadn’t heard much from them before that night, but had heard a lot about them leading up to it, so I was pretty anxious to see what all the hype was about. As soon as the lights went on and the music started, I FELT exactly what everyone had been talking about. The beats were sick and the live drums brought a different element than you normally see at hip hop shows; everyone was dancing and the energy was amazing. After a short stint hanging out with my good friend Alex from Herm Productions (myspace.com/434761697), I got back in time for the Black Keys to finish out the night. The Black Keys was another band I had been told about a lot, but hadn’t seen live. They were a great transition from the electronica beats of Pretty Lights and brought a great blues-rock vibe to keep the energy up, but still pretty chill. I dug them a lot and everyone seemed pretty stoked when they came back for an encore. Check them out at myspace.com/theblackkeys to hear them for yourself…you’ll be a fan for sure!
The Black Keys in downtown Louisville
If you’ve ever been to Louisville, then you know the fun doesn’t stop until you do, so we headed to the Derby City Espresso to check out The Pass and You’re My Destiny. Both bands were pretty rockin’, and it was really nice sitting on their back patio and smelling the fresh coffee (even at 2a.m.). After a late night slice, it was all I could do keep my eyes open, so we headed back to Abs’ place to rest up for Day 2.
We arrived Saturday just in time to catch the end Afromotive’s set. A mix of afro-beat and funk, these guys from Asheville, North Carolina are great at getting your blood pumping and your feet moving. Feel the beat at myspace.com/afromotive.
We also caught the last bit of the New Mastersounds from the UK. Really amazing accents made me like them, but the music made me a fan. They’re jazz and soul and everything good about combining the two with funk. It’s hard to stand still when I listen to them…test yourself at myspace.com/newmastersounds.
After some super fresh sweet potato fries (one of my faves!), Abs and I took some time to hang out in the shaded confines of the VIP section during the Dead Confederate’s set. The Black Crowes were up next and by far the band I was looking most forward to seeing, so I was ready for them to start. Standing along the side of the lawn, I watched and danced, but was a little disappointed in the lack of energy they brought even with Chris Robinson rocking out and dancing harder than anyone else there. However, it was great to see one of my favorite bands playing in such a cool setting…skyscrapers and hotels lined the sky around the festival, which was made to look like a pirate shipwreck in the heart of Louisville. Whether you like the Black Crowes or not, check them out at www.blackcrowes.com for a free download of “I Ain’t Hiding.” 
The Black Crowes!
We did happen to catch a little of Trevor Hall’s set on the East Stage where we ran into James Nimmer, founder of Muncie’s Wuhnurth Festival and his best girl, Christa, rocking out. Trevor Hall embodies peace, love and unity with his positive lyrics and reggae rock tunes. He makes your heart feel a little lighter and gives a little hope that things will change and be okay. Let go with Trevor at myspace.com/trevorhall if you need a release.
From there, the only thing left was the explosion brought on by Widespread Panic. Now, don’t get me wrong, Panic is GOOD; they’re talented and have been jamming for a long time, but I’m not a die-hard Widespread fan. I like the stuff, but they aren’t my crème-de-la-crème if you know what I mean. Most of the rest of the Forecastle fans felt the exact opposite. As soon as WP took the stage, everyone went crazy and entered a Panic frenzy filled with erratic dancing and elated joy. I’ll give it to the band, though, they know what it takes to make their fans go to that place and just ride the wave right on through. They rocked it out for over an hour before we decided to head out, but it was definitely a great end to the festival for me.
I didn’t hit up any shows Sunday, because I needed to head back, but Forecastle overall was AMAZING! Pretty Lights definitely stole the show and it was really great spending tons of time with my best friend. I’m sad it’s over, but there’s still tons of summer to go and I can’t wait for everything coming up!
Speaking of…next up is the Cosmic Railroad Family Gathering in Janesville, WI July 31st-August 2nd featuring Cosmic Railroad (obviously), ekoostik hookah, Terrapin Flyer, Sweetwater Meltdown, Home Groan, and a slew of others. Check out myspace.com/cosmicrailroad for the entire rundown of bands & events and don’t forget to check back often for more coverage on all things InTents!
Until then, be happy and stay positive,
Don't judge me.
As always, any questions/comments/concerns can be sent to intentspromo@gmail.com!
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