This week is chalk full of shows in and around Nashville, but this weekend also happens to feature a triumvirate of mid-level festivals on top of an already robust weekend of local shows. All three of the festivals are within relatively tenable proximities for the intrepid Nashvillian to hit up live sets somewhere other than Music City, and you might be asking yourself, “Well which festivals are you talking about?” Let’s take a moment to consider your options.
There’s the self-aware, social elevation, hipster nonsense of Pitchfork Festival, which does tout a formidable lineup of acts like Brian Wilson, Blood Orange, JLin, Whitney, and Franklin, TN’s Circuit Des Yeux making their way to Union Park in Chicago. If you want to be able to say “I saw NAO before she blew up” three years from now when she does in fact “blow up,” then that’s the festival for you this weekend.
Then there’s Sloss Music & Arts Festival in Birmingham, a two-day festival built less on pretense and more (quite literally) so on a pig-iron producing blast furnace – Sloss Furnaces are a National Historic Landmark, per the United States Department of the Interior. So if you’re looking for a relatively cheap, two-day jaunt to see Ryan Adams, The Struts, The Flaming Lips, Shovels + Rope, or Dylan LeBlanc, then Sloss Music & Arts is your best bet.
Finally, there’s Forecastle, our festival neighbor to the North, at the Louisville Riverfront Park, and just so happens to be Lockeland’s festival du jour this weekend. Forecastle features a number of Nashville favorites – Ryan Adams, Alabama Shakes, Avett Brothers, Dr. Dog, Local Natives, Brandi Carlile – along with a slew of other top of the line local and non-local acts headed up into the Colonel’s state to bring some good times and good tunes to the Forecastle Festival flocks. Here are some non-headlining acts that Lockeland is looking forward to catching at the (quizzically) nautically themed Forecastle Festival. (Hint: its heavy on Nashville acts)
Friday, July 15th
Friday night at Forecastle features The Avett Brothers headlining the opening evening, along with local favorites Bully helping usher in the close of the first night. Gates won’t open until 2:00 PM, and the festival doesn’t start until 3:00 PM, but once you’re in its go time on making sure you catch these acts.
Seratones on Boom Stage, 3:15 – 4:00 PM
Tourist on Ocean Stage, 4:30 – 5:30 PM
Phosphorescent on Boom Stage, 4:45 – 5:45 PM
Moon Taxi on Boom Stage, 6:30 – 7:45 PM
Bully at WFPK Port Stage, 7:30 – 8:30 PM
Photo credits: Seratones – Chad Kamenshine, Moon Taxi – Joshua Wilkins Black, Bully – Sean McHugh
Saturday, July 16th
We’ve reached our first full day of sets for Forecastle Festival, so that means early sets from acts like Madisen Ward and the Mama Bear, The Arcs, and Shakey Graves before headlining sets from Dr. Dog, Sylvan Esso, Local Natives, and of course, Alabama Shakes. Here are a handful of other acts playing on Saturday to help fill out your day-time schedule.
Myzica at WFPK Port Stage, 1:00 – 1:30 PM
Future Thieves at WFPK Port Stage, 2:00 – 2:30 PM
The Shadowboxers at WFPK Port Stage, 3:00 – 3:30 PM
Hudson Mohawke at Ocean Stage, 6:15 – 7:15 PM
All Them Witches at WFPK Port Stage, 8:15 – 9:15 PM
Photo Credits: MYZICA – Fairlight Hubbard, Hudson Mohawke – Tim Saccenti
Sunday, July 17th
Congratulations, we’ve made it to the last day of Forecastle in one piece – much easier than Bonnaroo, no doubt – so make the most of it! You’ve got plenty of day time sets from the likes of Gary Clark Jr. and Steve Gunn (both fresh off a Nashville stop), and White Denim, before festival closing sets from Brandi Carlile and the all-father, Ryan Adams. But here’s who you should check out in the interim of the day before saying bon voyage to Forecastle.
Anderson East at Mast Stage, 1:45 – 2:30 PM
Heartless Bastards at Boom Stage, 3:00 – 4:00 PM
Los Colognes at WFPK Port Stage, 3:30 – 4:15 PM
Unknown Mortal Orchestra at Ocean Stage, 6:00 – 7:00 PM
Washed Out at Ocean Stage, 8:30 – 9:30 PM
Photo Credits: Anderson East – Shana Thibodeaux Raymond, UMO – Mathias Cruz, Washed Out – Shae DeTar
Lockeland Springsteen 