Full Schedule Here
If you’ve ever attended the annual Rhythm N Blooms Festival here in Knoxville, you probably already purchased your weekend pass. For those who haven’t, the weekend is a thrilling mixture of music and entertainment supported entirely by local sponsors and businesses as well as thousands of festival-goers. The annual festival is organized by Dogwood Arts, a local organization whose main focus is to promote and celebrate the region’s arts, culture, and natural beauty. To support the merrymaking surrounding each and every artist participating in the festival, we’ve comprised a guide to help you see your favorite bands as well as the up-and-coming musicians that will be performing over the course of the weekend.
FRIDAY
HEADLINERS
THE DIRTY GUV’NAH’S are locally-founded and swoony to all whose ears have the pleasure of hearing and these gents also take a spot at the top of the lineup for this year’s festival. Over the past year the Guv’s have made some huge strides in the public eye, with their music being showcased and admired across the nation. Their latest album, released in March of last year, promotes a wide arrangement of musical styling including rock and roll, country, blues, and southern soul.
DELTA SPIRIT will also be headlining Friday night. This American indie rock band from California released their fourth album, Into the Wide, in September 2014. With rhythmic power and intense stage presence, they band is expected to execute a solid performance on the Cripple Creek stage.
ON THE RISE
SUBTLE CLUTCH will be performing on Friday around dinner time – a great opportunity for you to grab a bite from one of the many food trucks populating the area and listen to some bluegrass. These boys may be in high school, but the talent and raw bluegrass sound they produce is five-star. Let the beautiful harmonies of this group’s instruments and voices entertain your dinner break by heading over to Boyd’s Jig & Reel.
SUNSET SHOW
If you get a chance to visit The Standard to see THE SUFFERS, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the groovy group rocking the stage. Lead vocalist Kam Franklin kills the melodies composed by this ten-piece group out of Houston, Texas. The Suffers are smooth, tactful, and sure to touch your soul.
CAN’T MISS
One must-see band on Friday night is APACHE RELAY. Filled with energy, movement, and stamina, this group founded in a Belmont University dorm room brings a relentless enthusiasm to each of their performances. The band will be playing at the Standard, and you won’t be the same after seeing bearded Big Mike Harris shred.
SATURDAY
WORKSHOPS
THE MUSICIAN’S CORNER is located inside the Emporium Center. It’s free, open to the public, and provides great opportunities to all who attend, offering several workshops for the music and art enthusiast. Stop by between one and seven for one of the featured songwriting or voice technique workshops and talk with artists and musicians about their experiences, publicity, and how to get a gig. Workshops are filled on a first come, first serve basis; get there early if you want a seat.
EARLY SHOW
STRUNG LIKE A HORSE is a must-see for the weekend mainly because they are unlike any other group to hit any Rhythm N Blooms stage. The gypsy punk grass group utilizes the unfamiliar sounds of a kazoo to complement their gypsy jazz tunes, producing an intoxicatingly unique folk sound. Visit the stage at the Pilot Light to get your dance on.
CAN’T MISS
6-STRING DRAG is a show you do not want to miss this weekend at Barley’s. The group, named in honor of the Stanley Brothers’ “Five String Drag,” visits Knoxville after a 16-year hibernation. Their newly released album “Roots Rock-n-Roll” accentuates the band’s early punk roots and pairs it with southern honky tonk.
HEADLINER
The DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS will be headlining Saturday night’s festivities. Being one of the most well-respected country-rock acts of the last decade, the band boasts a mix of Southern pride, cultivated lyrics, and rich guitar power. Frontman Patterson Hood features a rotating cast of Georgia and Alabama natives to produce a blue-chip performance. Check them out at the Cripple Creek Stage.
UP AND COMING
You may not think blending bluegrass and hip-hop would be a successful mix, but GANGSTAGRASS is about to prove you wrong. The Brooklyn-based group combines their rap beats with old-time bluegrass riffs to produce a sampling that is conceptually genius. The Emmy-nominated bluegrass/hip-hop outfit will perform at Barley’s Taproom and if you happen to miss the Saturday show, they’ll be performing at the Standard on Sunday.
SUNDAY
HEADLINER
One of the most highly anticipated performers of the weekend will be THE DECEMBERISTS, headlining the festival with their recently released album, “What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World.” The album has been the only focus for the group over the past four years, and since its release they’ve sold out numerous shows across Europe and the US in celebration of its success. They’ll be headlining the Cripple Creek stage at 8 pm.
CAN’T MISS
HUMMING HO– USE has made their way to Knoxville several times over the last year, and boy are we glad. Mellow tunes contrast with the heightened energy of high tempos, giving this group a unique spirit sure to get the set shaking. The power behind the concentrated harmonies of five vocalists are the reason this band is known for their live performances. Visit either the Standard or Boyd’s Jig & Reel on Sunday to see them perform.
UP AND COMING
On the softer side of things, BEAR MEDICINE arranges a mellow set to take you away from the noise for a while. They will perform at the Pilot Light Sunday afternoon. Aquarium Drunkard said of the group, “Fans of artists as varied as Comus, Led Zeppelin circa III, Kayo Dot, and Townes Van Zandt will be unable to resist the Aquarian Dream Music of this precocious and deeply psychedelic young band.”
