By Luke Brogden, Jennifer Duncan-Rankin, John Flannagan, Matt Miller, Matt Rankin and Lee Zimmerman
Photos by Bill Foster
Over the course of three sun-drenched days and balmy nights, Knoxville was treated to the most successful, diverse and jam-packed version of Rhythm N’ Blooms that we at BLANK have ever experienced. It’s always hard for a festival to try and outdo itself, but that is where it finds itself today after the conclusion yesterday to its 10th installment, likely its best yet. Prior to this year’s extravaganza, 2015’s iteration, which featured beautiful weather and performances by The Decemberists, Drive-By Truckers and a cadre of excellent local and regional acts, carried that distinction. But it’s safe to say that Attack Monkey Productions and Dogwood Arts raised the bar with this year’s event.
Every move they made this year was a major step forward. Pushing the dates from early April to mid-May for what hopefully would result in more agreeable weather was a home run; save for a brief thunderstorm on Saturday afternoon that delayed set times at most venues for the rest of the day, things on that front were near perfect. Blocking off the stretch of Jackson Avenue from where it intersects with Central Street to the Cripple Creek Stage, too, was a stroke of genius. Creating another outdoor stage in that space instead of utilizing the Jackson Terminal at the opposite end of the neighborhood consolidated the grounds’ footprint and made for a truer festival atmosphere for attendees. Even a small touch like adding the carnival food stands provided an “a ha” moment.
Organizers worked tirelessly to keep everything moving like clockwork. There seemed to be far more volunteers on hand this year than in previous years, and those staffers were on top of any and all issues that might have arisen over the weekend. Long bathroom lines on Friday were resolved quickly with additional portable toilets brought in early on Saturday, and lines were never an issue again. Security was present but never heavy-handed in its approach, even with the arrival of Blühen Botanicals to the Old City and its line of potentially misunderstood products lending an unmistakably herbaceous quality to the air.
Rhythm N’ Blooms has done so much to cater to children, as well, as the hammock area was a favorite hangout spot for youngsters, including the littlest members of the BLANK family, one of whom at one point asked, “When are we going to the Pilot Light?” If that’s not the best proof that people of all ages can experience and enjoy all that this festival has to offer, we don’t know what is.
And just like that, all the anticipation and waiting are over in the blink of an eye – but not without plenty of fond memories that will last. It was a whole lot of fun for our crew, our extended group of friends and our scene family. Seeing a lot of our longtime local buds having a blast working the fest in different capacities – media, site operations, as performers or just having fun – truly was a joy. Lots of hugs were had and dancing done under the sun and in the barrooms until the wee hours of the morning, and all of it was inspired by some really uplifting, original music. We at BLANK might be spent, but that’s really what it’s all about, right?
Thanks must go to the festival’s organizers – Chyna Brackeen and Garrett Thomson, in particular – for putting on such a fun, smooth and safe event. Also, thank you to all of the creative artisans and problem-solvers for making appealing visuals and tinkering with the all the nuts and bolts in order to make the festival so aesthetically pleasing. And, of course, thank you to all of the artists on the bill who made the magical music that soundtracked our weekend. Finally, thank you to all our readers for choosing us as your source for information about all things entertainment-related. See you all next time. – Luke Brogden, John Flannagan and Matt Rankin
Frances Cone
Just like many other bands this weekend, Nashville’s Frances Cone was everywhere on Sunday, bringing their soulful, indie-pop sound to the Kid Curry Stage, Barley’s and Pilot Light over the three days. The duo consists of Christina Cone and Andrew Doherty (joined live by a drummer), who have developed terrific chemistry and polished harmonies, on top of soothing melodies that seem to always be building. Cone’s songwriting is different, as lyrical subjects feel more mature and varied than others within her genre. The heart and soul evident in their music have produced high-quality results and captivated many who decided to check them out. Their shows at Rhythm N’ Blooms were no exception – Matt Miller
Gangstagrass
Spring and summer festival tradition seems to involve booking powerful, uplifting, positive acts for the early main-stage sets on Sunday; festival attendees are showing up tired, drained of serotonin and in need of a pick-me-up. Gangstagrass, the genre-blending sonic experiment/passion project of Brooklyn-based rapper, singer-songwriter, guitarist and producer Rench, was happy to oblige.
Replete with banjo, fiddle, bluegrass guitar and high-lonesome country-bluegrass harmonies from the frontman, banjoist Dan Whitener and dobro player Landry McMeans, rappers Dolio The Sleuth and R-Son The Voice of Reason (whose style reminded us of Professor Griff from Public Enemy and the mighty KRS-One) bounced around the stage hyping up the crowd. At the end of the set, they got the entire crowd singing along to a remix of Dan Tyminski’s “Man of Constant Sorrow” from the “O Brother Where Art Thou” soundtrack, with sizzling rap bars in between, to cap off the set. The band closed out the festival, tearing down the house in the process, with the final secret show of the festival at Barley’s just before midnight. – LB
Joey English and the Black Forest
Knoxville has been lucky to claim Joey English as one of our own for several years now, but his California upbringing is evident in his breezy manner, and he also bears the wizened marks of his years of cross-country travels throughout his 20s and early 30s in a wistful look, a clever lyrical twist or a passionate vocal growl. English has multiple albums out, but most recently he stripped songwriting down to its essence with his late-2017 effort, the “Dining Womb EP,” a home-recorded solo acoustic record on four-track tape that found him laboring on the front-end over chord progressions, melodies and lyrics. He would perfect the arrangement and performance of a song in its raw form and then play it in a simple, pristine setting in his dining room (rather than employ tons of layering and studio tricks and write around imperfections as he went).
The result was a colossal growth from past efforts in refining his vocal performance and his guitar-playing, allowing for fragility, dynamics and beauty to unfold naturally. Songs like “Freddie Mac” and “My Old Friend” are standouts from that effort that set him apart from the field as a top troubadour in town and also set him on the road successfully on tour as of late. But English can also rock; he’s been an electric guitarist in psychedelic indie-pop rockers Blond Bones for several years and brings a relaxed zen to their vibe.
In his Pilot Light set Sunday afternoon, English had put together a killer backing band called the Black Forest, featuring Laurel Brisson (formerly of Handsome and the Humbles) and Thomas and Amanda Smith (bass and acoustic guitar, respectively, and harmonies). The group brought out some additional dynamics and sparkle to the songs, and they gave English a chance to show off his constrained and tasteful – but not unimpressive – soloing skills and get a little more vocally aggressive. The songs were full and exciting, and it was fun to see him show off his material to a room full of adoring fans, friends and new folks from both in and out of town, as well. – LB
Handsome and the Humbles
This group of hometown boys done good has really come into its own over the past few years, working their way to having been voted the city’s best Americana band by BLANK readers in this year’s Knoxville’s Finest poll. Pushing aside the apparent man crush my husband has on lead singer Josh Smith (read our pre-festival RNB guide for that little nugget), this band has great songwriting, tight musicianship and an engrossing stage presence. They played to a packed Jig & Reel, featuring favorites like “Knoxville Lights” and “The Sun Is Gonna Rise (Don’t Be Sad)” with Smith’s confident voice wooing the crowd, while guitarist Josh Hutson laid into some mind-blowing guitar solos. I mean, if Hutson played a show that featured just him playing guitar, I’m sure it would draw a huge crowd. He’s that good.
Though the topics can be heavy sometimes (romance gone bad, drug use, small town living etc.), these gentlemen still manage to create a fun atmosphere at their shows. Luckily, if you missed their two shows during Rhythm N’ Blooms, they play and tour consistently. Make sure to add them on Facebook so you can stay alerted to your next opportunity. In the meantime, check out their website to buy/download some impressive tunes. – Jennifer Duncan-Rankin
The Suffers
So nice that we covered it twice: Both Luke Brogden and John Flannagan offer their takes on this excellent show.
The Suffers’ Kam Franklin was a whirlwind of emotion on the Cripple Creek Stage, as things heated up late in the afternoon on Sunday with her hot eight-piece funk/soul/rock band from Houston. They had recently been robbed of over $30,000 of their equipment, she said at one point during the show. But being back in Knoxville on the main stage in front of a huge crowd that was eating up their performance was choking her up because she remembered when the festival took a chance on their band four years ago, booking them on their first tour when they first quit their full-time jobs in order to pursue their dreams. Franklin also mentioned getting drunk with Alanna Royale bandmates, the band getting in their first fight out on the road together, making up at a pizza place and coming out of it tougher as a result.
She chose Knoxville then in that moment to debut their newest song, “Oops! We Comin’,” a hard-rocking, defiant ode to not giving up, even in the face of adversity. Delivering her lyrics straight from her notebook because they were so fresh, Franklin still strutted around the stage as the band rocked out around her. Fans of Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings and other soul-revue type bands would love The Suffers, but coming from Houston, they add a really cool salsa/samba edge to it, as well as Tex-Mex rock. One of the things Rhythm N’ Blooms does so well is find authenticity and bands with a lot of heart. It almost feels like festival producer Chyna Brackeen books people based on their backstories – people she believes in. We heard a lot of bands telling their personal stories this weekend, and it made for a rich, connected experience. – LB
The Suffers played a late-afternoon set on Cripple Creek which saw frontwoman Kam Franklin as poised and on top of her game as ever. Mentioning the fact that the band’s gear had been stolen while on the current tour, she concluded that as long as they’re onstage doing the one thing that makes them and everyone else happy, that it wasn’t a big deal – a remarkable yet moving statement given the cost of the loss. The highlight of the set came during their cover of Selena’s “Baila Esta Cumbia,” a song performed in traditional Colombian cumbia style. We couldn’t help but marvel at the gringos’ abilities to dance during the number, which was an additional delight. Pulling off this style and tempo change midway through the set showcased the band’s capabilities and musicianship in an incredible way. – JF
Good Guy Collective
Folks may have seen this name on the bill Sunday afternoon and thought they’d be able to take in a second helping of the same group of guys as was present on Saturday night. Instead, they were treated to a fresh set of performers with a whole new set of rhymes, fresh beats, jovial vibes and an appearance by sister art group Cattywampus Puppet Council. You see, Good Guy Collective is more like an artistic co-op than a band of musicians, and there’s always fresh new talent and ideas being produced under their moniker.
Sunday’s set was kicked off by consummate wordsmith and good sport (he put on a show despite being afflicted with what we’ll politely call a stomachache) Lane Shuler, accompanied by Modifi on the tables. Shuler joked about competing in the Southern Fried Poetry Expo a decade ago, only to be beaten out by TJ, aka “Tank” from Tank and the Bangas. Shuler kept his easy and fun flow going as long as he could muster before turning the mic over to probably the best-known good guy of this collective, Black Atticus, a genius when it comes to verbal expression who Knoxville is so blessed to have.
One of my favorite moments of the festival came during this set, as Atticus invited Marble City Opera and Knoxville’s unofficial mayor Brandon Gibson up on the stage to perform “Parlay,” a song in current rotation on WUTK. I was sitting in one of the booths next to the door inside the Pilot Light with a group of older ladies sitting on the opposite side. The second Gibson unleashed his signature baritone, these ladies (even the one wearing an air cast) jumped to their feet with clasped hands, wide eyes and huge grins. Come to find out, these ladies had traveled to East Tennessee from Maryland just for the festival. I couldn’t be prouder that they were able to enjoy this little slice of something that is so inherently Knoxville. I can’t imagine a better set of ambassadors for our city, either. – JDR
Tristen
Tristen Gaspadarek has performed as part of Jenny Lewis’ live band and released her fourth solo album, “Sneaker Waves,” in 2017. Publications like American Songwriter, Nashville Scene and Spin all have lauded her work, and with good reason. The songs are gorgeous, subtle and then ferocious; she nimbly shifts from fragile soft cooing and light, broken finger-picking to hard growling, screaming and strumming. Her sharply dressed band had strong command of their gear (gorgeous vintage guitars, amps, pedals and drums), sounding like a light chamber-pop group one second and a dark grunge band the next. It was professional indie-rock that was pleasant and sharp all around. Polished visually and sonically, they produced a tight set with relaxed, constrained repartee between songs but just enough edge and squirrely, weird breakdown parts to get even the most jaded, disaffected hipster kid in the room tapping a foot or bopping a head. It was pretty, fun, entertaining big-city indie in the small Pilot Light. – LB
Travis Bigwood and The Lonesome Doves
I’ve seen Travis Bigwood a lot of places. I’ve seen him strumming and smiling with the throwback-to-when-country-was-country Guy Marshall. I’ve seen him thrashing and stomping with the smart-rock group Sweet Years. I’ve seen him playing and banging his head with the Pilot Light version of rock legend Roky Erickson at one of the annual Halloween masquerade shows. I’m pretty sure I’ve even seen him drop off a to-go order for my mother-in-law at Olive Garden. But out of all the places I’ve seen this fella, I think this show might have been my all-time favorite.
Though Bigwood is incredibly talented and obviously versatile, he put on a show that was 100 percent, without a doubt, one of the prettiest, most honest and most likable sets I’ve witnessed, completely void of ego or pretension. He just let the voices and music speak for themselves. Joined by Cord Johnson and Aubrey Mullins, who make up The Lonesome Doves, this show kind of reminded me of Nickel Creek with the quiet, earnest and exquisite harmonies that were emanating from the stage.
Bigwood was so genuine when describing influences on his music, like growing up in a trailer or trying (unsuccessfully, for now) to buy a house, all with such bashful sincerity in each word. Even the way he plugged their new EP, exclaiming, “That’s my face!” as he flashed the disc was just so warm. I regret having to run out right after this show to cover more of the festival, as I’m kicking myself for not grabbing a copy. I’ll have to settle for their single “Paw’s Place” on Spotify for now, but I will be on a mission to get that EP in my hand soon. No worries, though, as I have no doubt I’ll be seeing him around. – JDR
Three Star Revival
Three Star Revival have arrived, and their booming, full sound was evident of that emergence, closing out the free Kid Curry Stage in a major way by rocking Jackson Avenue with their sexy jams. The group has evolved from its early folkier leanings, morphing into a full-on jam band at times and embracing a traditional straightforward rock ‘n’ roll approach. Three Star Revival were rewarded for their efforts with a large crowd for the final street show of the weekend and paid back the kindness in full, extending their set for longer than a quarter of an hour.
Frontman Ben Gaines was charismatic as per usual, alternating between strutting, mic in hand, around the stage and providing additional oomph to the proceedings with rhythm guitar prowess. Near the end of the set and during a particularly shredding jam, he disappeared backstage before reappearing in the crowd stage left to admire his bandmates’ playing from the audience’s perspective, earning several handshakes and back slaps for his excellent stage work. The set was somewhat bittersweet in that it was great, but you knew in the back of your mind at its conclusion that the festival was drawing to a close. – JF
My Brightest Diamond
For many (including several notable figures in Knoxville’s local music and entertainment scenes) in attendance at Shara Nova’s early evening set at the Cripple Creek Stage, this powerful rendering of My Brightest Diamond material through the years proved to be the highlight of the weekend – not only because of the quality of the music, but also due to the dynamism of the performance. Nova made her intentions known right off the bat, emerging onstage wearing a fighter’s robe and leading her band in a dedicated charge at winning over the ears and hearts of the gathered crowd.
At a time in which polished pop acts relegate their vocals to a backing track for live performances in order to focus on choreographed dancing, here was Nova bounding into the crowd during “It’s Me on the Dance Floor,” perfectly belting out the lyrics to the track from last year’s “A Million and One” while improvising moves that were arguably better than any demonstrated by even the recent influx of K-pop groups stateside. Before returning to the stage, the artist even took time to acknowledge the children in her vicinity, giving them quick yet meaningful hugs, flashing smiles and clearly enjoying herself all the while.
While the territory she mines under her My Brightest Diamond moniker isn’t completely original – definite strains of Kate Bush, Cocteau Twins, PJ Harvey and even more contemporaneous acts like Bat for Lashes, Glasser and Joan as Police Woman can be detected in the style of music – Nova is an important, engaging artist in her own right, and this set proved her ability to command a main stage as a consummate performer. From her two appearances at the avant-garde extravaganza that is Big Ears to her two Rhythm N’ Blooms performances, Knoxville audiences have been very lucky that she has embraced this city so frequently and so fully over the course of the last ten years. – MR
Dawes
If there ever was a college course offered about how to program a successful festival, lesson one might be about starting it off with a great band. Lesson two would be, “Close it out with a great band.” Suffice it to say that if there was such a class, chances are good that the organizers of this year’s Rhythm N’ Blooms Festival would pass it with flying colors.
Of course, it’s one thing to kick off the proceedings with a good concert, but it’s even more important to sustain the energy over the course of the entire three days and then end things so spectacularly that the audience goes home dazzled by that awesome final impression.
So here is where we award an A+ for accomplishing a spectacular finale, courtesy of Dawes’ dynamic 15-song set Sunday night on the Cripple Creek Stage. Indeed, it had many in the crowd convinced that the highlight of the entire event transpired once Dawes took the stage and subsequently sustained the energy until their departure some 90 minutes later.
“The idea that a band like ours can wrap up a great festival like ours with a great crowd … is not lost on us,” singer Taylor Goldsmith gushed as the set drew to a close. “We don’t take it for granted, and we hope you know how grateful we are.”
Those that have seen Dawes before certainly expected nothing less. Their previous appearance at the Bijou a couple of years or so ago proved that they still stay true to certain precepts, not only embracing their audiences entirely but also mining that magic throughout. The fact that they don’t engage in any undue theatrics or the sort of flash and frenzy that seems to be the prerequisite these days makes their command of the crowd all the more impressive. Granted, Goldsmith has learned the art of seizing on some stage moves once he sheds his guitar, but any attempt at excessive exuberance is merely the product of how an unpretentious frontman simply shows he’s having some fun.
As for the rest of the band, they’re seemingly content to simply offer up a workmanlike performance and let the music provide the magic. They’re an everyman outfit, the kind that holds out hope to every ordinary wannabe that he/she can achieve rock stardom simply by being who they are. Even drummer Griffin Goldsmith, once the most distinctive looking member of the ensemble, opted to trim down his towering curls in favor of a frat-boy look that conforms with the group’s overall image.
Again, it’s all about the music, a combination of articulate anthems that offer as much comfort and conviction as a full stock of crashing crescendos and riveting refrains. To be sure, there’s no shortage of fist-shaking, foot-stomping moments, but as Sunday night’s performance proved, it’s all the result of memorable melodies that inevitably lead to the momentous crescendos. The highlights were many, as encapsulated in the rousing hooks of “From a Window Seat,” the all-engaging “One of Us,” the arched riffing of “Right on Time,” the easy sway of “When the Tequila Runs Out” and the upward gaze of “Most People.”
Of course, they’re more than capable of conveying staunch rockers as well, as the one-two punch of “Living in the Future” and “If I Wanted Someone” proved so pervasively.
To say their sound was mesmerizing is quite simply an understatement. Even a once-modest offering such as “Million Dollar Bill,” a cover of a track recorded by Middle Brother (a one-off side project featuring Taylor, John McCauley of Deer Tick and Matthew Vasquez of Delta Spirit), found a new exuberance that outshone the original.
Nevertheless, there’s likely no better concert closer than “All Your Favorite Bands,” a tribute to those outfits that have become an indelible part of the collective consciousness. Dawes has arrived at that level, and to paraphrase what they say in the song, may they always stay together. – Lee Zimmerman
