By Allie Stoehr, John Flannagan, Kenton Oglesby, Jared Brewster and Rusty Odom
“The festival is moving in a positive direction; the number of big performers and increase in population from the last few years is exciting for us. I’m happy to be a part of it.”
These were the words of Garrett Sale, head crooner and songwriter of local outfit William Wild, and this was the general consensus for festival-goers and performers alike across Jackson Avenue at the sixth annual Rhythm N’ Blooms Festival.
The substantial increase in excitement grew within the weekend as crowds poured in and out of the six designated venues at this year’s festivities. From first-time visitors to veteran volunteers to visiting musicians, the ever-growing oomph of the festival was evident across the board.
One of the out-of-town performers from the weekend was Nashville’s Andrew Leahey, who, with his excellent band The Homestead, performed on Saturday afternoon at the Pilot Light. The band has performed in Knoxville before, but never quite like this. “You really don’t know what to expect when you play a daytime slot at a festival you’ve never attended before,” began Leahey. “Are you going to play to 10 people, while everyone else heads over to the big stage to get a good spot for the Drive-By Truckers? It’s a crapshoot,” he continued. “Luckily, Rhythm N Blooms gave us a great venue at a great time. People were walking past the Pilot Light on their way to see the Truckers, and we were able to pull them inside. We wound up playing to a full house, and it was everything a rock & roll show needs to be: sweaty, cramped and LOUD.”
To most everyone who saw it, The Homestead’s performance was a top five show of the weekend and Leahey was appreciative of the support that Knoxville has shown he and his band over the past couple of years.
“Knoxville’s music scene is incredible. Not just the musicians, but the entire community of music lovers. When we played Barleys in February 2014 and realized — at the very last minute, of course — that our bassist had left his bass at a venue in Richmond, The Black Lillies (Robert Richards in particular), sprung to the rescue and donated one of their instruments to us for the night. We didn’t even know them! They just read about our problem on Facebook and decided to help out. That sort of generosity seems to be the Knoxville rule, not the exception.”
The attitude of the indigenous resonated with other visitors, too. Angela and Curtis Penick of Cincinnati, OH came to Knoxville last year for Rhythm N’ Blooms to see Brett Dennen play at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens. “We saw the festival on his tour page, and thought we would check it out,” said Angela, noting that it was the first time she and Curtis had left town without their little one. “We had such a good time that we came back to Knoxville several times last year after the festival and then came back for RnB this year.” The Penick’s said they like Knoxville because of its small, intimate setting and were shocked to hear that the festival drew approximately 15,000 people this year. They plan on returning to the Scruffy City later this year and are hoping to attend Rhythm N’ Blooms again next spring.
Eric Bowen, lead volunteer coordinator for the festival, told BLANK that the layout was the most significant change for festival-goers in terms of traveling between venues. From a guest’s perspective, having all of the venues on one street makes it easier to go from The Standard to the main stage and all the places in between, whereas in the past they’ve had to leave the Old City for several shows. He projected this year’s number of volunteers to be 30-40% higher than last year.
One of the programs they’ve used over the last few years is what he calls the volunteer “buddy system,” where someone is able to sign up with a friend so they can work together. “This is the main reflector of the large numbers of volunteers this year because people aren’t so nervous to sign up if they know they won’t be placed somewhere on their own,” Bowen said. Because of this, the festival has had over 1,100 volunteer shifts covered this year and nearly 4,400 hours covered by Rhythm N’ Blooms volunteers.
So, with all of the ancillary praise in place, it’s time to talk about the music. Below are just a small handful of our favorite shows from the weekend.
On the Rise
William Wild was one of those Rhythm N’ Blooms gems you got to experience only if you were adventurous enough to pull yourself away from the bigger stages. Drawing huge crowds to both The Pilot Light and Barley’s Taproom, the young alt-indie-rockers picked up scores of new fans over the weekend. William Wild’s songs split their time between dulcet acoustic melodies and intense rock build-up. As expected, WW’s straightforward, quality performance awarded them a bit of buzz. I overheard multiple people on Sunday say something to the effect of, “I really liked William Wild. He was great.” While that enthusiasm for Knoxville bands is appreciated, it should be noted that William Wild is the name of the band, not the lead singer. If the band keeps its momentum, we doubt that the mistaken identity will heard as often in the coming months. _KO
Play on Words
Strung Like a Horse was a favorite performance of many festival-goers throughout the weekend. The band played on Friday at Barley’s and finished with a set at Pilot Light on Saturday night. Hailing from nearby Chattanooga, the band’s top hits “Gypsy Jane” and “Horizontal” had each venue rocking out for both high-energy performances. The group’s captivating stage presence gives credit to its metal-infused bluegrass tunes. Partnered with the beautiful and talented Lacy Jo’s gypsy dance moves, the Friday show put Strung Like a Horse on many’s Saturday must-see schedule. _AS
Late Night Licks
Yet another promising band hailing from Music City U.S.A., The Wans closed out day one of Rhythm & Blooms with their blistering indie rock at Barley’s. The Wans have been making quite the name for themselves of late, having played festivals like South by Southwest, Forecastle and Hangout and opening for the likes of Pearl Jam and Beck. On this night, The Wans played mostly songs off their latest album, “He Said, She Said”. The album translates really well in a live setting, as the album was recorded live and entirely in analog. The Wans mix elements of classic rock with grunge and alternative, which closed day one of Rhythm & Blooms on a rocking high note. _JF
Bright Future
Here’s something you may not be used to hearing: Cereus Bright really rocked at Rhythm N’ Blooms last weekend. This is not at all to say Cereus Bright hasn’t been good until now, you just don’t usually think of an indie-folk outfit as rockin’. However, these guys are really starting to let their hair (and beards) down and cut loose on stage. Sporting a new heavier, more electric sound for a big chunk of their set, the Knoxville boys packed out The Standard on Saturday and took over the main stage on Sunday. Charismatic frontman Tyler Anthony had some great photographic moments bouncing around and kicking his legs in the air while “really exploring the space,” to quote the legendary Bruce Dickinson (from SNL, not Iron Maiden). Cereus Bright also played a handful of new songs, which makes one wonder if there might be a new EP or possibly a debut full-length record on the horizon. Keep your eyes on this outfit, as they may have garnered the most attention from new fans coming out of the weekend. _KO
Splitting the Difference
I’ve seen Andrew Leahey and the Homestead perform in Knoxville more than any Nashville band. It all started at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival several years ago. You see, we were both covering the festival and by chance, were designated as neighbors in the campground. When he and his wife greeted me with smiles, even though I was utilizing their shade tent in the boiling heat of the day without asking, I decided to make him an omelet in return for his hospitality. The only thing is, I had never made an omelet before. He ate it all and a friendship was born. Now we attend other festivals together and The Homestead is set to play a festival that this very newspaper produces later this year. The point is, we’ve both come a long way since that omelet (which he has since admitted was a little runny in the middle).
Just like he muscled his way through that first breakfast, his band has maneuvered its way through the ominous wave pool that is the Nashville music scene. The sound of the band has become more polished while simultaneously becoming more raucous. A gifted technician of the English language, Leahey’s songs were always lyrically potent, but with the more recent performances I’ve seen, his shows have become equally as exciting, and well, flat out fun.
This was the case with the band’s Saturday afternoon set, which chronologically split the festival in twain.
It may have been the mid way point for the weekend, but it was certainly a highlight for everyone in the cramped and sweaty temple of live that is the Pilot Light.
The band is comprised of some of Nashville’s most promising talent. The gifted Miles Price lends his talents to the group as lead guitarist, while the precise Ben Jacoby and the alluring Samantha Joelle (who also plays bass in a reggae outfit called Floralorix) make up the back-line. This show also featured the Knoxville debut of Luke Iverson, whose prolific keyboarding added a depth to the band that was previously unheard. Keep your eyes peeled for the band’s upcoming album, which was produced in Nashville by original Wilco Drummer Ken Coomer. And make no mistake about it; there will be a local poster or two with the band’s name on it in the not too distant future. _RO
Midday Highlight
3 Mile Smile drew a crowd at Lox Salon on Saturday with their down-home roots and sultry string harmonies. The gazes of all occupants of the salon were stuck on lead singer Becki Grace’s debut performance of their newly released single, “This Girl’s Gone.” Two out of five of the band members are salon workers themselves, so it was an appropriate setting for the performance to be nestled in the corner of the Lox Salon floor. The show was an intimately calm pause to an otherwise chaotic weekend. _AS
What the Doctor Ordered
Bear Medicine was one of the most talked about bands of Rhythm & Blooms weekend. The Lexington, Kentucky based four piece is made up of multi-instrumentalists Joshua Wright (vocals, guitar, harmonica, mandolin), Seth Murphy (Cello, bass), Kim Smith (Flute, Piano, vocals) and Severn Edmonson (drums, vocals).
Bear Medicine brought a mystifyingly eclectic style to the Pilot Light on Sunday afternoon. Playing tunes off their debut, “The Moon Has Been All My Life,” Bear Medicine blended folk, psych, and prog arrangements to a packed house, leaving many speechless. Joshua Wright’s falsetto mixed with Kim Smith’s flute and harmony left many jaws on the ground, especially when blended so flawlessly with Severn Edmondson’s jazzy off timing drumming. Look for Bear Medicine to make a return trip to Knoxville sometime in August. _JF
Why We Get Up Early
Amythyst Kiah performed the first act of the last day on the main stage (Cripple Creek), which is normally a tall task for both artists and fans alike. Playing her fuse of traditional soul and country, Kiah’s stage presence commanded the attention of all in attendance. Her renditions of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” and Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees” sold me on the Chattanooga native. She pulled out all the stops on this day, whether it is her booming voice or her impeccable guitar playing. What a way to kick off day three. Mission accomplished on the whole opening the last day of the festival thing. _JF
Mid Day Monster
If you were looking for a throw back to that “old time rock n roll” at Rhythm and Blooms, you only had to look for the Cripple Creek stage on Sunday afternoon to get your fill, as JD McPherson played an incendiary set to a packed house. McPherson played songs off his aptly titled “Let the Good Times Roll” and had the crowd hanging on everyone note. The guitarist’s backing band played their rhythm and blues style to perfection. Once their set ended the crowd cheered and demanded an encore, to which McPherson and company kindly obliged. McPherson proved to be a legit choice to set the table as The Decemberists followed his rip-roaring set. _JF
Going Major
As projected, The Decemberists, brought the house down with the largest crowd in the festival’s history to close out the main stage on Sunday night. The attendance was estimated somewhere around 15,000 which packed the floor, the VIP area, and all surrounding hangout pits throughout the evening. The show started out as unfaltering and solid as expected – full of spirit with the opening performance of “The Singer Addresses His Audience,” followed by a harmoniously satisfying stage scene, and a deafening plea for an encore. By the end of the set, the masses were full of stamina and prepared for the stupefying finale consisting of progressive rock-hard jams and a giant man-eating whale, which made its appearance in an unpredictable grandeur. The show was an appropriate conclusion to the weekend, summing up the diversity of Rhythm N’ Blooms’ stages, performers, and guests. Many attendees promise to come back next year in high expectancy for an even better line-up and perhaps, yet another increase in numbers. Until then, we can kick back and wait for the next leg of the highly anticipated term many Knoxville natives participate in: festival season. _AS
We couldn’t possibly name all of the wonderful acts that we saw throughout the weekend. Feel free to tell us which shows were your favorite or how silly we are in the comments below.
