Forecastle Fest 2015
By Angela Ash
Photo Credit: Tim Ash
Forecastle Fest 2015 is held on Louisvile's beautiful Waterfront, and it is something that everyone should experience... at least once a year. Throw your ideas of the regular music festival out of the window, because this is one of the most unique, creative weekends of live music that you will ever experience. And the food isn't too bad, either.
Forecastle is a genius, in brilliant disguise as a musical gathering, with plenty of fantastic local food and drink, imaginative art, quirky little memento and curiosity table fronts, empowering eco-informative booths, and a comradery amongst its fans that is not likely to be found again during this century in a crowd this massive. In short, Forecastle completely rocks, without knocking over the person next to you or spilling your Four Roses Bourbon.
Some may have wondered if Forecastle could possibly outdo booking the rock legend Jack White, but this lineup is absolutely stellar!
Friday, July 17
On the Main Stage, festival goers see performances from Milo Greene, ZZ Ward, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Cage The Elephant, and Sam Smith.
ZZ Ward
ZZ Ward performs early in the afternoon, racing through hits like "365 Days". Her interaction with the crowd is amazing, and festival goers get up off their blankets to move to her catchy, driven rhythms.
Due to weather conditions, Sam Smith was not able to finish his set as the headliner, beginning with numbers like "I'm Not The Only One" and "I've Told You Now", so it is a great thing that Cage The Elephant really gives the audience something to remember. Hailing from around the Louisville area, this band is nothing short of brilliant. Their onstage energy is explosive, and frontman Matt Schultz produces stellar vocals, even when crowd surfing! CTE explodes through fan favorites like "In One Ear", "Back Against The Wall", and "Ain't No Rest For The Wicked".
Cage The Elephant
The Boom Stage explodes with JEFF The Brotherhood, Cold War Kids, Gaslight Anthem, and Houndmouth.
Cold War Kids, hailing from Long Beach, California, illustrate why the Boom Stage is always a favorite at Forecastle, dishing out musical masterpeices like "All This Could Be Yours" and "Miracle Mile".
The Ocean Stage showcases Empires, Cathedrals, People Under The Stairs, Kiesza, and Big K.R.I.T.
Kiesza easily rasises the energy at Forecastle with her unique style, mixing dance beats with nearly angelic vocals. Her set includes "Take You There" and "Hideaway".
The WFPK Port Stage thrills with Parker Millsap, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds, Fly Golden Eagle, San Fermin, and Alvvays.
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds HAS to put on one of the best performances of the day! Arleigh Kincheloe is a vocal goddess, belting out songs like "Sugar" and "Mama Knows". This act is so infectious that there is a constant chatter throughout the crowd about JUST how impressive they really are. If you came to Forecastle without a familiarity of this group, then get on iTunes and purchase their latest album, "The Weather Below".
Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds