A few Louisville.com contributors were at Forecastle this weekend, and we've pulled together some memorable moments from the fest. Feel free to leave your favorites in the comments!
Michelle Eigenheer (Louisville.com Staff)
Best performance: Desaparecidos & White Reaper
I've never listened to Desaparecidos, but definitely enjoyed the show - high energy and a great sound. White Reaper's show was awesome and I think being local had a lot to do with it - a crowd full of friends and long-time fans really added to it.
Best crowd: My Morning Jacket
How many fans can we cram into this space? Also, it is beyond me how so many people can watch one band play for such a long set and genuinely enjoy every minute of it.
Best food vendor: Tasty Tuxedo.
I was dying for something cold and refreshing and those gelato pops really did it for me.
Best spot to take a break/cool down: THE BOURBON LODGE
That place is heaven in a heat wave from hell. Out back there are bathrooms that make you feel human again - they're somewhere between a porta potty and an interstate rest stop. And did anyone else hear Billy Goat Strut Revue playing in there? Awesome performances from some locals.
Best outfit: When it comes to performers, definitely Houndmouth. Fans, though? The guys in USA speedos.
Biggest surprise: That storm, though. What a way to end Day 1 - mass evacuation. Really glad Forecastle was proactive about getting people safe, but too bad for Sam Smith who not only had his first show of his U.S. tour cut short, but also his first headlining festival show.
Photo: Elliott Carter
Best stage: WFPK - super low-key with an awesome vantage point on the hill
Biggest trend: Flash Tattoos
Bad news, guys. Flower crowns are out. Flash tattoos (you know, those shiny gold and silver temporary tats), are the new big thing. So many of them, everywhere. Not a fan of the typical feather and chain patterns? Grab some glittery body paint and do it that way.
Most "Louisville" touch: Hunter S. Thompson
The Hunter S. Thompson impersonator at Gonzo Bar was all into it, hauling around a typewriter and channeling the spirit of Louisville's most famous drug enthusiast and all-around downer.
Best bourbon to make you forget it's NINETY-FIVE DEGREES OUTSIDE: Four Roses Single Barrel.
So good. But, someone explain to me how it is scientifically possible to be too hot out to drink? Because it almost was.
Worst Sensation: Rubbing up against the sweaty, hairy chests of shirtless strangers. *shudder*
Will Ford (Staff Writer)
Best James Brown Reincarnation: Paul Janeway, St. Paul & The Broken Bones singer
Janeway was an energy machine onstage at Forecastle. After the first song, he warned the crowd that they better get ready to move their ass and he did a far amount of that himself, gyrating with the music across the stage. Janeway, howling and dancing all over the stage, had total command of the set, and he did it all in a suit.
Photo: Glenn Hirsch
Best Homecoming Moment: Cage The Elephant
It had been a few years since Cage The Elephant graced Louisville and the band knew that as much as the crowd did. Guitarist Brad Schultz took the mic and told Forecastle that everyone from Kentucky had better get to that stage because they were about to have some family time. With that, Schultz joined Cage’s other guitarist, Nick Bockrath, in an abbreviated version of “My Old Kentucky Home” - the tamest part of their wild set.
Best Roadie: Cage The Elephant
Sometimes the crowd doesn’t get a chance to see the people who work hard behind the scene to assist bands in doing everything they need to do to perform. The Cage The Elephant crowd actually can’t say that about the group Forecastle performance as one roadie was front and center. Lead singer Matt Schultz is constantly jumping off the stage running around and interacting with fans. That would be all well and good if he didn’t keep the microphone with him the whole time. So kudos to one (and sometimes two) of Cage The Elephant’s roadies for having a microphone with a huge cord for Schultz and for coming on stage for most of the set making sure the cord getting get caught or tangled.
Best Place For Shade: Hills next to the WFPK Port Stage
The popular spot for shade would be under the expressway. In the afternoon, there would even be a line of people planted next to the edge of the shade. But if you wanted the best place for shade, you would have gone to the hills next to the WFPK Port Stage. It’s quieter than under the expressway and also has hammocks, grass, a canopy of trees and a spectacular view of the rest of the festival and Ohio River.
Best Guest Appearance: Jim James with Dr. Dundiff & Friends
The “& Friends” part of Dr. Dundiff’s set was of high emphasis during his Saturday afternoon set. The band onstage more than a dozen and he brought out a new rapper for each song so when the finale approached, it was not shocking that there were most guests to bring out, but definitely shocking that the last guest was My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James. James appeared onstage to tons of applause. He sang the chorus to his solo song “State of the Art (A.E.I.O.U.)” while rappers did their thing during the verses. All the rappers were back on stage for the finale, jumping around out of excitement, so Dundiff had to push them aside each time James had to sing again. James’s appearance was an unexpected end to great showcase of Louisville hip hop.
Best Example of Louisville Charm: My Morning Jacket fan
As Saturday was coming to a close and My Morning Jacket’s set was just starting, my girlfriend and I were about to watch and to indulge in a popsicle (for her) and some fries (for me). With our legs being dead at that point, we were relieved to see there was enough room for us at a bench just under the expressway. After we asked gentlemen who was sitting there with his wife if we could sit there, he did maybe the best Louisville thing he could have done. Not knowing that we were from Louisville, he said, “Yes, absolutely you can sit here. We even have napkins! Louisville welcomes you!” It’s stuff like that that makes Forecastle awesome. The festival is organized so well, but the people that fill the festival may be the nicest you will find at any festival.
Katie Molck (Intern/Contributor)
Best Performance: Modest Mouse
It was a hard pick! But when they started to play "Dramamine," it was like a hush went over the crowd and everyone was on the same wave length.
Best Crowd: One Big Family
These My Morning Jacket fans are over 500 strong on their Facebook page and were well represented at this years fest with members of the family attending from all over the United States. They couldn’t have been nicer either! They’re chill fans sharing the love of good music and of course My Morning Jacket.
Best Outfit: The U.S.A Boys
Or lack there of… I have to pick these guys only because they had enough gumption to do what we all wanted to do in the blistering heat, strip to our skivvies.
Photo: Katie Molck
Most Turnt-Up Set: White Reaper
The boys seemed to be having a lot fun Sunday afternoon on the Port Stage and Ryan Hater’s hips definitely don’t lie. This set snowballed energy from the dancing “white reaper” to the band’s friends joining them on stage.
Most Turnt-Down Set: Sam Smith.
For a closing Friday night set Smith just never “turnt it up” for me, but I think we all may have foreseen that. He’s just not the kind of music you start a party with. Oh, the incoming monsoon also may have aided in the turning down.
Most popular attire: Man tanks and those shorts that look like a skirt, but aren’t. Oh, and buns - both male and female.
Most Likely to Skip School: BRONCHO
BRONCHO would be that kid in school ditching class to play music in a buddy’s garage until the neighbors called and complained about the noise.
Best Place to Cool Off: Bourbon Lodge
Oh, sweet surrender! Blazing temperatures at Forecastle made everyone question their own heat tolerance, but at the very back of the Great Lawn existed a cool, dark cave-like refugee known as the Bourbon Lodge where we all found solace. Not only is it cool in there, but there is bourbon from wall-to-wall and it doesn’t get much better than that.
Glenn Hirsch (Photo Contributor)
Best performance: Cage the Elephant
Best crowd: The sweaty one
Best food: Lexie Lu's
Best spot to take a break/cool down: Under overpass was the cool spot
Best outfit: Guy in Shart.com Speedo
Photo: Glenn Hirsch
Biggest surprise: Keisza's show and Dr. Dundiff with his friends
Live Music Lou (Contributor)
Best performance: Houndmouth, MMJ, Dr. Dundiff, Twin Limb, White Reaper
Hometown bands brought it this year!
Best crowd: Modest Mouse
Despite the horrific temps, everyone was out on the lawn for this one.
Best food vendor/truck: Hi Five Donuts
That chicken habanero glaze donut was amazing.
Best spot to take a break/cool down: The water fixture by Festival Plaza
Didn't really get a chance to take a break. We only dunked our feet in there one time, but it was super popular.
Best outfit: Houndmouth
There's really no other option.
Best fan outfits: Gorilla mask, American flag speedo dudes, Tommy Bahama shirts, GLITTER
Biggest surprise: Kiesza & Sam Smith
Kiesza came out of nowhere in the middle of the day and Sam Smith's greatness was definitely a positive surprise.
Photo: Glenn Hirsch
Best stage: WFPK Port Stage, for sure
So many loud, high-energy bands came through there and it awesome
Cover photo by Glenn Hirsch
