I, for one, was not exactly sure what to expect at HullabaLou. I'd never been to Churchhill Downs and had only been to one other musical event since moving to Louisville last year, the Forecastle Festival. That said, it was pretty cool to be in a place that is known all around the world, even if the venue was not for horse racing. Everything that the other louisville.com writers have said is pretty much true regarding HullabaLou: bring money because the food is not cheap and not super filling, drink tons of water because the heat is unreal, and if you had a chance to, I hope you check out some of the stands set up like the PS3 booth/stand and Best Buy or the Market Place.
I was glad to get a chance to see Colbie Caillet play and to hear Dierks Bently. I'm a believer that, if you truely love music, you can find a little something in all musical genres to enjoy. I also totally loved seeing Bon Jovi. It was worth battling the heat and the crowds and the lines for food and drink and I'd do it again. All of this is to say that, sure, whomever booked for HullabaLou might want to be a bit more current and adventurous in the future, but for a venue hoping to get stronger legs this was not a bad start.
Photo by Tarsha Stith