Bourbon and Beyond starts Thursday, and I am beyond excited. The lineups are maybe the best they’ve ever been and the weather is setting up to be hot but manageable – not to mention that we have Friday off.
But, if you have tickets and aren’t as excited as I am because you look at the lineup and say, “I don’t know any of these people,” I have you covered. I won’t say tell you to go see Beck, Sting, or Childers because (hopefully) you already know to go see those people. Instead, I will focus on the early time slots and smaller stages, which are JAM PACKED with incredible talent.
Thursday
Lyle Lovett – 3:25, Oak Stage
Lyle is one of my favorite artists of all time and likely the person I am most excited to see all weekend. He and his big band put on an incredible show and, based on their current tour info from setlist.fm, are playing a bang up setlist. Lyle will be fun, engaging, and heartbreaking all at the same time. The song I would recommend for him would be “Church,” off his 1992 record Joshua Judges Ruth.
The Wallflowers – 4:15, Barrel Stage
Only five minutes after Lyle on the stage directly next to him, the Wallflowers will be playing. For all our Bob Dylan fans, which I know there are many, you will be enthused to find out that the Wallflowers are fronted by Jakob Dylan, Bob’s son. If you don’t know any of their songs, don’t fret, they are known for their frequent covering of a multitude of Tom Petty songs.
Amanda Shires – 4:55, Yonder Stage
Run, don’t walk, from the Wallflowers set to the Yonder stage to see the glorious Amanda Shires put on what I know will be a phenomenal set. I’ve seen Shires twice, and both times she and her band have shocked me with how good they are. She will play the strings off a fiddle and sing like no one’s business. She also almost always plays one of her super-group’s songs titled, “The Highwomen,” which she murders in concert. Shires is not an act to miss by any stretch of the imagination.
Friday
Abraham Alexander – 4:45, Yonder Stage
I first saw Abraham Alexander when he opened for Gary Clark Jr., and he is downright incredible. When I saw him, he was on the stage with just an acoustic guitar and a microphone, and he still brought the place down. Recently, I saw a reddit post from him saying that he was going to throw the kitchen sink at his Bourbon and Beyond set, so I really couldn’t be more excited for what that entails.
Dan Tyminski – 5:20, Beyonder Stage
Are you a fan of the O’ Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack? Of course you are; who isn’t? Well, I have good news for you. Dan Tyminski is the voice of the Soggy Bottom Boys and he regularly plays “Man of Constant Sorrow,” the best song SBB perform. Not only is Tyminski incredible in his own right, he also directly follows Alexander on the Nextdoor Stage, so you won’t have to move much.
Cimafunk – 5:55, Yonder Stage
Speaking of not having to move far. If there is one set I would recommend most to anybody, it would be Cimafunk. I saw Cimafunk open for Jason Isbell at the Ryman, and they are down right incredible. The full band gives a very James Brown vibe, and they lived up to that reputation because they were the most fun show I’ve ever seen. They literally brought fans on stage at the Ryman!!!!! If that means nothing to you, it would be like casually trying on the King’s crown – not something you do. I will go so far as to stake my reputation on them being a top three most fun show of the entire festival (Cimafunk, please don’t disappoint).
Saturday
Josh Ritter – 1:35, Barrel Stage
This is quite early, but Josh Ritter is incredible. He is one of the best narrative song writers the music scene has today. His voice perfectly accompanies his lyrics, and it will be a real treat to catch a serious talent like him. My favorite song of his is one he typically plays, and I find it to be one of the most well-told stories in music; the song is titled, “The Curse.” If you listen to that song and don’t want to see him, I simply can’t help you.
Royel Otis – 3:25, Beyonder Stage
I know it is spelled weirdly, but correctly. I can’t speak to how good they are in concert, but I love their recorded sound. My main selling point is that they play “Linger” by the Cranberries and “Murder on the Dance Floor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor basically every show. It is always worthwhile to catch bangers like those.
Son Volt – 5:10, Yonder Stage
The 90s are making a comeback. Son Volt, for me, is wildly early on an auxiliary stage, but that’s how the schedule worked out, so we’ll work with it. Though they have released some newer stuff, they mostly “shut up and play the ‘hits.’” I think they’ll be a ton of fun, and I implore you to go see them.
Sunday
The Bacon Brothers – 1:30, Barrel Stage
It’s Kevin Bacon. Surely that’s all that needs to be said. If you want more, I can tell you this: Kevin Bacon before he hit it big was an actor at Actor’s Theatre, so maybe he’ll give it everything he’s got for us. But, more importantly, they play “Footloose”.
The War and Treaty – 2:05, Oak Stage
Talk about a duo to blow your socks off. This husband and wife have voices that can carry for miles, so to have them play so early is a real treat to get up close and personal to their immaculate sound. Recently, they were also nominated for the Grammy’s Best New Artist. Plus, if you’re already there for the Bacon Brothers, why not check them out.
Overall, there is so much talent oozing from the pores of Bourbon and Beyond, simply getting in the doors is a treat. The main takeaway: SEE CIMAFUNK. I know this will be a weekend to remember, I’m just excited to basque in the presence of great music.
