Ross's Landing may be back to its pristine, nonfestival state, but after nine days of being in the thick of Riverbend, the experience is still very much on my mind.
Despite a couple of minor stumbles, this year was an unqualified success for a lot of reasons. Where the festival struck truest, however, was how it not only put local artists in the spotlight but how those same artists came out in droves when they weren't onstage.
Open-mike guru Mike McDade and singer Hayley Graham seemed practically omnipresent throughout, whether they were cheering on blues guitarist Mark "Porkchop" Holder at the Two Taverns Variety Show or showing support for the Riverbend debut of Slim Pickin's.
Christie Burns was all over the place as well, campaigning and recruiting ceaselessly in her role as co-founder of the Folk School of Chattanooga. And if you didn't see the New Binkley Brothers at some point, wait until you discover how great Riverbend is without a blindfold.
Unless your favorite music venue is Chuck E. Cheese's, your favorite band is probably composed of humans, not animatronic robots. When they're onstage, however, some artists can seem unapproachable, which is why Riverbend is an excellent opportunity to humanize them.
I was right beside Milele Roots' guitarist Jonathan Wimpee as he was lapping up the funk at the Dumpstaphunk show like it was musical ambrosia. Ditto his former bandmate Becky Ribeiro at the Soul Rebels Brass Band gig during the Bessie Smith Strut.
To me, when musicians behave like fans, it makes their own performances seem more reverential or genuine. People have a tendency to put artists up on a pedestal. While they clearly warrant recognition for their work, it's nice on occasion to see them geek out about a band like the rest of us.
As a result of all the backslapping and camaraderie, the festival ended up feeling like a huge block party (or one of those feel-good Coke commercials). To most attendees, Riverbend is all about the music. It's just nice to be reassured that many performers share that sentiment.
* Essential Listening Project purchases for Week 2 (June 17): Bob Marley's "Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and The Wailers," Notorious B.I.G.'s "Ready To Die," Jimi Hendrix's "Electric Ladyland," and Sly & The Family Stone's "Stand!"