If you're trying to think of ways to fill the hours from when the gates open in about an hour to when Alison Krauss and Union Station take the Coke Stage at 9:30, considering showing up for these acts, I know I'm going to:
* That 1 Guy (6:15-7:30 p.m., Bud Light Stage/11 p.m.-midnight, Tennessee Lottery Stage). Trying to describe exactly what Mike "That 1 Guy" Silverman does on stage presents me with a bit of a conundrum. He's built a custom instrument called the Magic Pipe that wouldn't look out of place in Dr. Frankenstein's lab. It's a bizarre amalgamation of pipes, electronics and strings that looks like it's going to fall apart.
Strangely, it does nothing of the sort, but rather enables Silverman to explore a ridiculous range of sounds, which he combines in some of the funkiest electronic music you're ever likely to hear. As an added bonus, if you miss the first show on Bud Light, just turn around after Alison Krauss finishes at 11, and you can catch a special second show on the Tennessee Lottery Stage. Win win.
* The Two Taverns Variety Show (6:30-7:45, Unum Stage). I've said it before, and trust me, I'll say it again, but this Riverbend will be a banner one for introducing you to talent from this area. There are few better chances to do that than the variety show.
Yesterday, I met up with Mike McDade, the show's host and a prominent figure on the local open mike scene, as he was leaving the grounds for a brief respite. He said the show already has 18 area open mike artists slated to perform on the Unum Stage. Want a chance for an overall view of the music that'll be going on long after Riverbend returns Riverfront Parkway to motorists? This is the place.
* 6 Stools 6 Strings (7:45-9:45 p.m., Tennessee Valley Credit Union Stage). You may not realize it, but your new favorite songwriter might be Gary Nicholson, Buzz Cason, Webb Wilder, Karen Staley, Trent Summer or Irene Kelley, all of whom will be taking the stage for this show. I've heard several of these artists before, some of them at the sorely missed Chattahippie Music Festival in 2008, and they've got songwriting credits with some of the biggest names in the business, not to mention fine voices of their own.
So that's my Day Two. What's yours?