We are heading into one of the most interesting music-festival seasons of my lifetime in this area, and it should be a lot of fun to watch.
First, Jfest is set for May 18 in a new location. It has moved to the Tennessee Riverpark from Camp Jordan, which it has outgrown.
Then the "new" Riverbend Festival is set for May 29 through June 1. That's a week or two earlier than it has been held in the past, and it also is going to be half as long. For many years, Riverbend took place during the same week of both the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in nearby Manchester, Tennessee, about an hour from here, and the CMA Fest in Nashville, about two and a half hours from here.
It was kind of strange to think of Middle and Southeast Tennessee as the center of the music world, but for that week, it was. CMA Fest and and Bonnaroo organizers agreed to split up their weekends, with CMA to be held June 6-9 and Bonnaroo the following weekend.
Barry CourterChange, or adaptation, is the name of the game these days. Riverbend has changed its run date and number of days, and its pricing and approach to booking more current or relevant acts. Bonnaroo has put a huge emphasis on user experiences these last few years, upgrading and adapting its VIP camping option and lately what it offers in the general-admission camping areas, adding things like a laundromat, surprise concerts throughout the day and night, cooking demonstrations and group camping, which allows 24 or more people to reserve a space.
Organizers have worked over the years to make Great Stage Park on the 700-acre Manchester farm more user friendly so it could hold other events besides Bonnaroo. The idea has been talked about for many years, and it will finally happen with the new Exit 111 Festival Oct. 11-13.
It was fun watching the social-media chatter when the lineup was announced last month. Many people thought it was fake or a joke because of the names on the list. Headlining will be Lynyrd Skynyrd, Def Leppard and Guns N' Roses, with Slayer, Megadeth, ZZ Top, Cheap Trick, Mastodon, Gojira, Blackberry Smoke, Deftones, Coheed and Cambria and many others on the undercard.
Like a lot of people, I'm wondering how The Farm, as it is affectionately called by Roo veterans, will be utilized: How many stages, how many tickets will be offered, where will camping be set up, etc.? Some of that is still being worked out, I'm told.
And, of course, the Moon River Festival is set for Sept. 7-8 at Coolidge Park, and like the inaugural Chattanooga edition last year, this one sold out in less than two days. That's a lot of festival fun for our area.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.