Louder Than Life 2017 at Champions Park in Louisville, KY: Day #2 October 1, 2017

[caption id="attachment_29702" align="aligncenter" width="3910"] Photo Credit: Robin Ervolina[/caption]
Written by Tiffany A. Mitchell
Sad to see Day Two of Danny Wimmer Presents Louder Than Life festival come to an end. But first, waking up in our super awesome Air BnB, started out not so fun, after realizing I needed to take a quick trip to the emergency room in Louisville, KY. )knowing how ER's can tie you down for several hours,) my boss Robin went ahead to the festival before the first band to photograph came on and I jumped in a cab to the nearest ER. No worries, I was in and out and the panic of missing my the days interviews and bands, subsided and I got back just in time to hear Greta Van Fleet's phenomenal performance echo across the festival grounds. What a voice that Josh Kiszka has (check out my interview with Josh in a later post).
Walking back to the media tent to grab my table, singing along to "Highway Tune," the weather was perfect and my bittersweet feelings began to lighten up as I passed friends laughing with friends and families enjoying themselves with smiles on their faces. Louder Than Life is more that just a sick lineup of your favorite bands, it's family fun, a place to connect and meet like minds. A place where we all share a commonality, our love of music and togetherness. I decided to take the long way around, to checkout some of  the other vendors that I may have missed yesterday and I've heard a lot of buzz about the FYE Fan Experience tent. It's like your one-stop-shop to find all your favorite band’s music and possibly do an artist meet & greet and autograph signing with your favorite Louder Than Life performer. How awesome is that? The crowd around the tent was massive and I knew getting up close would take some maneuvering, so I decided to come back in a few hours and I may get lucky.
In my travels I stopped at the Monster Energy viewing deck for some pink lemonade hydration and a perfect view of the Loudmouth Stage as the not so death metal, at all, Eagles of Death Metal were jamming on stage. Checking the time, I had a few more minutes before my next interview, so I took my time walking, taking in the sights and sounds of this epic weekend. With so many options for food, fun and drinks all around, I think I need a few more days of louder than life Danny Wimmer( wink,wink ) to hit every vendor on the grounds. There was the exclusive bar called Down The Rabbit Hole Feat. Proprietors LLC of Death & Co, Bourbon World Presented By Courier-Journal, World’s Loudest Bourbon Tent filled with some our favorite distilleries and The Big Cheesy, Gourmet Grilled Cheese with a New Orleans flair and many, many more that I know I'm missing.
As I wrapped up my last few interviews of the day, I checked the schedule to see what the rest of day two had to offer. As I turned my frown upside down and brushed the dreaded end away into the wind, I couldn't help but get excited for the rest of the evenings lineup. On the Loudmouth Stage, Stone Sour would play followed by Incubus and on the Monster Energy Stage, Thrice, Rise Against and Prophets of Rage. Now I must live under a rock because most people I talked to had seen each of these bands at some point in their lives, for me, it would be my first time for all of them. I arrived at the Loudmouth Stage as Rise Against was on and from the stands, it was an overwhelming sight to behold. Now I've worked and attended festivals before and enjoy myself every time, maybe I was nostalgic, maybe it was just me. But to see thousands of people singing in unison, jumping with excitement to their favorite songs, created some unforgettable moments for so many. It could be a couple first date, or a family's child is old enough now to experience these moments together, or it's someone's first festival ever. So many stories, memories being made, friendships being built and bonds growing stronger. Louder Than Life means many things to many people, and as my first Louder adventure, it will be one I'll remember forever.
Thank you Danny Wimmer Presents and thanks to all the participating vendors, sponsors, patrons and fans who make the magic happen.
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Danny Wimmer Presents Bourbon and Beyond: Louisville, KY Sept 22-23, 2017

Written and photographed by Robin Ervolina
Danny Wimmer Presents is no stranger to Louisville, Kentucky. Four years ago DWP launched the first rock and metal festival, Louder Than Life at Champions Park. The lineup was, of course, stellar; those in the know, know to expect nothing less from DWP. However, Louder Than Life did something unique; incorporating the Kentucky community into the festival, LTL brought us the best bourbon and gourmet comfort food Louisville had to offer. Champions Park became a condensed version of all the things Louisville is known and loved for. Imagine my excitement when DWP launched Bourbon and Beyond this year and invited Shockwave Magazine to experience this epic event.
Bourbon and Beyond took the Louder Than Life template (literally the exact same set up in terms of stages and vendors) and blended in some unique features. Attendees had the opportunity to take part in bourbon education seminars from some of the biggest distilleries, as well as cooking demos with renowned chefs. In between sampling bourbon and food from the Bluegrass State, festival goers secured shaded spaces with lawn chairs and enjoyed a variety of music from local blue grass outfits to headliners Steve Miller Band on Saturday and Stevie Nicks on Sunday. Though the heat was blistering, the crowd was not deterred. DWP provided outdoor a/c units and massive water coolers so attendees could stay hydrated throughout the day.
One girl and a camera can only cover so much ground, and I was determined to bring as much of the experience to this review as possible. I captured some of the most amazing acts, from Shockwave favorite Kenny Wayne Shepherd to personal favorite Amos Lee. I was also in place to discover some new-to-me talents such as rockers Band of Horses and genre defying Shawn James & The Shapeshifters. However, the highlight of Friday's music homecoming was experiencing the iconic Buddy Guy tearing up the stage and charming an audience with his personality and extraordinary gifts. I also downloaded ZZ Ward's CD on the spot, and hung around for an intimate acoustic performance by Eddie Vedder. Check out the slideshow below for a taste of Bourbon and Beyond, Day One.
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Day two held the promise of cooler weather, more bourbon, addicting food offerings, and music to die for. Due to an unfortunate Uber incident I didn't arrive in time to catch Nashville's Caitlyn Smith from the photo pit, but I listened to her set, spellbound by her vocals and relatable lyrics. It was Sunday gospel at the church of good damn music, and if that's what you're needing, check out her new LP Starfire now. Disclaimer: when she holds that note out in "Tacoma" you will drop to your knees and confess your sins. The woman behind Meghan Trainor's I'm Gonna Love you and Garth Brooks' "Tacoma" has been hidden away long enough, so definitely check her out. Following Smith, and one of the most anticipated performances of the weekend, was none other than Lost Boy Keifer Sutherland playing tunes off his upcoming CD Down in a Hole. Sutherland stated that while he can't stand actors that try to form bands, he finally gave in because he's too old to give a shit. His ease on stage was as evident as his love of song. It's just one more thing this gentleman does to the fullest. I was also lucky enough to finally catch up with my hometown sweetheart Jonny Lang after all these years. He was soulful as a child playing in blues clubs back when, but he's grown nearly godlike in depth and talent. The list of legends carried throughout the day with the the exhuberant Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, Philly's G Love and Special Sauce, Gary Clark Jr, Paul Rodgers, Joe Bonamassa, and finally the lady herself, Stevie Nicks. Check out slides from Day Two below.
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Bourbon and Beyond is not your typical DWP festival. There, I said it. If you like the rock festival vibe with it's crowd surfing and mosh pits, you may find yourself feeling slightly out of place here. The crowd is laid back, all ages, and this event is more than music and mayhem. Bourbon and Beyond is you with your family or friends, a lawn chair and a cold drink, maybe a free-style dance off with the people perched next to you under the beer tree. Yes, you get all the upscale food and DWP amenities you've come to know and love, but you get something different, dare I say something more. I found the roots of the music I've loved for years and I found scraps of the the melodic quilt that make up the fabric of tears and cheers and "yes Jesus that's the stuff!" If that's your jam, I can't encourage you enough to check out next year's Bourbon and Beyond. Bring your lawn chair and your chill, an empty stomach and primed liver. Come to learn, to taste, to imbibe, and to enjoy! Personally, this festival will be a MUST for me from here going forward.