Let’s start off with a few disclaimers. To say I am underwhelmed by the festival line up would be an understatement.
Problem 1: They booked 3 headliners that I don’t care about. I won't be staying for any of them (well, maybe Aerosmith for like 2 songs just to see Steven Tyler before he kicks the bucket). It feels like a step backward from the 2015 headliners (No Doubt, Zac Brown Band, and The Killers).
Problem 2: There is a huge DJ push on the Encore stage in the evenings. I think they are trying to pull in a younger audience, and that’s their choice. I just don’t care about it (although Steve Aoki throwing a cake in someone’s face might be funny for 2 seconds, it’s not worth staying until 12:15 just to see it).
Problem 3: They decided to book a TON of 1990s pop/rock bands that I didn’t like in the 90s and sure as heck don’t like now. I have no nostalgic pull there and would rather see a new band than any of the bands on the schedule from the 90s. So if you can’t live without Sugar Ray, Gin Blossoms, Collective Soul, Third Eye Blind, and the Goo Goo Dolls, you’re on your own.
Despite those problems, there is STILL great music to be had (if you know where to look).
Friday Sept 16:
12-12:30= The Kickback
12:30-1:00= Future Thieves
2:05-2:55= Finish Ticket
4:15-5:15= Shovels and Rope (Only two people on the stage and they can rock more than bands with 7 members…oh and they’re married)
Here’s where it gets tricky and we will have to call some audible decisions in the moment.
5:20-6:15= Echosmith (this group has great potential)
6:25-7:55= Hall and Oates (there will be a marital disagreement with this band…I will want to stay, my husband will want to go…but we gotta see how these guys have held up)
6:40-7:55= Grouplove (seen them before and I don’t love their new album, so won’t be there long, and it really all depends how good Hall and Oates perform)
7:15-8:30= Gavin DeGraw (arrive late and leave early)
8:25-9:55= Fall Out Boy (the alternative to headliner Jimmy Buffet, so anyone under the age of 50 will likely be here)
Saturday Sept/17:
12:30-1= Judah & The Lion
1:30-2:15= Matt Costa
2:45-3:45= Rooney
3:00-3:55= The Struts (I’m not sure how much glitter I can take)
4:15-5:15= The Mowgli’s (if you choose to see Grouplove on Fri, then you could skip these guys…they sound similar)
6:40-7:55= Capital Cities (These guys will put on a great show)
** Sarah Silverman is performing from 11-12:30***
**DJ Steve Aoki plays his set at 12:15-1:45***
Sunday September 18
Best day, but you can skip the openers and the closer…and you’ll notice there is some overlapping scheduling.
1:30-2:30= Atlas Genius (gonna only stay till 2 so I can get to The Wild Feathers)
2:00-3:00= The Wild Feathers (seen them twice already and my friend is in the band)
3:00-4:00= Shakey Graves (he’s gonna have to impress me to make me stay)
3:15-4:15= G Love and Special Sauce (The Avett Brothers are likely to make an appearance becasue they are friends)
3:30-4:45= Jason Isbell (he is getting a ton of love in the Americana music world and should be great)
4:30-5:30= Blues Traveler (the only 90s band I want to see, but the harmonica could go horribly wrong)
5:15- 6:45= The Avett Brothers (Seen them twice before but can’t wait to see them again…this is a CAN’T MISS)
6:00-7:30= Cold War Kids (I have wanted to see these guys forever…but love Avett more…I will have to settle for the last 45 mins of their set)