LouFest rocked Forest Park this weekend. Erick and I were lucky enough to get to spend all weekend (well, as much as we wanted to, at least) there on our own, for the most part.
Saturday was hot. Humid and hot. So hot. The festival organizers had arranged for a free water bottle refilling station. That really saved all of us. I'm convinced. There was not a moment of the day that there weren't ten to twenty concert goers in line with one or two bottles for refilling. All the bands emphasized during their sets, "Stay hydrated, people!" It was not the kind of day that one messes around with that.
We did manage to find shade for a couple of sets. The only stage that had shade for the audience was the smallest stage. There were some good bands there, but the shade wasn't worth it to miss out on some of the other stuff.
Like this band, for example. Jukebox the Ghost. A great show. Entertaining, lively, a perfect cover of "Somebody to Love" right when they needed it. Performers. Their own music was incredible. And their most recent album, which we now own, lives up to the live experience.
Here's the thing about Saturday, though. We did not stay for Wilco, the main act of the night. In spite of all the water and the occasional shade, we were wiped out. We had a wonderful day, but the idea of forcing ourselves to stick it out through another two or three hours made me want to weep. We were asleep at 9:00. And it was glorious. I can't even pretend to regret that decision. "Make good choices!" is a phrase we always hold dear on weekends like these. And we did just that.
We did talk Sophia into giving it a try for a bit after my parents left on Sunday. Another great choice.
LouFest had a surprisingly large kid presence and a some fun, unique things for them to do. Plus, all kids 12 and under are free! And, as long as you're all right with your kids hearing an occasional f-bomb, then it's well worth the effort of getting out and in a crowd on a hot day. She loved doing yoga with this instructor. It was a lot of fun to watch. And less sweaty.
After we got Sophia home and ourselves back to a normal body temperature yet again, we returned for more great music. There were many incredible bands. Many, many that I would pay to see again on their own.
Another of my favorites, as I knew they would be, was Alabama Shakes. Their lead singer and the lady who put them all together is Brittany Howard. Her voice is stirring. Their group dynamics and musical instincts are just amazing. This is a band that works on every level.
Then The Killers closed out the night and the festival. I was looking forward to them, but not as much as Erick was. Next time, I'll be even more giddy than he was. They put on just an outstanding show. They knew what we wanted - a mix of old and new - and they gave it to us. So well put together. I expected a festival performance, but they went full out concert. It was great.
There were lots of other memorable performances and moments. Great things about the festival's organization. The Mizzou game on TV at the beer tent Saturday. A quinoa and tomato salad that was cold and refreshing at just the right moment. But I think you've heard enough. Next year, I'll save you a spot on the blanket.
Saturday was hot. Humid and hot. So hot. The festival organizers had arranged for a free water bottle refilling station. That really saved all of us. I'm convinced. There was not a moment of the day that there weren't ten to twenty concert goers in line with one or two bottles for refilling. All the bands emphasized during their sets, "Stay hydrated, people!" It was not the kind of day that one messes around with that.
We did manage to find shade for a couple of sets. The only stage that had shade for the audience was the smallest stage. There were some good bands there, but the shade wasn't worth it to miss out on some of the other stuff.
Like this band, for example. Jukebox the Ghost. A great show. Entertaining, lively, a perfect cover of "Somebody to Love" right when they needed it. Performers. Their own music was incredible. And their most recent album, which we now own, lives up to the live experience.
Here's the thing about Saturday, though. We did not stay for Wilco, the main act of the night. In spite of all the water and the occasional shade, we were wiped out. We had a wonderful day, but the idea of forcing ourselves to stick it out through another two or three hours made me want to weep. We were asleep at 9:00. And it was glorious. I can't even pretend to regret that decision. "Make good choices!" is a phrase we always hold dear on weekends like these. And we did just that.
We did talk Sophia into giving it a try for a bit after my parents left on Sunday. Another great choice.
LouFest had a surprisingly large kid presence and a some fun, unique things for them to do. Plus, all kids 12 and under are free! And, as long as you're all right with your kids hearing an occasional f-bomb, then it's well worth the effort of getting out and in a crowd on a hot day. She loved doing yoga with this instructor. It was a lot of fun to watch. And less sweaty.
After we got Sophia home and ourselves back to a normal body temperature yet again, we returned for more great music. There were many incredible bands. Many, many that I would pay to see again on their own.
Another of my favorites, as I knew they would be, was Alabama Shakes. Their lead singer and the lady who put them all together is Brittany Howard. Her voice is stirring. Their group dynamics and musical instincts are just amazing. This is a band that works on every level.
Then The Killers closed out the night and the festival. I was looking forward to them, but not as much as Erick was. Next time, I'll be even more giddy than he was. They put on just an outstanding show. They knew what we wanted - a mix of old and new - and they gave it to us. So well put together. I expected a festival performance, but they went full out concert. It was great.
Well summarized. A fantastic event. I cannot say how excited I was for The Killers and how much they over-delivered on that excitement. My highlight for sure, but there were plenty of others. It was fantastic, as was the company.
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