This year was definitely the rainiest of any ROMP I’ve been too – I’m not envious of the upkeep it’s going to take to get the park back to its normal condition. We spent most of the day huddled under our almost-blowing-away canopies, but it made for an afternoon full of card games, bourbon and good company. Oh, and Moonlight BBQ – only the best.
Before the rain really started, I managed to catch Phoebe Hunt, Dominick Leslie, Sam Grisman and a few others having a little jam session. Later on, a little drenched from the downpours, The McCrary Sisters and The Fairfield Four brought a bit of gospel to Yellow Creek Park. The a cappella from the gentlemen was fantastic. They riled the sopping crowd, shouting for an “AMEN” or a “HALLELUJAH” about once every minute, but it was the kind of excitement that was needed. The ladies were just as engaging, adding some of their own flavor.
Del & Dawg. Just saying their names together still gives me the chills. These guys are legends, and the fact that they played together at this small festival is pretty huge. Del McCoury‘s guitar and storytelling skills and David Grisman‘s mandolin magic proved to be the perfect combination. And then Sam Bush came on stage with them and blew it even farther out of the park. During his own set, Sam continued the party well into the evening, receiving lots of love from his home state. Because of the rain delays (they’re exhausting, you know), I only was able to stay awake for a small snippet of surprise guest Yonder Mountain String Band‘s set, but it’s awesome they came and jammed even through the terrible weather.
Feelings for day 2: the sogginess couldn’t stop the bluegrass.
-Brittany
Live Music Louisville 