Bourbon & Beyond 2024-Day Two

After all the problems with hotels the day before, we were settled into the Tru Hilton in Louisville and getting ready for a busy day at Bourbon & Beyond. I had made appointments between all the music. I was looking forward to it all.

My brother, Mark, suggested lunch at Waffle House. He said it was on his bucket list. I hadn’t been in years and I’m never one to turn down waffles. It was actually very good, with big portions and reasonable prices.

 

We had no problem parking in the handicapped area and made it onto the grounds in time to pick up coffee in the press tent and watch Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, followed by Bruce Hornsby. It was a good way to start this bright day.

We then headed to the Big Bourbon Tent. We arrived a little early for our appointment with Tyler Rothenberg of Chicken Cock Bourbon and enjoyed the bluegrass while we waited.

Tyler set us up with the two cocktails made especially for Bourbon & Beyond:

  

Wildflower in Paris- Chicken Cock Bourbon, peach liqueur, iced tea, lemon juice, mint syrup, and candied syrup.

Bardstown Buck-Chicken Cock Bourbon, ginger ale, bitters, cane sugar reduction, and strawberries.

Both were so good we happily accepted seconds as Tyler told us about this small batch bourbon, which is actually one of the oldest bourbons in the country. It was originated in 1856 and has been reincarnated into this award-winning whiskey.

 

Next, I was excited to see Melissa Etheridge for the first time. It was one giant singalong as she had the crowd on their feet. She certainly knows how to get an audience involved. I definitely wished she could have stayed on longer, but there were strict rules to make sure the stages were turned over for the next performer.           

 

Mark and I decided it was time for dinner before the next stop. With so many options, it was tough deciding what to have for dinner. We ended up choosing pretty basic food that was terrific. Mark had Gus’s Fried Chicken, and I chose Meatball Sliders (there was no company name).

 

We sat at one of the communal picnic tables and the overwhelming opinion among the attendees was favorable for the food and music, and wishes that heat and humidity was lower.

Before the next appointment, we made a quick stop at the Workshop tent. Every time I have gone to one of those at a Bourbon & Beyond Festival I enjoyed it, but even with my brother helping out, there was just not enough time to stay long enough to write about them. Maybe next year.

 

Ansley Brown, the Media Relations Director, was waiting for us at the 1 Million Strong retreat. She explained how this area was a place to support and encourage those on the recovery journey, and those who wanted a break from cocktails prevalent at the festival.

Though the cocktail selection was delicious, it is a long day in the hot sun and non-alcoholic drinks are a break. This thought was supported by the crowd in the tent, and the fact that they were fast running out of mocktails.

 

The other reason for the 1 Million Strong presence at Bourbon & Beyond is the link between music and its tie to addiction. In fact, the organization admits 56% of those in the industry indicate substance abuse. Some of those stopped by during the event as festivals can be triggering to them too.

As we left the area, It was clear the crowds were getting bigger as the sun began to set. It was Friday night and I’m sure many were first arriving for the weekend.

 

I needed a break to put my feet up, catch up on social media, and caffeinate. I found a spot in the press tent to rest while Mark caught up with some more of the music, which included Matt Kearney, Chris Isaak, and Black Pumas.

Dave Matthews was the last performer of the evening. He was one of the acts I was excited about when I saw the list of musicians for this year’s Bourbon & Beyond. I have been a fan for years, but this was my first time seeing him live. He’s a wonderful live performer and the crowd was with him, especially for “Crash Into Me.”

 

We were definitely ready to call it a night when the Dave Matthews Band finished. It had been quite a day, but it was only day two of four at Bourbon & Beyond and time to pace myself.

Bourbon & Beyond 2024-Day One

The first year of Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville, Kentucky, had been wonderful, albeit ridiculously hot. The music, food, and bourbon were fantastic, and I was able to do many interviews for stories.

When I left Bourbon & Beyond the second year, it was in a muddy mess. The torrential rains in the hours before the end of day three left the long trip to the parking lot in my walker extremely difficult. Had I been in a wheelchair then, I would have been one of the people stuck for hours in the mud.

With the memories of 2018, followed by the event being skipped because of COVID, I didn’t think I’d return. Then my brother, Mark, brought it up.

 

Mark lives in California and we don’t get a lot of time together so it gave me a pause. Then, there was a lineup filled with performers I really wanted to see, such as Sting, Dave Matthews, Beck, Melissa Etheridge, and Larkin Poe, whom I had interviewed at the first Bourbon & Beyond.

My first step was to contact the media staff at Danny Wimmer Presents, the company producing the event. I knew there was a new venue, and I wanted to know more about it. I listened carefully as I was told there were accessible cement walkways throughout, and a large area of handicapped parking.

I decided we would go and cover the event together. I was still a bit nervous and checked the weather every day before I had nothing to worry about in the weather that first day as it was warm and sunny, with no sight of rain.

 

It was nice that there weren’t too many people when we first arrived, so we had a chance to look around and get something to eat after getting our press credentials.

We were able to get handicapped parking and, as I had been told, there were cement walkways for me to easily ride my wheelchair to the venue.

 

All of the major bourbon companies had their own tents. They also have tents with Bourbon & Beyond merchandise, as well as those with general clothing and hats. The Workshop was the scene for cooking demonstrations and bourbon seminars. I regret that I didn’t make it over to any, but it was away from the stages and there never seemed to be enough time.

I broke protocol, but the heat really had me in the mood for a cold glass of wine. The Wine Garden had a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc—and shade—which worked well for me.

 

I have seen Matchbox 20 four times (three in the last three years). I believe Rob Thomas is greatly underrated as a singer and songwriter. I can continue to listen to his songs every chance I get, even better if it’s in concert. Judging by the growing crowd, I was not alone.

While I was at Matchbox 20, Mark was checking out Tedeschi Trucks.

I took a break in the press tent. The Drip coffee bar  kept me going this first day and every day after. They provided us with complimentary coffee drinks, and I took full advantage. I think I tried just about everything. My favorite was the Dirty Horchata, made with cold brew, cinnamon, vanilla extract and bean, and milk.

The crowds on the main lawn increased dramatically as the sun began to go down. The Angel’s Envy VIP seating also filled up for the evening performances. I had heard a lot about how good Beck was live and had to agree. I really enjoyed him, especially “Loser,” which had the crowd on their feet singing along.

 

One of the reasons I wanted to go to this festival was Sting, who I had never seen perform live before. He did not disappoint. I was blown away by his stamina, as he hardly took a breath between songs.

We left as Sting was on his last song and we were both tired. This is the part where I usually say we went to the hotel and got a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, that story is much bigger.

 

In my previous coverage of Bourbon & Beyond, the Louisville Tourism Board would take care of getting me a hotel room. This worked well for me and them, as I would also spend time exploring the city and doing additional stories beyond the festival.

I had presumed it would work the same way and didn’t look into hotels. By the time I heard back from Louisville Tourism that they couldn’t supply the accommodations, there wasn’t a lot left around the festival locations.

We were able to get a two-bed accessible suite at an Extended Stay* about 20 minutes away. Even though I had a confirmation, they contacted me the day of check-in to tell me they did not have any such room, or anything accessible! We frantically called around town and had another similar experience with Wyndham, who gave us a confirmation for a room that did not exist.

It was after midnight before we got to a Hilton Tru, a half hour from the Bourbon & Beyond Festival, in an actual wheelchair friendly room—at nearly twice the price originally planned for. It was an experience I have never had before and to think it happened at two different hotels makes me more concerned than ever about accessible travel.

We tried not to let it put a damper on the positive festival experience we were having so far.

 

 

 

*I have never even received an apology from Extended Stay.

2024 Bourbon & Beyond Looks to be Better Than Ever

I covered Bourbon & Beyond two years in a row. It was by far the best music festival I had ever been to. Unfortunately, before the final day, there was a major rainstorm that continued for hours, and I had trouble getting my wheelchair through the mud.

I was concerned about it happening again, and Covid put it off the festival that next year anyway. Then, this summer, I found out about a most amazing lineup, in a venue that is very accessible, the Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center.

 

It’s all aligned, and I am looking forward to Louisville, Kentucky, next month. Below is a summary of this fantastic event. There are still tickets left if you’d like to come along. Just visit the Bourbon & Beyond website for details.

Headlining for Bourbon & Beyond this year is Sting, but he is far from the only top name. Among the list of 100 artists are:

Beck

Dave Matthews Band

Zach Bryan

Maren Morris

The Beach Boys

Melissa Etheridge

Matchbox 20

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Young the Giant

Tyler Childers

My Morning Jacket

Black Pumas

(click here for full lineup)

One of the wonderful things about Bourbon & Beyond is that you get even more than top music. There’s food and, of course, Bourbon. Chefs Amanda Freitag, Edward Lee, and Chris Santos will be leading the way with demonstrations and bourbon expert Christ Blandford will be giving seminars on the spirit.

Some of the musical artists will also be participating in the food and bourbon events, including the Bacon Brothers, Mat Kearney, and Molly Tuttle.

Visit the Bourbon & Beyond website for tickets and all the details, including information about the host city, Louisville, one of my favorite places.

Photos from previous Bourbon & Beyond Festivals (top to bottom) by Brittany Lambright
Lenny Kravitz, Keifer Sutherland, Sheryl Crow, and John Mayer.