Bourbon & Beyond 2024-Day Three

My brother, Mark, and I both agreed we wanted to enjoy a good Kentucky barbecue meal in Louisville before we got started on the day at Bourbon & Beyond. I went online and searched for reviews. One place kept coming up: Shack in the Back.

It was clear we picked the right place when we saw the crowd at 11:00 am on a  Saturday morning. It was even clearer when we tasted the food.

I had a brisket sandwich, with a side of mashed potatoes and a side of corn. Mark went all out with the Sampler. It included brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and wings. He chose the mac and cheese and the green beans to go with it.

We didn’t make it through all the food, though it wasn’t for a lack of trying. We had to get to the festival as I had interviews to do and music to watch.

My first appointment was at Eastern Light Distilling. I was intrigued with this company and even more so after meeting with the owners. 

 
Eastern Light is not “a” bourbon company. It is a group that is locally owned in the foothills of Eastern Kentucky. This area is not an easy place for individuals to operate a bourbon distillery on their own. Instead, those interested in producing their own product have joined together to share one production building.

We met with Founding Partners Caleb Kilburn, who is the Master Distiller, and Cordell Lawrence, the CEO. They explained how bringing this option to a rural part of Kentucky has brought jobs and opportunities.

Eastern Light’s Oxmoor was on display with two cocktails for the event: Summer Punch, with Oxmoor Private Stock Kentucky Straight Bourbon, black tea, lemon, and spices; and 19^th Century Cocktail, with Oxmoor Private Stock Kentucky Straight Bourbon, sweet vermouth, Crème de Cacao, and lemon. 

We tasted the bourbon straight first and it was quite impressive, and really good with these unique drink combos.

We then headed over to see the pop duo Royal Otis on the Yonder Stage, one of the smaller (but, definitely not small) stages. I enjoyed them for a little while, but I was due in the press tent.

I arrived a little early for my interview with Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum and Young the Giant was there finishing up photos.

This was not the first time I had met with Dave Pirner and Soul Asylum. I saw them nine years previously at the House of Blues in Chicago. You can read all about my Bourbon & Beyond interview with Pirner here.

After the interview, I went over to a very packed Yonder Stage to watch Soul Asylum. I think the concert producers underestimated the fan base this band still had. The show was as good as I remembered.

The audience  cheered and sang, especially when the mega hit “Runaway Train” was performed. I confess I was singing then too.

The crowds were getting bigger, and the heat and exhaustion was getting to me. Mark offered to take me back to the hotel and then come back to see Zach Bryan. I did not object. I am not a huge country music fan anyway.

I took a bath and was resting in bed within the hour. In the meantime, Mark found a deck at Bourbon and Beyond to be able to see and hear Zach Bryan over what was a record producing crowd. After seeing the picture he sent, I knew I made the right choice staying in.

I was long asleep when he came back. He really enjoyed the last show of the night, and I got the rest I needed to make it through a busy final next day at Bourbon & Beyond.

Soul Asylum at the House of Blues

Long before I wrote about travel, food, wine, spirits, or even tennis, I was an entertainment writer. I was young and it was a lot of fun going into New York City and seeing plays, movie previews, and concerts. I knew it wasn’t the kind of life that I could keep up with once I was an “adult,” but it was a great time for a while.

I’ve recently received a lot of opportunities to cover music. While I’m not going to make a full time job out of it and trips into the “city” – now Chicago – are not something I can handle nightly, I do like to go to a concert and meet a band whenever possible.

I was especially excited to see Soul Asylum and meet the band backstage at the House of Blues in Chicago.

My friend John accompanied me into downtown and we arrived early enough to do some exploring around Navy Pier and enjoy a cocktail or two.

When we arrived at the House of Blues, there was still plenty of time left before the concert so I asked for a tour. The only House of Blues

I had previously been in was at the Showboat in Atlantic City (it’s now closed) so I had a bit of an idea what the venue looked like. I was especially interested in seeing their Foundation Room as the one in Atlantic City had been one of my favorite clubs.

I found out quickly that, like a lot of other buildings in Chicago, the design here was very unique and fascinating.

While the outside of the building may look simple, the inside of the House of Blues is an architectural delight, especially when it comes to the “opera boxes” and upstairs lounge. It’s definitely worth going to a concert for that alone.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get any decent photos in here, but the oriental design and comfortable couch areas make it a special night spot.

If you are just looking for a bite before the show, the House of Blues also has a restaurant, Crossroads, with a casual menu. They even have live music in there.

As for the music I came to see, Soul Asylum was phenomenal. We sat in one of the opera boxes just above the stage, after we had a chance to go backstage and meet the band. They were very gracious and volunteered to take photos with me (read my interview with Soul Asylum here).

I’m excited to add more music into my coverage this summer, with Summerfest, the Illinois State Fair, and Riot Fest.