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We are bringing folks together from all walks of life for one purpose: to show unity and understanding through song. This Sunday, September 15th, hundreds are expected to come together and experience “Love Sings Louder” at the Iroquois Amphitheater.
Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4) has joined with The Jewish Federation, Jewish Community Center, Fund for the Arts and the Republic Bank Foundation to sponsor this musical event. This is a free, community-wide, multi-faith, multi-cultural, intergenerational program.
“We invite all races, all cultures and all religions to come forward together for one afternoon in unity through song to show a spirit of community and understanding,” says Councilwoman Sexton Smith. “At a time when we see violence and the rise of racism, we have an opportunity to do something unique and special to show each of us that we can find common ground through music.”
“Love Sings Louder” is inspired by the currently popular “mass singing initiatives” facilitated by groups like Israel’s Koolulam and Canada’s Choir!Choir!Choir!. These events have brought together a diverse range of community members with the idea to stop everything for a few hours and just sing together.
Councilwoman Sexton-Smith and Mark Perelmuter are co-chairs of the event. Jecorey 1200 will lead the way.
In the setting of the Iroquois Amphitheater, those who gather to participate in “Love Sings Louder” will be taught one special song by various community leaders and musical performers. Then, together everyone will sing as a way of feeling of togetherness through a deep communal experience – their sounds and voices coming together to create a social choir, full of hope and optimism.
“This will be a wonderful experience for our community and our city, and I hope it will continue to grow over the years. I look forward joining many others who want to be part of something that will leave a magical memory. Together, we can make something beautiful happen,” says the Councilwoman.
“Love Sings Louder” will begin at 2:00pm. The Iroquois Amphitheater is located at 1080 Amphitheater Road.
Hometown Rising Wraps Up First of Three Fall Music Festivals in Trifesta Series
Day One of the inaugural Hometown Rising Country Music & Bourbon Festival is in the books with big crowds turning out at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Fair & Expo Center.
Fans were treated to country music staples including Pikeville native Dwight Yoakam, Trace Adkins, and Tim McGraw; established acts like Little Big Town, Frankie Ballard, and Jimmie Allen; and rising stars including Lindsay Ell, IMAJ, The Cadillac Three, and Taylorsville native J.D. Shelburne.
In addition to the three main stages full of talent, the festival also features dozens of festival merchandise vendors, a wide variety of bourbon labels to try, great food offerings from standard festival fare to gourmet offerings as well as dance lessons and performances.
The two-day party continues this afternoon for the final day featuring headliners Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Brett Young, and Jake Owen; as well as Poison frontman Bret Michaels and Lo Cash on the main Barrel and Oak stages. All three stages, including the Boots & Bourbon stage will be rocking all afternoon until 6PM, when the action moves to the main stages.
Dance lessons, including line dancing, east coast swing, and two-stepping, as well as barn dance mixers, bourbon history lessons also continue throughout the festival grounds.
The three weekend long Trifesta series continues next weekend with the three-day Bourbon & Beyond blend of bourbon, food and music – featuring headlines such as the Foo Fighters, John Fogerty, Robert Plant, Hall & Oates, Zac Brown Band, and ZZ Top.
The series wraps up September 27-29 as Louder Than Life returns to Louisville, bringing with it such heavy metal titans as Slipknot, Godsmack, Disturbed, Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, and Guns N’ Roses. The colossal lineup also features Ice Cube, Dropkick Murphys, Stone Temple Pilots, Gwar, Crystal Method, and many more feature acts. Continue reading
Louder Than Life, the World’s Largest Rock ‘N’ Roll Whiskey Festival, returns to Louisville, KY even bigger and better in its fifth year, with festival producers delivering the most spectacular music lineup since the festival began in 2014. Louder Than Life will feature the Danny Wimmer Presents debut of quintessential rock band Guns N’ Roses (in their first appearance since performing in Hawaii in December 2018), the return of chart-topping, festival favorites Slipknot and Disturbed, a reunited Staind (in their first public performance in 5 years), Godsmack, Rob Zombie, A Day To Remember, Ice Cube, Marilyn Manson, Breaking Benjamin, Chevelle, Halestorm, and many more.
Produced by premier independent festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents, Louder Than Life will be held at its new home at Highland Festival Grounds at KY Expo Center on Friday, September 27, Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29.
Louder Than Life will feature more than 50 music acts, with performances on three stages, along with award-winning bourbons, whiskey, spirits, craft beer, and the best food Louisville has to offer. Festival attendees will also enjoy a variety of onsite food and beverage experiences, as well as sponsor activations that celebrate the bourbon culture and culinary heritage of this unique American city.
“We wouldn’t be living up to the name Louder Than Life if we didn’t come back bigger and badder than ever, giving fans something they can’t see anywhere else,” says festival producer Danny Wimmer. “Getting Staind back together and plugged in on the main stage is something that I’ve been working on for years. These are songs that need to be heard, that fans have been dying to hear — Staind has been one of the most requested bands on our socials, and it’s an honor to be bringing their music back for the fans at Louder Than Life.”
Wimmer continues, “Slipknot has always had some of the most loyal, rabid fans in rock, but now they are at that pivotal moment when they’ve crossed over into iconic status; Disturbed has had their best touring numbers to date this year; then top it off with one of the biggest rock bands of all time in Guns N’ Roses…this year is our most massive lineup yet.”
Louder Than Life exclusive VIP packages, General Admission tickets, camping and hotel packages go on sale today, Monday, April 8 at 9:00 AM ET. Visit www.LouderThanLifeFestival.com for details.
Fans interested in attending all three DWP weekends at KY Expo Center, also including Hometown Rising Country Music & Bourbon Festival (September 14-15) and Bourbon & Beyond (September 20-22), can purchase a special Trifesta Pass, which allows General Admission weekend access for the discounted rate of only $229.00 plus fees. Visit https://trifestapass.com for more information.
Danny Wimmer Presents is proud to announce a collaboration with Metallica’s Blackened Whiskey and Enter Night Pilsner. Blackened, a super-premium American whiskey blend crafted by the late Master Distiller Dave Pickerell and finished in the earth shattering music of Metallica, and Enter Night Pilsner, a collaboration with the rockstars of craft brewing Stone Brewing Company, will come together under one roof to offer guests a one-of-kind musical festival experience. The massive BoilerMaker pop-up will feature a Blackened & Enter Night Boilermaker, as well as craft cocktails and ice-cold Enter Night Pilsner. This exciting collaboration marks the latest in a long line of amplified guest experiences only available through Danny Wimmer Presents music festivals. More info to come…
The festival’s centerpiece, Kroger’s Big Bourbon Bar presented by Louisville Courier Journal, will feature more than two dozen hand-selected bourbons from top distilleries, and a unique opportunity to enjoy bourbons and exclusive one-time specialty cocktails from 1792, Angel’s Envy, Barrell Bourbon, Coopers’ Craft, Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Jeptha Creed Four Grain Bourbon, Kentucky Peerless, Michter’s, Old Forester, Rebel Yell, StoneHammer, Wild Turkey and more to be announced.
Fred Minnick’s Mini Bar–hosted by the Louder Than Life bourbon curator, bourbon author/expert, and Amazon Prime host (Bourbon Up)–will showcase craft selections from Louisville’s world-renowned distilleries. Acclaimed Louisville whiskey bar The Silver Dollar will operate The Hunter’s Club, where attendees can find vintage bourbons dating as far back as the 1930s, as well as contemporary collectibles.
The initial list of participating bourbon brands at Louder Than Life includes 1792, Angel’s Envy, Barrell Bourbon, Coopers’ Craft, Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Four Roses, Jeptha Creed Four Grain Bourbon, Jim Beam, Kentucky Peerless, Larceny, Maker’s Mark, Michter’s, Old Forester, Rebel Yell, StoneHammer, Wild Turkey, Willett, and Woodford Reserve.
Whiskey sponsors also include Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort and Uncle Nearest.
In addition, attendees can enjoy a variety of local and regional food and beverage offerings provided by DWP’s affiliate concessionaire, Southern Hospitality Concessions LLC. Festival attendees will be able to experience a taste of Louisville with selections from the following restaurants: Boss Hog BBQ, Couvillion, Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar, Ehrler’s Ice Cream, Eli’s BBQ, Heine Brothers Coffee, Hull And Highwater, Joella’s Hot Chicken, Martin’s BBQ, Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen, River Road BBQ, Sarino, Seviche, and more.
Look for more food experience details to be announced soon.
Ticket prices for Louder Than Life will be as follows:
- 3-Day Weekend General Admission: starting at $149.50 + fees
- 3-Day Mint Experience VIP: starting at $449.50 + fees
- 3-Day Top Shelf VIP: $1,399.50 + fees
- Single Day General Admission: starting at $69.50 + fees
- Single Day VIP: starting at $199.50 + fees
Camping spaces for cars, tents, and RVs start at just $145.00 and include 4 nights’ stay in the Louder Than Life campgrounds. Camping passes also allow patrons re-entry privileges to and from the festival site all weekend long.
Mint Experience VIP tickets include access to VIP Hang—an exclusive hang area with dedicated bars, comfortable furniture, and live audio/video streams of the Monster Energy Barrel Stage and Oak Stage, plus front-of-stage viewing of the Oak Stage—as well as a dedicated merchandise stand, premium dedicated food offerings, air-conditioned and flushable restrooms, dedicated entrance lanes into the festival and a commemorative laminate and wristband.
Top Shelf VIP tickets include access to all Mint Experience VIP amenities, plus access to the Top Shelf Hang and other amenities including: air-conditioned lounge/tent with live audio/video streams of Monster Energy Barrel Stage and Oak Stage, front-of-stage viewing area for Monster Energy Barrel Stage, shaded viewing deck, all-inclusive premium drinks at dedicated bars within the hang area, complimentary hors d’oeuvres during lunch and dinner hours, dedicated air-conditioned and flushable bathrooms, massage station, complimentary lockers with cell-phone chargers, complimentary Wi-Fi access, Top Shelf VIP Concierge staff and a commemorative Top Shelf VIP laminate and RFID wristband.
Louder Than Life sponsors include Kentucky Tourism, Louisville Tourism, Monster Energy, Jack Daniel’s, Kroger, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Southern Comfort, Uncle Nearest Whiskey, f.y.e., The Music Experience, Fxck Cancer, Take Me Home, Against The Grain, and Zyn.
The Highland Festival Grounds At KY Expo Center are located at 937 Phillips Lane in Louisville, Kentucky. Festival doors open at 11:00 AM daily.
The World’s Largest Bourbon Festival, Bourbon & Beyond, will make its anticipated return to Louisville, KY Friday, September 20, Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, expanding to three days full of incredible music, unique culinary events, and unmatched experiences from the region’s best distilleries at the new Highland Festival Grounds At KY Expo Center. In addition to an unforgettable lineup of bourbon and chefs, music performers include a unique mix of rock, roots, bluegrass and folk acts headlined by Foo Fighters, Robert Plant And The Sensational Space Shifters (returning after originally being scheduled to appear in 2018) and the Zac Brown Band. Additional acts include John Fogerty, Daryl Hall & John Oates, ZZ Top (celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2019), Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Trey Anastasio Band, Leon Bridges, The Flaming Lips, Alison Krauss, Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeroes, +LIVE+, Grace Potter, Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul, and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, among many others. In total, more than 45 artists will play on three stages, including the side-by-side Oak and Barrel main stages and a bluegrass stage that will be curated by the genre’s leading authority, The Bluegrass Situation.
Held during Bourbon Heritage Month, Bourbon & Beyond also celebrates the craftsmanship behind award-winning spirits, master distillers and world-class chefs. Bourbon author, Amazon Prime host (Bourbon Up) and expert Fred Minnick has curated one-of-a-kind tastings and seminars celebrating Louisville’s world-renowned distilleries, while culinary curators Edward Lee (The Mind of A Chef) and Anthony Lamas (Seviche) will team up to arrange special food experiences that will be announced soon.
“If you could capture America in a bottle, it would be a bottle of bourbon. It’s a uniquely American creation, like jazz and baseball, and its beating heart is in Louisville,” says Bourbon & Beyond producer Danny Wimmer. “This connection to the past has transformed Louisville into a city of the future. One of the most vibrant and diverse food scenes in the country has grown around bourbon’s resurgence, and we tried to mirror that spirit with the great music lineup that we put together. I can’t wait for people to visit this city in September and experience something that goes far beyond their preconception of what Louisville is.”
Bourbon & Beyond exclusive VIP packages, General Admission tickets, camping and hotel packages, as well as special event tickets, go on sale Friday, March 15 at 12:00 PM EDT. Visit www.BourbonandBeyond.com for more details.
Produced by premier independent festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents, the third annual Bourbon & Beyond will be held at a new festival location, the Highland Festival Grounds At KY Expo Center. All of DWP’s Louisville festivals will take place at the new venue, including the firstever Hometown Rising Country Music & Bourbon Festival (Sept. 14-15) and Louder Than Life (Sept. 27-29). Fans interested in attending all three weekends can purchase a special Trifesta Pass, which allows General Admission weekend access for the discounted rate of only $229.00 plus fees.
The initial list of participating chefs at Bourbon & Beyond includes:
- Edward Lee (The Mind of A Chef, 610 Magnolia, MilkWood, Whiskey Dry)
- Graham Elliot (Family Food Fight, Top Chef)
- The Voltaggio Brothers (Michael – Ink, Top Chef & Bryan – VOLT)
- Tiffani Thiessen (“Dinner At Tiffani’s”)
- Jamie Bissonnette (Coppa, Toro, Little Donkey)
- Amanda Freitag (The Chef Next Door: A Pro Chef’s Recipes for Fun, Fearless Home Cooking, Chopped)
- Anthony Lamas (Chef/Owner at Seviche)
- Brooke Williamson (Top Chef, Knife Fight, House of Food) • Jose Salazar (Salazar, Mita’s, Goose and Elder)
- Ouita Michel (Holly Hill Inn)
- Adam Sobel (Cal Mare)
- Jonathan Searle (Lockbox)
- Matt Abdoo (Pig Beach)
- Rusty Hamlin (Papi’s Taqueria, Zac Brown’s Social Club, Atkins Park Restaurant)
- Sara Bradley (Freight House)
- Kelsey Barnard Clark (KBC)
- Justin Sutherland (Iron Chef America, Handsome Hog, Pearl and the Thief)
The festival’s centerpiece, Kroger’s Big Bourbon Bar presented by Louisville Courier Journal, will feature more than two dozen hand-selected bourbons from top distilleries, and a unique opportunity to enjoy bourbons and exclusive one-time specialty cocktails from 1792, Angel’s Envy, Barrell Bourbon, Bloody Butcher’s Creed, Buffalo Trace, Coopers’ Craft, Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Kentucky Peerless, Michter’s, Old Forester, StoneHammer, Wild Turkey and more to be announced.
As part of this innovative partnership and Kroger’s commitment to Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, 25 cents will be donated directly to Dare to Care Food Bank (www.daretocare.org) from every ticket sold. Dare to Care Food Bank works to ensure that no one in our community lacks enough food to live an active, healthy lifestyle, and Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative is their bold plan to end hunger in our communities and eliminate waste in their company by 2025.
Fred Minnick’s Mini Bar presented by the Bourbon Women Association will showcase craft selections from Wilderness Trail, MB Roland and Bluegrass Distillery. Acclaimed Louisville whiskey bar The Silver Dollar will operate The Hunter’s Club, where attendees can find vintage bourbons dating as far back as the 1930s, as well as contemporary collectibles.
The initial list of participating bourbon brands at Bourbon & Beyond includes 1792, Angel’s Envy, Bardstown Bourbon, Barrell Bourbon, Blanton’s, Bloody Butcher’s Creed, Bluegrass Distillery, Boone County Distilling, Buffalo Trace, Coopers’ Craft, Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Four Roses, Jim Beam, Kentucky Peerless, Knob Creek, Larceny, Maker’s Mark, MB Roland, Michter’s, Old Forester, Wild Turkey, Wilderness Trail, W.L. Weller and Woodford Reserve.
Ticket prices for Bourbon & Beyond will be as follows:
- 3-Day Weekend General Admission: starting at $169.50 + fees
- 3-Day Mint Experience VIP: starting at $579.50 + fees
- 3-Day Beyond VIP: $1,599.50 + fees
- Single Day General Admission: starting at $89.50 + fees
- Single Day VIP: starting at $249.50 + fees
Mint Experience VIP tickets include access to The Mint Garden—an exclusive hang area with dedicated bars, comfortable furniture, and live audio/video streams of the Barrel and Oak Stages, plus front-of-stage viewing of the Barrel and Oak Stages—as well as a dedicated merchandise stand, premium, dedicated food offerings, air-conditioned, flushable restrooms, dedicated entrance lanes into the festival and a commemorative laminate and wristband.
Beyond VIP tickets include access to all Mint Experience VIP amenities PLUS a shaded viewing deck, air-conditioned lounge/tent with live audio/video streams of the Barrel and Oak Stages, allinclusive premium drinks at 2 private bars within the hang area, complimentary hors d’oeuvres during set lunch and dinner hours, dedicated air-conditioned, flushable bathrooms, massage station, complimentary lockers with cell-phone chargers, complimentary Wi-Fi access, Beyond VIP Concierge staff and a commemorative Beyond VIP laminate and wristband.
Bourbon & Beyond sponsors include Kentucky Department of Tourism, Louisville Tourism, Kroger, Lagunitas, Red Bull, Zyn, Fxck Cancer, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Angry Orchard, Bourbon Women Association, Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA), Glencairn Crystal, and Eagle Nest Outfitters.
The Highland Festival Grounds At KY Expo Center are located at 937 Phillips Lane in Louisville, Kentucky. Festival doors open at 11:00 AM daily.
Premier independent festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents continues to show its love for Louisville with a third addition to a massive fall festival series in the one-of-a-kind city. Hometown Rising, the first-ever Country Music & Bourbon Festival, will make its debut Saturday, September 14 and Sunday, September 15 at Highland Festival Grounds at KY Expo Center, combining two of Louisville’s cultural cornerstones—great music and incredible bourbon.
Hometown Rising’s incredible music lineup will be led by country heavyweights including Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, and Little Big Town, with additional appearances from Dwight Yoakam, Brett Young, Jake Owen, Bret Michaels, Frankie Ballard, and many more. In total, more than 30 artists will play on three stages, including two side-by-side main stages, over the course of the weekend.
Hometown Rising exclusive VIP packages, General Admission tickets, camping and hotelpackages, as well as special event tickets go on sale Friday, February 15 at 12:00 PM EDT. Visit www.HometownRising.com for more details.
With three back-to-back festival weekends in Louisville in 2019, Danny Wimmer Presentswants to ensure all fans have the chance to enjoy multiple events with an affordable and convenient ticketing option. New this year, fans can purchase a special “Trifesta” Pass for the discounted rate of only $229.00 plus fees. The pass allows General Admission weekend access to all three DWP fall festivals in Louisville—Hometown Rising (September 14 & 15), Bourbon & Beyond (September 20-22) and Louder Than Life (September 27-29). Check out https://trifestapass.com for more information.
“I am beyond thrilled to be playing the very first year of Hometown Rising, and to have the opportunity to be part of such a prestigious and eclectic lineup of modern country artists,” says performer Alice Wallace.
Adds festival producer Danny Wimmer, “Hometown Rising is a blend of the music and culture I grew up around, in a place I now consider a second home. While DWP is best known for our rock festivals, I was surrounded by country music growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, and I’m excited to be expanding our portfolio with a genre and a place that are both close to my heart. I can’t think of a better location to launch a country music festival than right here in bourbon country. Mayor Fischer and the Louisville community continue to be great partners as we take this next step in the marriage of great music, food and bourbon.”
A spin-off of the Clifton Roots, Jazz, and Heritage Festival held at the Clifton Center last year, Butchertown Roots continues the quest to bring the best in roots, jazz, and world music to Louisville audiences. Featuring five Grammy nominees, a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Award recipient, and a MacArthur Foundation genius grant award winner, Butchertown Roots welcomes internationally renowned performers, as well as several of Louisville’s most celebrated local artists. Both concerts will be held at Louisville’s most exciting new venue, Odeon, located at 1335 Story Avenue in Louisville’s Butchertown neighborhood.
Masters of the infectious Brazilian music known as “Choro”, Trio Brasileiro, will kick off the festival on Saturday, September 15th at 8:00 pm. Recipients of a 2017 Grammy nomination for Best World Music Album for their recording with clarinetist Anat Cohen, Rosa dos Ventos, the Trio includes world-renowned guitarist Douglas Lora, mandolin virtuoso Dudu Maia, and percussionist Alexandre Lora, and is regarded as one of the world’s leading exponents of Choro, a musical style that has been described by some as a Brazilian cross between bluegrass and ragtime. With heart-wrenching harmonies and blazing virtuosity, Trio Brasileiro has brought crowds to their feet in concert tours throughout the U.S., South America, and Europe.
Butchertown Roots continues Sunday, September 16 with True Blues, an inspiring evening of music and conversation with legendary blues artists Corey Harris and Phil Wiggins. Harris, the phenomenal blues guitarist and singer who was a featured artist and narrator of Martin Scorcese’s 2003 documentary, “Feel Like Going Home”, which traced the evolution of the blues from West Africa to the southern U.S., will be joined by legendary blues harmonica virtuoso Phil Wiggins. Wiggins was recently awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts in honor of his many accomplishments, which included a 32-year stint as a member of one of the most famous duos in blues history, Cephas & Wiggins. Continue reading
Bourbon & Beyond music festival has launched a new mobile app to use at the second annual festival at Champions Park Saturday, September 22 and Sunday, September 23. Through the app, attendees can build their own schedule, learn more about the artists and personalities appearing at the festival and get the latest must-know information through push notifications. The app is available to download through the Google Play and Apple stores.
The schedule of events for Bourbon & Beyond has been announced offering a weekend of bourbon, area food and music assembled by festival producers Danny Wimmer Presents along with local culinary curator Edward Lee and bourbon curator Fred Minnick.
In addition to sets from Sting, Robert Plant And The Sensational Space Shifters, John Mayer, Lenny Kravitz, Counting Crows and David Byrne and many more on three stages, there are workshops from the many distilleries present at the festival, plus demos from culinary experts Tom Colicchio, Stephanie Izard, Aarón Sánchez and Ray Garcia on The Mash Stage.
Band performance times and the schedule for bourbon workshops and culinary demos are as follows (subject to change): Continue reading
