MARY LAMPHERE AUTHOR

Or at least see them on occassion.

So, we did a thing:
1 Day
2 Stages
7 Bands
10 Hours
24,000 People

That thing was the Tailgate & Tallboys Music Festival in Bloomington, Illinois.
June 17, 2023
Lakeview, Lily Rose, Josh Ross, Alexandra Kay, Warren Zeiders, Jelly Roll, and Nickelback.

Yes, that Nickelback.
It’s both kind of a joke and kinda cool that we saw The Most Hated Band in America.
On purpose.
And we liked it.

TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND PEOPLE.
Crammed shoulder to shoulder, arms pumping, voices raised in unison as we belt out song lyrics and swap vape pens*.
We’re a long way from The House shows where we were the only ones in the venue not part of the band. And barely two years removed from requiring a vax pass to see a show in some dive bar in Nashville.

I have to say, it was a perfect day.
Well organized, impressive talent, great sound, courteous crowd, and cooperative weather.
Sometimes a thing is just what you need to do.

*Not us, but I counted ten mouths on the same cartridge. Come a long way from social distancing, eh.