Saturday
As Saturday began to take shape, the heat was reaching the mid-90s and there was no significant shade in sight. Getting front row center for the Old Crow Medicine Show was the only priority. We poured through the crowd as if swimming in a sea of corn syrup; Which Stage was taking on a whole new form. Now a fishbowl of teeming masses, Old Crow rosined up their bows and geetars for a good old-fashioned hoedown. The heat was pulsing and every song from the stage was momentous—it was a gargantuan showing. There is no substitute for seeing Old Crow Medicine Show live. Between the mandolin, guitar, fiddle and Kevin Hayes’ old-timey vocals, Old Crow was a scorching start.
Seeking refuge from the heat, a 70-foot water slide was calling. For a 10-dollar, two-day pass one could get relief from the heat at the hands of a portly, bearded fellow wielding a garden hose. Prior to ascending the contraption, the hefty, bearded one hoses you as though you are cattle being lead to the slaughterhouse. Once you’re “baptized” it’s up the plastic stairway and then a final wash from yet another bearded hillbilly lifeguard before one has the option of head or feet first. Headfirst is the recommended method and it’s exhilarating for a few splashing seconds before its back into the fray.
The next order of business was to attend the church that Mumford and Sons were about to hold on the Which Stage, but not before stopping by for a glimpse of Man Man. This band operates under false identities, but belt out their experimentally outrageous rock tunes as though it pours from their hearts. A full set from Man Man would have been amazing, but the best was yet to come; night was only a few short hours away. — Aaron Pylinski
Next up is The Black Keys, and the crowd is backed up for what looks like miles. They rip right into the old stuff with “Thickfreakness” and “Girl is On My Mind.” There’s nothing more visceral than Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney shredding their instruments in a flurry of Midwestern angst. They continue the charge with “Stack Shot Billy” and “Busted,” before breaking into the new record. They bring aboard a couple backing musicians to achieve the layered sound of 2010’s Brothers. “Tighten Up,” “Ten Cent Pistol” and “Howlin’ For You” get the crowd grooving and convert the non-believers. But The Keys rock the hardest without bells and whistles, and once again Auerbach and Carney have the stage to themselves. They end their set heads down and thrashing before dipping off into the Tennessee night.
Buffalo Springfield—together for the first time since 1968—is on next, and we hit the What Stage seconds before they go on. We camp out on a blanket toward the back and soon discover an awful sound bleed from the surrounding stages. The crowd starts chanting, “turn it up, turn it up,” and the band mistakenly takes it for cheers. This is the only moment they seem their age.
Rain begins to fall softly, so we move closer in, and the sound improves every step we take. They put on a sweltering, joyful set. Cuts like “Rock and Roll Woman,” “For What It’s Worth” and “Kind Woman” reign supreme. Neil Young and Stephen Stills trade lead duties like masters. But Young is clearly in control. There’s an unmistakable energy whenever he takes the mic. Whether he’s singing in his grizzled falsetto, jamming on lead guitar, or blasting manically into his harmonica, he knows just how to push the right buttons. For the grand finale they blast into Young’s wild rendition of “Rocking in the Free World.” It feels like they’re only getting started.
I head to Eminem with lukewarm expectations. I saw him twice before in his heyday, but after a few songs it’s clear things have changed. Drawing primarily from his past couple records, he seems more concerned with pushing his latest album than playing anything that would resonate with a rock festival crowd. Club singles take precedence over his early work, and sadly, “My Name Is,” “Real Slim Shady” and “Without Me,” are merged into one unrecognizable super-remix. — Kris Bass
Em’ came off somewhat tired and had a backing track, but the crowd was pleased nonetheless and sang along to old faves like “Stan.” Shady came out for an encore after a five-minute break and killed it with “Lose Yourself.”
STS9 and Gogol Bordello were rocking late into the evening, breaking all of sanity’s rules and playing until the sun was almost up. Despite being slightly overshadowed by Em’s fireworks display, there was no shortage of stage antics, as both acts are known for their crowd-pleasing techniques.
— Aaron Pylinski
