In hindsight the last couple of Fall for Greenville music lineups have been even better than we realized at the time. We’ve featured seven bands here today that you don’t want to miss.
*We’ll do a Top 5 #FFGVL Local Bands tomorrow.*
This year’s festival focuses on some of the Southeast’s finest acts, featuring both Tennessee music veterans and the next generation of up-and-coming acts. Check out our favorites below.
Saturday-7 Pm Carolina Ale House Stage East McBee St
Rolling into SXSW earlier this year, the first band we set out to see was The Apache Relay. Over the last year they’ve found themselves on the coattails of both Mumford and Sons and Trampled by Turtles. It’s an interesting place to find yourself, traveling around the country warming up huge crowds at venues that you’re a step or two away from headlining yourself. For them it’s just opening for their friends band.
The Apache Relay, who are based in Nashville, hang their hat on larger than life Folk music. Over the years they’ve grown from a mostly acoustic outfit to a sound more fitting for festivals and arenas. They are the band that is most likely to blow up out of this years festival line up.
Sunday-5:30 Main Stage
Justin Townes Earle spends about half his time in Nashville when he’s not on tour or in his New York City home. Earle is currently on tour toting his new album Nothing’s Gonna Change the
Way You Feel About Me Now, which was cut just an hour north of Greenville at Echo Mountain studio in Asheville in only 5 days. He’s meandered all over the place musically with each album, from the classic country and vivid characters on his first album, to the soul and blues on Harlem River Blues. With Nothing, Earle finds himself making music that would “piss off parents from the 60’s.” If his music isn’t as much your thing, take a good look at his outfit. He’s one of GQ’s top 25 most stylish men and will surely be looking dapper dressed in all Billy Reid.
3) Lucero
Saturday-7:30 Main Stage
They aren’t from Nashville and they’re damn proud of their Memphis roots. Over the 14 years of being a band, Lucero has a seen a lot of highs and lows, and seen their sound morph around quite a bit. They grew up as punk kids hating country like many of the ones that fell into the alt country wave that caught the turn of 99-00. They’ve now become venerable veterans and flag carriers for that unique mix of soul, country, and punk rock. They’re also road tested and fanatic approved. You don’t just like Lucero, you love them or hate them.
4) Jill Andrews
Sunday 3:30 Main Stage
Jill Andrews is no stranger to downtown Greenville events. Actually she’s pretty much become a staple during the Spring and Fall. She first made a name for herself in the music world as one half of The Everybodyfields. Since then she’s seen success as a solo artist after releasing her first full length album The Mirror. She’ll be playing main support for Justin Townes Earle. And if I remember correctly, Andrews is also a Nashville resident.
5) Ponderosa
Friday-7:30 Main Stage
On first listen to Ponderosa’s new album Pool Party I wasn’t sure I was listening to the same Ponderosa I had seen live. Live they were a southern rock juggernaut. They took a smoke break during their set. They were everything you’d expect of a Georgia dirty rock band. Then Paste Magazine premieres Pool Party and it’s like southern rock ate chill wave (I guess that’s where it went). The final product is ethereal and their most promising material to date.
Saturday-4:30 Main Stage
More fresh talent from Tennessee comes from The Kingston Springs fresh off the release of their new independently released self-titled album. The new album grooves with a southern swagger, mixing psychedelic dirty blues with slow burners like Kings of Leon’s “Sex on Fire.” The Kings of Leon shadow is hard to avoid when you’re in that dirty Rocky Top area.
Friday-9:30 Carolina Ale House State East McBee St
One mic stand is all they need. They can both tear down the stage with burning bluegrass solos, or intense lyrical imagery. Over the years CCL has carried the torch as one of North Carolina’s premiere bluegrass bands. They’ve carried that torch all over, including Europe where they’ve gained quite a following. If you didn’t get your fill of bluegrass at the Albino Skunk Festival last week, here’s your chance to hear some more.
