The Riverbend Festival is one of Chattanooga’s premier events. I enjoy the 4 Bridges Art Festival, Riverfront Nights, the Nightfall Concert Series, The Chattanooga Market and many other events. I look forward to Riverbend though, more than any other local happening. Every year while the fireworks are lighting up the night following the last performance I’m already anticipating next year’s festival.

There are two kinds of Riverbend people: Coke Stage People and Side Stage People. Acknowledging that every rule has exceptions, Coke Stage People are usually casual music fans or folks who come out for the event itself. Side Stage People are most often serious music fans.

The Riverbend organizers and music selection committee have a difficult task. They have a fixed amount of money with which to procure talent for the festival, so each year they have to juggle genres, quality and recognizable names to put together a lineup. Every year the end result is different.

This year’s festival was the year of the Coke Stage, and the side stages (with some notable exceptions) paid the price. The main stage lineup was so impressive that my son could hardly believe we had so many big names in Chattanooga in one week. This is not to say that the side stage regulars couldn’t or didn’t enjoy the main stage acts. Alison Krauss, The Waybacks with friends with the CSO, Sheryl Crow and Darius Rucker are great musicians as well as being popular performers. Other main stage acts are currently popular or are nothing short of legendary, and they had a lot to offer their fans as well.

There are, however, almost four hours of music from the time the gates open until the Coke Stage lights up. The music fans that look forward to the eclectic variety of music Riverbend offers have always found the side stages to be places where they could enjoy quality acts with national cult followings, discover new artists that they would enjoy for years to come or have a less popular but critically renowned virtuoso hold them captive for an hour they would never forget.

This year’s festival left the side stage folk sharing one thought openly – “The side stages are off this year.” I repeat: there were notable exceptions, but I agree that the side stage offerings didn’t live up to expectations. One reason is that we saw far more local acts this year than we are accustomed to seeing. Our local talent is great, and I am a regular follower of many of the local acts that appeared. Therein lies the problem. Most of the local acts that appeared this year are acts that I and many others at the Unum and TVCU stages see regularly at other local venues.

I’m glad to see some of my favorite local performers have an opportunity to play to a larger than usual audience, and they all put on good shows. But while past years have left me scratching my head trying to decide between two enticing acts in the same time slot, this year there were entire slots that didn’t offer anyone of real interest to me.

That said, it was still an enjoyable festival and undoubtedly the best entertainment value anywhere. Following are a few remarks on individual acts:

Best Local Act: Milele Roots

Grunge meets reggae band Milele Roots put on a great show and proved once again why they’re one of the local music scene’s most popular and lasting acts. They’re a great example of a cross-genre act that appeals to a broad range of fans and tastes.

Other notable performances by local artists: Sistren, Moonslew, Butch Ross and Joe Decosimo, Roger Alan Wade, Angel Snow, John Lathim and Slim Pickins.

Individual Performer Most Fun To Watch: Jeremy Stacy

Sheryl Crow’s drummer was nothing less than a machine. The guy looks like a real-life incarnation of Mario from the video game, but man could he play the drums.

Runner up: Pat McDonald of the Charlie Daniels Band. Charlie has always held to the 1970’s “long drum solo to give the band a break” formula, and McDonald’s drum solo was one the best I’ve ever seen.

Best Musical Performance: The Waybacks, Joan Osborne, John Cowan, Jens Kruger and the CSO

I’m not sure I’ve ever witnessed a more enjoyable, entertaining and technically perfect performance than Sunday night’s Mystery Rock Revue. I’m a dedicated fan of The Waybacks and knew the all-star cast of friends and the Chattanooga Symphony would collaborate to put together a great show. I was not disappointed, nor were a lot of people around me who came not knowing what to expect but left amazed at what they heard. Abbey Road was the perfect album for such an effort, and it was good to see the CSO play a major part in the production. They were marvelous.

Runner Up: The Waybacks performing on the Unum Stage. Each member of The Waybacks is a virtuoso in his own right, and their work as a band is incredible. Whether Warren Hood is playing a violin or a fiddle depends on the song. Jerre Haskew once described guitarist James Nash like this: “Lots of guys are fast. James is fast and clean, like no one else I know.” Joe Kyle, Jr.’s understated bass is always perfect, and Chuck Hamilton combines technical perfection on percussion with some serious cool and soul.

Most Disappointing Performance: George Clinton and P-Funk

Funk is not my favorite genre, but I’m a huge fan of Mother’s Finest and really enjoy the tight bass, drum and guitar combinations for which great funk bands are known. P-Funk was neither tight nor funky. They were little more than 15 or so individuals milling around on stage making noise while their leader was nowhere to be seen. Some people have mentioned Clinton’s age (he’s almost 70 years old) as the reason for his weak vocals and lack of stage time, but I’ve seen plenty of performers his age go on strong. I hear they got better late, but why wait until your set is supposed to end to get going?

Runner-up: Jimmy Webb. Being a great songwriter doesn’t always translate to being a good performer. Jimmy Webb is a great songwriter, but if you didn’t know he wrote the songs he was singing you would assume you were hearing a lounge singer, and a not-so-great lounge singer at that.

Best Stage Performance: Dan Baird and Homemade Sin

All musicians should love playing their music and have as much fun doing it as do these guys. I’m serious. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve seen any group do what they did on stage. Their self-deprecating name is quite appropriate. The Rolling Stones are the only uglier band I’ve ever seen, and Homemade Sin demonstrates similar chemistry between members as the Stones. This was one of the best raw energy shows I’ve seen in a long while.

Biggest Surprise: Charlie Daniels Band

I first saw Charlie Daniels in 1976, and prior to last night I had seen the Charlie Daniels Band three times. I’ve seen pre-conversion Charlie and born-again Charlie, and I’ve never been disappointed. But Charlie is 74 years old, and with recent reports of his health concerns, I expected a decent but laid-back show. Nope. Charlie has always had high musical standards for his band and every show was energetic. This show was no different. The old man can still bring it, and he did. Maybe George Clinton should check with Charlie and find out where to buy some good vitamins.

Legend Of The Year: Chris Hillman and Herb Pederson

In my humble opinion, no one is worth seeing simply because they are a legend. But legend doesn’t always mean “washed-up” either. Hillman and Pederson brought a beautiful and inspiring blend of past hits and new collaborative efforts that were in the true spirit of the Unum stage.

What about the other main stage acts? Alison Krauss, Sheryl Crow and Darius Rucker were entertaining. How could they not be? They’re Alison Krauss, Sheryl Crow and Darius Rucker. What was lacking from their performances, more than anything, was the fault of the setting and not the artists themselves. Vocals are consistently hard to hear, and crowd noise really interferes with the sound even when you have good seats. But again, many of the Coke Stage folks aren’t there for the music as much as for the party.

Other acts of note: The Seven Walkers, San Rafael, Drivin N Crying, and Tom Russell. All were the kinds of acts that make the Riverbend Festival a great place to spend your evenings one week every year.

A final note: Tonya and I decided to stay home this year and take a vacation planned around the Riverbend Festival. We did some hiking and canoeing, visited several local attractions that we haven’t seen in years or at all, and ate at some great local restaurants that we had not visited before.

It was a great week, and we realized well into the week that we could plan five more vacations here at home and not see everything we want to see. We kept our money in the community, and every day reminded us that we live in the best city on earth. What a blessing.

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I agree with Mr. North on almost everything you had to say in your article, except for the part about the side stage acts being below expectations. I thought the side stage acts were excellent this year. However, it is your comment regarding local bands that I feel needs addressing.

First, local bands only make up about a third of the Riverbend lineup. At Nightfall, nearly 50% of the performances are local acts, with the opener most often local.

Second, with over a hundred slots to fill, the budget can only hold so many touring acts, which cost considerably more, due to travel expenses, more recognizable names, etc. Our local bands are not "filler," however, as some of the biggest crowds were present for the local acts.

Third, many of the local acts do not perform often at in-town venues, so they were presenting their act for the first time to many new fans.

Fourth, the local bands that do perform often at local venues have developed large followings. They brought in pin buyers. They also captured a whole new set of fans that do not venture out to the local bars and venues that offer live and local music.

Fifth, local bands don’t often get to showcase their talents on a soundstage equipped with sound engineers, lighting, and the top equipment in the business. It is their chance to shine and maybe, just maybe, use their performance as a springboard to bigger things.

You did mention the eclectic variety of music at Riverbend, and the local acts were no exception. There was jazz, blues, hard rock, classic rock, country, bluegrass, Christian music, and singer/songwriters.

I am proud of our Riverbend Festival this year, and especially proud of the local acts that made this one of the best ever.

Bob Payne

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I wanted to address an opinion stated by a reader regarding too much local talent performing at Riverbend. I am a local musician that performs with many bands at several local venues.

Mr. North expressed you can see local acts at non-Riverbend venues regularly, so something different should be at the festival. That is true if you enjoy going to bars and clubs that hire local bands.

I have a 16-year-old son that rarely gets to see me play because of that very issue. I played Riverbend this year, and not only did my son come, but several friends of his and mine that either can’t or choose not to go to these establishments.

There is incredible talent in this town that rarely gets seen by the majority of Chattanooga. Sure, Nightfall provides a good venue for local acts to open the shows. A few other festivals are held that use locals, but generally speaking, it is bars.

I greatly appreciated the opportunity to play on a nice stage with great equipment. It was exciting for the band to look forward to playing to a larger than usual crowd.

I think the word “local” discounts the level of talent because it is hard for us to believe successful people could come from right here.

Roger Allen Wade has written hit after hit, but is still considered “local.” I know of several “local” musicians that have toured with huge acts, but have chosen to settle down in this area for whatever reason. Some of them play in “local” bands that performed at Riverbend 2010.

I wonder if Mr. North knew that the former Oak Ridge Boys drummer who also toured with Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, etc. played with a local act. Would that change his opinion of that act?

I have lived in several cities, and I always considered Chattanooga home. One thing every city has in common is good and bad bands. Bob Payne and the festival did an incredible job choosing “local” talent.

Overland Express, Jimmy Tawater, No Big Deal, Nathan Farrow, Roger Allen Wade and all the others did a great job. Thanks for the support of the Riverbend Festival!

Johnny Smith
General Manager
Quality Lighting Center

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I agree with a lot of what you have to say as well Mike but, just like Bob...I think your characterization of the local music scene is a bit unfair. Most of the local acts that were a part of the festival perform in town yes, but not as frequently as you make it seem. Some such as Milele Roots, The Cadillac Saints, No Big Deal, Nathan Farrow, and Slim Pickins do perform fairly regularly. While others such as Jimmy Tawater, Rick Bowers, Sistren, etc do not.

And just as Johnny Smith stated, many people who want to come see us cannot due to age restrictions at some of our local venues. My own nieces, who are way too young to go anywhere, were able to come see their uncle play in his band on a big stage. I couldn't have asked for a better place for them to be able to see us play their first time.

There is an immense pool of talent here in Chattanooga. I agree with Johnny that "local" sometimes does make people think that there isn't great talent here. I also know of many, many talented people here in town that have gone on to tour internationally. A man that plays still in the Backstreet Boys' band currently, the band Confederate Railroad, Dan Landrum, and many many others. I have heard many people say, "oh, their just a local band" during many a Riverbend. Quite honestly it's a slap in the face. Many of us are just as talented, if not more so, than many acts that tour the world.

The increase in local acts this year was incredibly encouraging to those of us that have been foot-slogging here in town through the years. For a long time there was only a few select local acts that were given the opportunity to play the festival. Many of us have grown up in Chattanooga and have attended the festival frequently over the years. For quite a few seeing those stages as children and now being able to perform on them...it's a childhood dream come true.

Chattanooga has always been a fairly supportive city to it's local acts. People have begun to embrace the new artists in town as well. We have seen support from Mike Dougher at Rhythm & Brews, Bob Payne from www.chattanoogan.com, Jeff Styles at WGOW, and countless other people. We can't do what we love without support from all these people and the rest of the friends, family, and fans that come out to support us.

On a side note, I want to publicly thank Bob Payne for making The Cadillac Saints a part of his push for local music at Riverbend this year. He has supported us even before he saw us perform in person. We can't thank you enough for the faith you put in us. Bob has done a great service to the city and its' local music community. We all thank you.

Support local music...trust me, you'd miss us if we were all gone.

Jeremy Muse
The Cadillac Saints
Chattanooga, Tn.