Cinder & Smoke Fest! We Went To Jackson And It Was Hotter Than A Pepper Sprout!
The Cinder & Smoke Fest is our baby here at Capture Kentucky. It was an idea that was born as an opportunity to showcase some of the great artists that we feature here. A way to bring our articles to life, if you will. Last year, it was held in Lexington at Proud Mary BBQ. We had a great first year and we loved the location, the people, the food and everything about Proud Mary. The decision to move Cinder & Smoke was made to allow us the freedom to move to a ticketed event, as Proud Mary BBQ prefers to simply have an open door policy.
Enter Shawn & Crystal Hatcher. They were the gracious hosts for the 2019 version of the Cinder & Smoke Fest. They own Thatcher’s Downtown, a very cool restaurant in Jackson, Kentucky. Thatcher’s isn’t your normal little hometown restaurant. They serve breakfast, often have doughnuts, coffee, beer and barbeque. They also host live music and have been very supportive in providing a venue and wanting to grow their restaurant, as well as a music scene in their hometown. So the decision to move Cinder & Smoke to Jackson was made much easier. (more…)
Cutting Every Rug And Killin Every Jug With Ian Noe, Devon Gilfillian and Daisy Helmuth At The Burl
Sometimes an article needs time to simmer. Seeing Ian Noe at his CD release, processing what we experienced and turning that into an article has taken me a few days. It was one of those nights that will be talked about for years to come.
I made a Facebook post on my personal page before the show that accurately described how the night felt. “Good morning to all the good people!! Today is the day we get to send off our next star out into the world! Come to The Burl and be a part of history with Ian Noe tonight!!” I often call The Burl our Mother Church. While the Burl was never an actual church like the Ryman in Nashville was, it does feature a lovely stained glass above the stage and it’s hosted what has felt like several religious experiences over the years. I mean, just look at the scene before the show.
Now I’m not slighting Daisy Helmuth or Devon Gilfillian, both were fantastic, but this article will mainly focus on Ian and his night. (more…)
Music Rules! Our Recap Of The Music Rules Fest At The Jenny Wiley Amphitheatre
The Music Rules Fest is a partnership between the Mountain Arts Center and Capture Kentucky. It is an event that I am incredibly proud of and that’s exactly why this article has been so difficult for me to write.
The City of Prestonsburg now has control of the Jenny Wiley Amphitheatre, which is located in the gorgeous Jenny Wiley State Park. They have allowed the Mountain Arts Center to run the venue as a sister venue to the 1044 seated theatre at the MAC.
The city has begun a remodel of the venue and there are plans to further improve the amphitheater. Restoring it to it’s once prominent place in the community.
The Music Rules Fest was developed to be a genre-less music festival that promises good music for good people. A simple concept that we felt could grow and become a tradition while growing into a Kentucky destination music festival. (more…)
Sold-Out!! Tyler Booth Comes Home To Campton!
Tyler Booth. Where do I begin? I’ve known Tyler’s Dad for years. We worked together back in the ole Stitch Rivet days. So I helped out any way possible when Jay reached out to me. This was in the early days of Capture Kentucky. I helped behind the scenes, in other words, the boring stuff that isn’t important. Lol I heard a few songs Tyler had written and as I do with anyone that is talented, I needed to see if he could pull it off live. Let me just say, that if you saw that November or December of the 2017 model of Tyler Booth, you would not believe that he’s come this far, especially in such a short period of time. That first show, I saw a nervous young man. One that escaped his fears by rarely making eye contact. I joked at the time that I took 1000 photos and only 8 had his eyes open. Some folks would get mad about that, but Tyler listens to people and that’s his biggest asset in my opinion.
I see a lot of Tyler in myself. He’s able to internalize things, sort out the truth from the bull and come back even better. That is what will keep this young man on his meteoric rise. With each show, Tyler gets better. Those early shows, he would go flat sometimes, as everyone does from time to time. Watching his face through my lens, I saw that brief moment of doubt. He’d be mad at himself, but he would go home and practice to dial in his voice. I saw none of that on Saturday. Which speaks volumes to his work ethic.
Top 15 Moments From Capture Kentucky’s First Two Years!
Here at Capture Kentucky, we’ve been incredibly blessed to be a part of some really great moments. Moments that will someday soon, be looked upon as part of our musical history. We’ve already seen the rise of several Kentucky artists and we feel there are plenty more on the horizon. Having said that, here is a list of the top 15 moments we were privileged to be a part of over the last two years!
First, an honorable mention. We created the Cinder & Smoke Fest which was held at Proud Mary BBQ in Lexington in 2018. It was the culmination of many months of work and it is something we are incredibly proud of. This year, we’re having the show in Jackson, Kentucky and when you see the lineup, you’re gonna want to snag tickets asap. So go ahead and clear 6/22 on your calendars. Trust me!
Now onto the list! (more…)
Black Stone Cherry ‘Carried Me On Down The Road’ To Tennessee’s Cumberland Caverns
Kentucky’s Black Stone Cherry needs no introduction, but the venue that I saw them in, definitely does. I have been wanting to attend a show at The Volcano Room at Cumberland Caverns ever since I laid eyes on photos folks have posted. Now Cumberland Caverns isn’t in Kentucky, it is in Tennessee, so I simply waited until a Kentucky angle made sense for me to put over 8 hours behind the wheel in one day.
Finally ,the perfect show popped up! Black Stone Cherry, Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown, and Bowling Green, Kentucky’s own, The Josephines. I will admit that I have already seen all three bands, so I had a pretty good idea of the energy and performance that we were in for.
So back to the venue for a moment, the Volcano Room at Cumberland Caverns is located 333 feet below the surface. The room itself holds about 750 people and if you’re anything like myself, you’ll be blown away to learn that at the back of the venue, there is a concession stand, as well as bathrooms located just past the merch tables. (more…)
Eric Bolander Rides ‘The Wind’ Into The Burl To Celebrate His New Album
Eric Bolander is a name that pops up quite a bit around these parts and there’s a good reason for that, Eric is a total badass. So when he invited me to cover his release party, I couldn’t say yes fast enough.
As the release date for his new album approached, I was given the opportunity to do an exclusive premiere of ‘The Wind.’ You can check that out here.
For me, as a Kentuckian, the opportunity to premiere songs and albums that folks like Eric put together is the ultimate honor for what we’re trying to do here at Capture Kentucky. Why? Because music is the blood, sweat, tears, hopes, dreams and dedication that have taken a lifetime to write. Songs are like children to an artist, so as I said, it’s the ultimate honor. (more…)
Nashville Is Officially Blue! The Kentucky Takeover At Marathon Music Works Brought The Party And The Soundtrack!
Nashville, Tennessee is considered the home of Country Music. So when I was approached by Daniel Collins (Whiskey Soldier) to help develop a Kentucky Takeover that would showcase Kentucky Musicians during the SEC Tournament, it was a no-brainer. I’m in. Let’s make a new tradition and shoehorn Kentucky into Nashville!
After several phone calls and many emails, a date was set and the wheels began spinning quickly. Which is a positive sign for sure. The only drawback to scheduling during the SEC Tournament, is you don’t know seeding and game times. Turns out that Kentucky played at 6pm, when the Kentucky Takeover was to begin. (more…)
Josh Turner And Mo Pitney Delight The East KY Expo in Pikeville
Why was it a good night to get in out of the rain at the East Kentucky Expo Center? I’ll tell you why, Josh Turner brought Mo Pitney along for a night of traditional country music.
Mo Pitney was up first. He took the stage with just his voice and a guitar. For the next few minutes he entertained the crowd with his original tunes and some great Roger Miller covers. Mo grew up playing bluegrass, and some compare his roots and voice to Kentucky’s own, Keith Whitley. He was the perfect choice to open this night. No frills just a man and his guitar singing some super cool tunes!
The Power Of The Female Voice Was On Full Display At The Sweet Thing Jamboree In Irvine
If you follow a vehicle with Delaware tags into Estill County, you know you’re in for a great time. Why? Because the tiny Appalachian town of Irvine is the heart and soul of our currently burgeoning musical community.
Sure larger cities host larger crowds and more famous bands, but Irvine is special and the folks from Delaware punctuate my point perfectly. Those folks drove to Irvine for one thing and one thing only, the music. I’ve said it a hundred times by now, but Kentucky is leading the charge in producing raw, genuine down-home, humble artists that forge bonds like the Grateful Dead did in San Francisco before taking on the world.
When you look for the spark that changed music as we know it in a few years, find a map and find Irvine. It’s tiny. It’s inspiring and it’s the incubator of future greatness.
Here at Capture Kentucky, I’ve set a few rules that are unconventional, but I truly hope to see others follow. One of the biggest ideas, is that every single show we put together will always feature at least one female artist. Like it or not, female artists do not get nearly the same amount of opportunities as the fellas do. I hope to help change that.