37FLOOD's Forecastle Sunday Top Picks

Traditionally Sundays at Forecastle have been a little lite, but this Sunday lineup is packed with more jammers than saturday. If you have to pick between the two, sunday would be our recommendation. Friday is also a promising day with the most Louisville bands preforming.




If we had to pick just one artist to see all weekend it would be the Screamin' Eagle himself Charles Bradley (3:30 Mast Stage). His voice, charm, and stage presence will keep your Rock N' Roll heart pounding for weeks.

Foxygen (4:15 Boom Stage) plays right after Charles Bradley and are directly followed on the Boom Stage by Conner Oberst of Bright Eyes and Monsters Of Folk fame at 6pm.

The rest of the night is a 90s Indie-rock smorgasbord with PJ Harvey on the Mast Stage at 7pm followed by SPOON on the Boom Stage at 8pm with yet another 90s indie-pop group, Weezer, finishing the fest on the Mast Stage at 9:15.



See our Saturday Forecastle picks here.
See our Friday Forecastle picks here.

37FlOOD's Saturday Forecastle Picks

We were surprised to see most of our favorite bands pushed to either very early friday or late sunday with the prime slot of saturday a little sparse, but as bands make the festival circuit, mid-level fests tend to get the bigger names on fridays or sundays with the top billers heading to larger fests for saturday.

None the less, there are some smashers on Saturday that are a DON'T MISS including Kentucky's own Sturgil Simpson at 7:15 on the Mast Stage followed directly by LCD Soundsystem (9:30 Mast Stage).





Other picks for Saturday include Joseph (3:15 Boom Stage) and Lucy Dacus (2:15 Mast Stage).





See our Favorites for Friday's line-up here.

37FLOOD's Friday Forecastle top picks

Get ready Louisville! Forecastle starts this Friday (bright and early at 3 pm for some reason), and we have picked out our favorites and listed them by stage and time so all you have to do is show up!

FRIDAY Top Picks:

TWIN LIMB (3pm Mast Stage)
This Louisville Favorite is kicking off this year's fest (although we would have much rather seen this talented band get a better time slot) and they also made it onto our Best Music Releases List of 2016 (twice)!


Quiet Hollers (4:15 Port Stage)
Again it's disappointing seeing one of our favorite local bands get a time slot when most people are still at work, but if you can make out these boys are sure to not disappoint! Their Self titled release made it to #3 of our top favorite albums of 2015!

Jaye Jayle (5:45 Port Stage)
Stay right where you are, because Louisville's own Jaye Jayle will be playing right after Quiet Hollers, and they are a must see! They also made it onto our top 10 albums of 2016!

Cage The Elephant (7:45 Mast Stage)
This Kentucky band was a crowd favorite at Forecastle in 2015 and promises to deliver.


Run The Jewels (9pm Boom Stage)
If there was just one group to see on day one, it might have to be Run The Jewels. This Group blasted the USA with it's speaker shattering and socially conscious  RUN THE JEWELS 3 released on Christmas eve 2016.

Interview: Jake Hellman of Never Nervous and Quiet Hollers

As part of 37FLOOD's 10th Anniversary we have asked Louisville writers to talk about music, Louisville, culture, and what it's like writing about it all in the Derby City. We will be posting the interviews throughout the summer.

Jake Hellman is a music and culture writer for the Louisville entertainment blog formed in 2011,  Never Nervous,  and is the bassman for Quiet Hollers, whose third album Amen Breaks was released on 7/7/17. They will be playing Forecastle on 7/14/17. 

37- How long have you been covering music in Louisville?

JH- Since 2012

37- What made you decide to cover music in Louisville?

JH- I was blogging on my own about random things that intrigued me, as well as writing for CardinalConnect.com and NBA2LOU.com. Phillip Olympia and I were hanging out at Forecastle and he asked if I was interested in writing for his website. For me it was a way to stay in touch with the local music scene that I had always loved.

37- What has been the most exciting or rewarding  post you have written?

JH- 2 moments come to mind. A few weeks ago a hip hop show was held at Z-Bar to thank us for the work we do at NN. That was a special moment for me. As we were on stage being presented a thank you it just felt surreal. I grew up in Bullitt County loving hip hop and learning to play bass to it, but I never thought I would actually get to be a part of it.

Personally, my most rewarding post was randomly reviewing Quiet Hollers self titled album. I fell in love with the music. A few months later I was in the band. It's funny how things come together that way sometimes.

37- Has there been a scandalous situation you have been involved with during your time as a music writer?

JH- I've never had a “scandal” situation thankfully. The first review I ever wrote for NN was for the first Shadowpact album. I kind of took a dump on it. I didn't hate it completely but I was brutally honest about how I felt about it in that moment. Now I like the album and I'm great friends with those guys. They sometimes thank me for my honesty in that post, but I don't feel great about it.

37- What Local music publications or writers do you keep up with?

JH- LEO, 37Flood (DUH!), and RJMeads.com. Syd Bishop, Scott Roecker, Phillip Olympia, Allen Poe, RJ Meads. I've got love for everyone who gives their time to this sometimes penniless and thankless profession.

37- What are some of your favorite events you have covered?

JH- Definitely Poorcastle. If anything represents what the guys at NN are all about, it is that Festival.

Next on my list would be last years NN Christmas party. There was a vibe that day that I've never experienced before or after. Everyone was loving life and enjoying great music in Phil’s living room (AKA Never Nervous Headquarters).

37- What do you see in the future for Louisville Music?

JH- Louisville has the potential to be a smaller version of what New Orleans is. A music scene that is respected worldwide. A city that no matter what day you show up you will see some amazing music, and probably party hard too. There are so many great bands making waves nationally and internationally right now. I think the next step is seeing our hip hop scene expand outside of the city limits as well. I feel like that's about to happen with producers like Eons D putting in some amazing work.

Louisville Is For Lovers 2018 submissions officially open

Submissions for the 2018 Louisville Is For Lovers Valentine's Comp has officially opened! You have 60 days or so (September 1st) to send in an original unreleased love song that will melt the hearts of our fair city! Please visit Louisville Is For Lovers Submit page for details. 

Book Review: Riding With The Ghost the biography of Jason Molina by Erin Osmon

For those well acquainted with the work of Jason Molina, who died in 2013 at the age of 39 from organ failure as a result of alcohol abuse, it could be expected that his actual life could not be as magical, mysterious, and fascinating as his dark and metaphysical journeys through song. But, as it turns out from the research of music writer Erin Osmon's new biographical work on his life, Molina the man was just as fascinating as his large body of work.

Even at an early age, Molina showed a tendency toward a fantastical approach to life, including at the age of 8 successfully seceding from the state of Michigan (where he was born) to the Appalachian state of West Virginia (where his parents are from and where he spent his summers) and even received official documents from the Secretary of State of West Virginia  commissioning Molina as the honorary 'Captain on the ship of State.'

It was also at this time that Molina began his life long conversation with spirits and specters as a young boy growing up on the long deserted shores of Lake Erie in Loraine Ohio. Too young to orchestrate such an elaborate hoax, Molina became known as the boy who spoke to ghosts after coming home on several occasions with descriptions and details (and on 2 occasions with antique coins and trinkets as proof) of town residents that he had just spoken to but who had long past.

Osmon takes on the daunting task of outlining 40 years of a life (that no doubt ultra-fans of Molina would pick apart with a fine tooth comb) with a straight forward and often a neutral approach, only occasionally falling outside the purview of journalist to speculate on the motives and unspoken thoughts of her subject. Although, at times, Osmon relies on her audience to be intimately familiar with the last half century of rock n' roll subculture, such as explaining the nuances of a Contract Rider, but neglecting to explain why members of Magnolia Electric Co were excited to use 'the Rapeman Guitar' in a recording (The guitar belonged to Steve Albini, founder of the unfortunately named band). That said, Osmon's biography is a must read for anyone who has more than a casual relationship with Molina's work; which, in my guess, would be anyone who has heard Molina's work.

For those of us who have been searching for answers over the last half decade of what exactly happened that caused the tragic end for one of the greatest songwriters of the 21st century, Osman gives us the heartbreaking answers in a respectful and yet unfiltered voice.
For the other questions that has plagued Molina fans, such as are there more unreleased recordings? Osmon answers those too and in great detail (which is yes, and in spades) as well as answering questions we didn't know to ask, such as is John Cougar Mellencamp a rich bastard? (which is also yes).

In the end Osmon pulls back the curtain and shows us Molina the man; a man who could be the cruelest of men but who could also be the man who wrote 'In a life built out of only goodbyes, is there even room for you to try? While you was waiting for me not to call, I sent my love.'
After all, a true craftsmen doesn't need to tell us who he or she really is in their daily lives, but who we all can be in our own lives.

Jason Molina: Riding With The Ghost by Erin Osmon was published on May 15th by Rowman & Littlefield and is available here.

Our 1,000th Post! (37FLOOD's 10th Anniversary!)

10 Years ago on March 7th (37 born on 3/7) 2007 marked the very first post on 37FLOOD! 10 years later we have the distinction of being Louisville's longest running Music & Entertainment blog, with over 300,000 individual visitors over the last decade and this post marks our 1,000th post!

Dreamed up by founder Kory Johnson in early 2007 as a way to keep up with the local community of My Morning Jacket fans and supporters of local music, we have now published 1,000 articles, interviews, reviews, and editorials pertaining to Louisville and the surrounding region of Cincinnati, Lexington, and Nashville.

The very first post went up March 7th about My Morning Jacket's show in Athen's Georgia the night before. See it Here.

In the beginning 37FLOOD consisted of capturing and archiving Louisville bands. Posts generally had photo galleries, set lists, and downloadable live recordings of the shows including My Morning Jacket (and a live MMJ Christmas album), Wax Fang, The Slow Break, and even had 37FLOOD podcasts (we have just revamped 37FLOOD podcasts here). Many of the recordings are still downloadable, so start at the beginning and get them now, don't wait another 10 years..

Here are some of our stats over the last decade:

Most read article of all time:

J Perry's Best of The Decade List: We often ask musicians and local rabble rousers (including Scott Condra of LFPL's Louisville Mix, 37FLOOD founder Kory Johnson, contributing writers, and others) to share their favorite music and entertainment lists. J Perry of the Deloreans gave us his best of 'local shows' & 'local music' of 2010, as well as his favorites from 2000-2010, which is our most read and shared post, as well as our most popular 'Best Of' List!

Most read Editorial:

The most read editorial of the last decade, and most popular article of last year was John King's expose of the city government covering up bad publicity of Gill Holland's gentrification attempts of Portland and the subsequent lack of media coverage. The article is called How To Deal With Louisville's Refugees of Economicide.  In just 24 hours it became the 4th most read article in 37FLOOD history!

Most read Album Review:

Our most popular album review was of Scott H. Biram's Bad Testament LP that was released in February of this year. The review got over 1,000 page views in 48 hours.

Most read Interview:

Our most read interview was from April 2017 with Craig Bell, founding member of influential classic punk bands Rocket From The Tombs, X_____X, and Mirrors.

Most read Event Review:

Our most read event review was of Forecastle 2010 written by 37FLOOD writer Dylan Greenwood. Dylan's review also holds the distinction of having the most viewed photo on 37FLOOD:

This photo of Grace Potter playing Forecastle 2010 is the most viewed photo on 37FLOOD, which brings us to one of the most used Google search terms sending traffic to 37FLOOD: Grace Potter's Legs.

Give-A-Way: Poorcastle 3 Day Pass, Music & Gift Bag!

In honor of 4th of July Weekend and the start of festival season  Louisville Is For Lovers, Poorcastle, and Guestroom Records has put together these pocket-sized Festival Packs, that include everything you need for your summer fun including sun screen, ear plugs, first aide gear, stickers, and a Guestroom Records/Louisville is for Lovers Summer Cassingle, a 3 day pass to Poorcastle Fest (July 7-9) all in a fashionable cassette tape cozy!

For a chance to win leave a comment here with what you are planning to do this summer, or head over to the Louisville Is For Lovers Facebook page and like the Festival Pack post, and the winner will be picked on July 4th.
The Festival Packs can also be found at Guestroom Records.  Just pick up any Louisville Is For Lovers release over the 4th of July holiday weekend to get one FREE (while supplies last) or you can order one in Louisville Is For Lovers online store.

Visit our Facebook Page for a chance to win our Festival Pack 

along with a 3 day pass to Poorcastle (July 7-9)!

Photo Review: Cindy Wilson at Zanzabar 6/30/17

Winner of the Cindy Wilson ticket Give-a-way!

Congrats to Cathryn T for winning 2 tickets to see Cindy Wilson and Otis Junior this friday, June 30th, at Zanzabar!

Cindy Wilson of the B-52s. Still Shot from 'Give Me Back My Man' video 

Listen to our interview with Cindy here.
Cindy Wilson & Otis Junior: June 30th at Zanzabar 9pm. 21+. $15. Tickets available here.