by Steve Patrick
– Senior Columnist —
October 4th & 5th, 2014 at Champions Park in Louisville, KY. —
Thousands of rock and metal fans descended upon Champions Park in Louisville, KY on October 4th and 5th to catch their favorite bands perform at the first-ever Louder Than Life festival. The event was billed as a “music, whiskey, and gourmet man food festival” and it more than lived up to that description.
Many of the acts performing at Louder Than Life are staples of the North American festival circuit like Korn, Alter Bridge, Limp Bizkit, Papa Roach, Five Finger Death Punch, and Buckcherry, but the setting and weather conditions made for a unique experience. The chilly temperatures that accompany an outdoor festival in October in Kentucky caught quite a few of the bands and fans off guard.
Bourbon barrels as far as the eye could see decorated the festival grounds which served as a fitting backdrop to an outdoor music festival in Louisville. This was a place where a whiskey aficionado could not only get ahold of some Jack Daniels or Maker’s Mark, but could also sample some higher-shelf bourbons like Woodford Reserve or Angel’s Envy.
Gourmet food trucks and a few celebrity chefs were also peppered throughout the festival grounds to sustain the ravenous hordes of rock fans that were just as interested in entertaining their taste buds as they were their ears.
Standout performances from the weekend include a commanding set from metal legends Judas Priest who were performing new material from their most recent studio album Redeemer of Souls and also the always hilarious Steel Panther entertaining the crowd just as much with their personas as their songs.
There were some visible hiccups with regards to wait times in food and bathroom lines, but it’s safe to say these issues will be addressed by the time the 2nd installment (hopefully) comes around in 2015.
LIVE! | Louder Than Life Festival Concert Photo Gallery
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