cover photo taken by Loch & Key Productions
Forecastle Festival will be taking place in Kentucky July 13th-15th. The three day event will take place at the scenic 85 acre Waterfront Park. The festival started in 2002 as a small community event and has grown into a huge gathering of tens of thousands of people to celebrate music, food, and of course bourbon. Since 95% of the world’s bourbon is produced in Kentucky, the festival highlights this with it’s very own Bourbon Lounge.
The festival boasts a line up of major rock and folk headliners like Modest Mouse, Father John Misty, Chris Stapleton, and Arcade Fire. It also has supporting artists from various genres, like rapper T-Pain and electronic duo Louis the Child. In addition to music, the festival focuses on promoting outdoor recreation and environmental activism. While gender equality is not explicitly on their list of ethos, they have a strong lineup of women support on this year’s bill. Hopefully next year we can see some female headliners as well. See the full line up for the event below.
While the headliners are mostly male dominated, the under card features some strong female vocalist, guitarists, producers, and overall amazingly talented musicians. Check out four female artists you can see at Forecastle below.
Courtney Barnett
Born in Australia, Courtney Barnett, got her start as a guitar player in a grunge band. In 2015 she debuted as a solo artist, releasing her album Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit. The album was well received and launched her global career. Using money she borrowed from her grandmother she formed her own label Milk! Records, which the album debuted on. In addition to being a singer, she is an acclaimed drawer as well. Check out her latest single from her upcoming album Tell Me How You Really Feel’out in May 2018.
Margo Price
One of the few country singers that you will see on a lineup at a major music festival, Margo Price has been making a name for herself across the country. At age 20 she moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she waited tables before she and her husband formed their first band together, Buffalo Clover. She gained popularity within the Nashville before she was a musical guest on Saturday Night Live. In 2017 she released her four track EP, Weakness. Enjoy her NPR’s Tiny Desk performance from 2016.
Jenny Lewis
Born in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jenny Lewis got her start in the spotlight through a Jell-O commercial. She participated in many commercials, television shows, and teen movies during the 1990’s. She started her musical career in 1988 when she and friends formed the band Rilo Kiley. In 2004 she launched her career as a solo artist and in 2006 she released her album, Rabbit Fur Coat. This year she will be playing at Mountain Jam, Forecastle, Newport Folk, and other festivals this summer. Check out her star studded music video for “Just One Of The Guys” featuring Anne Hathaway, Kristen Stewart, and Brie Larson.
I’m With Her
Fresh on the scene. While it may seem like they are hoping the Hilary Clinton support train, they actually were performing as band for 18 months before the former Senator unknowingly commandeered their name for her campaign. 2018 has proved to be a very exciting year for the group. They released their album, See You Around, in February which received great praise from both NPR and The Guardian. Check out their NPR Tiny Desk performance from March of this year.