Greetings from your favorite source to live vicariously through! Today we have the Day 4 Mile 0 Fest Recap. Although we say it's a marathon, not a race, we're nearing the final miles. Let's see whatcha missed!
Starting off our morning strong with Max & Heather Stalling at Hank's Hair of the Dog Saloon. This intimate venue has been a favorite of ours, secluded with good drinks & songwriters on stage. To no surprise, the Stallings packed out the venue. It is without question that Heather is an impeccable fiddler, losing herself in a song through the bow & strings. The two melt together in a way only an established & long term love kind of couple can do, finishing each other's rhythm lines & harmonizing with an understanding. You go to a Stalling show for good ol' American-- & dare I say staple Texan-- kind of wholesome goodness.
This year is the first time I've gone on a Mile 0 Fest Listening Room at Sea. This is a premium experience offered in several opportunities throughout the week. Loading a catamaran sailboat with a select group of attendees, we found our spots for Bleu Edmonson. This sail includes a fully stocked open bar & finger food lunch like shrimp & chicken salad sandwiches. Bleu played his big bangers like "$50 and a Flask of Crown" & "Finger on the Trigger" while breaking it down with a few new tunes. He told stories of his Dallas days & nights spent in Adair's Saloon. A heartfelt tribute, Bleu performed Jack Ingram & Todd Snider's "Airways Motel." 
Catching a sliver of the Marker pool party, King Margo & Jason Eady filled our senses with some good grooves. I'd like to tell you more, but you'll have to wait until our interview with King Margo debuts next week!
Burning the grass right off the roundabout, Shane Smith & the Saints gave a little preview of the power they are planning on bringing to close out the festivities. Absolutely PACKING the Garbo stage, the band kept the energy alive. Suzanne Santo also joined for "Born & Raised."
Johnny Mullenax took the amphitheater, spreading the 6 piece band across the stage. Something of note: the premium pit at the front of the stage was PACKED, the most filled from any opener on the main stage. The band teetered on the line of thrash grass, something Appalachian in fiddle but metal in the intense & consistent fast paced rhythm. At the rate of which they were shredding solos, you can tell the band members are classically trained, but the instrumental single they played surely sold it. Did not expect a samba in the middle of that set! Also, bass player Thomas Trapp caught the Mile 0 Fest record largest fish on the fundraising derby, so that's extra cool points.
*** EDIT FROM THE ABOVE: Thomas Trapp is the ACOUSTIC player & most of the band is not classically trained, corrected by a reader. Thank you for the update. ^
Them Dirty Roses came across the stage next. One thing is absolutely for certain: lead singer James Ford is a circus ring master. He emceed the set, guiding the crowd to how he wanted them to feel & act & RAGE! This show was a straight up rock show joined by Tanner Usrey & Cody Canada at parts. During the final song, Ford told the crowd they had no choice but to jump up & down & give some energy back the way these artists have all week. & BOY did the pit deliver, shaking the tent legs from fists up & knees bent rocking out.
Cody Canada & the Departed followed, opting out of any song they sang earlier in the week. This set was completely new, otherwise it'd be "cheating" in Canada's words. Something so fun Canada does is bring his favorite younger artists to the spotlight. For awhile now, Peyton Glasco has been a showcased guitarist. He led the rock solos with emphasis & power. It was apparent he was having the absolute best time on stage with his band & stepping into a light of his own.
Closing out the main stage was Paul Cauthen. Now, I have to be totally honest here. Cauthen's music isn't what gets my britches bunched up, but definitely can get the legs moving. It's something between psychedelic funk rock mashed up with Johnny Cash's bass vocals & a Coachella stage presence. It was definitely a different turn of mind for the usual festival lineup, but still brought an absolutely feral crowd.
Today is the FINAL official day of Mile 0 Fest 2026! We can't wait to enjoy a slower day of light rain before Shane Smith blows us right on out of the water. See ya tomorrow!