Welcome to the Mile 0 Fest daily recap by Pickin' Petals. We're here to give you FOMO (fear of missing out) & fill you in on the constant shenanigans of Americana's most free spirited festival in Key West, Florida.
Cold & dark, day 2 of Mile 0 Fest blew our hair back from more than just the Caribbean breeze. Waves in April started the day with heavy eyeliner & hard hitters. This metal band brought something new to shake up the Mile 0 crowd. Nothing wakes you up at 11 AM like double kick drum & flying red mullets hitting perfectly toned shrieks. Dierks Canada took after his father's affinity for guitars, whipping out a silver 8 string electric for Waves In April original song "Decay" while Willy Canada kept the rhythm section rocking. Lead singer Elle kept the morning light despite the metal core with her silly stories & playful attitude.
Hopping over to Hanks Hair of the Dog bar, something magical was happening. Crow & Gazelle (the McClure duo) performed a broken down set with a bandana covered snare & linens swaying in the wind. Their beautiful storytelling & open auras felt healing. There's a calming wave in the frequencies of their vocals that lets loose something tight within you. Hearing their songwriting is like driving into the break of sun opening after a storm, no pun intended with how the frigid weather was feeling. I cannot recommend their show enough for anyone needing a moment to breathe in & release.
My personal favorite venue at Mile 0 Fest is the San Carlos. This beautiful historic theater housed an intimate show with Darrell Scott. Scott played the keys, an electric & acoustic guitar, juggling all three between the moods of his mind. He told tales of Guy Clark & Joni Mitchell while sprinkling in philosophical tidbits. His seasoned vocals command quietness & introspection. Favorite quote from him during this set was his description of today's "country," how when the shift in sound began "that's about when I started checking out." To that, I say cheers sir.
On the complete opposite side of the songwriting spectrum is the spirited Bob Schneider. Schneider followed Scott's set at the San Carlos, absolutely smacking the silent sound of the room down with a scream & Arcade Fire tribute. He even had the crowd chanting "U-S-A! U-S-A!" at one point. Schneider's undeniable catchy melodies & eclectic songwriting transform what would be considered a comedic set to something steps above that you can't seem to pull away from.
Opening the main stage was Texas cowgirl Summer Dean. Summer is the quintessential rodeo horse girl with massive songwriting talent. For those who love good ol' fashioned, straight forward country, her slick band & pageant queen persona will have you hand clapping to her tambourine. Besides her entertaining stage presence, she advocates for farmers & ranchers at every show.
Kaitlin Butts followed Dean with the shot of a lyrical gun & sparkly showgirl mini dress. During Butts set, the rain started to come down in blankets of cold mist. Her perfectly poofed signature red hair whipped in the wind as she belted impressive runs for songs like "Blood" & "Other Girls." Butts' band packs a bang, known for their dueling fiddle & electric guitar solos. Between Butts' somewhat menacing personality & the crowd riddled with women full of rage, Kaitlin Butts & her band made weathering the winter storm worth it.
Flipping from daddy issues to the Godfather of Red Dirt, Cody Canada & the Departed warmed our shivering hearts with kindness, care, & sick guitar solos. Canada never disappoints with his shows, playing the hits & tunes we all love from his projects & Ragweed. He's cultivated a reputation of uplifting younger artists in the scene, something we saw as he sang "Elle" with Elle, the lead singer of Waves in April who inspired the tune. Mike McClure played lead guitar for the show, getting his flowers & praise from Canada throughout the event. Canada pointed out "without Mike McClure, you wouldn't have half of the artists here today." The Canada kids also played with their dad on electric guitar & the drums, truly making it a family event. Canada ended his set with a tribute to Charlie Robison, singing "My Hometown" with an emotional crowd.
Perhaps the most controversial show yet, Steve Earle finished off the Truman Amphitheater backed by Reckless Kelly. Earle's been touring with Reckless as of late, but most festival goers expected a separated Reckless show which did not happen. However, the true Red Dirt & Americana fans braved the low temp & glacial air in awe & happiness solely because we are fortunate enough to experience a living legend play some of his greatest songs with a top tier band from our raisings. Earle brought out Jerry Jeff Walker's son Django Walker to sing "Mr. Bojangles," giving us all a history lesson on the relationships between Key West, Jerry Jeff, & Jimmy Buffet. In the words of Galleywinter, Earle is one of the last living connections to our heroes like Jerry Jeff & Guy Clark. Hearing his stories behind certain songs & watching his symbiotic relationship with Reckless Kelly on stage was a blessing to behold despite the bad weather & grumpy festival goers.
Though the official party ended, most musicians ended up at the Green Parrot to watch the Keystone Breakers, a band from Pennsylvania that accidentally rocked our faces off by happening to play in town during this festival. They were an absolutely rad time, getting praise from members of various Mile 0 Fest bands & keeping the dance floor busy.
If you attended Day 1 or 2 & would like to add your experience, feel free to do so in the comments section below! If you couldn't attend Mile 0 fest this year, stay tuned for our daily updates around noon & our spotlight interviews next week! See you here tomorrow!