Beautiful weather and a new host site for Sweetwater Brewing’s annual rite of Spring brought Atlanta crowds to Pullman Yards. For a $10 donation to Waterkeeper.org, fans got general admission access to a stellar lineup including headliner Gov’t Mule, recent Grammy award-winning duo Larkin Poe, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Andy Frasco and the U.N. and relative newcomer Connor Clark & Blue Rhythm Revival.
Kudos to Sweetwater for not only sponsoring the event, but curating the line-up, getting it rolling in mere months, extensive branding on-site, and, of course, the beer! And Caren West PR, whose experience with festivals and the Pullman Yards facility shown.
Gov't Mule
Southern blues rock, with bits of jazz if you listen for it. Great solos and a superbly tight performance, for an audience who already knew what they were going to get. Who could ask for anything more? None better than Gov’t Mule!
Setlist:
Hammer and Nails (The Staple Singers cover)
Mule
Thorazine Shuffle
Blue Sky / Mountain Jam / In Memory of Elizabeth Reed – excerpts (The Allman Brothers Band cover
Trane / Rumble / Sex Machine / St. Stephen Jam
Take Me to the River (Al Green cover) – with Grace Potter
I’m a Ram / Reblow Your Mind / I’m a Ram
Soulshine (The Allman Brothers Band cover)
Grace Potter
Grace Potter has a high-energy, electrifying stage presence, never content to just sing at the mic. She has a great range from husky rock tones to smooth, melodic notes. She has a certain charisma in a way that her eyes may not be on you, but all eyes are on hers – very expressive. Great mix of songs and presentation, as always!
Setlist:
Lady Vagabond
Medicine
Ah Mary
Empty Heart
Mother Road
Ready Set Go
Good Time
Nothing but the Water (I)
Nothing but the Water (II)
The Lion the Beast the Beat
Paris (Ooh La La)
Stars
Saturday Scenes at 420
St. Paul & The Broken Bones
Leadman Paul Janeway has a rich and dynamic voice, soulful and contemporary, that got the crowd swaying up front and dancing at the rear.
Setlist:
Opening – Marvin Jam
Flow With It (You Got Me Feeling Like)
Call Me
Wolf in Rabbit Clothes
Minotaur
Grass is Greener
The Sad Chicken
Like a Mighty River
GotItBad
Sanctify
Apollo
Broken Bones & Pocket Change
Larkin Poe
Infectious. Sisters Rebecca and Megan play off each other, one on electric guitar and the other on electric lap steel guitar. Great blues rock songs, but their enthusiasm for playing live and affection for each other and their audience is rarely seen. Headlining or a supporting act, don’t skip them when they come nearby. Phenomenal.
Setlist:
Summertime Sunset / Jessica
Bad Spell
Strike Gold
Blue Ridge Mountains
Bleach Blonde Bottle Blues
Might as Well Be Me
Kick the Blues
Wanted Woman – AC/DC
Bolt Cutters & The Family Name
Andy Frasco & the UN
You may think the party has already started, and Andy Frasco & the UN make you realize what a party is. Their live performance is energetic, with nobody but the drummer stuck in place. Guitarist Shawn Eckels, though… it’s like he’s been deprived of stage time and has been waiting for just this moment for a release. Great fun!
The band played some new songs which didn’t have the usual ebb in a crowd’s excitement, and come on, pouring liquor into your guitarist’s mouth while he’s playing? Andy entering the crowd and forming a circle around him? What a show!