Ok, it was a good show, a fun way to spend an afternoon/evening. There were a lot more people there than last time, it was tough to get anywhere near the main stage - and the fence kept you back 30' from the stage anyway. So as much as I enjoyed Nickel Creek, and it was fun to see them up "close" for a bit (from right at the fence), the sound was really loud from the system meant to project sound 300 yards up the hill behind... It was more pleasant just sitting on the hill and letting the kids play.
The more fun part for me was walking around to the other two stages, where you really could get up close. For Tab Benoit, I was literally front and center right at the stage, 5' from Tab - and 10' from his guitar amp which was turned up LOUD. I have a serious ring in my ear right now, wish I had had my earplugs for this one. But it was worth it to see the performance from up close, Tab's a great live musician. And his guitar skills are more formidable than I realized from the album of his that I have (Medicine); I'll be getting some more of his music. The stuff he played was a little faster paced, I was kinda hoping for some more slow bayou-bluesy stuff, but still it was a lot of fun. It was a trio - Tab on guitar and vocals, a good drummer that I could hardly hear from my position, and a really outstanding bassist - a short-ish bald white guy who was about as wide as he was tall, but damn he could play. And I got to shake Tab's hand on the way out, he happened to be out behind the stage talking to fans as I was on my way home.
The other stand-out hit for me was a local(ish) band called Cabinet, kind of a "kentucky boys" type band, part bluegrass, a little country, a little blues rock. They were really good, playing on the smallest of the three stages but they attracted a crowd! I'm gonna look for some of their stuff online. I talked to their drummer a little bit during the next band's set, he was out hanging around and listening. Very pleasant fellow.
The group Turkuaz from New York was a pretty jammin' funk-style band (kinda Grand Funk Railroad in a way), and a HUGE group of people, 11 players/singers on one smallish stage, it was a crowd up there (and their sound check took a long time, several people had more than one instrument or vocal mic). They were very tight, a lot of fun. I'll probably look up some of their albums as well.
Houndmouth was pretty decent too. I realized partway in that I think I've actually seen them before, I believe they were the opening band a year or so ago when I went to see Grace Potter.
All the bands were pretty good overall, nothing that I completely hated.
Sorry, I didn't take a single picture. I wish in retrospect I had brought my camera down with me when I went to see Tab, but I left it in my bag and I didn't want to give up my center spot.
