Live from The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee, we recap CaveFest 2026 with our ticket winner, plus the venue, the music, and the camping.
Barry and Russ are joined by Bryan, back on the show after a couple of months, our bicoastal correspondent Elizabeth Thorpe, who flew in from Washington State for her third CaveFest, and Abby, the fan who won our ticket giveaway and is at her very first CaveFest!
Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube. As always, subscribe to The What Podcast wherever you get podcasts for weekly updates on Bonnaroo and festival news!
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CaveFest 2026 Recap: Live From The Caverns
Barry (00:04)
All right, welcome back to a special edition of the What Podcast, or as we're now calling it, the Weather Channel, where we talk weather and occasionally interrupt it with talk about live music.
Bryan (00:15)
Yeah. Breaking news. We need
Bryan (00:17)
to bust into this hurricane
Bryan (00:20)
I can't say it. Isaiah I Isaiah, I'm gonna say Isaiah. wha hello everybody, by the way. How are ya? What you doing here? I
Barry (00:22)
Yeah. good to see you.
Beth (00:24)
I Thais.
Russ (00:26)
Whoa, what are you doing here? Where did you come from?
Bryan (00:29)
came to this festival and ran into these guys. Yeah.
Barry (00:31)
Look at that. The gang's all here. We've
Russ (00:33)
Wow.
Barry (00:34)
got Abby over here. She's our ticket winner to the CaveFest, which is where we are, in case you don't know. We're in Pelham, Tennessee. it's been raining since the festival started. Exactly as it started. And it will
Bryan (00:45)
Festival starts. Yeah, so it's right as it started. Exactly as it started.
Barry (00:50)
stop when the music stops, that last note, I'm I'm sure. That's
Russ (00:53)
It yep. It'll stop when we leave.
Barry (00:55)
Russ, that's Brian, that's Beth, I'm Barry.
Beth also our East Coast, West Coast correspondent.
Bryan (01:03)
Bi coastal.
Barry (01:04)
Biccoastal Correspondent made the special trip over here for this. This is your second CaveFest, third CaveFest.
Beth (01:09)
Third my third CaveFest, yeah.
Barry (01:11)
All right. We're gonna catch up on CaveFest and a few other things. you guys are longtime li viewers who will recognize it. Brian hadn't been with us in a couple of months. So real quick, how's school going?
Russ (01:22)
Yeah, welcome back.
Bryan (01:23)
Yeah, welcome back. Yeah, no,
and it well I just wrapped up the first the the first bit of it here with very good grades. So I'm very happy. I'm proud of you.
Barry (01:33)
Nice. Very happy. I'm proud of you.
Russ (01:33)
Nice. I'm proud of you.
Bryan (01:35)
I gotta say though, this online school stuff if you can't pass this, I don't know what
Russ (01:43)
Okay,
well the first picture you sent when you went to school the first day and you were you were playing with Play Doh I was like, Okay, I didn't know he was going back this far
Bryan (01:48)
Play Doh Play Doh. The caption the
ca the caption was I'm in college and it was a bunch of Play Doh everywhere. but it's been great. It's been fun. It's where I went to school twenty five years ago, so I'm very familiar with the place and I I it's you know, when people talk about their their school, their the you know, alumni, alumnus, I've always been very proud of the of the sports programs there and the and the school and people that I've the many people we know within
the power structure of the school. So it's been very it's been very good. I have been able to fit in here recently. I just want to mention it quickly, just last week, Shoals Fest in Atlanta. Atlanta. In Atlanta,
Russ (02:26)
Atlanta. Atlanta.
Bryan (02:27)
Alabama is what I meant to say. In Muscle Shoals, Florence, that the the tri city kind of area. And this leading up to that week, it was beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. And then it was
Deluge of rain coming. And I was like, I'm just I'm just I'm done. I'm never doing this again. I'm never gonna do this again.
Barry (02:45)
Anyone surprised? Never gonna do this again.
Bryan (02:48)
And I it got so lucky, poured on me the whole way there, three hour trip from Chattanooga to Florence, about an hour past Huntsville, right next to Muscle Shoals, and poured the entire way home, but for about six hours, it busted up and gave us a dry festival for the re reunited Jason Isbull and
drive by truckers. So very, very lucky that it worked out. And then I th and I told Beth who was traveling shortly after, days later, to do this here this the second weekend of October for CaveFest. Well this is great. Weather came through, everything's gonna be fine.
Beth (03:27)
Janks us again.
Bryan (03:29)
There's a hurricane coming
Barry (03:29)
There's a hurricane. Yeah.
Yeah. Monday through Friday was gorgeous. Yeah, it's gonna be the best ever. Just beautiful.
Bryan (03:34)
best best ever. Yeah, so
Barry (03:37)
All right, let's start with you, Abby. This is your first CaveFest, correct? You
Abby (03:40)
It is, yes.
Barry (03:42)
are our ticket winner. You have done Bonnarooo, so you are familiar with festivals. What do you think of CaveFest?
Abby (03:44)
I like it. It's my first independently owned festival that's not just like live nation all over it. And I love that aspect of it. I love how small it is. And our neighbors are like probably the most friendly people at festivals I've ever met. They've been feeding us. They got us hot tea this morning. Like it's just me and my friend sleeping in the back of my car. So we very we didn't do much because we didn't want to deal with the rain and
drying equipment and which wasn't worth it for two days. So they've been really helping us out.
Barry (04:12)
Right.
Bryan (04:12)
Rawing equipment and it just wasn't right that for T Base. So they've been really It's like she's using my manual, sleep in the backseat of your car.
Russ (04:16)
Speaking of neighbors, give a shout out to our neighbor Josh over here, who is at the moment another Bonnarooian. Met him at Bonnarooo, and he is right now cooking carnitas on the Black Stone for us. So appreciate it.
Barry (04:24)
What have you guys seen?
Abby (04:37)
I saw ha god, I couldn't tell you the names, I'd have to look at this set times. I saw maybe two sets yesterday afternoon. I crashed real hard yesterday, fell asleep at eight o'clock on accident. Yeah, so my
Russ (04:47)
That's me. Yes. I did too.
Abby (04:49)
friend went out and he watched like the air show tribute that they did in the in the cave and he said that that was like probably the best set of the day. Had a blast, partied with our neighbors for a little bit, and then he woke me up around two AM to be like, Okay, I'm going to bed and I was like, that's awesome. I
Bryan (05:03)
Yeah, they did Billy
Air Show did Billy Breeze the the thirtieth anniversary of the fish album. And AirShow is a kind of like a a backing band for the Nashville row, but the Broadway. They're they're kind of a house band, so they can pretty much play anything and they're here most year. I mean they've been here several years in a row. And they're fantastic. they can do anything, bluegrass,
Russ (05:27)
Yeah. they can do anything.
Bryan (05:31)
rock and roll. So
We missed that. The rain came back in and long story, but decided to to not go in on that one. But
Barry (05:39)
Yeah, the weather took out my tent yesterday, so I kind of a
Russ (05:42)
Yeah.
yours and then our our neighbors on this side, we had both these tents either fly away or just collapse and both were not salvageable, unfortunately.
Barry (05:53)
Yeah, to
the young woman who my tent hit in the face. I apologize. I hope you're okay if you're watching. Yeah. What a nightmare.
Bryan (05:59)
Sorry about that. She's okay. Our bad.
Russ (06:00)
She's she's okay. She's okay. Not bad. Yeah.
Bryan (06:03)
We'll say though, this could have been worse.
Bryan (06:06)
This could
Beth (06:06)
Yeah, absolutely.
Bryan (06:07)
have been real worse. That eye of that storm was coming right up through Mobile, right up the center of of of Alabama, on its way to Middle Tennessee. And I was thinking, God, here we go. Yeah, it's been raining, but it's not I mean it hadn't stopped anything. And and these gr these grounds, these grounds are solid. Rock solid grounds.
Russ (06:27)
They're really good. Yeah.
There's really not a lot of mud that I've encountered. Every I don't think we've missed any sets. I think every act went on as as scheduled. Right on time, I think. Yeah,
Bryan (06:37)
Right on time, I think.
Russ (06:38)
no delays.
Barry (06:40)
You n if you have never been to the caverns, this is an unbelievable venue. we just watched a set in the amphitheater, which is the outdoor venue. Unbelievable sound. The sight lines, it's naturally terraced on this, they call it a mountain, it's a hill. big hill.
Bryan (06:57)
Yeah. big hill.
Barry (06:59)
And of course the cave is, you know, otherworldly. but yeah, the when I came up, thing I noticed is the ground sit there in really good shape.
Considering all the
Russ (07:10)
They they're in exceptional shape.
Barry (07:12)
there's few little spots where it like, you know, the people bottleneck kinda turned it to mud as expected. But
Russ (07:17)
They've been, you know, spreading hay, trying to trying
to mitigate the mud as best they can. And there's very little concrete here. That's that's a thing that's that it I do think has happened at Bonnoroo that
Bryan (07:21)
And there's very little concrete here. That's that's a thing that's that I do think is happened at Bonnarooo that
they've they've laid a lot of concrete and and it's helped in places and it's and it's not helped in others. There's a there's none here. So everything naturally and i it's just such a great land and and Monteagle all the way around is just is is a beautiful place to be. But quickly I wanna I wanna get Beth's viewpoint from shooting from day one. but before I forget
If if you if you didn't already need another reason to come to the caverns, there's cave tours, there's the tavern for for watching we're the Vols game. It was a party up there yesterday. Only guy in the whole land that was rooting against them was me. I c stayed quiet. But there's so many there's so broadcast it to the world. There's so many
Barry (08:04)
There's a good man.
Beth (08:05)
Then broadcast it to the world.
Bryan (08:08)
things to do here outside of just seeing a concert in a cave, they now have blazed some trails over here on their land and for hiking.
And they're not they're it's not high-end like high difficulty hiking, but there are three different levels, easy, medium, and hard. And it's a nice little stroll through the woods. And while the as it was raining this morning, I was mostly covered up, you know, with with all the trees out there and not getting wet at all and got f let's see, almost six thousand steps by one o'clock. So I was really happy to give that a look. That's new to the property.
And so it's it's got trail heads at the end of where the the the yurts are, all the way at the back there, or where the vendors are. You can go to either side and they all connect together. It's very easy to understand and really enjoyed that. So another addition to a to a to a property that didn't need another addition, but we're happy to have it. Happy to have it.
Barry (09:10)
Yeah, so there's the cave, of course, the amphitheater, there's camping, there's yurts, there's like those small cabins.
Bryan (09:19)
And then there's the big, big cave for just the the walkthrough guided tour as well.
Barry (09:24)
The guided
tour, so there's Caverns
Russ (09:25)
And the caverns tavern.
Barry (09:27)
Tavern, which you guys went to and stay they have music in there now.
Russ (09:30)
They've got music
in there now. kind of small area, but they packed a band in the corner. and they had beer on draft. I'm drinking the this is the limestone lager. Brewed
Bryan (09:41)
Good looking can.
Russ (09:42)
really nice can. Brewed by Common John, our buddies in Manchester, and they do this for the caverns and they've got this and they've got the Wizards Brew, which is another beer on tap as well.
Bryan (09:53)
Our Chattanooga zone Lou Card. You know the cards. Lou
Barry (09:56)
Yep. Yep, I know Lou.
Bryan (09:58)
is playing in about a half hour, so we're gonna run up and and I I've I've asked Beth do whatever she wants, she don't care what I say. But we're gonna go see b
Barry (10:08)
No, he's a great guy.
Bryan (10:09)
see Lou and and she's gonna shoot that. But how was day one for you, Beth? I know we we didn't we got here late, we left a little early, to go get a little respite from everything. But yeah. How's it how's it been?
Beth (10:19)
Yeah, I think I mean,
the good thing about gray weather is it makes for good photos. So everything's been very colorful and sounds great. Got to talk to my friend Matt Morrison, who's the photographer for the caverns and kinda watch him in action a little bit 'cause he was doing the PBS portraits yesterday. How was
Barry (10:35)
portraits. Nice, nice. How was
I haven't been in there as a photographer. What how do they handle? Is it same as all three songs and
Beth (10:44)
Pretty much same. First three. First three, no flash.
but you know, y you can shoot from the back of the cave too, because the cave is kind of the star of a lot of these things. So yeah,
Barry (10:55)
Absolutely.
Beth (10:56)
the lighting's amazing. It's a really well run festival.
Bryan (11:00)
Yeah, and a lot I mean, you know, it's it's it's want to be careful not to give the secrets away. But I
Russ (11:05)
But
Bryan (11:05)
mean, there are rules and it is a very structured place. But boy, it is very much it it is we've talked about this. It's it's a it's like Bonnaroo 20 years ago, fifteen years ago. There are rules. You should follow them. If you happen to accidentally not follow one exactly, it's probably gonna be okay. Just the the old adage, well, I don't know what it is. It don't be an asshole.
Barry (11:29)
Don't be
added. It's it's that simple.
Bryan (11:31)
Is that it? Is that is that the adage?
Russ (11:30)
Don't be an asshole.
Bryan (11:33)
Like and as long as you're you're you're chill, everything's gonna be fine around here. And that that's true with professional photography, and that's true with professional concertgoers or brand first timers or whatever it is, the the event, the property, the the the the ethos of it all kind of tells you what to do. It kinda it kind of directs you into what is the the
proper etiquette here. And I've never seen any you know, I've never seen anything that looked out of place at all around here. I'm sure they've been out again, there's something stupid, but
Russ (12:09)
You're right. And Abby, I think it goes back to what you said. This is kind of an independently run festival. This is not a live nation owned or run venue. and I think it like you said, it's kinda like Bonaru twenty years ago. It's just a different feeling, different vibe and everybody just kind of, you know, figures out what the right thing to do is.
Bryan (12:27)
There's not layers and layers of micromanaging and and w and we're you know, everybody knows we're not ever talking junk about Bonnarooo, it's our place. It's a ten times bigger place. And and and with
Beth (12:41)
Yeah, it's more people, more rules.
Bryan (12:44)
the biggest entertainment company in the world overseeing it. So of course that's what it is. Here, it's still independently owned. I saw Todd, he was watching the Vols game. They were I did I didn't bother him.
Russ (12:56)
Right,
yeah.
Bryan (12:58)
Todd Mayo, the owner of the joint, you know, he'll give you a cave tour or watch the balls game with ya. I mean it's like you know attending just like anyone. Ashley Capps
Russ (13:03)
Yeah, he he loves attending just like anyone else.
Bryan (13:06)
back in the day would hang out with some of his attendees, but generally speaking that doesn't happen ever.
Russ (13:12)
No, but I think from the time you pull in, the p the first person you pull up to and talk to, you know, they're they're they're nice, they're polite, they're helpful. Yeah,
Barry (13:16)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Glad you're here. Have a good weekend. Yeah.
Russ (13:22)
glad you're here, have a good time. to security, walking through the gates, to you know, the people selling you beer. I mean everybody is is very friendly and just happy to be here and and polite.
Bryan (13:33)
You know that the bus, we'll throw up a picture, the the the the big long bluebird bus down there with the salamander on it. I was walking around looking at someone walks around like, Can I help you? I was like, bus looks cool. I'm just looking at it's like, You wanna go inside? Like
Barry (13:48)
yeah, nice.
Bryan (13:49)
Of course I wanna go inside. Takes you know, so it's just yeah, it's just such a helpful, friendly place.
Barry (13:57)
Speaking of Todd, I have to ask, just because it's funny and I'm gonna do it every single time we're here, have you girls been into the ladies' room? How's that toilet paper in there?
Bryan (14:06)
yeah.
Abby (14:07)
I haven't been into the one like inside the festival. I've just been in the porta potties, like around the campgrounds. There's been toilet paper every time and there's hand sanitizer in there. So that's a win.
Beth (14:18)
Gold star so
far.
Russ (14:19)
Yep.
Well this is a throwback to what, two and a half years ago? Yeah. Yeah.
Bryan (14:19)
Well, this is a throwback to what, two and a half years ago?
Barry (14:22)
Yeah, our first meeting with
Todd.
Bryan (14:24)
That
when we first met him, that he wants the well he wants the best experience period, first
Barry (14:30)
Yes.
Bryan (14:30)
of all. He wants the best user experience period. But it it he he worded it almost creepily of wanting to wait and hear women talk about how
Barry (14:36)
It was, yeah. My favorite thing is to stand
outside the ladies' bathroom
Russ (14:40)
There it
Barry (14:41)
and listen to talk about the toilet. It's funny.
Bryan (14:43)
Yeah, we'll pull that. We'll pull that maybe. Sorry to put more work on
Russ (14:45)
No, no.
Bryan (14:46)
ya.
Russ (14:46)
Yeah.
Bryan (14:47)
because of how great the experience is was like.
Barry (14:49)
Exactly.
Todd (14:50)
I like to stand near the women's restroom and listen to the women come out and say, my God, that's the softest toilet paper I've ever and people are right about it on the reviews. And so I'm hoping you had a good ending. Right, right, right, right. Exactly Exactly. What I like to do, I like to stand right there. I know, I know, I know.
Barry (15:00)
I was hoping you had a good ending for that for that.
Bryan (15:06)
I like to stand around the women's bathrooms. You know,
Russ (14:59)
Yeah. Wasn't sure where you were going there.
Bryan (15:10)
we didn't know him well enough to give him enough shit right then. Like now I would bust him like, hey, do you hear what you just said? That's hilarious. That's good stuff. Todd's just, I mean, he's just a bastard.
Barry (15:12)
Like now I would bust him hey. Yeah. That was weird. That's hilarious. Todd's just I mean he's just a bass. He's
Russ (15:21)
He's a great dude.
Barry (15:21)
a great dude.
Beth, talk about I mean, 'cause w you were on a couple weeks ago, Tom, at the different festivals you've been to, music festival s audio venue experience. this is pretty gray in my opinion. What are your thoughts?
Beth (15:43)
Yeah,
this is great. This is kind of the mid-range of all the different things that I've been covering all summer. Cause since I saw you, I did three in my town. I actually did three in a weekend and also genre specific. So it was a DJ festival, bluegrass festival, and a new folk foundation in my town had the Olympic folk foundation. So this is kind of in between for number of attendees and size and
size of act, I guess. but I mean there's a reason I come back every year. It's it's a long trip for me to to come here, but it's such a great venue. I really I really enjoy this one.
Bryan (16:24)
Yeah, when you think about in your head the map from Tennessee to Washington State, first of all, it's the tip of that state. It's a big state. Washington's
Beth (16:30)
Yeah. Big state, Washington.
Bryan (16:31)
bigger than you think.
Russ (16:31)
Bigger than the thing.
Bryan (16:33)
It's three thousand plus miles, you know, to drop in for a couple of days. And I've now done this trip
Beth (16:37)
Drop it for a couple of days and I've never done this
Bryan (16:39)
a few times. I don't know how you do it. Like it'll wipe you out. And so the dedication is very admirable and and and l wonderful having you here.
Barry (16:48)
Very admirable.
Russ (16:48)
Very admirable. Yeah, we we wonderful having you here. We
we look forward to having you here every year. So yeah, there's just no question. You were booking your flight to Cave.
Beth (16:56)
Yeah, I was doing it. Yeah. I I almost didn't at the last minute 'cause flight prices are really going up, but I managed to get a unicorn deal on a flight and was able to make it.
Bryan (17:04)
Well, the week
the week before, as I was stressing over the and it's more s it's more anger than stress about the rain but potentially ruining the sholes fest. And that was less about a festival. And that was more about one of my favorite bands, reunited with Isbel. And that I just
Barry (17:18)
Right, right, right.
Bryan (17:19)
wanted to see that one show is more than anything. And we did say for a minute, maybe let's just hold off for a minute. Because the prices we were s you were still shopping around.
Beth (17:26)
Yeah.
Bryan (17:27)
Let's hold off for a minute, see how it unfolds for the next week. And we that hurricane just came out.
Barry (17:34)
Yeah. Yeah, really sleep too or something. Yeah, it went from tropical storm to hurricane to all of a sudden we're involved.
Bryan (17:34)
Kinda nowhere, right? Or was I just asleep too long or something? Yeah, yeah. And then so it was like, Okay. Looks
Russ (17:37)
No it did. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Bryan (17:41)
looks like it should be all right. Let's get the flight booked and I waited like half a day to say,
Russ (17:45)
And I waited like half a day to say
Bryan (17:48)
There's a hurricane. I didn't I didn't see it if it if I'm sorry.
Beth (17:49)
By the way. Yeah. Yeah.
One thing that's really amazing though is that the campground is still fully active. Everybody's seems happy and engaged and lively and walking around.
Bryan (18:01)
A lot of people here too.
Russ (18:02)
Yeah, it
really hasn't dampened anybody's spirit here. I mean, everybody's, you know, still coming in and setting up and and it's been great.
Beth (18:08)
Yeah.
Barry (18:09)
Abby, I know it's your first. Have you and your have you and your friend explored and discovered the all the other things, like maybe not the trails but the the taverns and all the other?
Abby (18:18)
So we haven't made it to the tavern yet that's on our list today, that we'll probably make it there after we're done with this. just to kind of scope it out, see what's in there. we made it into the cave, like inside the caverns for one of like the first sets yesterday, but it was super humid just 'cause it was early in the day, it was right before the rain started to come down again. So we stayed for about half that set and we're like, Yeah, we'll just go wander around and see what's in. We checked out the food trucks. The food here is super cheap compared to any other festival. Yeah.
Barry (18:45)
And big.
Russ (18:47)
huge. I know. I just could could not
Bryan (18:47)
Very huge portions.
Russ (18:49)
finish I haven't been able to finish a sandwich yet that I've had, yeah.
Barry (18:52)
Yeah. And that makes a difference.
Russ (18:54)
It does. Yeah.
Barry (18:56)
genre. Th this is the there used to be a cave jam and a CaveFest,
Russ (19:01)
Mm-hmm.
Barry (19:02)
and they're just what you would think. CaveFest is more bluegrass oriented, cave jam is jam bands. this am I wrong? This is a little bit of a mix, right?
Bryan (19:13)
Yeah, I've always found it strange, not good, bad, right or wrong. This is not billed as a bluegrass festival. I think I said that for a couple of years now because it's odd. It's not like come to CaveFest for the best bluegrass you'll ever hear. It's but that's primarily what it is. I mean Lauderdale's Lauderdale would come to my house if I asked him to come over. he He will play
Barry (19:31)
Yes.
Russ (19:31)
I think he has.
Bryan (19:35)
anywhere, but he I I I enjoy having around because he he's a rock act. I mean he's a he he's an alt rock act.
Barry (19:38)
It's great. He's great.
Russ (19:38)
He's a rock act. He's great. I mean yeah he Yeah.
Beth (19:41)
Yeah.
Bryan (19:42)
And so, when the guy who shows up the most doesn't play bluegrass, you know, it's just it's just it's it's it's just different. It's not r again, good or bad.
Russ (19:49)
Well and and
let me bring up Lindsay Lou who is, you know, Queen Queen CaveFest. But
Barry (19:52)
That's where I was going.
Bryan (19:53)
Also not Queen CaveFest. Yeah.
Russ (19:56)
you know, Friday night she was doing a Sublime Yeah. And
Bryan (20:00)
Were you guys in there for that? Yeah. Yeah. And
Russ (20:02)
you know, so I was expecting like, okay, is this gonna be like a bluegrass cover of Sublime? Okay, I'm into that. no, she
Bryan (20:07)
No, I saw the video. No. No, she
Russ (20:09)
just straight up just covered Sublime and it was amazing. And not just Sublime, she did a lot of nineties popular songs. She did a Lauren Hill cover, she killed it.
She did a Alanis Morrisette set and you know, it was just just just straight up
Bryan (20:24)
Yeah, I bet that was a lot of fun.
Russ (20:25)
just straight up throwback.
Barry (20:25)
Straight up throwback.
Now we did just watch a full set of Beatles, Revolver and Done Bluegrass, in
Russ (20:34)
Yeah.
Barry (20:35)
addition to some bluegrass songs that they kinda threw in either at the tail end or between a couple of others. So little bit of everything is
Bryan (20:44)
Yeah.
Beth (20:46)
Fish cover set and then Bob Weir tonight.
Bryan (20:48)
Yeah, it's a Bob Weir.
Russ (20:49)
Yeah,
Bryan (20:49)
I just saw yesterday, Bob Weir. Air show's doing Bob Weir tonight.
Russ (20:49)
there was a Bob Weir airshow. Bob Weir air show tonight.
And also yesterday that we we watched a John Prime cover band that you know, it's his this would have been his eightieth birthday yesterday. So that was kinda special. That was fun.
Barry (21:05)
And don't
forget our guy Tarun, Modern Biology, is gonna be doing his music from mushrooms. Wasn't that fun?
Russ (21:09)
Tarun, yep. Who who we'll see here yeah, see here in a few hours.
Bryan (21:11)
yeah, yeah. What a great show that was, guys. That was that
was wild. I was like, you know, I don't run to watch any podcast. Especially not the one I was on and sometimes might still be on.
Russ (21:16)
You know, I don't run to watch any podcast. especially not ours. Well and sometimes might still be on
Bryan (21:25)
But I was like, I gotta see what this mushroom guy is all about making whatever. I still don't understand it entirely. I'll I'll I'll understand it more maybe when it when I see it. Abby, I wanted to ask you real quick for a fella g w came out of my my mind.
Where are you from again?
Abby (21:41)
I'm from Dallas, Georgia. It's like an hour like northwest
Russ (21:44)
I know where Dallas is.
Abby (21:45)
of Atlanta.
Bryan (21:46)
Okay.
So a li not far but a a little a little bit of a of a drive.
Abby (21:50)
Mm-hmm.
Bryan (21:51)
so you might not be back super soon, but you might. are you familiar with the cave tours that they do? We've talked about it like crazy. Not and not the cave
Abby (21:58)
No, this is
Bryan (21:59)
where the music is, but the the other
Russ (22:00)
The the other
cave.
Abby (22:02)
I know that they do and everybody that we've like ran into and talked to was like you have to do it while you're here. Like it is it's it's really cool. If you're on a bit of a bike.
Bryan (22:07)
It is an additional cost and if you're if you're on a bit of a budget, I get
it, but it's something to see. I just wanted to put that out there.
Abby (22:14)
Yeah, it's
definitely it's this is a bucket list venue for me to just to see in general. So like coming for a festival is really special. and then my friend that I'm here with, he's coming here with his dad in February for like a Pink Floyd tribute show. So we may
Russ (22:27)
nice.
Abby (22:28)
dip into the to the tour. That way he's a pro when he comes back.
Bryan (22:31)
Okay. Well ke keep it in mind because it if you've got the the the money to spend on it, it's not gonna break ya, but I mean I know in a festival like this sometimes you gotta start counting pennies and no matter what the situation is. And it's pretty quick and it does it y at the tavern is where you where you arrange all that. Just keep it in mind, it is it is
Russ (22:49)
There's a one
hour tour and there's a four hour tour. Probably start with a one hour. Yeah.
Bryan (22:52)
Yeah, don't do the four hour one. You'll be crawling around through the mud. I
haven't done that one yet. I'm gonna do it sometime soon.
Russ (22:58)
Yeah.
Barry (23:00)
All right. what else are we missing? we've got IBM A. speaking of this is when we become you know, the podcast about bluegrass. The the three guys
Beth (23:06)
Bluegrass podcast. Yep.
Bryan (23:07)
Yeah. Bluegrass
all the time. On the hour every hour.
Russ (23:09)
All the time. Yeah. On the hour, every hour.
Bryan (23:14)
Yeah, not a bit.
Barry (23:12)
From your people who don't care much for blue
Bryan (23:16)
no, I just picked up this obnoxious tie dye shirt, collared, long sleeve shirt that I'm gonna wear with my sport coat next week to the red to the red carpet.
Russ (23:27)
Red to the
Beth (23:31)
Yeah.
Bryan (23:32)
I didn't it's a great vendor. He does great tie dye. it in the we'll yeah, I'll I'll we'll we'll drop in just the the the
Beth (23:34)
Great tie dye. We gotta drop it in the comments or something. We'll drop in just He was really nice too.
Bryan (23:40)
clickable. The guy is so cool, he's from
Bryan (23:43)
Cookville, Rock Island State Park is what we were talking about. It's a place I've been wanting to go to. I'm sure you're familiar with it.
Russ (23:47)
Yeah, I I know Rock Island, yeah. I am.
Bryan (23:51)
anyway, it's obnoxious and I'll have it with a sport coat for our red carpet.
Barry (23:54)
Love And and I hope the
leggings, I hope you s you know the I won't
Russ (23:57)
Yeah, please please wear the leggings
Bryan (23:58)
No, I won't wear
Russ (23:59)
with it.
Bryan (23:59)
that to the red
carpet. You need bad eye leggings. Boy, that would be something. That would be something.
Beth (24:00)
You need tie dye leggings too.
Russ (24:03)
That would be something.
Barry (24:05)
the reason
we're going to the IBM A, that's the International Bluegrass Musicians Association awards annual events in Chattanooga for the next couple of years. It was there.
Bryan (24:14)
Hopefully Billy will hang out with
us this time. Not necessarily us us but in the he didn't he didn't come to the to the red carpet last year.
Barry (24:21)
So I need to confirm this. He either left Chattanooga or some other event because it was we got it wrong. It was the year before. But the year before
Russ (24:26)
No, it was it was the year before. Yeah. But the year before
Barry (24:30)
he'd left, I guess it when it was still in Raleigh,
Russ (24:33)
Raleigh. Raleigh.
Barry (24:34)
'cause his wife was literally having a baby and we found out that Ringo Starr sent his plane to get Billy. How about
Bryan (24:42)
How about that?
Barry (24:43)
that? So so he could go fly.
Russ (24:43)
Well I I'll tell you what,
he will be in Chattanooga this time because he is the inaugural act at the Tivoli Theater, which is reopening after a multi year, multi million dollar
Bryan (24:52)
Yeah.
Russ (24:53)
renovation and update. and it's opening I think what, this weekend maybe. The next day after when we record.
Bryan (24:58)
No, the next day after when we record.
So he'll be around and Sam Bush, who headlined here last year, and I've always known Sam Bush rocks. He's a new grass guy. He he's a
Barry (25:07)
Amazing.
Bryan (25:12)
he is as much as you can rock with a mandolin, he does it. And I and he had Lindsay Lou with him out there last year too, and I loved that set here at CaveFest. So I'm looking forward to and he seems like a man of the people type of guy. I'm looking forward to bothering him.
At the at the red carpet for sure, 'cause he he's fun.
Barry (25:29)
It it's a big
deal. We were impressed. Of course last year's host was Steve Martin. Yeah, boy, that was fun. Anytime you
Bryan (25:33)
Yeah, boy, that was fun. It didn't
Barry (25:35)
get to see Steve Martin is a life thing for me.
Bryan (25:38)
Yeah. Doesn't
matter what we're doing. I I that was a thrill, just I mean, you know, that I didn't bother Steve Martin. Yeah, we didn't get to talk to him.
Russ (25:42)
You know, that I didn't In in the same room, yeah, we didn't get to talk to him, but yeah.
Bryan (25:46)
Yeah. It was that was that was very, very fun. And so yeah, that'll be the next that'll be the next step in about a week or so.
Barry (25:53)
All right. you know who you're gonna see today?
Abby (25:58)
we're definitely gonna go see modern biology. So
Abby (26:02)
we'll be there. and then
Russ (26:02)
There we go.
Abby (26:04)
I'm gonna I'm gonna push through and I'm gonna stay awake to see Airshow do I wanna say their who are they attributing to Bob
Barry (26:10)
Bye wear.
Abby (26:11)
Weir. so that'll be really exciting
Russ (26:12)
So that'll be really
Abby (26:14)
and special.
Bryan (26:13)
And don't and don't feel
like your mi your your brain's not working or something on the trying to remember on the schedule. I have to look up the schedule. Every time I wanna make a decision about anything, I don't know why I can't remember this. it's I print Well, I you I used to do that until digital's destroying us all.
Russ (26:28)
This is why you print everything out. Well, I didn't used to do that until digital's destroying us all.
Barry (26:34)
And Luke Hard, we didn't want to go see our guy. Who else is on your who are you shooting today?
Beth (26:39)
Lindsay Lewis today, Gillian Welch, obviously. I mean Kellars today. It's gonna be a big day.
Bryan (26:42)
Kellers, Keller's today. Keller's today. Yeah,
I love Keller. It's with the Keels, so it'd be all bluegrass. I'd love to see Keller do a more rock show, hey, I'll take any Keller Williams anytime I can get
Barry (26:53)
What's on your list?
Russ (26:54)
Modern biology, that was my number one today. Yeah. Got it gotta check out. Yeah.
Barry (26:57)
Yeah. That's gonna be cool.
All right. Anything else before we get out of here?
Bryan (27:05)
I'll jump on with you guys here sooner soon enough. and maybe go into a little bit more. But I finally got my OASIS tickets. Vegas. August.
Barry (27:12)
Where where are you going? Nice. August.
Russ (27:12)
Vegas, okay.
Bryan (27:16)
Hopefully she doesn't have a a a fest in the way of of of or that she has to shoot that might keep her from having to go. But right now it's
Beth (27:22)
Might keep I might have a festival that weekend.
Bryan (27:25)
designed for me and her, or
Russ (27:25)
Designed for me and her or
Bryan (27:27)
I don't know, be my friend. Maybe I'll go. we're on
Beth (27:28)
I don't know, be my friend. Contest. We'll run another
contest. On the floor.
Bryan (27:32)
We're on the floor,
front floor. Yeah, and we'll go into more detail on this one later. My Vegas guy who took care of me last time. Yep. He's he's he's coming through again. I got a I got a lot of I don't
Barry (27:35)
Wow.
Russ (27:36)
Nice. My Vegas guy who took care of me last time. Yeah. Thank you, Vegas guy. I got a I got a lot of
Barry (27:41)
He's he's he's coming. You'll be a blubbering idiot.
Bryan (27:47)
I I don't know why a lot of people like me, but they do.
Russ (27:51)
I don't know why either. I mean in my br I mean real life. I'm not I'm not y'all I don't know. I'm talking Well,
Barry (27:52)
That's the surprising thing.
Bryan (27:53)
I mean to my fr I mean to my friend in my real life. I'm not talking about y'all. I'm talking I don't know. I'm talking yeah, I don't know. I don't know.
Russ (28:01)
similar to your story, you know, I'm it's less than a month. I'm gonna see Rush in Tampa next month. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Right. Cool. Knocking out all the legacy acts. That's
Bryan (28:05)
that's right. Your Russian. All right. Knocking out all the legacy acts.
Russ (28:10)
it. Yep.
Barry (28:11)
All right. Abby, congratulations. Glad we ran into you. Sorry the weather's not better. Thanks for joining us for this today. Beth, thanks for making the trip. Yeah. Thanks for putting up with
Abby (28:14)
Thank you guys so much.
Bryan (28:14)
Yeah, thanks for joining in.
Russ (28:15)
Yeah,
Beth (28:16)
Yeah, thanks for having me. Putting up with
Barry (28:24)
dumbass. Somebody has to.
Russ (28:24)
Stop.
Bryan (28:26)
But it's tough. It's tough.
Beth (28:26)
Someone's gotta be the handler.
Bryan (28:28)
Especially when I've been all stuff. here's another tip. don't start a college course after twenty five years of not doing it and then immediately go on vacation for a week across country. That'll stress you out. Didn't I came back and
Russ (28:41)
That'll stress you out. Yeah, that was dumb.
Barry (28:43)
Yeah.
Bryan (28:45)
thought, my God, what have I done? I'm gonna c I'm quitting. I caught
Barry (28:48)
Yeah.
Bryan (28:49)
up, it was fine, but that's not the best strategy.
Beth (28:52)
Finally did all
the Seattle stuff though. Finally.
Bryan (28:55)
yeah,
Russ (28:55)
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, we need to get caught up on that sometime too, yeah.
Bryan (28:55)
boy, boy. We had a big time in Seattle. Yeah, we'll
we'll we'll we can go into that more later and that didn't see really any we didn't do any shows, did we? No, we should we did a lot of tourist stuff, but Seattle, boy, what a great place. Thank you, the listener.
Barry (29:04)
No, which did we did a lot of tourist stuff. But Seattle, boy, what a great puddle.
Russ (29:06)
Seattle, boy, what a good question. Well thank you, the listener,
for sticking with us and watching our show and we've run into several fans this weekend as well at the caverns. you know, Josh right across the street from us camping. Yep. Ran into a few more, you know, just in the venue and yeah, it's great to great to run into people and thank you so much for sticking with us.
Bryan (29:29)
Yep, miss you guys and it's nice talking to you guys again too. We'll we'll we'll do it again.
Barry (29:33)
Yeah, let's
we'll we'll keep an eye on the weather and the next time there's a hurricane we'll go to a festival. We'll go to a festival near you. Thanks guys.
Bryan (29:38)
Yeah, we'll break in. T
Russ (29:38)
Possible make it happen. I'll be there. We'll go to a festival. Thanks, guys. Thank you.
Bryan (29:43)
Yeah. See ya.
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