Trombone Shorty
The 2024 Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, Tennessee, will be remembered for the weather almost as much as the music. With the remnants of Hurricane Helene lingering, rain was a constant companion throughout the weekend. Even when it wasn’t pouring, festivalgoers anxiously checked their weather apps, uncertain if the festival would continue.
When the gates finally opened on Saturday, delayed until 2 p.m., Trombone Shorty and Allison Russell kicked off the festival with high energy, immediately dispelling most concerns. In the Americana Music Triangle, Heavy Drunk brought out blues legend Watermelon Slim, whose performance left one attendee remarking “Seeing Watermelon Slim perform was worth the ticket price alone.”
Saturday evening saw Hozier take the Gold Record Stage as the skies opened in an hours-long downpour. Amidst the rain, he invited Allison Russell back onstage for a memorable duet (returning the favor for his earlier guest appearance on her set), adding to the magic of the soggy evening.
Saturday night closed with the iconic Dave Matthews Band, whose members didn’t let the downpour dampen their energy, either. Front man Matthews was drenched along with his fans but delivered a phenomenal and nostalgic performance, inviting Trombone Shorty back onstage to join their band.
It was a muddy and chaotic night, with puddles forming underfoot, and leaving the festival grounds became an adventure in itself. Many festivalgoers struggled to move cars stuck in the mud until late into the night, casting uncertainty on the prospect of Sunday’s portion of the fest.
By Sunday morning many believed the festival would be canceled, but once again, it pressed on. As attendees passed through security and the gates opened, there was disbelief that they were back for another day. The weather teased with patches of blue sky during Better Than Ezra’s annual set, but soon the rain returned.
The Americana Music Triangle welcomed back the outstanding Hippies and Cowboys for the second year in a row. The tent was completely packed full of fans ready to see the local Leipers Fork band back to the festival again.
Needtobreathe electrified the Gold Record Stage with a live performance to remember. The band welcomed Old Dominion’s Matthew Ramsey for “Wasting Time,” and ended its set by welcoming Judah & the Lion members Judah Akers and Brian Macdonald, who jumped in for the final song. The powerful performance by Needtobreathe, despite the rain, captivated poncho-wearing fans both new and old.
Bear Rinehart of Needtobreathe
The festival wrapped up its 10th year with a performance by Noah Kahan on the Midnight Sun Stage. The rain finally held off, and while the crowd near the front was going wild, the lawn-chair section seemed blanketed in a calm energy as the seated attendees enjoyed the final set of the weekend.
The 2024 Pilgrimage Festival was a testament to the dedication of performers, fans and organizers showing that not even a hurricane could dampen the spirit of live music in Middle Tennessee.
