Mountain Music Festival

The Mountain Music Festival took over the Convention Center in Gatlinburg Tennessee, and we were lucky enough to attend. Our expectations were high and it did not disappoint.  With four stages, non-stop live music, and three packed days of performances there was never a shortage of something to see or hear. We were constantly running between stages to catch as many performances as possible. Beyond live music, the festival offered plenty of extra activities, including photo opportunities, guitar clinics, painting sessions with rockstars, vendor booths, and a charity auction supporting Unravel Pediatric Cancer.

  George Lynch’s guitar clinic kicked off day one on Friday and from there a lineup ensued that set the tone for the rest of the weekend. Headlining the first night was Pearcy/DeMartini playing the songs of Ratt, along with performances from Sebastian Bach, Lynch Mob,Tuk Smith, Tora Tora, Reb Beach Fusion Band, No Love Lost and many more. One of our favorites of day one was Rebels Opera from right here in Nashville. They reminded us why festivals like this are so important, not only for the legendary artists, but also for giving up and coming bands an opportunity to introduce themselves to a new audience.

Attendees woke up to shocking and sad news on day two of the festival from the Bret Michaels Band. Originally scheduled to close out the night, they unfortunately had to pull out after doctors advised Bret Michaels to cease touring after a show in Georgia the night before. They were definitely missed and many well wishes for Bret, from fans and artists alike, were being shared throughout the day. Festival goers had many options on Saturday, whether it be catching an acoustic set from Ted Poley on the Terrace, jamming with  Wildstreet, Stone Whisky or The Gavin Evick Band on the Summit stage or taking it all in with Crazy Lixx, John Corabi & Friends, White Lion, Dangerous Toys, Lita Ford, Jackyl, Night Ranger and others on the twin stages downstairs there was something for everybody. Bullet Boys stepped in to close an epic day with classics like Smooth Up In Ya and Hard As A Rock while Bad Marriage finished with a late night party set upstairs on the Summit Stage. 

The final day of The Mountain Music Festival didn’t lose speed as performances from Hoekstra/Gibbs, The Cruel Intentions, Steelhart, John Waite, Warrant, Vixen, 38 Special and other artists kept the party going on the twin stages as Soto/Bieler graced the Summit stage. Upcomer Luke Robert played the Terrace on Sunday as did the amazing Cheri Loop with Tyson Leslie.  Rick Springfield closed out the festival Sunday night, ending it with his classic tune Jessie’s Girl, all the while bridging the gap between seasoned and young rock fans alike, reminding us all how fortunate and blessed we were to be there. 

Thousands of people came together in the beautiful mountains of Tennessee, all for the same reasons, to listen to great music, see some of their favorite artists, make memories, and simply have a great time and that’s exactly what we did! And we left Gatlinburg already looking forward to seeing what next year brings.