Greta Van Fleet Joins Burger Battle, Bourbon & Beyond Festival Returns

With the return of live music during the last year, the festival has taken on a new relevance.

With the cost of individual concerts skyrocketing amid inflation, festivals offer fans a unique way to catch many acts throughout the weekend at relatively reasonable prices.

For destination festivals, the problem lies in how to create an immersive experience that attracts concertgoers from all over the country. A way to stand out in an increasingly crowded field.

Since 2017, Bourbon & Beyond delves into the presence of Kentucky’s number one export and its famous Bourbon Trail, offering fans a unique opportunity to sample rare whiskeys and Kentucky bourbons. Featuring America’s best chefs, the Louisville Festival’s celebration of culinary arts, spirits, live music and more makes it one of America’s most unique festivals.

“For Bourbon & Beyond, we haven’t had that festival since 2019. So in a way, it’s also about reintroducing the brand not just to the United States, but to our local community and Kentucky.” Chamie McCurry, Chief Marketing Officer and Concert Promoter, said: Danny Wimmer Presents“I think what’s so unique is that you have your own music, right? Then there’s the bourbon stage and the cooking stage with some of the best chefs in the US. It’s featured, it’s tasted, it’s talked about, and we have pop-up activations all over the site,” she explained. “In short, a festival rooted in our love of Kentucky and Kentucky’s number one product, bourbon. There aren’t many other events that celebrate local commerce like this. There will be a number of extras showing up as one of her girlfriends.”

Returning from pandemic layoffs and adding a fourth day, Bourbon & Beyond kicks off tonight with headliners Jack White and Alanis Morissette, Kings of Leon and Brandi Carlile Friday, Pearl Jam and Greta. Van Fleet on Saturday before closing with Chris Stapleton and The Doobie Brothers on Sunday, September 18th.

Singer Eddie Vedder played the inaugural Bourbon & Beyond stage in 2017, but Seattle grunge rockers Pearl Jam didn’t make many festival appearances. Saturday night’s set marks Pearl’s first Louisville concert of his jam since a stop to support his second album in 1994. versus. This will be their fourth appearance in Kentucky, following appearances in 2003 and 2016 in Lexington, a booking coup for Danny Wimmer Presents.

But where the culinary and musical worlds really collide is at the cooking stage.Sri Lankan-American, Kentucky-born chef Sam Fore cooks with singer-songwriter Neil Finn on Saturday while chef Tiffany Faison cooks smart together It’s always sunny in Philadelphia Glenn Howerton, Charlie Day, Rob McElhenney ( always sunny podcast) on Saturday afternoon, singer-songwriter Jin Wigmore joins chef Amanda Freytag as sous chef on Sunday.

TAO Group Partner and Food Network Personality Chef Chris Santosmusic enthusiast and co-founder black light media As the hard rock imprint of the vaunted heavy label Metal Blade, he plays a major role in the weekend’s events, co-hosting the culinary stage with chef Ed Lee, and judging Friday afternoon’s Louisville Cocktail Competition.

“I met Danny Wimmer a long time ago at the Louder Than Life Festival in Louisville, and every year I nudged him and pestered him. Santos, who toured as a celebrity chef at the Mayhem Festival in 2013, said: “For some reason, I was out. Then of course the pandemic hit and the festival was completely wiped out. So, This has been a long time coming for me and I’m really looking forward to it,” said the chef. “And this is educational. There is a lot going on behind the scenes for interested fans, not just getting the band started. The amount of extra work that goes into tivation means they don’t really have to do it, right?”

Since his debut in 2009, Santos has appeared as a judge on 51 seasons of the Food Network’s Reality Cooking Contest. chopped.

As any regular viewer of the show knows, Santos is a fan of good burgers, and is the burger lover between brothers Sam and Jake Kiszka of Michigan rock actor Greta Van Fleet. Makes him a perfect fit to preside over the fight on Saturday at Bourbon’s culinary stage.

“For me, a great burger should be juicy even though it’s well done. It doesn’t have to be well done, but sometimes that happens.” There are tricks and methods, and I’m looking for them,” Santos said in anticipation of this weekend’s burger battle. “What’s actually interesting is that one of his brothers uses an impossible burger and the other one uses a traditional beef his burger. It’s a burger battle so let’s have different weapons. it’s their new record play of Battle at Gardens GateSo I thought Battle at Bourbon & Beyond would be really fun. The two brothers are very competitive, so they jumped at the opportunity to compete with each other,” said Chef.

“I’m going to kick Jake’s ass and show him that soy-based protein can be taken and made great. Greta Van Fleet Bassist Sam Kiska laughs, referring to his brother, Greta Van Fleet guitarist Jake Kiska, who cooks beef patties on Saturday at Battle of Bourbon & Beyond.

“This is the problem…most people go to a restaurant and order an impossible burger, and they microwave it or do something weird,” Kiszka observed. Just grill it like you would a regular hamburger.If you want to substitute meat, just grill it like you would any other hamburger,” said the bassist. “Some are doing well. But you need to make up for that lack of moisture. So I chop vegetables like mushrooms, peppers, and onions very finely, blend them into impossible meat proteins, and then press them.” I like [patty] Cook with fire together. We humans grew up cooking things with fire, which is why it’s so good. “

Santos is looking forward to Friday night’s Kings of Leon performance, while Kischka is excited about Thursday afternoon’s set by singer and guitarist Hannah Wickland. and singer/guitarist Kischka has previously toured with Greta Van Feel.

For bourbon fans Kiska, this weekend will be a unique festival experience. In his off hours to and from Bourbon & Beyond, his band has the rare opportunity to attend festivals and soak up all that festivals have to offer.

“I love bourbon. “This is genius, this full sensory experience,” said the Bourbon & Beyond bassist. “In theory, this reminds me of growing up. We were always trying new foods. My father was always researching different aspects of cooking. showing me new music and teaching me about philosophy in general and the human condition, Kiska said with a laugh, “In short, it sounds like our upbringing.”

As is now the case in virtually all American industries, the cost of running a four-day festival has risen. There is none. VIP package, camping pass etc. Keeping entry fees somewhat affordable, where available, is critical to keeping the destination model sustainable.

“Production costs for festivals this year are higher than they were pre-COVID. We work endlessly to find ways to absorb some of the costs without passing them on to our fans,” McCurry said. They come here and live with us for four days, they come from all over the country, so in addition to passes and airfares, We also pay for hotels and campsites, so we work hard to pass that value back to our fans,” she said.

“The festival experience is everything to us. We know the band is usually the driving force. That’s where the fans come. But when they get there, what they can do in between sets is music. “Especially Bourbon & Beyond has so much to do at that festival outside of the three stages where the music is playing, so it’s just like you. It’s going to be an experience you can share with friends and family who may not be into that type of music, but it’s like what you’ve experienced: someone who loves country, someone who loves rock, someone who loves bluegrass. We can come to the same place and offer a place where you can have a great time,” she said. “Experience is becoming more and more important.”