Whilst the remnants of Hurricane Helene raged across the southeast, music-lovers from all over braved the weather for the 10th annual Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, TN. This milestone celebration was headlined by Noah Kahan and Dave Matthews Band, with incredible performances by Hozier, NEEDTOBREATHE, Better Than Ezra, Stephen Sanchez, COIN, and many more.
Located just 20 minutes south of Nashville, Franklin is a cradle of melody and musicality. With its green pastures and charming neighborhoods, it is the ideal place for fans to enjoy the dulcet sounds of their favorite artists, ranging from country to rock and pop alike. But how did it come to be?
According to the festival website, “musician and Franklin, TN resident Kevin Griffin was on a September morning run through The Park at Harlinsdale, a century-old horse farm recently purchased by the City of Franklin. Kevin was so taken by the rolling hills, natural amphitheaters, and breathtaking vistas of the 230-acre farm, he envisioned it as a natural fit for a music festival venue. Considering Franklin’s music and cultural history, Kevin wanted the community to further appreciate combining this with the beauty and rustic quality of Middle Tennessee in the fall, and with the blessing of the City, began to dream up a music festival to do it justice” Ten years later, that dream is very much a reality. And a successful one, at that.
Despite the threat of heavy rain this year, the Pilgrimage team operated according to the ever-relevant turn of phrase, “the show must go on.” Doors were delayed by several hours while the grounds crew prepared the land for thousands of visitors to grace the fields. Once reinforced, the gates were opened to an estimated 25,000 eager fans donning rainboots and ponchos.
The festival kicked off with a set from Chance Peña on the Gold Record Road Stage. Often compared to artists like James Bay or Noah Kahan, Peña is a folky force to be reckoned with. His song “i am not who i was” garnered massive success and features on his debut full-length album. Music Connection sat down with him to chat more about the release and how he rolls with the punches. Read the interview with Chance here
Celisse brought the Midnight Sun stage to an open with her powerhouse performance on both vocals and guitar. Allison Russell showcased her versatility as she played clarinet and banjo, all while pulling off some of the most soulful vocals of the weekend. Her message of empowerment and acceptance set the tone for the weekend. As a special surprise, Allison brought Hozier out to sing with her on “Requiem.” This was quite fitting, as dozens of fans had rushed to the barricade at that stage so they could see him up close and personal later in the day.
The Brook & the Bluff brought some indie-rock to the scene while Lukas Nelson appeased the country-rock fans. Over in the “Americana Music Triangle” tent, patrons got to experience some of the genre’s greatest talent up close with sets by Wyatt Ellis, Theo Lawrence, People on the Porch, Willi Carlisle, Heavydrunk, The Band of Heathens, and Illiterate Light. Trombone Shorty & New Orleans Avenue brought the house down with the most energetic jazz set to grace the stage. The unique mixture of instrumentality with a dynamic vocal show had everyone on their feet and dancing.
Playing off the success of his latest album “Unreal Unearth,” Hozier found himself with one of the most massive crowds of the weekend. The “Too Sweet” lyricist bewitched us all with “Francesca,” and Allison Russell graced the stage once again to sing “Work Song.” Melissa McMillan, a backup vocalist in Hozier’s band, featured on “Nina Cried Power,” which was introduced with a call to action from Hozier. His demand for equality is encouraged by a plea for action. As an Irishman, he tied the history of freedom in his homeland to that of the US, citing the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s as a direct influence for change. Seeing an artist take up valuable set-time to share a cause so important to his heart was a sobering reminder of how lucky we are. The set closed with Hozier's breakout hit “Take Me To Church.”
Dave Matthews Band closed out the day and brought in fans both young and old. The front rails were lined with kids no older than five rocking out next to folks who could very well be their grandparents! Few artists have such a wide reach, but DMB proves that sound transcends time. They kicked it off with “#41” and “Two Step” before covering Led Zepplin’s “Fool in the Rain.” Fitting, as the sky continued to shower the crowd. Trombone Shorty even made a reappearance to play on “Louisiana Bayou” and “Tripping Billies.”
Sunday brought the naïve hope of better weather, though fans were thrilled to endure whatever the day would bring. As the gates opened, hundreds rushed through the mud to get to the Midnight Sun stage in anticipation of what was to come. Others made their way over to the “Makers’ Village,” where dozens of local vendors showcased their unique offerings from custom hats to recycled clothing. The mobile Gibson Garage gave patrons the opportunity to step inside and get their photo taken with a custom guitar in the Infinite Guitar Tunnel Photo Experience.
The Brevet kicked things off with an Americana-rock performance featuring their latest release “Golden Nostalgia.” Next up, Grace Bowers & the Hodge Podge made their first-ever Pilgrimage appearance. Led by 18-year-old guitarist Grace Bowers, the band rocked their debut single “Tell Me Why U Do That,” along with singles from their upcoming debut album. Esi Okai-Tetteh’s vocals especially stunned on “Wine on Venus.” The band’s youth was an encouraging witness to the future of rock.
Sierra Hull and her mandolin gave a little bluegrass touch to the day. In the Americana tent nearby, Owensboro Bluegrass, Down Home Church, Earnest “Guitar” Roy, Cassandra Lewis, Lamont Landers, Hippies & Cowboys, and Charlie Worsham all gave intimate performances.
Stephen Wilson Jr. is his father’s son… or so he tells us in his introduction. The Indiana-raised guitarist entranced Pilgrimage with his suave attitude and, even moreso, his captivating voice. His music is a country-influenced rock laced with sentimentality and vulnerability. Myles Smith provided a bit of English influence to the weekend. Smith recently skyrocketed to fame with “Solo” and “Stargazing.” Ever the class act, he expertly navigated technical difficulties on stage during “River” and had the assistance of rail-riding superfans who helped sing along.
Understandably, attendees had been glued to their phones leading up to the weekend in search of updates. Kevin Griffin, the aforementioned co-founder of the festival, acted as a spokesman via Instagram and assured fans that they would be taken care of. Thus, when Better Than Ezra took the stage, folks were met with a familiar face… some may say the face of Pilgrimage Festival itself! As the lead vocalist of the band, Griffin rocked alongside bandmates Tom Drummond (bass), Michael Jerome (drums), and James Arthur Payne Jr. (guitar and keys). They released their first album in over 10 years, titled Super Magick, but focused more on their older songs for the set. Griffin’s stage presence invigorated the crowd. It was as if the rain only fueled them more!
Over at the Midnight Sun stage, Stephen Sanchez had everyone wondering what decade we stepped into. In contrast to every other group, Sanchez and his band showed out in suit and tie. Their entire aesthetic was 50s-esque, as evidenced by the ribbon microphones and Elvis-like hairdo. The classic set charmed us all with songs like “Until I Found You” and “Evangeline.”
Fresh off the release of their latest record “I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore,” COIN took to the mainstage to perform songs from the album live for the very first time. Consisting of vocalist Chase Lawrence, drummer Ryan Winnen, and guitarist Joe Memmel, the close-knit band was formed locally at Belmont University. Their electric set roused an energy unlike any other of the weekend and featured hits like “Talk Too Much” and “Crash My Car,” while showing off their new material as a kickoff to the album’s promotional tour. NEEDTOBREATHE closed out the Gold Record Road stage in a blazing glory of colorful lights and twangy tunes.
The grand finale of Pilgrimage ‘24 was led by none other than New England’s sweetheart, Noah Kahan. Not only was Kahan’s set the close of the festival, but Pilgrimage was the final venue for his two-year-long Stick Season tour. It was only right that the fields of Harlinsdale Farm were packed to the brim with folks in Red Sox ball caps and overalls.
Standout fan-made signs included one whose banner explained that he traveled all the way from Australia to be at the show. One fan expressed “All Our Love” (a touching reference to a track from Kahan’s album) to Eastern Tennessee and Western North Carolina as they suffer the effects of the hurricane. Kahan even traded a guitar pick for a Snickers bar, which he kept securely on his mic stand for the rest of the show.
The set included hits like “Homesick” and “Dial Drunk,” and featured the irreverent comedy that Kahan so easily dishes out. His boy-next-door charm and natural likeability could make a field of thousands feel like a simple living-room jam session with your closest friends. Finally, Kahan welcomed Ashe to the stage to duet on “Stick Season” and bring the weekend to a close.
Though the musical pilgrimage only just ended, we eagerly look forward to what 2025’s journey will bring! To learn more about Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival, visit https://pilgrimagefestival.com/.
