Franklin, Tennessee’s acclaimed Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival wrapped up its 11th year this weekend with fantastic performances across the board. Day one of the festival featured artists like Maggie Rose, Father John Misty, Turnpike Troubadours, Sam Barber and a standout performance from Franklin’s hometown heroes, Colony House. Caleb Chapman, frontman for Colony House, energized the crowd early into their set by leaping off stage, running into the crowd and continuing to perform among the many fans that had gathered in attendance. By the time Caleb returned to stage, you could feel the excitement and sense of connection this moment created with their fans. The night wrapped up with a headlining performance from Kings Of Leon who maintained that energy and brought the crowd to life with their hits like “Use Somebody”, “Waste a Moment”, and “Sex on Fire”.
Day two continued the well curated lineup with artists like Grace Potter, Sam Grisman Project, and Young the Giant. Better Than Ezra made a well-deserved appearance with frontman and co-founder of the Pilgrimage festival, Kevin Griffin. The band brought out special guest Emerson Hart of Tonic to perform his nostalgic hit song “If You Could Only See” as a special surprise for the fans.
Sunday also featured standout performances from UK-based artists The Heavy Heavy and Sam Fender. The Heavy Heavy got the crowd dancing even in the heat of the midday sun with their stunning harmonies and a sound reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac. Sam Fender gathered a crowd that packed not only the lawn, but also filled the walkways leading back towards the festival marketplace. Sam got the crowd singing along with songs like “Spit Of You” and “People Watching” and even announced a deluxe version of the album, People Watching, was due to come out at the end of the year.
John Mayer was the final act of the festival and blew the crowd away, showcasing his skill with a guitar. He kept a playful banter with the crowd between selections from his vast catalog of music to create an unforgettable performance. There were many fans with signs hoping to hear their requests and he took a moment to acknowledge many. He even sang a few lines from “Man on the Side”, “Whiskey Whiskey Whiskey”, and “Covered In Rain” before going into an impressive rendition of “Neon”. John added to his legacy as one of the greatest living guitarists with a version of “Slow Dancing In A Burning Room” that left the crowd stunned. He ended the night with “Gravity” and left a memorable mark on the growing history of the Pilgrimage Festival.
Photos by Alexander Wieland (@alex.j.wieland)
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