Palomino Festival Review
For those of you in the same boat as me that missed out on Stagecoach earlier this year can easily relate to the amount of FOMO that was created by the endless social media posts that filled our respective feeds leading up to the festival, during the festival, and after the festival. Not to be dramatic, but knowing that I’d have to wait another year to attend one of the largest country festivals in the country was simply too much. Thankfully, Palomino Festival, a new country festival put together by the same folks behind Stagecoach, was just around the corner.
The one day occasion took place this past Saturday at the Brookside at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, and shined a light on artists in the umbrella of country music that have been pushing the boundaries of the genre forward. The star-studded lineup had country artists like Kacey Musgraves, Willie Nelson, and Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit closing out the event. The lineup also included rising artists like Morgan Wade, Amythyst Kiah, Charley Crockett, Nikki Lane, Zach Bryan and so many others. Simply put, Palomino shouldn’t be shrugged off as just another music festival for the southern California region.
Pasadena was packed on the day of the event with the sun shining at full force throughout the day. Fans donned cowboy hats and boots, and despite the heat, some folks even came through in full denim attire. Numerous food trucks, bars and sponsored activities were on site as well as Nikki Lane’s Stage Stop Marketplace, a Stagecoach staple where attendees could shop for vintage fashion and unique one-of-a-kind western wear. But, of course, people were mostly there for the stage acts. The festival had a staggered schedule and was set up nicely so that the two stages were only a short walk away from each other giving fans a chance to see all 19 performers.
Logan Ledger kicked off the event on the Pancho Stage as excited attendees made their way onto the festival grounds. The Bay Area singer/songwriter set the vibe right with songs like “Starlight” and “Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me.” As the day went on, Paul Cauthen hit the stage and kept the energy going with hits from his latest album, Country Coming Down, while taking time to show off his dance moves in between verses.
Following Cauthen’s set was the ever-popular Zach Bryan. A late addition to the Palomino lineup, Bryan had thousands of fans reaching for the sky with both hands and screaming the lyrics to each song of his set. Fans during his set were so loud that they could clearly be heard from the other stage. Truly a strong performance matched perfectly well with a dedicated fan base in the audience.
Another crowd favorite on the Pancho Stage was the masked country star, Orville Peck. Peck was dressed to the nines for his set, wearing an all white Nudie style suit with a red floral pattern and matching cowboy hat. After a quick introduction, he opened his performance with the opening track from his recent album, “Daytona Sand.” The singer’s unique, booming vocals reverberated throughout the festival grounds as a sea of fans cheered and sang along.
Over on the Lefty Stage, fans were treated with the presence of Sierra Hull’s upbeat bluegrass tunes, Amythyst Kiah’s head-turning vocals, Valerie June’s ethereal and positive beaming performance, and the endless amounts of energy from the Old Crow Medicine Show. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit closed out the stage with a short, but sweet 9 song set which included songs like “24 Frames,” “Traveling Alone,” “If We Were Vampires,” and a Drivin' N Cryin' cover of “Honeysuckle Blue” with guitarist Sadler Vaden on vocals. Fans were hoping for more songs from the group, but were still incredibly pleased nonetheless.
As the festival was nearing its end, legendary country star Willie Nelson took over the Pancho Stage with his six-piece family band. The Country Music Hall of Famer came prepared with a set of classics, including “Whiskey River” and “Mamma Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys.” His sons, Lukas and Micah, also sang alongside their father with Micah performing a personal favorite of mine, “If I Die When I’m High I’ll Be Halfway to Heaven.” To close out his set, Nelson welcomed the Old Crow Medicine Show back onto the stage for a cover of Mac Davis’ “It’s Hard to Be Humble.”
To close out the entire festival was none other than the critically acclaimed and incredibly charismatic, Kacey Musgraves; the perfect choice for Palomino’s inaugural event. As the stage lights dimmed and the crowd roared in excitement, Musgraves wasted no time wowing the audience. She entered the stage and opened with “Star-Crossed,” a song about two lovers whose marriage had gone sour, as a tall, heart-shaped torch was lit on fire and burned throughout the entirety of the song.
The song came to an end and she took a brief moment to apologize for the depressing nature of her latest album, but she assured the crowd that the next hour would still be a party. She certainly did not disappoint in that regard as the entire festival grounds was in a groove as she performed fan favorites like “Breadwinner” and “High Horse.” But the party didn’t stop there as Musgraves took it a step further, and brought out Willie Nelson to perform a duet of Nelson’s “On The Road Again.”
And soon enough, the moment fans feared most came near as Musgraves hit the final song of her performance, “Slow Burn.” The perfect song to end Palomino’s first year. I highly recommend seeing any of the artists that performed at this festival at any of their upcoming tours or festival dates. More importantly, for fans of country both old and new, Palomino Festival should definitely be on your radar if it isn’t already. The festival was well organized, the lineup this year was incredible, and the crowd (and myself) loved every second of it. Can’t wait to see what they have in store for next year.
