Try as the weather might to dampen the mood during LOUDER THAN LIFE, the Louisville, Kentucky music festival wrapped its second year with a satisfied and sold-out crowd of over 50,000 in attendance for the October 3 and 4 destination festival. Cool temperatures, a rainy mix with a weather advisory and a whole bunch of mud was no match for the gathering of folks celebrating the region’s award-winning bourbons and spirits, craft beer, Gourmet Man Food, and celebrity chefs, along with a powerful rock music lineup at Champions Park near downtown Louisville.
Over 70% of festival attendees traveled from outside the Louisville area coming from around the U.S. and as far as away as the U.K., the Netherlands and Turkey. Our trip wasn’t quite so far, as the Pazz staff in attendance hails from Ohio. But, it was our first opportunity to spend some quality time in the area and we felt welcome by a good dose of southern charm from attendees, vendors and festival staff. Everybody was friendly, helpful and set to have a great time, weather be damned!
Much like most in attendance, we were attracted to the stellar lineup of bands. An added attraction was the inclusion of specialty food and spirits. We’re used to basic festival foods and beverages, so we were curious regarding the promise of a heightened culinary experience. LOUDER THAN LIFE did not disappoint.
Produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, America’s premier production company for rock music festivals, LOUDER THAN LIFE featured a selection of award-winning bourbons, whiskey, spirits, craft beer, and Gourmet Man Food curated personally by festival creator Danny Wimmer, along with a powerful music lineup of rock legends and breaking talent including Rob Zombie, ZZ Top, Godsmack, Shinedown, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Slash featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators, Breaking Benjamin, 3 Doors Down, Bring Me The Horizon, and many more. Bands performed on several stages, while attendees enjoyed bourbon exhibitions and sampling–including a food demonstration by Louisville’s very own Iron Chef Edward Lee– along with more than 70 food and beverage vendors that helped celebrate the bourbon culture and culinary heritage of this unique American city. 
The destination festival also featured live, in-ring matches with WWE®’s NXT® Superstars, as well as interactive experiences and art installations such as Big Bully, artist autograph signings at the Monster Energy Hospitality Rig, the Monster Energy viewing area with beverage sampling, The Crazy Dave’s Music Experience, Jack Daniel’s Experience, Jäger World, It’s Miller Time VIP Lounge, Zippo Music Experience and more.
“What makes this festival different isn’t just what we do, it’s where we are. Louisville is the heart of bourbon country, and it’s exciting to see fans not only embracing LOUDER THAN LIFE for the great music from around the rock world, but for the bourbon, tastes and culture that make Louisville such a fantastic destination,” says festival producer Danny Wimmer. “Our goal is to provide a memorable total experience for our guests, so we complement the music with Gourmet Man Food and additional entertainment such as the WWE’s NXT matches, The Crazy Dave’s Music Experience, celebrity chef demos, the Bourbon World, and our It’s Miller Time VIP Lounge. But it’s Louisville and great Kentucky bourbon that make that total experience complete.”
Plans are underway for LOUDER THAN LIFE 2016. Visit www.LouderThanLifeFestival.com and the LOUDER THAN LIFE social media channels for the most up-to-date information on the festival.
In the meanwhile, check out some of the sights from the 2015 festival on our Galleries page.