By Lilly Mattingly
As summer in Louisville winds down, the live music scene is just getting started.
Bourbon and Beyond, the city’s anticipated September music festival, is just around the corner. Headliners like Zach Bryan and Dave Matthews Band will be arriving in just a few weeks when the fest kicks off on Sept. 21. This also marks the homecoming of a Louisville music legend My Morning Jacket.
While Louisville’s favorite alt rock band will be performing live, MMJ’s most recent performances in Louisville weren’t actually performances, but showings of their concert film “Okonokos,” a live album recording during the band’s fall 2005 Z Tour in San Francisco, California. This new version of the film, originally released on DVD, has been updated to 4K HD quality, and a total of nine screenings at six locations across the United States were announced, including at the Speed Cinema in Louisville, KY.
My Morning Jacket’s showing of “Okonokos;” at the Speed Cinema.
The response in Louisville for the Aug. 22 showing was immense, so much so that it soon sold out, and another showing was added for Aug. 29. Both are shown at the Speed Art Museum’s Cinema Theater, which is historically known for screening independent dramas, documentaries, and short films, among other works of filmed art. Tickets for the shows were $12, a bargain for fans of the band.
“As soon as the first show sold out, I was really bummed,” said Michael Goss, a self-proclaimed MMJ super-fan. “I’m happy I was able to snag a ticket when the second show was announced and enjoy the show with other fans of My Morning Jacket. It was just a really unique experience, seeing them on the big screen. With everyone rocking out, it felt like a real concert!”
Louisville native Ryan Ruff has a similarly strong connection to MMJ.
“I’ve seen My Morning Jacket, I think, eight times,” Ruff said. “I would like to add this concert movie to the list, but it doesn’t feel right – Luckily, I will see them again in a few weeks. Seeing this movie and applauding after each song with the crowd has definitely made me even more excited for Bourbon and Beyond.”
MMJ fans like Ryan and Michael will have the opportunity to see the band close out Bourbon and Beyond on Sunday, Sept. 22, as weekend passes and Sunday tickets are still on sale. If you want to catch the final performance of “Okonokos,” you’ll have to make your way to Rutherford New Jersey on Sept. 6.
File Photos // The Louisville Cardinal //
