Moon River Music Festival

Moon River Music Festival, curated by Drew Holcomb, unfolds over two days at Coolidge Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This year, the festival achieved a remarkable feat by selling out within a week, with eager fans even lining up along the bridge to catch glimpses of their favorite artists throughout the day. The festival’s warm and inviting atmosphere brings a fun celebration, and its impressive lineup featured acts including Hozier, Needtobreathe, Judah & the Lion, Noah Cyrus, Houndmouth, and many other exceptional artists.

One performance that truly stood out was by Flipturn. Flipturn is an indie-rock band from Florida. The band gave infectious energy on stage, clearly living in the moment. They delighted the audience with songs from their debut album, Shadowglow, as well as some older cuts!

Delivering a distinctive musical experience to the stage, The Dip blended indie-pop with rich jazz influences. Their electrifying performance had the crowd dancing throughout their entire set, creating a wonderful environment.

Houndmouth brought a thrilling vibe to the Iris stage. Their set was an absolute blast, with the crowd enthusiastically singing along to every lyric, especially during their hit song “Sedona.” Hearing the crowd scream “a Saturday night kind of pink” on a Saturday night during sunset just felt so right.

Goodbye Road is a special project created by Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors and Johnnyswim. Their chemistry gave the impression that they had been playing together for years, and it was evident that they were thoroughly enjoying themselves as fans joyfully sang along to their songs. This was my first time seeing either act, and I left as a brand new fan.

Needtobreathe stepped in as the day one headliner on short notice after the original headliner had to unfortunately cancel. Their performance beautifully tied together the entire first day of the festival, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the band’s fantastic stage presence. Watching the fans singing, dancing, and even people-watching from the bridge added to the unforgettable experience.

The 502s truly embodied their claim of being “the happiest band on Earth.” Their performance became one of my weekend highlights. I could barely keep up as each member jumped and darted across the stage. Alongside some new tunes, they delighted the crowd with beloved classics like “Olivia” and their chart-topping hit “Just a Little While.”

Larkin Poe, a duo from Nashville, Tennessee, have been performing together since 2010. The duo consists of sisters Rebecca Lovell and Megan Lovell. Among the audience, there were plenty of longtime fans who were thrilled to witness their return to the stage!

Noah Cyrus graced the Poplar Stage with a mesmerizing performance that showcased her wonderful vocals. She had fans eagerly chanting for her arrival. She wore a lovely dress that was flowing in the wind with her dancing.

Without a doubt, one of the standout performances of the weekend for me was from Judah & the Lion. He had a unique energy and constant engagement with the audience. He shared stories and even brought out Drew Holcomb to sing a song. After years of anticipation, finally witnessing these incredible artists live left me with a continuous smile throughout their set!

Hozier’s performance on Sunday night was nothing short of spectacular. His hauntingly powerful vocals and the raw emotion he poured into every song left the audience mesmerized, creating a truly unforgettable experience. With his mix of soulful melodies and poetic lyrics, Hozier’s set was undoubtedly a festival highlight.

If you missed this year’s Moon River Music Festival – not to worry! Tennessee’s most beloved annual show will be back next September. Until then, be sure to keep up with all the aforementioned artists, especially the curator of the whole festival, Drew Holcomb.