I traveled two and a half hours for the much anticipated Charlotte Pop Festival, and my experience was nothing of what I had expected. Firstly, the festival is done in cooperation with the city and takes place at Freedom Park, a gorgeous piece of real estate. Beautiful lakes and foliage surround you, and it's so very well kept. Parking is easy as everything is well organized and directed by the police officers on duty.
Although there were a lot of kids particularly around the stage where the bands play, it's a family friendly atmosphere with food vendors throughout serving everything from chicken kabobs to italian sausage to soft-serve ice cream.
Now to the important stuff, the music. I arrived about the time Scott's Garage went on, and they were a pleasant surprise. I had come primarily to see the Jellybricks and The Singles, so I wasn't prepared for the "lesser" bands (and I use that term VERY loosely) being so good. They had the requisite guitar jangle and the harmonies were good, everything one expects from a good power pop band. Things got off to a great start, then it started to POUR down rain. I ran for cover but still caught a glimpse of several other bands, one of which really stood out. The Star Explodes were excellent. It was raining so hard you could almost hear the rain hitting the sidewalk more-so than the sound coming from the amps, but The Star Explodes produced a full sound and had great songs. Check these guys out when you can.
The torrential rains forced the end of the show at that point. I never got to see the Singles or the Jellybricks (The Singles seem to have been removed from the roster for the day). Still, it was time and travel well worth it. Next year, I'm in for the full three day festival package.
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