Cowboy Moon Festival: Not Your Usual Festival

The Moon Crush festivals at Miramar Beach, Florida, are described as “a music vacation- not just a festival.” It’s an appropriate description for a totally unique experience. Attendees are seated in reserved “coves,” reserved seating in a roped off area for each group. Food and drink can be ordered via phone app and promptly delivered to your cove. For those that like to stand up and dance, there’s a reserved area just in front of the stage called Crusher’s Cove where you can dance all night. We stayed in a beautiful condo that was literally a three-minute walk from the venue. It’s a very pampered way to take in some great music… and that’s what Moon Crush has been delivering in its four years of existence.

With a single stage, acts beginning in the late afternoon, and being located literally within steps of the beach, there’s plenty of time for lounging on the beach, snorkeling, and parasailing if that floats your boat. Located at the Seascape Resort, it’s a popular area because of the amazingly blue water and fine sand beaches; the area is nicknamed the Emerald Coast. Topeka is the company that runs the festivals under the leadership of Andy Levine, the mastermind of the incredibly popular Cayamo music cruises. On both the boat and the beach, customer support and satisfaction are Job One, and it shows.

This festival, Cowboy Moon, had a lineup I couldn’t resist. Lyle Lovett curated the weekend and invited some top-level guests to share the stage with his Large Band over the three-day weekend.

Hayes Carll is a Texas legend. I was fortunate to see him earlier this year at Heartwood Soundstage (link). Hayes did a fine solo acoustic set, including some of his finest songs: “Drunken Poet’s Dream,” a song about his son called “Magic Kid,” “KMAG YOYO,” “You Get it All,” “Love is so Easy,” a new song called “Mississippi Flush,” and “Bad Liver and a Broken Heart.”

I’m an admitted Jason Isbell fan, and I had not realized he was coming to this festival without his band, the 400 Unit. However, that was a plus for me. I’ve always wanted to see one of his rare solo acoustic sets, and this was my fantasy set. Heavy on songs from his masterpiece Southeastern but including some new songs as well, it was perfect for me. Some of the songs: “Different Days,” “King of Oklahoma,” “Volunteer,” “If We Were Vampires,” “Cover Me Up,” “Traveling Alone,” “Stockholm,” “Cast Iron Skillet,” “Strawberry Woman,” and “Relatively Easy.”

Lyle Lovett and his Large Band 📸:Rick Davidson

Lyle Lovett and his Large Band, as the host artist, played fantastic sets both nights. His band is packed with well-known artists, from guitarists Jeff White and Jim Cox, vocalist Amy Keys, master fiddler Stuart Duncan, members of the Muscle Shoals horns, and true legends Lee Sklar and Russ Kunkel, who played on all of James Taylor’s early albums and toured with him for many years. As studio musicians, Lee has played on over 2000 albums. Their sets were packed with genre changes and great musicianship. Some of the songs included “She’s No Lady,” “It’s a Naked Party,” “Are We Dancing?,” “I Will Rise Up/Ain’t No More Cane,” “Church (Let’s Go Eat),” “Unicorn,” “If I Had a Boat,” a Townes Van Zandt cover of “Loretta,” an emotional Guy Clark cover of “L.A. Freeway,” and “That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas).”

It was great to see Raul Malo back leading The Mavericks; he’s had serious health issues that have kept him off the road. The Grammy-winning band has released thirteen albums. Long-term members keyboardist Jimmy Dale McFadden, drummer Paul Deakins, and guitarist Eddie Perez were joined by the electric Percy Cardona and a great horn section. Their mix of country, rock, pop, and Latin influences had the crowd up and dancing in their seats. Malo’s remarkable vocals are as epic as ever. Their great set included a great cover of Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon,” “Moon and Stars,” “Rolling Along,” and “All You Do is Bring Me Down.”

Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway 📸:Rick Davidson

This was the third appearance at one of the Moon Crush festivals for Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway. The multiple Grammy-winning bluegrass/Americana band is loaded with talent: Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Kyle Tuttle, bassist Shelby Means, and on this tour, mandolinist Casey Campbell filling in for Dom Leslie. They are animated, talented, and great entertainers. Their set included “El Dorado,” a cover of Juice Newton’s “Queen of Hearts,” “Crooked Tree,” “Standing on the Moon,” “Getaway Girl,” “Dooley’s Farm,” and “Down Home Dispensary.”

I was looking forward to seeing the legendary Little Feat for the first time, and they did not disappoint. Their original keyboardist Bill Payne has been leading the group since Lowell George’s death in 1979, and they’ve been active ever since. Their Southern boogie rock still has a groove that’s hard to resist. With a set full of their classics, it was a great way to end the night. Included in the set were “Fat Man in the Bathtub,” “Hate to Lose Your Lovin’,” “Oh Atlanta,” “Spanish Moon,” “You’ll Be Mine,” a Howlin’ Wolf cover, “Apolitical Blues,” and the two songs that everyone wants to hear, the classics “Dixie Chicken” and “Willin’.”

I saw Paul Thorn at Heartwood Studios earlier this year (link), and I was looking forward to seeing him again. It’s pretty much impossible to describe Thorn’s songs; they range from hilarious (“Viagra”) to heartfelt (“Courage My Love”). He did some new songs (“Life is a Vapor”) and some of his greatest hits (“Pimps and Preachers,” “Don’t Do It All On The First Date”).

Nashville’s Nikki Lane did a fine traditional country set featuring some of her better-known songs, including “700,000 Rednecks,” “First High,” and “Jackpot.”

The Topeka festivals are unique, with reserved seating, food and drink delivery, and a location that is literally a few feet from the beach. But another thing that sets them apart is their commitment to customer service. They communicate with everyone via text messages, and they remind you to text them at any time with any issues; my wife and I left our seat cushions in our cove and texted them; within minutes someone retrieved them and put them aside for us. A weekend after Cowboy Moon, an Avett Brothers-curated weekend festival is scheduled, and, in the future, there are festivals curated by My Morning Jacket, Tedeschi-Trucks Band, and Brandi Carlile. If you are interested in a deluxe and relaxing way to experience great music, these festivals are a must.