The Ant Garden

 

I drove home from Knoxville today. Traffic was a lot better than on the way up, and it took me only about 3½ hours to get back.  

Yesterday, my feet and legs were sore from the two previous days of festival walking. Friday, I walked 2.8 miles (7,624 steps) and Saturday, 2.2 miles (6,471 steps). Although both days were short of my exercise goal (10,000 steps per day), the mileage doesn't take into account the hours of standing in line waiting for venue doors to open and standing while listening to performances.  

Despite my sore feet, for the most part I stuck with my originally planned schedule yesterday that included no seated venues. I saw both Ches Smith's Laugh Ash and Void Patrol at the Standard, sneaking in a plate of barbeque in between the sets. After Void Patrol, I walked over to Jackson Terminal thinking I could snag a seat to see the band, Ahleuchatistas, but by the time I got there, the few seats available were already taken and I had to stand through another performance. I did manage to secure a seat at Regas Square to see Danish guitarist Jacob Bro, but after yet another day of standing and walking, finally sitting and listening to some dreamy, quiet music put me into a sort of hypnogogic trance. I wasn't sure if I was awake or asleep or something in between. I ended the day (and the festival) with a set by pianist John Medeski, guitarist Marc Ribot, and drummer Joe Russo. Although it was another no-seat venue, the music was energetic and raucous enough to pull me out of my stupor and make me forget about my sore feet.

And that was it for my 2024 Big Ears experience. I'm back home now, still a little sore but rested, and looking forward to resuming the life I left behind.