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Outlaw Music Festival on Tour
The traveling musical circus that is the Outlaw Music Festival gives rootsy music fans of all stripes a special opportunity for some summer fun. Despite the shifting lineup of artists from year to year, Willie Nelson, naturally, is at the center of each show, and when you're watching him perform you're seeing an American treasure in action. But there's a lot more going on at the festival, as fans have found out over the years. The Outlaw stage has hosted the impassioned R&B/folk/blues amalgam of living legend Van Morrison, the blistering blues-rock sounds that turned the Tedeschi Trucks Band into a musical institution, the freewheeling, jam-happy journey of The Grateful Dead's Phil Lesh and many, many others. For fans of Americana-oriented music, it's tough to think of a better way to spend a summer day (and night), and this festival gives as many people as possible that opportunity by taking it in on the road.
Outlaw Music Festival Background
Spearheaded by no less iconic a figure than Willie Nelson, the Outlaw Music Festival started out in 2016 and turned into an annual shape-shifting celebration of roots-based music's many forms. Dipping into rock, country, folk, blues and bluegrass, the festival has included Alison Krauss, Old Crow Medicine Show, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Sturgill Simpson, Van Morrison, Brandi Carlile, Sheryl Crow, Phil Lesh and Friends, Robert Plant & The Sensational Shape Shifters, Bonnie Raitt, Counting Crows and plenty more. The Outlaw Village that's a part of each event date gives fans a chance to enjoy local foods and crafts and to commune with fellow music lovers while they're not busy being bowled over by what's happening onstage. Not every artist at The Outlaw Music Festival is American, but they're all profoundly influenced by the many strands of music that make up the Americana tapestry.
We came to see Van & Willie and their bands which have superb musicians and they gave everyone a brilliant performance. The event was well staffed and managed. Thanks to Dean and Cindi for their assistance getting to our car.
Brandi carlisle needed to b the headliner -was the best act and presence on stage for the day
had a ball the weather was great....the bands were awsum.
We were in the presence of a legend what more need be said? Sturgill Simpson rocked! Willie and family are terrific! The only negative thing I will say is that, although a tremendously talented musician, I didn't understand how Van Morrison fit into the Outlaw Country category.
Van Morrison is one of my all time favorite artists! His set was definitely unforgettable with the entire stage filled with a different instrument- and his vocals were right on! The legend of Willie Nelson was a delightful end to the festival collaborating with his sons and sister on the Piano! As great as these two were (and I got lost and SADLY missed Lukas) Sturgill Simpson absolutely rocked! I can’t believe he could move his fingers after his set as much as he jammed!!
Really good show. I would recommend everyone catching the outlaw music festival atleast once in their lives.
great music and sound system was very good, was a bit of a traffic jam leaving
For anyone who knows the music of the past 50 years, it was the opportunity of a lifetime to see two musical geniuses on the same program.
Overall good show. Expected better from the event staff. Seemed like there was a lack of planning and prep on their part.
We saw the Outlaw Music Festival at DTE Energy in Detroit. What a great mix of talent. Old Crow Medicine Show opened. They were high energy bluegrass, very talented and really a great warm up. Head and the Heart followed. Their sound is great, but we wished we could hear the female lead better, she was slightly drowned out by the instruments. Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats were incredible, his voice is unique and it's great to see horns on stage. The crowd loved them. Willie Nelson closed. There's a lot of mixed reviews on Willie, but the man's 85. Don't go to hear him sing, go to hear him play. He still knows how to work a crowd and he signed autographs for a long time after the show. I was glad to see him because I don't know that I will again.
