Mile 0 Festival 2020

February 3, 2020

Carter

Reverend and Breezy 

Caitlin Butts and Courtney Patton

Mile 0 Festival 2020

This year marks the third year that the annual celebration of Red Dirt/ Americana music known as the Mile 0 Festival has graced our island community. We have attended every year, usually as guests of our friends who are here playing the event, but this year we decided to go all in with our support of the awesome festival and purchase VIP Gold passes for the entire week of concerts and events and not rely on being perpetual roadies/ concert crashers that we have been the past couple of years.

Kerry 

Red Dirt Rangers

Jason Isbell

Mile 0 Fest featured 87 artists playing 16 different stages for a total of 147 separate shows over the 4 1/2 days, which up from the 115 performances held in 2019. Some things were slightly different from previous years, including the big shows on the amphitheater stage starting an hour later to not compete with the club shows during the day, while more full band shows happened before and after the big amphitheater sets. Some highlights of the schedule included:



Kathy and Trevor



• Duval Street Kickoff Party: Once again the event kicked off with a big block party on the infamous Duval street in Key West that was free to the public, and featured Charley Crockett, The Steel Woods, and Shinyribs all performing.



Bri Bagwell





• 25 Year of Pearl Snaps: A Tribute to Jason Boland: Not only did Jason Boland and the Stragglers appear on the Amphitheater stage during Mile 0 Fest once again, he was paid tribute to on Friday, January 31st at the Key West Theater.: Jamie Lin Wilson, Courtney Patton, Kaitlin Butts, and others will take fans back to the biggest country hits by women during this era in country music that is currently enjoying a resurgence in interest.

Kyle

Wade Bowen








 
Elizabeth Cook’s Outlaw Pool Party: In 2020, Mile 0 Fest and the Outlaw Country Cruise intersected on Key West. Outlaw Cruise participants were offered the opportunity to pay for an upgrade which allowed them to attend Mile 0 Fest events when they were in dock on Thursday, January 30th. There was also a pool party hosted by Elizabeth Cook for attendees of both events, where Mike and the Moonpies and Bri Bagwell performed

Carter

Red Dirt Rangers





Personally there were a ton of really special moments and performances. Beginning with the chance to see our friend Carter Sampson play at the beachside stage at the Southernmost Beach Café. She had also played a very late-night show that in spite of our desire to stay up and see, Kathy and I had to opt out of, we still were working our regular schedules throughout the festival so we could not stay out all hours.







Carter

Fortunately Carter played an afternoon set along with the Red Dirt Rangers and William Clark Green that we were able to attend which was awesome. It was especially nice to be joined in watching them by my dear friend Kerry who is visiting for the festival from Colorado and my friends Breezy and Reverend (Of Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band) who spend a month here in Key West every winter taking a break from their almost constant touring schedule. Rev is also recovering from a broken thumb which he broke last month while playing on a cruise ship as part of Delbert McClinton’s music cruise.



Rene and Shelli



The other wonderful, amazing set that we saw was at the Key West Theater. Young 17 year old Ken Pomeroy played the big stage and was terrific. We have been fans and friends of hers since we first saw her at the first Mile 0 fest and she continues to amaze and mature in her singing and songwriting. She really owned the large stage at the KW Theater and I am so glad to get to see her.



Ken Pomeroy







We had not planned to stay and watch the next set at the Theater, a musical tribute to the late Kylie Rae Harris who died tragically last year in a car accident. She had been a regular at Mile 0 Fest and many of her friends wanted to gather and play a special show featuring her songs and music. We had initially planned to head off to see another friend playing, but since it was raining, we opted to stay and watch the tribute. Easily the best decision we made all week and it was the best, most poignant and powerful, sad and celebratory show we saw all week. Organized by singer/songwriters Walt and Tina Wilkins the show featured performances by Bri Bagwell,Courtney Patton, Jamie Lin Wilson, Jason Eady, Kaitlin Butts and Wade Bowen.  It was incredible, moving and wonderful and I am so, so glad we were able to see it.

Tina and Walt Wilkins







Jamie Lin Wilson

Welcome to Key West Mike 0 Visitors!

February 2, 2020



With Chasten Buttigieg

Jason Isbell

Welcome to Key West Mike 0 Visitors!

So I wanted to make this blog just about my welcome letter that I sent out to the attendees of this week’s Mile 0 Festival in Key West, but another fun event happened this week as well as Kathy and I were invited to attend a reception with Presidential Candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s husband Chasten at the Oldest House on Duval Street. I generally try and keep my blog a politics-free zone but it was cool to meet the husband of the first openly gay candidate for US President and to hear his positive message. We joined a bunch of other friends and supporters including Key West Mayor Terri Johnson and other local dignitaries to welcome him and hang out for drinks and light snacks. Now onto the letter I addressed to those arriving for the wonderful Mile 0 music festival.

 

Jamie and Kathy

Chasten

Mayor Johnson

I just wanted to take a moment and welcome all of you music fans who will be arriving this week for the annual Mile 0 Festival, especially those who may be making their first trek to Mile 0 and our island community. Those who have attended previously know what a special treat that we are all in for and all of you newcomers have made an excellent choice.

Courtney Paton

As a 30 year resident of Key West and an attendee of Mile 0 since the beginning, I just want to say that it is one hell of an awesome event. Kyle Carter and everyone at Oh Wook productions produce what is one of the most top-notch, well run and truly enjoyable music festivals around. My wife and I travel the country each year attending multiple music festivals and concerts and having one of the best right here in our own backyard is a real blessing.

 

Of course the line-up, venues and vibe of the festival are all awesome but what really makes the event is the wonderful, wacky and welcoming island community that we are fortunate to call home. As a local I thought I would add my two cents about some possible hidden gems that might you may want to check out in addition to the wonderful bars and venues that are part of the festival itself. And I certainly urge you to support those places that support the festival.

Jason Isbell

 

There are a few local haunts that as a local feel are worthy of mentioning. Key West offers an amazing assortment of bars and restaurants to choose from, but here are a few offerings worth checking out that may or may not already be on your radar. Currently my two favorite bars are General Horseplay (423 Caroline) and Mary Ellen’s (420 Appelrouth Lane). Each are hidden gems, very popular with locals and Mary  Ellen’s also offers some great food latenight which is a plus. For live music, the locals choice is the iconic Green Parrot Bar (610 Whitehead Street), this iconic watering hole is a must visit and one of the great dive bars not just in Key West but in the country. 

Wade Bowen

Jamie Lin Wilson

For those seeking great food, there are also a ton of option’s but a couple I would suggest that are off Duval are Salute On the Beach Restaurant at 1000 Atlantic Blvd. and the amazing Hogfish restaurant which is actually on Stock Island but worth the Uber trip as it is a taste of old school Key West and has great food. If you like good coffee and are driving down, stop at Baby’s Coffee which is about 15 miles or so up US 1, locally do yourself a favor and pick-up a Café Con Leche at Five Brothers Grocery, Sandy’s Café or El Siboney (also the best Cuban food on the island). 

Band of Heathens

I hope you get some time to explore the island outside of the festival. Sunset at Mallory Square is cheesy, but also beautiful and there is a reason millions of tourists check it out. Though the forecast this week is iffy, if you can get out on the water, do it. Fishing, parasailing, snorkeling and diving or just a nice sunset sail are all worthy diversions. The Key West Library will be hosting their monthly booksale on Saturday morning and there are a ton of great bargains to be had. If the literary arts interest you, stop by Judy Blume’s bookstore at the Studios of Key West, Judy is often on hand working and greeting people and it can be cool to meet a literary legend. 

Jamie Lin Wilson

 Jason Isbell

 

Most of all just have a great time. Since Oh Wook does such a great job marketing to the rest of the country, and really does not market much at all locally, many people who live here have no idea that the festival is even happening unless they are somehow involved so let people know why you are here.

Band of Heathens

Finally I just want to thank each and every one of you. Key West seemingly has events almost every week of the year that draw visitors from all over. The crowd that attends the Mile 0 festival is one of the best that we get on an annual basis. I have had the good fortune of meeting and befriending so many amazing people who come for this event. It seems more like a family reunion that the typical concert going experience. You guys are easily the most dedicated and inspiring group of music fans around and I always love all of your posts throughout the year as you anticipate this week. I hope you all have magical experiences and that you return again next year and beyond. Please feel free to drop me a note if you want a more specific suggestion.