Music Festival Report Card: Bunbury

Venue: A

The festival was stationed in Cincinnati's Sawyer Park, along the Ohio River. The narrow strip of land hosted six different stages. It's the perfect spot for a weekend festival. Half of the park is covered in lush grass and shady trees (ideal for midday napping). The other half is situated right on the river with a huge stretch of concrete steps leading down to the water's edge.

Additional comments: There is a ton of stuff to do right outside of the festival gates. Cinci boasts great bars, museums, and we happened to get lucky – the National Tattoo Convention was being held that same weekend!

 

The Music: B+

The headlining bands, Fun., Cake, MGMT, and The National were all amazing – as expected. Though the best part of the festival was getting to listen in on some of the smaller bands. Some of our favorite shows of the weekend were: We Are Scientists, Divine Fits, Night Terrors of 1927, and Bethesda (who we interviewed!). Get the media player below started to listen to our picks.

 

Style: C-

We were so excited to go style hunting, but we were really disappointed. Unlike Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, there weren't many who impressed us with their festival attire. Shorts and t-shirts were standard at this fest.

 

The Vibe: B

Chalk it up to the heat, but the crowds weren't as enthusiastic as we'd hoped for (except for the headliners, who played after the sun set). Mid-westerners are known for being polite and thoughtful, which is exactly what we experienced with every person we met from the staff to the other festival goers. Overall, everybody was there to have a good time, and it showed.

 

Food: B-

We all know festival food is overpriced, but if we take that out of the equation, Bunbury had decent cuisine. Local vendors were dishing out BBQ, burgers, and even wok-fried noodles. Unfortunately, there weren't many vegan/vegetarian options in the mix. Compared to other festivals, the variety was lacking.

Additional comments: Why are they serving chili in 90 degree heat? Yuck.

 

Organization: B

Considering that Bunbury is only in it's second year, this event was pretty smooth. The bands were on time, the staff was helpful and informed, and Sunday's pop-up storm didn't ruffle a single feather. The bands went on a prompt 20 minutes later. Our only gripe is that the main stage seemed to be smaller than the lawn stage which caused some problems for festival-goers during the headlining acts. Oh, and that the air conditioned media trailer was way too small.

 

Bathroom Situation: A

Port-O-Potties were stationed all around the festival grounds, and were nicely maintained. There were also a few restrooms with flushing toilets and sinks – which is a major plus.

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