Introduction by David Overstreet, Oklahoma Reviews Writer

The sun was getting low, the heat of the day was cooling, and things were about to get hot! The crowd was starting to gather on Duval Street to start the four-day party we know as Mile 0 Fest. The night’s show included Charley Crockett, The Steel Woods and Shinyribs.

Now, admittedly, I had purchased a ticket for “Above it All on Duval” which took up the entire second floor of Rick’s Bar to gain access to a second-story vantage point to see the entire show. In my opinion, it was money well spent. I had a great time. It was busy, but not overly crowded. They offered an open bar, catered food and many of the big names in Red Dirt and Americana music were there. Artists like Charley Crockett, Courtney Patton, Jason Eady, Jamie Lin Wilson, Kaitlin Butts, Cody Canada and Randy Rogers, to name a few. All were easy to approach, affable, willing to take pictures and spend time talking with their fans.

The show started just before sunset with Charley Crockett (who I had just finished speaking with 15 minutes before) taking the stage. He started off with one of his faster songs, “5 More Miles.” This, along with his usual, high energy showmanship got the crowd rockin’. His set list included many of his hits and crowd favorites like “Borrowed Time,” “The Valley,” “Lil’ Girl’s Name,” “I Am Not Afraid,” and “Dirty Little River.” He also did covers of Tanya Tucker’s “Jamestown Ferry” and his “Crocketized” (his words, not mine) version of Vincent Neil Emerson’s “7 Come 11.” He finished with “In the Night.” These were all well received by the audience. Charley had people swaying, dancing, and singing along to get the party started. By this point, the street was almost impassable and the crowd was quickly growing down the block.

Next up was The Steel Woods with their heavier “southern rock/country” sound. It seemed to me that the audience was waiting for them to take the stage. And when they did, they were greeted with enthusiasm. When they opened with “Rock That Says My Name,” the audience exploded into cheers! They proceeded to crank out a long line of fan favorites that included “Wild and Blue,” “All of These Years” (which got a strong response from the audience), “Blind Lover,” “Better In the Fall,” “Whipping Post” (that included a bass and drum solo), “Straw In the Wind,” “Della Jane’s Heart” and they closed strong with “Axe.”

Then it came time for the headliner of the night: the eclectic and eccentric, and never one to disappoint - Shinyribs. They took the stage in what appeared to be silky red suits… Let me repeat that… Silky. Red. Suits. (As only they could.) And, it was glorious! Shinyribs started with “Red Quasar” off their Okra Candy album. At this point, everyone looked to be having a great time. They moved on to other hits like “Donut Taco Palace,” “I’m Clean” (that one really got the crowd dancing), “Take Me to Lake Charles,” “I Don’t Give A Shit,” “Sweet Potato,” and “Baby What’s Wrong.” They also performed two covers: “Waterfalls” by TLC and “No Diggity” by Blackstreet. They closed out the night with “East Texas Rust.” They put on their usual high energy and fun stage antics which for them is part and parcel to their act, but set the right tone for the next four days.

While that might have been the end of the opening street party, it was the perfect kickoff for Mile 0 Fest. If you ever get the chance to go to Mile 0 Fest (and Above it All on Duval)… GO!!!! You won’t regret it.

Several of The Oklahoma Reviews staff were in attendance this year and the following is what a handful of them had to say about their experience and a recap of some of their favorite performances. Images were captured and used with permission by Robert Millage Photography.

Favorite Performances of Mile 0 Fest 2020

Jolene Horihan, Oklahoma Reviews Senior Coordinator/Writer/Editor

There are few festivals that compare to Mile 0 Fest. It doesn’t hurt that it is held on the beautiful island of Key West, Florida, but it is so much more than that. It really has everything to offer for the music lover in all who attend. From the local venue small stages that host early daytime and late-night performances to the gorgeous amphitheater at the Truman Waterpark to the intimate private shows provided to the VIP package holders. The local restaurants are all top-notch, the partnerships with Fury Water Adventures to provide excursions for visitors, there is every style of rental accommodations, and everything is within a reasonable walk, bike, golf cart, scooter, or cab ride. There is rarely a line at the amphitheater bars, there is a wide variety of vendors and food trucks, and very comfortable restroom trailers as opposed to port-a-lets. Something very rarely seen in a General Admission area of a festival. There is no “bad seat” in the house at the amphitheater either. Even the “Beach Bum” GA passes offer a very close vantage point of the stage. My only real criticism was that the merchandise booth seemed disorganized this year. They were out of almost all sizes of the festival-specific shirts by day two which didn’t seem to happen until near the end of the festival last year. The saving grace of that is I know I can go to the artist’s and the festival’s online stores who will eventually have most of those items available for purchase. If you’ve not experienced Mile 0 Fest yet, make it happen in 2021!

The Steel Woods - Duval Street Kick-off Party

Watching and hearing the response from the crowd during The Steel Woods set at the Street Party Kick-off was so much fun. As usual, they put on a high energy, enthralling performance that completely won over the crowd. Since the street party is open to the public, there were a lot of attendees that were not there specifically for the festival. Therefore, many were not familiar with the bands performing. As people around me were watching me sing along to every word of every song, they kept asking me what the name of the band was and repeatedly telling me how great they were. One of my greatest joys is introducing people to the music I love and watching them fall in love with the music just as I have. I think that’s the great thing about the street party. It’s a ‘thank you’ to the city of Key West for welcoming this festival and all of its attendees to the island, but it also wins over new fans of the bands performing for the public.

Mike and the Moonpies w/ Jamie Lin Wilson – Durty Harry’s

With an outpouring of requests from festival attendees, the wildly successful ‘Honky-Tonk Tuesday’ event with Mike and the Moonpies and Jamie Lin Wilson made its return to Durty Harry’s on Duval following the street party kick-off concert. The place was packed as the party poured in from the street and from the “Above It All on Duval” VIP party. Jamie Lin Wilson hit the stage in her “Mama Needs a Cocktail” trucker hat by Uncle Bekah’s Inappropriate Trucker Hats with her best friend, Courtney Patton, in tow. Jamie Lin brought her band comprised of Cody Angel on pedal steel, Scott Davis on bass, and both American Aquarium’s Ryan Van Fleet on drums and Shane Boeker on guitar. This show is known to lure many musicians onto the stage to join the fun. Wade Bowen and Jason Eady hopped up to sing and play with the JLW crew. Mike and the Moonpies closed out the night in epic proportion. We were treated to a honky-tonk montage complete with top-of-the-bar-dancing, dual pedal steel players and a crowd-surfing bass player, Omar Oyoque. You are not going to find another festival that kicks the party off like that. Between the open-to-the-public street party and the Honky-Tonk Tuesday show, everyone is thoroughly primed for the week ahead.

James Steinle/Juliet McConkey – Durty Harry’s, Holly Beth/Chris Jones, John Goolsby/Camille Harp – Smokin’ Tuna Saloon

I really enjoy the intimate acoustic shows of the singer-songwriters that I usually don’t get many opportunities to see or have never seen perform at all. I was equally and very impressed with the song swap shows between James Steinle and Juliet McConkey, Holly Beth and Chris Jones, and John Goolsby and Camille Harp (Tequila Songbirds). They are all young, up and coming artists that write and sing from a heart and soul beyond their years. While all of them have earned my utmost respect and attention, the ladies were particularly powerful and captivating. I cannot wait to watch these artists flourish. They all have newly released or soon to be released material, so I encourage you to seek out their music and attend a show.

Kaitlin Butts – Smokin’ Tuna Saloon

One artist I never get to see outside of Mile 0 Fest that never fails to amaze me is Kaitlin Butts. Either she never tours in my region or I miss her shows for whatever reason life has thrown me at that particular time. It’s not hard to be mesmerized by her natural beauty and grace. However, I find her powerful vocals and breadth of writing to be most compelling. She is a witty storyteller; whether it’s the self-deprecating “Gal Like Me,” the intense murder-ballad of “White River,” or the sensitive story of “Elsa.” During her set at Smokin’ Tuna, I was shedding tears as she sang “Elsa” which leads into a verse of “You Are My Sunshine.” The song reminds me of taking care of my grandmother who had Alzheimer’s and of my mother who used to sing “You Are My Sunshine” to me as she would push me on the swing. Kaitlin comes at you from all angles and has the stage presence to keep you entertained. That was a very memorable set for me this year. I’m hopeful of more new music soon from the talented Ms. Butts. 

Shane Smith and the Saints – Truman Waterpark Amphitheater

Shane Smith and the Saints had me on an emotion and sensory overload. Every time I see them perform, I think that they can’t impress me anymore, yet they do. The energy is so engulfing that even from the back of the bar or the back of the amphitheater, I am completely oblivious to my surroundings. Even through the slow ballads, like “Little Bird,” they are always moving and digging into every note and every word of their songs. Their intensity never wavers and just when you think they are going to fade out of a song, they crescendo into a full-on jam. They are definitely mastering their craft and scooping up new fans by the loving arm-full with every show.

Randy Ruff, Oklahoma Reviews Writer

Mile 0 Fest 2020 in Key West, Florida returned for its third year with a better than ever line-up, first class organization, and a week full of raucous entertainment. Mile 0 Fest has established the gold standard in music festivals around the nation. From start to finish the staff is truly focused on their patrons having the best experience possible, and they go above and beyond to assure that happens. This applies across the board from tickets, reservations, coordination and planning, artist and venue selections, sponsors and vendors, special side events, to contingency planning. In addition to superior music, food, accommodations, atmosphere, and experience the event also delivers near immaculate air-conditioned restrooms, abundant shade, free water, and minimal restrictions on what you can bring inside. They do their research, and are determined to deliver the best fan experience possible. And, even when nature conspired to threaten things this year the organizers and artists went beyond the extra mile to accommodate folks. This is perhaps best evidenced by festival creator Kyle Carter calling Friday night’s headline performance by the Randy Rogers Band, only to be talked into allowing two songs in near hurricane conditions by Rogers, who selflessly risked the band’s equipment to perform for the few hundred faithful fans who dared to remain in the rain. “Damn the Rain,” full speed ahead! Even so, at all times fans were warned well in advance about the weather, and instructed with plenty of notice as to how to react when the time came to ultimately call the show. 

Shane Smith and the Saints – Truman Amphitheater 

From bassist Chase Satterwhite’s booming “One, two, three, four!” introduction of “Mohicans” (Trevor Jones’ “Promentory”) to the end of the set, Shane Smith and the Saints electrified a crowd anticipating the evening’s more prestigious acts. The tangible chemistry between the five band members is evident throughout the performance and translates directly to the audience. Just as one gets entranced with Bennett Brown’s sawing on the fiddle (and playing it hot), Dustin Schaeffer’s blazing guitars balance the other half of the stage in complementary fashion. When added to the driving rhythm section and Smith’s passionately raspy vocals, the result is an atmosphere that inspires you to sing, dance, and cry all at the same time.

Charley Crockett – Duval Street Stage 

Charley Crockett’s band the Blue Drifters are as talented as any outfit in the nation. Their Gulf Coast boogie woogie blend of country, blues, and cajun sounds were the perfect way to kick off the festival. True to his songs, Charley “Ain’t Got No Time to Lose,” and wasted none of it getting down to business. Duval Street was packed with thousands of fans, watching Crockett and crew “In the Night” for this free to the public performance.  

Whiskey Myers – Truman Amphitheater 

Whiskey Myers displayed no signs of exhaustion from relentless international touring in support of their new chart-topping eponymous album. They brought their A game to Key West and fed off the abundant crowd energy, headlining Thursday evening with hard charging rockers “Gasoline” and ‘Frogman.” Slowing it down with ballads like “Broken Window Serenade,” “Virginia,” and “Stone,” before closing out the show with Neil Young’s “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World.” With a slew of great late-night sets still on the menu, many fans were already horse from signing along.

Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers – Cowboy Bill’s 

The late-night bar shows at Mile 0 Fest are always a highlight, but Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers set a new standard this year. The Peacemakers brought their hard charging, no nonsense style of southwestern country rock to Key West and won over hundreds of new fans this week while reinforcing their credentials with longtime fans. These guys deliver the very bar band performance you’re looking for after five consecutive 14-hour festival days that make staying up late more than worth it. The Arizona band hit the stage with non-stop energy and then bargained with the venue for four or five more songs beyond their scheduled set.

 Wade Bowen, Jason Eady, and Adam Hood – Sunset Pier

This show was set up as a Platinum (VIP) Pass special event with Wade Bowen as the featured artist.  It’s difficult to go wrong on an exclusive stage at the end of Sunset Pier, surrounded by sunshine and the Gulf of Mexico. Yet, what made it truly extraordinary was Bowen’s gracious inclusion of Jason Eady and Adam Hood, not only as participants, but as equals. Presented as something of a song swapping set, this performance quickly evolved into a very collaborative event enabled by the friendship-driven chemistry between the three artists. The audience bought into the vibe, and whether it was Hood’s “Real Small Town,” Eady’s “Why I left Atlanta,” or Bowen’s “Sun Shines on a Dreamer,” you felt treated to a masterpiece, embraced by all. 

Stephanie Blackburn, Oklahoma Reviews Writer/Editor 

Every year when I get to the end of my time at Mile 0 Fest, I wish that small part of Robert Earl Keen’s lyric, “...and the party never ends!” would just manifest and I could stay on that beautiful island with all of my favorite musicians, and so many music friends, old and new. The thing about Mile 0 is that it is like the greatest family reunion. I get to eat, drink, dance, sing, laugh and just engage in all around shenanigans in Key West with some of the best people I know from all over the country, and many of them I have met because of this outstanding festival. The entire experience was, once again, amazing, as the festival organizers work tirelessly to make sure everyone there has the time of their lives. I started going to shows by 11AM every day, and didn’t return to my B&B until well into the following morning. The amphitheater shows are always well-run, executed shows. Those that grace that stage always bring their A+ game, and being at the biggest party on the island every night is sometimes hard to put into words, but for this, I decided to focus on small venue experiences for my highlights. I love seeing artists stripped down to their most raw and intimate, small stage performances.

Jamie Lin Wilson/Mike and the Moonpies - Durty Harry’s

After the Charley Crockett, Steel Woods, and Shiny Ribs street party that officially kicked off the festival, Jamie Lin Wilson and Mike & the Moonpies gathered at Durty Harry’s to burn up the stage on Duval Street once again. I went to this show last year, and didn’t think it could possibly get any better… well, it did. Jamie Lin’s powerful vocals were joined by Courtney Patton, Wade Bowen and Jason Eady on several songs. She went from sweet and soulful with “Death and Life” to the all-out bluesy rock, of “Whistlin’ Past the Graveyard” and it all flowed together in the most amazing way. Then, seamlessly, Mike & the Moonpies burst on the stage with their searing rock and country honky tonk that made the whole crowd stomp their flip flops (since not many wear boots in Key West!) and sing along to every word of “Steak Night at the Prairie Rose” and thanks to crowd surfing extraordinaire, Omar Oyoque, clapped on the right beats during “Beaches of Biloxi.”

John Baumann - Durty Harry’s

Brand new dad, John Baumann, had fun while he was there, but wanted to go home to his family. He said he was leaving right after the set so he could make his flight out on time.  I honestly don’t know how he pulled it off with a 2-week-old at home, but he did, and brought me to tears as he stood in front of the microphone, guitar in hand, and shared his honest heart through his songs with a mostly respectful day time crowd. With his stories sprinkled in between, he introduced each with an important background of where and how the song came to be. I loved hearing him sing his version of “Gulf Moon.” I’m glad I made this set a priority, and I look forward to hearing from him, and his collaboration with Cleto Cordero, William Clark Green and Josh Abbott as The Panhandlers, coming out soon. 

The Steel Woods - Cowboy Bill’s

After the amphitheater, the late-night shows were plentiful. Always a difficult choice to make, I chose The Steel Woods and they played with all of the fire of their show earlier in the week. Immediately diving into favorites from Straw in the Wind and Old News, the crowd was fully engaged, even when you might think they would be exhausted from the non-stop festival events. “Rock That Says My Name” and “Whipping Post” made the whole floor in front of the stage move with every thump of the drum, beat of the bass and riff of the guitars. They truly brought everything they had to their blues infused southern rock show that went well into the morning! 

James Steinle/Juliet McConkey Song Swap - Durty Harry’s

I just loved the natural chemistry of these two first-time festival artists. Their styles were both unique, but also meshed incredibly well as they backed each other up musically and vocally. With Juliet recording her debut album, and James’ sophomore album, What I Came Here For, being released soon after the festival ended, I was eager to hear their songs played live. Sitting on stools side by side, they sang and played to an attentive crowd, and applause got louder with the finish of each song. When friend and collaborator, Jamie Lin Wilson, joined them on stage and they all sang, “Without You” together; that was magical. 

Chris Jones/Holly Beth Song Swap - Smokin’ Tuna 

It was pouring down rain. That’s right. It poured the entire set, but it didn’t matter. People crowded near the bar and under every available awning during the afternoon to hear these two singer/songwriters bring a little bit of Oklahoma to the island. Having to sing and play through wind and rain didn’t seem to bother either of them as Holly Beth’s voice rose, commanded attention well above those sounds of nature. Chris sang some of my very favorites from his 2019 album, Songs for Red, and hearing them live, and acoustic, gave them a different feel than when he is with his full band, Chris Jones & The Flycatchers. “In the Throes,” “Expectations” and “Skin” are songs that move me when I hear them come through my stereo speakers, and even more so with Chris and his guitar sitting on a stool. They are both fantastic songwriters, and it showed during this set, even when the conditions were less than ideal.

David Overstreet, Oklahoma Reviews Writer

This was my first trip to Key West and Mile 0 Fest, and it didn’t disappoint! A beautiful island, it was warm (unlike Seattle this time of year), cool bars, great food and the best music you could ever want. My hotel was a bit of a haul to get to most of the venues, but that gave me a reason to bike through the town and enjoy the scenery. The weather was nearly perfect, minus the night when we were almost washed out to sea… but hey! At least the rain was warm. While this wasn’t the first music festival that I have ever attended, this one was far different. The artists were friendly, mixing with the audience, accessible and willing to talk and take pictures with anyone who asked, and not just at VIP events. Where else could you be in Durty Harry’s watching Josh Grider and talking to Jamie Lin Wilson or on the Sunset Pier watching Courtney Patton and Jason Eady on stage and be standing in the audience, literally, next to Micky Braun? He, like me, was there as a fan and enjoying the show (as most of these artists are). This was, truly, the coolest music festival that you could attend. The festival organizers should be commended on how they pulled all of this off from the smaller venues to the main stage venue. The main stage area was well thought out with regards to where the food and drinks were located and restrooms which were well maintained throughout the entire four days. For me, those four days went way too fast.      

Jason Eady and Courtney Patton – Sunset Pier

While I have had the pleasure to see both Courtney and Jason live and online several times, it's always a pleasure to see them again. As far as I am concerned, these two are the finest writers of country music currently alive. In my opinion, both their musicianship and their lyrical writing (both in verse and in content) have no current equal. While a friend and I argue who we personally think gets top honors, they are truly a hair's breadth apart in both skill and talent. And, their show on the Sunset Pier was no exception. They attracted a large crowd of both Mile 0 attendees and artists. I was standing in the crowd and, literally, next to me was Micky Braun of Micky and the Motorcars. I even asked him, “Hey, if she starts singing “Road to You,” (a song they wrote together and recorded on each of their latest albums) are you going to go up there and join her?” He replied, “I’m thinking about it.” Courtney and Jason both played some older and some newer songs, but the highlight was when she started singing “Road to You” and sure enough, Micky walked on stage and joined her.

Kaitlin Butts – Smokin’ Tuna Saloon

Here is one very talented young woman who I have been wanting to see for years since she released her first album, “Same Hell, Different Devil.” That album was a great start for her, but both her songwriting and singing talent and skills have been progressing upward at a very fast pace. She has since released a few singles that have garnered her a good deal of attention and highlighted this growth. Some of which she played included: “Wild Rose,” “Whiskey and Hate,” Gillian Welch’s “Anabelle,” “Bored If I Don’t” and then, in my opinion, her breakout song that took everyone by surprise; a song that Malone Ranger of KWFR / 95.9 The Ranch refers to as “chilling,” “White River.” And, yes… it gave me chills to see her play it live.

Charley Crockett – Duval Street Kick-off Party

Here is one guy who I have been following for a few years, but haven’t had a chance to see yet, as I live in Seattle which isn’t on a lot of touring routes for this genre of music. For me, this was one of the shows that I was most looking forward to. When he took the stage on Duval street, he did it with his retro cowboy look and his usual cool swagger. He got the party started the right way with one of his faster songs, “5 More Miles.” He put on a fantastic, high energy show that he is well known for. He went on to play many of his hit singles, “Borrowed Time,” “The Valley,” “Lil’ Girls Name,” and Tanya Tucker’s “Jamestown Ferry.”

Porter Union – Sunset Pier

Another act I have been wanting to see since they released their self-titled album, and I was going to see them come hell or high water. Since the storm that washed out Randy Rogers Band from the main stage was still going strong the next day… that is exactly what I did! You may see photos of them on the Sunset Pier stage with one nut in a red rain poncho standing at the rail. Well, that one nut was me, nature be damned! They started off with one of my favorites from their debut album, “Don’t You Know.” They then played a good amount of their newer stuff that will be on their upcoming album that will be dropping on March 6, as well as a couple of singles they recorded while competing in the “Real Country” TV show on USA network - Dolly Parton and Ricky Van Shelton’s “Rockin’ Years” and Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” In my opinion, they got robbed on that show! They should have won hands-down! And, I told them that, too. During a slight pause in their set, I requested “Out of Spite,” to which Cole responded, “Man, if you are going to stand there and listen to us play in all of this rain, I’ll play anything you ask.” Apparently, the lady to my left, under the table umbrella found the song very amusing (as it is). She was laughing throughout the entire song.

Jack Ingram – Smokin’ Tuna Saloon

What more can be said… this is Jack Ingram! A living legend in the Texas music and Red Dirt scene. I mean the guy hosts a weekly TV show - The Texas Music Scene. The Smokin’ Tuna was standing room only. He had Willy Braun, of Reckless Kelly, on drums and the rest of the Beat-up Ford Band backing him. It was high-energy with shots flowing from the word ‘Go!’ and this crowd was ready to party and get wild. He played many of his usual favorites, but the two songs that truly stood out were his story behind and performance of “Mustang Burn,” and after a few more shots, he performed a very loud and rowdy “Barbie Doll” which Micky Braun joined him on stage (along with crowd required participation that would not be denied). Near the end of the song and the set, he gave us some much-needed advice on recognizing and avoiding those “Barbie Dolls” that we find in every bar. Thanks Jack... I will never forget your sage advice!

More info at: mile0fest.com

All Photos By Robert Millage:

robertmillage.com