Riverbend rolls on despite violence
Despite the food, music and good times of Riverbend, the recent rash of deadly shootings was on the minds of festivalgoers Sunday for the third and final day of the event.
Chattanooga Police presence was heavy Sunday as the crowd filed through the metal detectors and bag checks.
Security was already high as a result of a shooting that injured six downtown May 28, then three people were killed outside a bar on McCallie Avenue early Sunday in a shooting incident with 17 victims total, including one killed by a car while fleeing.
Chelsea Markham Lyle said she came out to the festival to see what had changed at Riverbend, so she decided to come for the entire weekend. She and her friend stood inside Riverbend with their backs to the Tennessee River as Tanya Tucker played Sunday afternoon.
“It’s so much better,” Markham Lyle said. “The crowd is unified, we’re all here for the same purpose … it’s organized, there’s plenty to do, there’s great food, local food — and the message and atmosphere is just great.”
Her favorite moment was Cage the Elephant on Saturday night, and the fact that everyone has been “talking about love and coming together.”
The War and Treaty addressed Saturday night’s shooting, Markham Lyle said, and the country-folk group was one of the best shows her friend, Jesse Barnes, said he had ever seen. Barnes was standing with Markham Lyle finishing his food.
When asked if she had any safety concerns due to the two recent shootings, Markham Lyle gave a definitive no. There’s a lot of security, Markham Lyle said, and violence is not why this group of people is here.
People should all talk about the recent violence in Chattanooga, she said, and Markham Lyle summarized the War and Treaty’s message about the difficult topic.
“We cannot let our kindness and love for each other, our concern for each other, stay inside our four walls and friend group,” Markham Lyle said. “What we see happening outside, in parts of Chattanooga, it’s our job to go and do what we can to bring us together.”
“We’re all in this together,” Barnes said, giving his takeaway about the War and Treaty’s messages on the recent shootings.
Continuing her thought, Markham Lyle said, “That’s somebody’s child, that’s somebody’s brother.”
Taking a dinner break from the festival, Sherie and David Miljanich discussed
how they were annoyed about how long it took to cross Market Street as they stood waiting at an intersection near Riverbend. Both residents of Ooltewah, Sherie Miljanich said she wanted to walk when traffic was clear, but David Miljanich wanted to wait for the crosswalk.
Every night of Riverbend had someone they liked, Sherie Miljanich said, and Sunday night they were excited to see Tanya Tucker play. Elle King and Brothers Osborne were mentioned as favorites, but Sherie Miljanich said the couple was not happy that festivalgoers couldn’t set up and leave their chairs like in past years.
“There’s no place to sit,” Sherie Miljanich said. “I could sit on the ground, but then it’s hard getting up.”
People in their 50s and 60s need a place to sit, David Miljanich said, especially in the heat. The couple went home early Saturday night, Sherie Miljanich said, because of the lack of seating and a gap in the music.
David Miljanich said the two discussed the recent shootings, but they decided to come downtown anyway.
“I don’t think it was related to Riverbend, and we just hope it didn’t happen where we were,” David Miljanich said. “We hope it doesn’t happen at all.”
Sherie Miljanich said the crowd has been peaceful, and they’ve only seen one person who seemed to be too drunk. There were fewer children downtown than usual, she said.
On the way to see Tucker and Jason Isbell, Brooke Hadden said Riverbend was smaller but had better music.
“It’s progress,” Hadden said.
One of her favorite Riverbend memories was seeing the band Heart — and how it sounded just like it did on the radio. She and three friends were sharing a drink at The Leapin’ Leprechuan.
Part of the group, Amanda Hunter and Laila Seymour, said they are regulars at The Leapin’ Leprechuan and heard stories about patrons having to hide in the back of the bar when they
heard gunshots downtown last weekend. The festival makes it
hard for regular customers and workers
to find parking downtown, Hunter said, and
Seymour said festivalgoers aren’t always the best tippers.
Their friend, Josh Mayfield, said he wants to see the return of the Bessie Smith Strut — a free downtown music festival honoring one of Chattanooga’s most famous artists — and thinks Blue Oyster Cult was one of the best shows he’s seen at Riverbend.