| Cropped Out | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Genre(s) | Psychedelic Rock, Indie Rock, Experimental, Punk Rock, Post-Punk, Folk, Country |
| Date(s) | September (Typically) |
| Location | Louisville, Kentucky, USA |
| Venue(s) | American Turner's (Main Festival) |
| Years active | 2010 - 2014, 2016 - 2018 |
| Promoter(s) | Cropped Out |
| Website | Cropped Out Official |
Cropped Out is an annual multi-venue music festival held in Louisville, Kentucky, co-founded in 2010 by Ryan Davis and James Ardery. According to the festival's website, "Cropped Out aims to celebrate a select fistful of contemporary musicians, artists, and artisans whom we feel reflect a greater undercurrent of sonic, visual, and conceptual exploration. It is our intention to turn heads toward the talents of those often omitted, overlooked, or cropped out of 'the big picture'. These are the minds most interesting to us, the minds most capable of emerging from and quickly returning to their lightlessness, if only to be briefly met by a niche appreciation...The fest is designed to highlight the creative efforts of Louisville natives, friends, family, and fellow thinkers from Nashville to Chicago to Brooklyn and beyond."[1] The festival stays true to this ethos, presenting independent bands and a general DIY scene in an intimate, affordable setting. The primary genres featured in the festival are Indie rock and post-punk, but expands into other genres such as folk, avant-garde, free jazz, hardcore punk, noise rock and even hip-hop and alternative country. Cropped Out has close ties with Drag City Records, Thrill Jockey Records and Sophomore Lounge among other independent labels.
To date the festival has hosted eight editions, with seven of them hosted at American Turner's, a veterans hall right by the Ohio River and utilizing the space for multiple small stages.[2] Since 2012 the venue would host the main festival at American Turners, along with opening and closing parties at different local bars and venues. Since 2013, on-site camping has been available to ticket holders for a camping fee.[3] Since 2016, Cropped Out has partnered with Against the Grain Brewery in Louisville to produce Hopped Out, the official beer of Cropped Out. Notably, on the emphasis of local artists, Cropped Out has hosted rare performances by Louisville bands and musicians such as Papa M, The Endtables, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy (performing Superwolf with Matt Sweeney), The Belgian Waffles! and more. Along with the festival several touring shows would take place in Louisville promoted by Cropped Out.
Cropped Out I (2010)[]
The inaugural Cropped Out Music Festival would be hosted on 1 - 3 October 2010. The first night would be hosted at local restaurant KingFish while the remaining two days would be held at American Turner's. During the first year, the festival was staffed primarily by the two organizers and their parents, along with a group of close friends.[4]
1 October: KingFish[]
| KingFish | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moon Duo | ||
| The Phantom Family Halo Record Release Show | ||
| Julianna Barwick | ||
| Sapat | ||
| Fielded | ||
2 October: American Turners[]
| Indoor Stage | Outdoor Stage |
|---|---|
| Pissed Jeans | Ga'an |
| Young Widows | CACAW |
| CAVE | PC Worship |
| Parlour | MEAH! |
| Straight A's | Natural Geographic |
| Wishgift | Life Partner |
| Prideswallower | Geffika |
| Slow Horse | DAD |
| LUSHES | SKIMASK |
| Rabble Rabble | Nzambi |
| The Highlife | Learner Dancer |
| Alex Barnett |
3 October: American Turners[]
| Indoor Stage | Outdoor Stage |
|---|---|
| Magik Markers | Sic Alps |
| Jeff The Brotherhood | King Kong |
| Golden Boys | Spider Bags |
| Flight | Catherine Irwin |
| Rude Weirdo | State Champion |
| Warmer Milks | Giving Up |
| Idiot Glee | PUJOL |
| Animal City | Tinsel Teeth |
| Heavy Cream | Spectre Folk |
| Sean Walsh & The National Reserve | Gangly Youth |
| Brett Sova | Reading Group |
| Softcheque |
Cropped Out II (2011)[]
The second edition of Cropped Out would be hosted from 11 November to 13 November 2011 at The Crummy Den, a thrift store/flea market in the future NuLu area of Louisville. It would notably be the only edition hosted at this space, utilizing outdoor and indoor spaces to concoct the multiple stages.[5] Notably the third night, featuring headliner Scratch Acid on a North American reunion tour, would have their set cut short due to noise complaints on the final night of the festival, the Louisville Police Department stopping the show and preventing a six-song encore.
11 November 2011: The Crummy Den[]
| Stage One | Stage Two |
|---|---|
| Sun Araw | MV & EE |
| Shit & Shine | Mount Carmel |
| Dope Body | Natives |
| Christmas Bride | Anwar Sadat |
| Alcohol Party | Cough Cool |
| Shedding | Axel Cooper |
| Learner Dancer | Savages |
12 November 2011: The Crummy Den[]
| Stage One | Stage Two | Stage Three |
|---|---|---|
| Sapat | Black God | Angel Olsen |
| Last Year's Men | John Wesley Coleman III | Natural Child |
| Bill Orcutt | Angels in America | Jovontaes |
| Pygmy Shrews | Fat History Month | Circuit des Yeux |
| The Men | The Dreebs | |
| Mayor Daley | Guardian Alien | |
| Chat Logs | Cross | |
| Tropical Trash | Arcane Rifles | |
| Arcane Daughters |
13 November 2011: The Crummy Den[]
| Main Stage | ||
|---|---|---|
| Scratch Acid | ||
| Coliseum | ||
| Young Widows | ||
Cropped Out III (2012)[]
The 2012 edition of Cropped Out Music Festival would be hosted on 28 and 29 September 2012, returning to American Turner's and utilizing four named stages: Phreedom Hall (The outdoor stage), Turner's Tavern (The second floor tavern hall), Scully Alley (An alley between the two stages re-purposed into a small, intimate stage) and The Spooky Beach (A dock right by the Ohio River.). Along with the four stages would be food trucks, oddities, a basketball court and random TVs laying on the ground displaying distorted surreal footage.[6][7]
In regards to Jandek's performance it featured Jandek played guitar, harmonica and sang, Catherine Irwin (Freakwater) played bass, Dane Waters (Sapat, Softcheque) sang and played synth, Chris Wunderlich played Moog and iPad and Jordan Richardson (Tropical Trash) played drums. The performance was recorded but has not been released.
The Sunday closing ceremony would be priced separately and would be hosted at The Workhouse Ballroom, a small cave near the Highlands area of Louisville (Just a few yards from Headliners Music Hall) on 30 September, featuring three bands.
Dahm Majuri Cipolla (The Phantom Family Halo, Watter, Mono) was intended to play at the festival but would cancel due to illness. He was replaced by Virginia grindcore band Suppression.
28 September 2012: American Turners[]
| Phreedom Hall | Scully Alley | Turner's Tavern |
|---|---|---|
| Suppression | Eugene Chadbourne | Chain and The Gang |
| Slug Guts | Lantern | TV Ghost |
| Street Gnar | Buck Gooter | Twin Sister Radio |
| Jandek | Gangly Youth | The Sediment Club |
| Ritchie White Orchestra | Disco Doom | Microwaves |
| She Might Bite |
29 September 2012: American Turners[]
| Phreedom Hall | Scully Alley | Turner's Tavern |
|---|---|---|
| Lil B The BasedGod | Neil Hamburger | R. Stevie Moore |
| Merchandise | Guerilla Toss | David Liebe Hart |
| Ashcan Orchestra Spooky Beach Performance |
New Mother Nature | Shaved Women |
| PC Worship | White Walls | Cool Memories |
| Raw Thug | Globsters | Michael Zerang & Darin Gray |
| Black Kaspar | Kark | Cave Bears |
| Wet | Binary Marketing Show |
30 September 2012: The Workhouse Ballroom[]
| The Workhouse Ballroom | ||
|---|---|---|
| Papa M | ||
| Wooden Wand | ||
| Jozef Van Wissim | ||
Cropped Out IV (2013)[]
The 2013 edition of Cropped Out Festival would be hosted from 27 September 2013 to 29 September 2013, the only edition to date to be held entirely at American Turner's. The kick-off event happens at the Dreamland Film Center on September 27 and will feature the debut of two films by Hisham Mayet, of Seattle-based collective Sublime Frequencies. Originally the Sunday ceremony was to be hosted at the Workhouse Ballroom but would be moved to the Phreedom Hall stage when it was deemed unsafe to host any events there due to risk of collapse.
The festival would also notably opt for strictly local sponsors and vendors to keep the general local and DIY feel. One performer who was announced through the weekend was that of Tony Clifton, a former stage persona of one Andy Kaufman and portrayed by various people over the years as sort of an "anti-comedian". Clifton would have served as the "grand marshal" that year, introducing bands and interacting with attendees. However Clifton would cancel due to personal reasons.[8]
Notably the festival would feature Bonnie "Prince" Billy and Matt Sweeney perform the entirety of Superwolf and a one-time performance of The Endtables, one of Louisville's earliest punk rock bands in what would be their first Louisville performance in over thirty years.
27 September 2013: American Turners[]
| Phreedom Hall | Goosebump Galley | Turner's Tavern |
|---|---|---|
| Endless Boogie | Bill Orcutt & Chris Corsano | Steve Gunn |
| The Endtables Reunion Performance |
Shit & Shine | Hair Police |
| Juanita | Blues Control | Watery Love |
| Spray Paint | Salad Influence | Promised Land |
| Tweens | Spelling Bee | White Reaper |
28 September 2013: American Turners[]
| Phreedom Hall | Goosebump Galley | Turner's Tavern |
|---|---|---|
| Matt Sweeney & Bonnie Prince Billy Superwolf |
CAVE | Human Eye |
| Wolf Eyes | Borbetomagus | Jaye Jayle |
| Mayo Thompson & The Corky's Debt Band |
Kal Marks | SKIMASK |
| Montag | Thee Open Sex | New England Patriots |
| Rinehart | Running | Tom Blacklung |
| Connections | Quailbones | Mote |
| Today's Hits | Neighbor | Asm A Tik |
29 September 2013: American Turners[]
| Phreedom Hall | ||
|---|---|---|
| Freakwater | ||
| Lambchop | ||
Cropped Out V (2014)[]
The fifth edition of Cropped Out Music Festival would be hosted circa 26 and 27 September 2014 at American Turner's, with a pre-show kickoff party on 25 September at Dreamland Film Center (Featuring Life Stinks, The Sal Show and Dream Eye Color Wheel). A closing party would be held at Fresh Start Grower Supply on 28 September 2014 featuring four bands.[9][10]
Notably the fifth edition of the festival would feature a marquee performance by The Sun Ra Arkestra, led by Louisville native Marshall Allen and a one-time reunion performance for Louisville experimental band The Belgian Waffles!.[11]
25 September 2014: Dreamland Film Center[]
| Dreamland | ||
|---|---|---|
| Life Stinks | ||
| The Sal Show | ||
| Dream Eye Color Wheel | ||
26 September 2014: American Turners[]
| Phreedom Hall | Scully Alley | Turner's Tavern |
|---|---|---|
| The Belgian Waffles! Reunion Set |
Obnox | Vaderbomb |
| Ma Turner | Axis: Sova | The Urinals |
| Three Legged Race | Counter Intuits | The Rebel |
| Ausmuteants | Apache Dropout | Spray Paint |
| Elsinores | Flanger Magazine | Total Abuse |
| Marraige |
27 September 2014: American Turners[]
| Phreedom Hall | Scully Alley | Turner's Tavern |
|---|---|---|
| Shit & Shine | Spider Bags | Pile |
| Lagartha Spooky Beach Stage |
Sapat | Yonatan Gat |
| The Sun Ra Arkestra | Tiger Hatchery | Anwar Sadat |
| Nathan Salsburg Spooky Beach Stage |
Public Housing | Bodycocktail |
| Dan'l Boone | Mail The Horse | JPS |
| Michael Chapman | Shutaro Noguchi | |
| Animal City | ||
| Little Gold |
28 September 2014: Fresh Start Grower Supply[]
| Fresh Start Grower Supply | ||
|---|---|---|
| White Reaper | ||
| Protomartyr | ||
| Tropical Trash | ||
| Wishgift | ||
Cropped Out VI (2016)[]
The 2016 edition of Cropped Out took place on 23 & 24 September 2016 at American Turners after a year-long hiatus, due largely to both Tropical Trash and State Champion (two bands that are composed mainly of the festival's organizers and staff) going on tours around the same time that year. The kick-off party took place at Nachbar in Louisville on 22 September and the closing party took place at Kaiju on 25 September.[12][13]
22 September 2016: Nachbar[]
| Nachbar | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quailbones | ||
| Wombo | ||
| Smut | ||
23 September 2016: American Turners[]
| Phreedom Hall | Scully Alley | Turner's Tavern |
|---|---|---|
| Dead C | John Bellows | Bitchin' Bajas & Bonnie Prince Billy |
| Fred and Toody Cole Spooky Beach Stage |
Joe McPhee and Susan Alcorn | Quilt Boy |
| Cherry Blossoms | Giving Up | Beat Awfuls |
| Shawn D. McMillen | Paper Claw | Pleasure Boys |
| Joan Shelley Spooky Beach Stage |
Long Thanh Nguyen | |
| Aaron Rosenblum Spooky Beach Stage |
||
| Cereal Glyphs | ||
| Dry Summers |
24 September 2016: American Turners[]
| Phreedom Hall | Scully Alley | Turner's Tavern |
|---|---|---|
| Pissed Jeans | Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments Reunion Set |
Spray Paint |
| Kool Keith | Home Blitz | Lumpy and The Dumpers |
| Bill Callahan Spooky Beach Stage |
Brett Naucke | Black Panties |
| Power | Bugg | Louie Louie |
| Matchess Spooky Beach Stage |
Laffing Gas | Hidden Ritual |
| Creeping Pink | Insect Policy | Ancient Filth |
| Opposite Sex | Vern | Felchers |
25 September 2016: Kaiju[]
| Kaiju | ||
|---|---|---|
| Thee Open Sex | ||
| Hearts and Minds | ||
| Spray Paint | ||
| Tropical Trash | ||
Cropped Out VII (2017)[]
The 2017 edition of Cropped Out would take place circa 22 and 23 September 2017 at American Turners. Post-punk legends The Fall would initially would be announced as a headlining act with their Cropped Out performance set to be their first United States show in over a decade. However the band would be forced to cancel due to bandleader Mike E. Smith's declining health (and eventual passing from cancer on 24 January 2018.).[14]
21 September 2017: Nachbar[]
| Nachbar | ||
|---|---|---|
| King Cheetah | ||
| Fever Hands | ||
| Shawnthony Calypso | ||
22 September 2017: American Turners[]
| Turner's Tavern | Scully Alley | Phreedom Hall | Spooky Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pile | Axis: Sova | Royal Trux | Neil Hamburger |
| Tommy Jay | The Cowboys | Circle X | Crazy Doberman |
| The Stranger | 75 Dollar Bills | Dan Melchoir | John Bender |
| Limes | Lung | Wombo | |
| Heavy Lines | Bathroom Laws | Exacta Cube |
23 September 2017: American Turners[]
| Turner's Tavern | Scully Alley | Phreedom Hall | Spooky Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magik Markers | Attic Talent | Bonnie Prince Billy & The B.U.M.s | Peter Brotzmann |
| feedtime | Billington/Shippy/Wyche | Shit & Shine | Frank Hurricane |
| Tyler Damon & Tashi Dorji | Sarah Squirm | Sadat X | Tara Jane O'Neil |
| Tyvek | Fried Egg | David Nance | Le Fruit Vert |
| Rays | Deep State | Matt Jencik | The Other Years |
| Shutaro Noguchi |
24 September 2017: Kaiju[]
| Kaiju | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jaye Jayle | ||
| Mike Donovan | ||
| PC Worship | ||
| Natural Man | ||
| Axel Cooper | ||
Cropped Out VIII (2018)[]
The 2018 edition of Cropped Out would be hosted on 5 & 6 October 2018 at American Turners, the first time since the inaugural edition that the festival would be hosted in October. In keeping tradition with the previous two years the festival would host a kick-off party at Nachbar on 4 October 2018 and a closing party at Kaiju on 7 October 2018.
The festival's status after the 2018 edition is uncertain as there would be no Cropped Out in 2019 (due to reasons unknown) and 2020 (due to the CO-VID19 Pandemic).
4 October 2018: Nachbar[]
| Nachbar | ||
|---|---|---|
| Shells | ||
| Jane | ||
| Hothead | ||
5 October 2018: American Turners[]
| Turner's Tavern | Scully Alley | Phreedom Hall | Spooky Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spider Bags | Major Stars | Trad, Gras Och Stenar | Michael Hurley |
| Circuit Des Yeux | Bill Direen | Simon Joyner | Bill Mackay & Michael Bowles |
| Drunks With Guns | The Sal Show | Exek | Charalambides |
| Taiwan Housing Project | Honey | Leggy | |
| Iron Bars | Exit III | ||
| Night Vapor |
6 October 2018: American Turners[]
| Turner's Tavern | Scully Alley | Phreedom Hall | Spooky Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tommy Wright III | Jana Rush | Endless Boogie | Anthony Braxton & Jacqueline Kerrod |
| Half Japanese | Thee Open Sex | Shabazz Palaces | Graham Lambkin & Bill Nace |
| The Web Reunion Performance |
The World | Quin Kirchner | Catherine Irwin |
| Sex Tide | The Possum | Cherry Death | Footings |
| Protruders | Lie | Kal Marks | |
| The Winger Brothers | Sadie | Equipment Pointed Ankh |
7 October 2018: Kaiju[]
| Kaiju | ||
|---|---|---|
| Storks | ||
| Russ Waterhouse | ||
| Puzzlehead | ||
| Mr. BG | ||
| Flanger Magazine | ||
External Links[]
- Writeup on Cropped Out
- Cropped Out 2016 Photos
- Cropped Out 2016 Photos
- Cropped Out 2017 Photos
- 2017 Review