Homecoming

The venue was spectacular (Smale Riverfront Park), the bands/musicians were phenomenal (and the two stages with the various side events added up to just the right amount of things going on where it wasn't overwhelming), and the weekend ticket price was unbeatable! Would go again in a heartbeat! A big thank you to everyone who helped make Homecoming happen!

Perfect size festivals for Smale Park. Larger enough to not feel too crowded and small enough to create a more intimate affair. One of my frequent dislikes about music festivals is the lack of restroom facilities. This was not a problem at all. I never waited more than a few minutes to use the restroom and most times one was always available (and clean enough). One digestion would be to have more free water access. Great time, great music, great backdrop!! Will definitely be going again!

Pros: Good mix of indie bands, great crowd, wonderful venue, never bored, fast moving through security, close parking, all staff friendly and helpful, no problems or worries Cons: Events outside of the main stages filled up quickly, even if you were 30 minutes early, you ran the risk of not being able to get in (specifically the Q & A with the photographer and Lisa Hannigan with the Crash Ensamble). Matt, frontman for the National, was pretty sauced for both gigs, Sunday worse than Saturday, and it was a bit off-putting. Forgetting lyrics, rambling between songs and throwing beverages around on stage, not to mention the liberal swearing at a so-called family event. It just comes across as strikingly unprofessional when a grown man who s married with a kid conducts himself in such a manner, especially at an event he helped plan and coordinate where his band is the headliner.

It was definitely the smallest festival I've attended, but there is something special or exclusive about that. I felt apart of a private affair which made a cool evening feel warm. Food was good, beer was great and local vendors were nice. The merch tent was hard to find and the bathrooms were placed awkwardly (not much room for lines to form if they got busy). Overall I had a satisfying night and I hope the festival will come home next year.

Homecoming was a brilliantly curated festival and run very smoothly. I have attended the MusicNow festival, curated by Bryce Dessner, every year it has been held. Combining that with the more pop/rock/folk/soul nature of Homecoming was a great move. All of the performers, whether classical (MusicNow) or otherwise shared some important characteristics--deep artistry, integrity, boundary pushing. I can't wait to see what they line up for next year.

Two nights of The National, days full of excellently curated musical acts, opportunities to attend concurrent MusicNOW festival events, all in a scenic Cincinnati riverside park. A great experience, especially for a first time festival.

Came from the UK to watch the national. Well worth it too.feist was also ace

Overall, it was a great festival. My only complaint is the limited security checkpoint, particularly when trying to get in for Lord Huron s performance. Also, why was that group scheduled so early in the day? I liked the two different stages, but I had hoped the west stage would have had a screen for easier viewing farther back. Also, the tour merchandise selection was pretty expensive and not particulary impressive. $25 for a tour poster is steep.

Attended the 1st Homecoming Fest at Smale Park, on banks of Ohio river. Sunny weather for most of Fest. Did get cold after sundown. Enjoyed just about all the acts there. Loved The Breeders, Feist, Future Islands, Alvvays, Father John Misty, Big Thief, Lord Huron, Sam Amidon, Spank Rock, and of course, The National. Smale Park is a very nice little park, just missing some shade. The shade will come, but the trees are small right now. No problems, only some very long lines for food on Sat. Sure they will fix that glitch. Go to alot of Fests & this one fits in quite well with other weekend ones I attend.

You could try to include some local acts next time, really, I didn't know many of the other bands that were playing... Other than that, very well executed, kid-friendly, fun! We had a great time, happy to see another one planned for next year!!

Other than the pretty decent lineup, including two nights of The National, I did not know what I was getting myself into. I have heard so-so things about Ohio. But, not only was the venue of the fest (outside, next to the Ohio River) was perfect (a little chilly at night on Saturday), but the entire experience was probably the best that I have ever had (2nd to my first Montreal trip in 2004), from how clean the park/city was, the beautiful bridges I had to take to walk to and from my hotel, to the rooftops and nightlife the city has to offer. A couple of things that I enjoyed about the fest was location, cleanliness, to art and cool features of the park, set up of stages, food tents, etc, no sets overlapped like other music fests, the age of the crowd (not a bunch of teenagers wasted on booze and other drugs and making me feel fucking old [I'm 34] like I do at Lollapalooza in Chicago, where I'm from), and the ticket price. I fell in love with the city after this trip. I am actually considering moving there. If I do or don't, I hope they bring back Homecoming next year and many years to come. I will continue to go based on this last experience and assuming no major changes (for the worst) in the future. Good job on an amazing and successful experience!

The venue was incredible. Second stage acts were diverse and artsy. Future Islands, Rather John and Lord Huron were excellent. Food trucks were overwhelmed but restrooms were adequate. Snake Park rocks as a venue.

The National was amazing both nights and there were several great supporting acts. I especially loved Future Islands and Lord Huron. Fantastic venue. Can t wait to return

One of the most convenient, easy festivals I've ever been to. Parking was close by. Entry was smooth. Food was great. And most of all the music was incredible. I loved the variety of acts playing. There was something interesting going on all the time.

Well curated, organized and executed.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful, riverfront venue. We arrived between 1:00p - 1:30p both days and had no wait to get in. The lineup was full of great talent. Eighth Blackbird w/ Bonnie Prince Billy & Bryce Dessner was one of the most beautiful musical performances I've seen. Future Islands rocked! Parking was easy, food selection was great and plenty of room to view the acts. No complaints from me. Hope they do this again next year.

Absolutely perfect weekend. Great venue, view, volunteers, set up AND the music, start to finish was brilliant. Thanks to The National for coming home. Let's do this again next spring. Best kick off to musoc festival season ever.

Sweet venue. Best day of my life. "Bring back currents."

The National were tremendous- great sound, fun show(s). Look forward to seeing them again. Father John Misty sounded great. The balance was ok - we were unable to see Feist, heard she was good. Weather was unusually chilly - especially Saturday night. All in all, a nice time & the National alone were worth the $$.

None of the bands had great performance energy. Very blah. Didn t have unrealistic expectations as I know those bands, but was still disappointed. Had a weekend pass but didn t even return for 2nd day as I felt it was not worth my time.

The Homecoming show was incredible - beautiful setting by the river and an almost intimate gathering to see the National come home to Cincinnati. Great service from everyone working there as well!

venue = d (line to get in was a mile long). setting = A + food = b bands good but far too few headliners and the nationals lead singer on saturday night was drunk. lord huron rocked... thanks for the experience but won't return

I thought the venue was very cool. Nice set up, great location, easy to navigate. Beer lines were a bit long, but that's to be expected. Breeders were awesome, loved seeing the original line-up. If you haven't checked out their new album, you need to !! Julien Baker was a great surprise. She is a hidden gem. Father John Misty was also great. Loved the big band feel. Unfortunately I missed Lord Huron. would love to here how their show was. Not the best National show that i've I seen, but even on a down night I'd rather see them than almost anyone else. Proud to be a long time fan.