Operation Music Fest 2019
By: Whitley Albury
What do Poison’s Bret Michaels and country music’s Lee Brice have in common? They’re both headlining Operation Music Fest in Anderson, South Carolina, at the end of August.
The Friday-Saturday festival is unique in many ways.
Friday’s lineup includes two classic rock icons — Kentucky Headhunters, the pioneers of honky-tonk rock, and Saving Abel, which is best known for its single “Addicted.” Regional acts will include Southern rock band Shallow Side, which hails from Cullman, Alabama; Michael Alexander and Big Whiskey, a Midwestern band that cranks out Southern rock with surprisingly gentle vocals.
Other recognizable acts from the area include Silvertung, a heavier band out of the Baltimore area; Broken Testimony,, a semi-local band from Easley, South Carolina; Black River Rebels from Greenville, South Carolina (who are also opening for Saliva at Radio Room in September); and Scars Remain, from Charlotte.
Saturday sets you up for a day of country, featuring Lee Brice, Tyler Farr with a nice blend of gruffer vocals and smooth melodies, and Ashley McBryde of Mammoth Spring, Arkansas, who can knock you over with her crystal-clear voice. Additional highlights are old-school cool Ronnie McDowell, Bucky Covington from Rockingham, North Carolina, and Nashville’s Rick Monroe.
Laurens, South Carolina’s Outshyne, Kentuckian Jamie Suttle, indie blues rock band Oakwind, Hartford City, Indiana’s Derek Jones, and Easley’s own 3 and Twenty round out the Saturday lineup.
OK, so two vastly different genres, what else?
Well, the whole festival is on a farm. Not a Bonnaroo-level farm, but a real, working farm (Denver Downs) that’s on the National Register of Historic Places and been owned by one family since 1869. You can head bang and go ahead and preorder some collards at the same time.
The whole festival is also a fundraiser for veterans and active duty folks. 10 percent of all ticket sales go to Task Force Resolute, an organization that “makes a difference in the lives of our combat veterans by providing recreational outings for combat veterans, gold star spouses, caregivers and their families.”
If all of this is right up your alley, there are a couple of ticket levels. Ultimate VIPs get a two-day pass, reserved seating, access to a VIP area, meet and greets with the bands (with no guarantee that every band will be available), access to the VIP-only bar, and discounted dinks.
VIPs in general get the same deal minus the meet and greets. You’ll also have access to the most valuable amenity in summertime South Carolina: air-conditioned bathrooms.
General admission tickets get you lawn access; camp chairs and blankets are welcome. This is one of those festivals where you don’t camp, so be sure to book a hotel room for the weekend.
As of this writing, the list of vendors is still being finalized; however, Budweiser has promised to bring a Clydesdale for photo ops, which should make you feel right at home on the farm.
What: Operation Music Fest
Where: Denver Downs Farm, Anderson, South Carolina
When: Aug. 30-31
How Much: Single-day general admission starts at $59, and the Ultimate VIP Package will set you back $250. But remember, 10 percent of those prices go to a great cause. TICKET LINK HERE
