CaveFest Podcast

Go underground with The What Podcast at CaveFest!

The Caverns is our second favorite place in the world, and our coverage takes you live from the campgrounds here at The Caverns. Experience live music in a cave and on their world class amphitheater!

Guests who joined us for CaveFest

All CaveFest episodes

29m

S09E40Oct 14, 2026 Video Pelham, TN

CaveFest 2026 Recap: Live From The Caverns

Live from The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee, we recap CaveFest 2026 with our ticket winner, plus the venue, the music, and the camping. Barry and Russ are joined by Bryan, back on the show after a couple of months, our bicoastal correspondent Elizabeth Thorpe, who flew in from Washington State for her third CaveFest, and Abby, the fan who won our ticket giveaway and is at her very first CaveFest! Listen to this week's episode here or watch it on YouTube.

40m

S09E38Sep 30, 2026 Video

The Musician Who Plays Mushrooms

How do you play a mushroom? This week we're joined by Tarun Nayar of Modern Biology, a Vancouver-based musician who uses bioelectric signals from mushrooms, plants, and other living organisms to create music. Using custom-built devices and synthesizers, Tarun translates biological activity into musical information, creating performances that blend science, technology, improvisation, and art.

44m

S09E37Sep 23, 2026 Video

We Got Evacuated at Shaky Knees 2026

The rain and heat at Shaky Knees 2026 did not stop Russ from having a good time in Atlanta! We catch up live from the hotel on Saturday morning and then the full recap in this episode: the heat, the lineup, and the Saturday storm and evacuation. Hear about notable performances from Turnstile, Fontaines D.

48m

S09E36Sep 16, 2026 Video

Inside Bumbershoot: Where Music Meets DIY Art (and Wrestling)

Our bicoastal correspondent Elizabeth Thorpe is back, and this time she's breaking down Bumbershoot, the Seattle festival where music meets DIY art, animation, a fashion district, roller derby, and yes, actual wrestling. Beth walks us through all of Bumbershoot: the lineup (Death Cab for Cutie, Turnstile, De La Soul, Bikini Kill, Orville Peck), what makes a city festival different from a camping one, and the outsider-arts culture that Bumbershoot still preserves, the same DIY spirit that gave rise to grunge.

34m

S09E35Sep 9, 2026 Video

Two Festivals We're Hitting This Fall: Shaky Knees & CaveFest

Bonnaroo may be taking 2027 off, but festival season isn't over. This week Barry and Russ break down the two festivals they're hitting this fall, Shaky Knees in Atlanta and CaveFest at The Caverns, and share their tips for doing each one right. One's a city festival, one's a camping festival, and they're very different experiences.

1h 23m

S09E15Mar 31, 2026 Video

Inside Soberoo: Bonnaroo's Sober Community with Founder Patrick Whelan

Have you ever wondered if it's possible to do Bonnaroo sober? This week we're joined by longtime guest Patrick Whelan, founder of Soberoo and Harmonium Inc., the nonprofit that provides community and support for sober and sober-curious festivalgoers at Bonnaroo and dozens of other events around the country.

53m

S08E41Oct 15, 2025 Video Pelham, TN

CaveFest 2025: Exploring the Underground Magic of The Caverns

The What Podcast is on location at The Caverns in Pelham, Tennessee for CaveFest 2025, just down the road from Bonnaroo! Barry couldn't make it this week, so our friend Beth Thorpe steps in to co-host. We talk about our experience at the festival, why CaveFest is more than just bluegrass, and how an independent venue like The Caverns runs differently from Live Nation's Bonnaroo.

36m

S08E35Aug 27, 2025 Video Chattanooga, TN

The Tragic Origin of Devo: From Kent State to Shaky Knees 2025

Bonnaroo 2025 is behind us, so what's next? On this week's The What Podcast, we do some porch sittin' and look ahead to more festivals still to come in 2025, including Shaky Knees, World of Bluegrass, and CaveFest. We dive deep into the legacy of Devo, one of our most-anticipated acts of Shaky Knees this year, and explore the surprising event that sparked the band's creation.

1h 39m

S07E41Nov 20, 2024 Video Pelham, TN

How The Caverns Became Tennessee's Premier Music Destination

This week on The What Podcast, we take a field trip to The Caverns in Pelham, TN - a music venue like no other. Located just 20 minutes from Bonnaroo's Farm, The Caverns offers an extraordinary experience, hosting shows underground in a breathtaking cave and on a sprawling outdoor amphitheater. We sit down with Todd Mayo, the visionary behind The Caverns, to uncover its remarkable story.

41m

S06E24Sep 27, 2023 Video

Riot Fest, CaveFest, and Catching Up with flipturn at Moon River Festival

On this jam-packed episode of The What Podcast, Brad, Barry, and Lord Taco chat about the various festivals they've recently attended and plan to hit soon. Plus, the crew catches up with flipturn while on-site at Moon River Music Festival. Brad talks about his time at Riot Fest in Chicago, while Lord Taco previews Tennessee's second annual CaveFest.