All photos by MICHAEL POWELL

Let's be straight: This is the fifth year of the Cropped Out Fest in Louisville, and if there were any justice, the fest would be well on its way toward becoming a household name. Though it doesn't boast names that wowed indie fans in the '00s (see: the Strokes, LCD Soundsystem, etc.), the fest did feature a well-curated mix of interesting bands, such as the Dead C, Kool Keith, Bill Callahan, Fred and Toody Cole of Dead Moon, Bonnie "Prince" Billy with Bitchin Bajas, POWER, and a mix of more than 30 others across four stages during the two-day tenure.

Utilizing a billiards hall (Turners Tavern), an alcove that pays tribute to both an all-ages venue and everyone's favorite sci-fi redhead (Sculley Alley, in remembrance of Skull Alley), a boat slip (Spooky Beach) and a main stage called Phreedom Hall, the venue is a blue-collar country club on the banks of the Ohio River in Louisville, Ky., a far cry from the generic field-as-blank-canvas of many others. Located off the beaten path, the fest eschews hotels for overnight camping, funnel cakes for horseshoes and branded cigarette tents for a basketball court. Check out photos from the event, which went down September 23-24.

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