Cornerstone Redefined
By Rudy Harris
7 Jul 2008
Summer music festivals are full of many sites sounds and smells. The train wreck site of boys in girl shorts, the sound of constant hardcore screaming, and the smell of "cherry poop" from the port-a-potties all give you a unique experience to remember for years.
One of the biggest festivals of the year is the Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois. Cornerstone is a Christian music and art festival on a 500+ acre farm. I know the word Christian often times brings visions of snake handling and isle dancing. But this festival is not the stereo-typical Christianity that more often than not makes the news. You are more likely to hear an 808 bass hit accompanied by harsh screams, and intense breakdowns than a pipe organ and "JE-SUS-AH!"
For one week, 25,00 people of all different walks of life's cram into a town that is only around 10,000. Goths, Straight Edgers, Punks, Jocks, Nerds, and every other group you could imagine ascend on the small town which surely sends the local mid-western elders into a frenzy after seeing all the gauges and tattoo's. But the real story is the music.
Well over 200 bands play on 4-5 big stages and around 40 or so small gas generator powered stages. You can hear all genres from Blues and Bluegrass to Hardcore and Rap along with some stuff off-beat. This year I watched a band with a keyboard, a few random drums, and kazoos....I wasn't kidding when I said you can hear all genres.
Please enjoy the diversity of sights, from Hardcore to Hippey Worship, and from the grass to the big stage. And if you are wanting to experience a festival that has something for absolutely anybody, please consider Cornerstone. You will not be dissapointed.
