Normally I wouldn’t be talking to you about The Rustic Frog, “Kentuckiana’s only gentlemen’s club with totally legal lap dances.” But the New Albany establishment has reeled me in with a superb reunion of a band that in their hay day (early ‘90s) was on fire. It’s all a part of the Befuddled Festival on August 29-31.

The likely local show stopper at Befuddled Festival will be Days of the New. Days of the New is an acoustic rock band from Charlestown, Indiana whose original members last played together 16 years ago.

The original lineup of Days of the New was together from 1995-1999. One of the songs on their debut album “Touch, Peel, And Stand” stood atop Billboard’s rock chart for 17 weeks. Two other songs, “The Down Town” and “Shelf in the Room,” were also top hits. This album peaked at number 40 on the US charts and reached platinum status.

Band turmoil eventually prevented the band from continuing their success. The story is fuzzy as to actually whose fault it was that the band broke up, but one thing was for certain and that was lead singer Travis Meeks’s drug problem.

The original lineup is back, Meeks is clean, and they are performing in their hometown for the first time in 16 years.

Juicy J (formerly of Three 6 Mafia) is playing the Befuddled Festival preshow party on August 28. Prominent ‘80s hair metal band Quiet Riot, famous for their hit song “Cum On Feel The Noize,” is playing as is rapper Afroman, known for his song “Because I Got High.”

The full music lineup is as follows: Bullet Boys, Faster Pussycat, Tantric, Psychostick, PoP Kiss Chainsaw, Vintage VooDoo, Stone The Crow, Nova Red, The Mad Taxpayers, Dirty Cheese & The Hoodie Thieves, and Year of the Gun.

Befuddled Festival also includes a volleyball tournament, mud wrestling, magicians, fire breathers, illusionists, clowns, dancers, hula girls, contortionists and more!

Tickets for the three day festival are $45 and single day tickets are $25.

Photo courtesy of The Rustic Frog Facebook page.

Cover photo courtesy of Shutterstock.