The Grateful Gallery tour will feature concert posters and artwork from leading artists in the scene including John Warner, Mike DuBois, AJ Masthay and William Giese, among others. Framed and unframed prints will be on sale from the artists, who will also be making appearances in the gallery as their schedules permit. In addition, the gallery will feature original paintings from acclaimed artist William Giese, whose artwork has graced the covers of several Grateful Dead albums.
At each festival stop, an extensive art gallery will be created whereby festival goers will be able to view and purchase gig posters from numerous bands, including The Grateful Dead, Furthur, Phil Lesh & Friends, The Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule, Widespread Panic, Umphrey’s McGee, Yonder Mountain String Band, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Railroad Earth, Cabinet and many more.
The Grateful Gallery tour will be installed at the following Northeast festivals this summer:
Rochester Jazz Festival has offered a schedule update – Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings announced that plans to tour in 2013 have been postponed due to illness. Sharon Jones was recently diagnosed with stage-1 bile duct cancer – which doctors say is both operable and curable. and The Rochester Jazz Fest wish Sharon all the best and a speedy recovery.
The James Hunter Six, previously scheduled for 7PM on June 28th, will now play at 9PM. Added to the schedule, now performing at 7PM on the 28th, is two-time Grammy nominee, Shemekia Copeland. Both are free shows on the City of Rochester East Avenue and Chestnut Street Stage presented by Rochester General Health System.
More than 1200 artists from around the world will perform in 280 concerts including more than 75 free shows at 19 venues and outdoor stages. Last years festival drew more than 187,000 people from around the world and across the U.S. XRIJF has grown to become one of the worlds largest jazz festivals with one of the nations most extensive international lineups.
For more information on the XRIJF please visit our news about the event.
The ninth annual Mountain Jam Music Festival will return to Hunter Mountain, NY in the beautiful Catskill Mountains from Thursday, June 6 through Sunday, June 9, 2013. For those who can’t attend, EVNTLIVE will offer free live broadcasts from all four days at Hunter Mountain.
Though the schedule and details are subject to change, it appears EVNTLIVE will stream performances from the likes of Rubblebucket, Primus, Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers, Deer Tick, The Avett Brothers, Widespread Panic, Amy Helm, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Gary Clark Jr., Gov’t Mule, The Lumineers, ALO, Jackie Greene and Phil Lesh and Friends.
Here’s the schedule as it currently stands for the Mountain Jam 2013 webcast:
Thursday, June 6 (All Times ET)
Rubblebucket 8 – 9:15 PM Primus 10 PM – 12 AM
Friday, June 7
Michael Bernard Fitzgerald 1:00 – 2:00 PM Roadkill Ghost Choir 2:00 – 3:00 PM Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers 3:10 – 4:10 PM Deer Tick 4:15 – 5:30 PM The Avett Brothers 5:45 – 7:15 PM Widespread Panic 8:00 – 12:00 AM
Saturday, June 8
Swear and Shake 12:00 – 12:45 PM The Revivalists 1:00 – 2:00 PM Amy Helm 2:15 – 3:15 PM Michael Franti & Spearhead 3:30 – 5:00 PM Gary Clark Jr. 5:15 – 6:30 PM The Lumineers 6:45 – 8:15 PM Gov’t Mule 9:00 – 12:30 AM
Sunday, June 9
The Lone Bellow 12:00 – 12:45 PM ALO 12:50 – 1:50 PM The London Souls 1:50 – 2:50 PM Dispatch 3:00 – 4:30 PM Jackie Greene 4:30 – 5:45 PM Phil Lesh and Friends 6:00 – 10:00 PM
STREAM Mountain Jam HERE
Check out our preview coverage of Mountain Jam by ‘s Tabitha Clancy
Day two of Rock on the Range started off quietly, with a bright cloudy day and an empty stadium with the exception of the security in front of the barricade at the Monster Stage. Then the clock stroked 11 am, allowing the Rangers to enter the stadium, filling up the front of the barricade very quickly. Finally after 45 minutes of waiting impatiently, the outdoor music ended, hinting it was Pop Evil’s time to rock the stage. However, before the band arrived, the sponsors brought out the U.S. Army to salute the American Flag. Once they left, it was time to officially begin day two.
The first to enter the stage was Chachi Riot (drums), second, Matt DiRito (bass), followed by Nick Fueling (guitar) and Dave Grahs (guitar). The last to make an appearance was the one and only, Leigh Kakaty (lead vocals). Pop Evil started their set with their hit single from the 2008 record, Lipstick on the Mirror, “Hero”, and from their latest record, Onyx, “Deal with the Devil”. Despite the name, the band was anything but evil. “Pop Evil was kind of just derived from where we were from; we kind of never fit in. At the time the band was originating, a lot of Michigan bands were starting to blow up and do well; some of them were hardcore, some were more alternative, and nothing we were doing seemed to quite be ‘pop’ enough to be mainstream but we didn’t fit in with the metal bands because we weren’t hard enough, so we weren’t really evil,” said Chachi Riot to Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel, later that day in the Media Tent, explaining the meaning behind the band’s name. “So the two kind of contradicted and we just labeled ourselves, like we were the ‘anti-pop’ but we were too ‘poppy’ to be evil so it just kind of stuck. We started rolling and got a following and though some of us hated it, once you label it at any amount of success, you stick with the name.”
After the performance of “Monster You Made” from their previous record, War of Angels, Pop Evil continued their majestic set with the song from their latest record, “Sick Sense”, showing the change in their music style. “We were carrying a lot of stereotypes like being a party band, being wild and fun which is fine but we’re ready to be taken seriously, so we kind of put a halt to that. We got really serious, we challenged ourselves, we worked hard, and it’s been a different ballgame,” Chachi explained to Drexel, when asked about inspirations used in the new record. “As far as musically, we’re five different individuals that really listen to different music, and you hear that in the song writing, because everyone in the band writes, so we have songs like ‘Sick Sense’, that carries more of a Nine Inch Nails vibe and you have ‘Silence and Scars’ has been referred kind of like The Pixies I heard earlier, and we’ve gotten a couple of songs that sounded like Rage Against the Machine, and those are three bands that have nothing in common, but somehow we have managed to make it work in one album, so I really like the diversity in the band and what we’re expressing. It’s fun,” he added excitedly.
The second to last song on their set was “Last Man Standing” and it was during that number when Kakaty did a different form of crowd surfing that took the Rangers by surprise, he walked on the hands of the fans, impersonating Iggy Pop. The final song was their dark, awe-inspiring single, “Trenches”, the song that strongly proved their determination of becoming the successful rock band that they have become. “‘Trenches’ is just like that for us, the whole album; it was like the perfect lyrical description of the album. And we felt like we’ve been waiting for so long to get out of the trenches and it’s just like we’ve been grinding and we’ve been working and we’re all from Michigan, which is not the most economically successful state, obviously, and everyone out there like in the Midwest, they get it and nothing is ever easy, nothing is ever handed out or free, and we’re just ready to work hard and overcome the obstacles,” explained Riot to Drexel about the story behind the song. To end it all, Leigh thanked the crowd for their continued outstanding support while DiRito smashed his bass guitar.
All in all, an excellent setlist, the whole band was very interactive with the Rangers, their performance was simply superlative. Be sure to check out their recent album, Onyx and to catch one of their shows. It is one band that you do not want to miss.
We here in Upstate NY have more than our share of music festivals, from the large (Mountain Jam, Camp Bisco, moe.down) to the small (Great Heron, Backwoods Pondfest). There is little reason to venture out of Upstate when festival season rolls around. But when Upstate bands branch out and hit off festivals outside the region, we take note and follow them for an adventure. Summer Camp Music Festival, located in central Illinois, is one of the better produced festivals out there, with an enormous lineup that encompasses bands both big and small on seven stages, bringing together a wide variety of genres that broaden the experience for even the most die-hard music fan. Here’s our take on Summer Camp, simply the best festival in the Midwest.
moe. on the Moonshine Stage
After spending Wednesday night in Chicago, we ventured down I-55 to Peoria and arrived in Chillicothe, a small town on the Illinois River. The flat layout of the festival was immediately appealing. Anyone who has attended a festival in NY can attest – lugging your stuff up hills and through a menagerie of inclines can be off-putting. With a slight breeze in the air, camp was set up in the middle of four stages – Sunshine, Starshine, Camping and the Vibe Tent. This proved to be a number one reason why you arrive at a festival early – prime location for camping is hard to come by after Day One. The first band for the weekend was Chicago’s Family Groove Company, who kicked things off with “The Charmer”, invited up Allie Kral from Cornmeal for “One Eye Dreaming”, followed by a well-placed cover of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers’ “American Girl,”, quite apt for the talented Kral.
Around 8 p.m., one of the great staples of Summer Camp took the stage: Cornmeal. This Illinois-based blue collar band has seen their popularity rise slowly but surely over the years as they’ve vigorously delivered their own special blend of bluegrass and folk music throughout the country. This marks the band’s 11th appearance at Summer Camp and they did nothing to disappoint the revelers that were ready to go on this first day of the festival. This weekend was also a sendoff of sorts for the band who were saying good bye to their longtime and supremely talented fiddler, Allie Kral, who earned MVP honors this weekend by sitting in on multiple bands’ sets and blowing the house down each and every time.
Allie Kral with Floodwood
After Cornmeal’s initial set of the weekend, the musical mood on the Starshine stage shifted to electronica as Digital Tape Machine delivered a pulsating set that set the stage beautifully for some of the late night acts this weekend. Featuring Joel Cummins and Kris Myers from Umphrey’s McGee, it seems this side project of sorts is really starting to find its niche as they displayed a powerful cohesiveness that only comes after time and multiple gigs. Their unique version of IDM with elements of tech house, dance house and drum and bass kept the Thursday night crowd dancing and wanting more. Out in the Camping Stage was a band from Minnesota, Roster McCabe – the Midwest is heavily represented out in these parts, as one would suspect – and they showed some gravitas and fervor during a power-charged set of originals that brought to mind Umphrey’s McGee and Dopapod. A well played version of Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky” caught the crowd off guard and resulted in a dance party in the woods, making for the first of many covers of the popular disco/dance tune that we will all be hearing this summer.
In the Vibe Tent, UV Hippo from Michigan was laying down jams that built on top of each other, culminating in a breathtaking climax and showing mastery of their craft. A solid “Square Pegs, Round Holes” preceded Roster McCabe’s Alex Steele joining the group for Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish”, a well placed cover and one of those late night moments you love to catch.
Future Rock in the Red Barn
The dance party continued well into the night with Future Rock, a band that’s seemingly designed specifically for a late night time slot at any festival. The Chicago rockers kept the action fast and furious in the Red Barn which was open to everyone this evening. A unique aspect of the Summer Camp festival is that late night acts at this location required an extra ticket that had to be purchased ahead of time, and depending on your musical tastes, will compel you to plan ahead or seek out new and unknown acts amid the general late night sets.
Dopapod in the Vibe Tent
At the same time, Dopapod was throwing down more of the late night goodness this band has become known for at the Vibe Tent. There seemed to be an even bigger crowd here which speaks somewhat to the fact that not everyone knew the Red Barn was open tonight to the general public, but more to the reputation this band is developing within the jamband and festival circuits. As usual, they delivered a fun, high intensity set, punctuated by “Braindead” off their latest album Redivider, playing nearly until sunrise and sent Summer Campers home spent, but with smiles on their faces.
Friday
With good locations for stages and campground layout, plus an option for the forest, RVs and VIP experiences, Summer Camp felt a bit like Mountain Jam, and is about the same size, just… flatter. The grounds were laid out on a grid much like the Midwest and they offered regional foods and had a few carnival rides and the like, seemingly giving in to the universality of music festivals in the 21st Century. Friday’s action got underway with the help of two of the better band names currently out there. Cosby Sweater, another Umphrey’s side project of sorts featuring the ever busy Mr. Joel Cummins, played on the Camping stage and surely played a part in waking up nearby campers. This stage was literally located within woods containing tents and campsites in the general vicinity and it played host to some of the better ‘under the radar’ acts of the weekend (see: Roster McCabe). Over on the Starshine stage, Pimps of Joytime threw down a fun and memorable set that surely garnered them a few new fans. If you haven’t heard this group’s blend of funk, rock, afrobeats and electronic elements, you should really do so as soon as possible. It was nice to see this primarily East Coast band on the bill of one of the most successful Midwest musical festivals going right now.
Diplo crowd
Next, it was time for the opening salvo from one of the festival’s musical co-hosts, moe. Their set featured a blistering ‘Captain America” opener that segued nicely into ‘‘Recreational Chemistry”, a song that many felt wouldn’t appear until later in the weekend. The band seemed energetic and on point from the get go as they closed the set with the always entertaining ‘Seat of My Pants’ and the encore of “Okayalright” seemed to sum up the general sentiment that the 2013 version of Summer Camp was officially in full gear.
Over at the Media Center, located in the Church, Dumpstaphunk gave an interview to an attentive audience curious about a little bit of everything: their new album, Dirty Word, featuring Skerik, Flea, Trombone Shorty and Rebirth Brass Band, the experience of playing two festivals in the same weekend with each one a time zone away from the other (Summer Camp and StrangeCreek) and the importance of bassist Nick Daniels who quit the Neville Brothers to get Dumpstaphunk to where they are now.
moe. on the Moonshine Stage
After a quick trip to the Sunshine stage to catch some of the reggae music dished out by the legendary Wailers, it was back to the Moonshine stage for some heady jazz improv as only Medeski, Martin and Wood can deliver. Highlights included a fantastic Billy Martin drum solo that flowed right into “Night Marchers”. This trio never disappoints and John Medeski seemed extra energized towards the end of this hour long set and showed off his chops on the set closing “Heaven on Earth”. With any big music festival there inevitably comes a time when you have to make a tough decision on which act you see and which one you miss. Summer campers were now faced with such a decision as Keller Williams with More Than a Little played on the Sunshine Stage and Yonder Mountain String Band took the reigns back down on the Moonshine Stage. These two stages were pretty much at opposite ends of ThreeSistersPark so the chance of seeing significant portions of each was pretty slim.
Down at Moonshine, Yonder was in full form, tearing through “Pretty Daughter” midway into their set, and a hoe-down worth “Casualty”. Roosevelt Collier of The Lee Boys sat in with the Yonder boys for versions of “Kentucky Mandolin”, “Dear Prudence” and “Raleigh and Spencer,” playing on same level and adding a soulful slide guitar to each tune. A return for and encore of “Two Hits and the Joint Turned Brown” had accents of that steel sound, and with Jeff Austin’s breakneck speed on mandolin, the crowd was kept dancing along to a phenomenal sit in.
Roosevelt Collier and Jeff Austin
On the other main stage, Sunshine, this was not your typical Keller Williams set. The ever evolving artist decided to get himself a backing 6-piece funk band for this go round and, just for good measure, added Victor Wooten as a second bass player. This group was tight, in tune and delivered some truly memorable versions of Keller classics like “Let’s Jam” and “Freeker by the Speaker”. Hearing these tunes with female backup singers and a tight rhythm section gave each a real different feel, in a good way. Perhaps more impressive was the covers they tackled as well. These included The Talking Heads’ classic “Once in a Lifetime” and Keller also invited Jake Cinninger from Umphrey’s McGee to join them on a truly remarkable take of The Grateful Dead’s “West L.A. Fadeaway”. This closed out the set and was met by a raucous crowd’s approval. There’s no reason to think Keller won’t continue to bring this outfit of funk and soul out on the road from the time to time.
Umphrey’s McGee kicked off their first set of the weekend with the walk-on instrumental “No Crying in Mexico,” a unique start to a show as the band arrives on stage to join pre-recorded music. “All in Time” kicked things off with the first half of the song, which later found its second half mid second set. Conversely, “Nothing Too Fancy” appeared midway through the first set and closed the set, after a dirty “Comma Later”. “Bright Lights, Big City” featured Dominic Lalli of Big Gigantic, blowing the song up amid Jeff Waful’s light show. “Puppet String”, yet another true Umph-rocker, was split between the sets and closed out the evening, but not before Umphrey’s played a first in more than a decade version of moe.’s classic “Rebubula,”, leading many to speculate on what song moe. may cover of Umphrey’s that weekend.
Later on Friday night, things began to get electronic again as Sound Tribe Sector 9 took the stage and got the dance party started once again. A well-established act at this point, STS9 delivered 90 minutes of inventive and inspirational electronica. If you weren’t in the mood for this, over on the Campfire stage was Allie Kral and Friends who treated all to a fun set of bluegrass staples and covers. The set even included an impromptu version of “Friend of the Devil” with Chicago’s own Barry Brown sitting in on vocals, followed by spirited versions of “Graceland” and “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Over in the Vibe Tent, a pair of DJs known as Team Bayside High put on an incredibly fun set, utilizing house samples and remixes in the Belding style of late night while Alvin Risk took the tent past 4 a.m. Once you are up so close to dawn, it’s a simple task to make it to 5 a.m. Kickball, the official start of Field Day. Think Camp Bisco’s Color Wars with some slight variation. Team Purple was well represented during the game, led by Umphrey’s bassist Ryan Stasik, although Team Red pulled out the victory during the rain on Saturday afternoon. Purple will be back…
Stay tuned tomorrow for Pete and Tim’s recap of Saturday and Sunday at Summer Camp Music Festival!
In less than 50 days, Bridgeport, Connecticut will host one of the biggest parties on the east coast, best known as Gathering of the Vibes four day festival, once again taking place at Seaside Park on July 25th-28th, for its 18th year of music, arts and camping. Vibes has already announced the first batch of headliners to include Phil Lesh and Friends featuring Jon Scofield, John Medeski, Joe Russo and John Kadlecik, Gov’t Mule, The Black Crowes, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Roots, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Dark Star Orchestra, John Butler Trio, the funky METERS, Railroad Earth, John Scofield, Fishbone, Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real, Ryan Montbleau Band, Deep Banana Blackout, plus many more talented musicians and more artist announcements to be released in just a few short days on June 10th.
Gathering of the Vibes started with Ken Hays, a Grateful Deadhead and business man, who got a few friends together in 1996 on the SUNY Purchase campus to share in the memory of Jerry Garcia by hosting a small music filled weekend. Each year since, the festival has continued to grow with gifted musicians and artists, with attendees coming from all over to share in the fun times and heady vibes. Past headliners have included moe., The Allman Brothers, James Brown, Primus, Les Claypool and all founding members of the Grateful Dead.
Gathering of the Vibes offers single day tickets, VIP single day tickets, full Weekend Camping passes, VIP tickets, RV passes and Kids tickets, but children under 12 years old get in for free. The single day tickets do not give include access to the campgrounds or the late night sets, so if you don’t want to miss DJ sets from James Murphy, Kung Fu and Thievery Corporation’s Rob Garza, as well as Silent Disco, you should consider just buying the Weekend Camping pass. The gates open on Thursday, July 25th at 8am and the party is over once the last band performs on Sunday after 8pm. For those looking to get an early start, there is a $20 Early-Entry Parking Fee on Thursday anytime before midnight.
Gathering of the Vibes has also launched a “Road to the Vibes” contest which gives fans the chance to vote for who they’d like to see play at the festival this year. Fans can vote once a day until June 14th to get their favorite band on the last remaining spot on the Green Vibes Stage. Upstate NY bands Positive Mental Trip, Blind Owl Band, Funktional Flow, Formula 5, Project Weather Machine, Sassafras Jenkins, Cosmic Dust Bunnies, The Assortment of Crayons, Aqueous, The Chronicles, Haewa and Digital Dharma are ALL in the running for this last spot, so show some love to your favorite Upstate band!
This year’s Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival (XRIJF) will be offering a free shuttle service, courtesy of Simcona Electronics and Horizon Club Tours. Shuttle service will be offered at no charge all nine days during the festival, June 21 – 29, to make it easy for patrons to get to and from downtown parking garages and lots surrounding the festival.
Continuous round trip service will be provided daily from 5:00pm to Midnight. Buses will run on an approximate 15-minute schedule for each stop, last pick-ups will be promptly at 11:30pm. Festival brochures and program guides will be aboard each bus for patrons and each shuttle is air conditioned as well as equipped with bathrooms. Download a map of the Shuttle route
Shuttle Bus Stops
Stops are conveniently located near downtown parking garages. Look for the Shuttle Bus Signs
1– State St. & Church St. (Across from Rochester Plaza Hotel) (daily) 2– South Ave between Broad and Court Streets (daily ) 3– Clinton Avenue South at Woodbury, near GEVA (daily) 4– Roundabout at Broadway and Broad (near Manhattan Square Park) (Friday 6/21, Saturday 6/22, Friday 6/28, Saturday 6/29 only) 5– Chestnut St. & East Main St. (Sunday 6/23 – Thursday 6/27 only) 6– Andrews St. & Liberty Pole Way (daily)
The crowd of eager fellow concert junkies and music lovers formed before the Jäger Stage of ROTR, waiting for the next band to make their appearance. Then the band makes their appearance known and the crowd begins to cheer, most in an excited manner, while some drunken. They began to play their first song, “We Are Stars” and the crowd threw their horns up, bouncing along to the beat. This band was very interactive with the crowd, made them feel like they were a part of the next big thing. This incredible band continued their set with “Ready”, “Invisible”, and quite a few more before performing their latest single, “Burn It Down”, which dropped recently. Who is this band, you ask? Introducing, Mindset Evolution.
Originating from Peoria, Il., Mindset Evolution is a five piece active rock band, with members Rob Ulrich (vocals), Skylar Baer (guitar), Bradley Prentice (guitar), Josh Bodeen (bass), and Joey Gibbs (drums). They formed in 2005 with a goal to get to where they are now. “We wanted a way to say that you have to find a way through, over, or around obstacles, and sometimes you have to completely change the way to do that, so it takes a mindset evolution,” explained Ulrich to Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel last night at Rock on the Range, in the air conditioned media tent. Well, indeed they have gone through many obstacles like working very hard to go from playing in their hometown to being a part of the Warped Tour lineup. And with that, they have a strong fan base, as well as becoming the winners in the Best Buy Music Gear Battle of the Bands. Throughout the years, Mindset Evolution has toured with bands such as Seether, Hinder, Breaking Benjamin and quite a few more well known names. “Honestly, a lot of it came from our home rock station. They have been huge supporters of us for a long time and they would always throw our names out for us, and it started picking up that way. Last year, we won the Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Battle of the Bands and then we got to tour the whole nation. Last year, we got to tour with Godsmack, Shinedown, Staind, and Adelitas Way…it was killer, killer,” said Rob when explaining how they got to tour with such major bands. “And In This Moment,” chimed in Joey, when pointing to Drexel’s white rubber In This Moment bracelet. “Ah, they are murderous, they’re so good live, love them!” said Rob, enthusiastically. When it comes to their influences, the band as a whole has a very eclectic taste in music. For Rob, “Tool, well, everything that Maynard James Keenan does, Eagles, Beatles, Clearwater Revival, Jay-Z, Eminem, kind of all over the board…a little Garth Brooks, I love Garth Brooks.” As for Joey, he makes the statement that makes Drexel very excited, “I have to say Trent Reznor is a God, that’s about it. I’m a huge Nails fan.” Then he proceeded to mention that he listens to Motley Crue, other 80s music, as well as “a lot of electronic music, like Depeche Mode.” As a band, according to Ulrich, the genres are very diverse for each of the members. “I think that’s awesome, that’s what makes bands…it gives them the opportunity to create something special and have those kind of influences coming, they’re so diverse, that when they happen to come together in a song, it creates something unique for that band.” Gibbs added that, “It’s a unique influence for the band especially when we sit down and write together, different elements are coming out of our style.”
Be sure to look out for their upcoming record, Brave, Bold and Broken, out this summer and their latest single, “Burn It Down” is out for digital download.
The crowd by the Jäger stage grew with every passing second as the sun over Crew Stadium was setting. They wanted more, nay they needed more live rock music. Once the sun had finally set, the background music quieted and the stage lights turned to a light blue hue with white, hinting it was the next band’s, In Flames, turn to rock the small stage at ROTR. The cheering from drunk and excited Rangers increased immensely as each band member made their presence known one by one, starting with Daniel Svensson (drums), Peter Iwers (bass), Niclas Engelin (guitar), and Björn Gelotte (guitar). The last to appear was their frontman, Anders Fridén. In Flames was more than ready to show the concertgoers of Rock on the Range what they had up their sleeves.
They started the set with the first and title song from their latest record, Sounds of a Playground Fading, followed by the next two from the same record, “Where the Dead Ships Dwell”, and “Ropes”. “I think it’s a song that we all kind of liked from the beginning, music wise, rhythm wise. Dynamically, it’s a really cool song, also a song we like to play live and since it is a live song, we consider it a live song, we wanted to incorporate how other people see it like especially the audience or fans or that people that go to our shows, so we asked them to help in making the video. It’s going to be interesting for us to see it through,” said Gelotte to Upstate Metal’s Kate Drexel in the Media Tent earlier that evening, when asked the story behind the single.
The rest of the setlist consisted of quite a few songs from their older records, mostly from their latest one. In Flames ended their set with “Deliver Us” and from their 2006 record, ComeClarity, “Take This Life”. For a first time performance at Rock on the Range, they sure did one hell of a job and gained a lot of new fans. “I guess our booking agent sorted it out. No, actually, maybe, I think they wanted to add what we do to the lineup, to get our diversity to what’s going on here. We love playing in the U.S., in general. This is the fifth time on this album so we did four tours, and now we’re doing this really short tour. We did a warm up show in Chicago yesterday, and today, we’re doing Rock on the Range, then we go to Mexico”, explained Björn to Drexel, after asking about how they got to be a part of this incredible festival.
All in all, they showed Ohio what this heavy metal Swedish band is made of and In Flames picked a fantastic setlist. Their vibe was mind blowing and they are a must see band, if one has not seen them already.
“When you want genuine music,” writes Mark Twain, “music that will come right home to you like a bad quarter, suffuse your system like strychnine whisky, go right through you like Brandreth’s pills, ramify your whole constitution like the measles, and break out on your hide like the pin-feather pimples on a picked goose – when you want all this…invoke the glory-beaming banjo!” Or, better yet, make your way to the mountain side of Maryland and invoke the glory-beaming gem of a music festival known as DelFest 2013. Not only will you find music that’s truly genuine, but a place that after only a few days’ time you’ll come to call home.
Twain’s writing came from a period in American history when a new culture was born out of carved gourds, animal hide and strings – when the concept of “old-time roots music” emerged in the 1800s, country twang, ancient rhythms and front porch blues weren’t the only things that broke ground with it – values were something that could be heard and a strong sense of community resonated from the plucking of five strings. From the minstrel shows of the 19th century to the rise of Appalachian folk in the 1900s to the jam/grass/blues blend we hear today, roots music is alive because of the shared tradition that is the stored energy within it. No man better exemplifies this ideology than bluegrass legend, Del McCoury, for with DelFest he has created a space for all to come together under a single canopy that transcends both place and time.
Taking place over Memorial Day weekend, the festival had the opportunity to set the tone for the rest of the summer and its unique blend of music education, unbeatable live performance, picturesque surroundings, and overall value for family and community make the DelFest experience a tough one to beat. Nestled among the Allegany Mountains just outside of Cumberland, Maryland, the festival’s home is the Allegheny County Fairgrounds – perhaps one of the most ideal places to host a festival of this kind. From the flowing waters of the Potomac River, to the steel iron crossing of the railroad tracks, from well-maintained facilities (yes, folks – actual bathrooms) to the intimate venues that hosted the weekend late nights, from sustainably-minded food vendors to one of the best family camping areas one could dream, the infrastructure was in place to keep festival-goers happy, dancing, smiling and continually exchanging the weekends’ coined but surprisingly not over-used phrase, “Del Yeah”.
There are several things that set DelFest apart from other music festivals scheduled to happen throughout the summer, but one truly unique component to the DelFest experience lies with that of its pre-festival musical education opportunity, the DelFest Academy. From Jason Carter teaching fiddle, to Ronnie McCoury guiding students along the mastery of eight-coupled strings, students who attended the academy had the privilege of studying music with the very musicians set to take the stage throughout the course of the weekend. Other instructors included Don Rigsby (mandolin), Rob McCoury (banjo), Alan Bartram (bass), and Ronnie Bowman and Kenny Smith (guitar). In many ways, the DelFest Academy captures what we see on stage with members of The Del McCoury Band – the passing on of bluegrass tradition and technique, the sustainability of a type of music that calls us home.
On Thursday, students of the academy traded in their pre-fest wrist bands for the colored cloth that granted them access to one of the best-kept secrets of the festival season. With sets from the Rambling Rooks, the Jerry Douglas Band and Leftover Salmon, opening day of the festival set the pace for what would become the “Weekend of the sit- ins,” with members of The Del McCoury Band stealing the collaborative crown. Leftover Salmon’s set featured Jason Carter on fiddle throughout its entirety and Rob and Del McCoury inaugurated the stage as they collaborated with Salmon on “Midnight Blues” the featured McCoury/Salmon track on 1999’s acclaimed album, The Nashville Sessions.
By Friday, the record-breaking attendance of this year’s event continued to climb and the camping moved out from the central grounds and made its way to the other side of the railroad tracks. “I always love it when the train rolls by at Delfest,” remarked Jeff Austin during Yonder Mountain String Band’s Sunday night set, and there is no question as to why. While pitching a tent only feet away from the steel roll of the tracks may not seem ideal, one couldn’t think of a more appropriate addition to a bluegrass festival – the train rolling by was a constant fiddle and brought a certain inexplicable magic to the weekend.
“This band can change a group of strangers into a full-out hoe down at the drop of a hat,” remarked DelFest’s very own MC, entertainer and multi-instrumentalist Joe Craven (Mamajowali) when introducing Trampled by Turtles, whose Friday afternoon slot kicked the party into full-swing. The band displayed their impressive capacity in musical juxtaposition by opening their set with the soft ballad, “Widower’s Heart” and immediately shifting energy into a high-powered rendition of “Sorry” – both of which appear on the band’s latest album, Stars and Satellites. Bassist Tim Saxhaug took an impressive vocal lead on a tune that was seemingly inspired by summer – and while the song’s title remains unknown, it came as a nice radiance of warmth during a set when there was a strong chill in the air, comparable to, as lead vocalist Dave Simonett put it, “Minnesota weather.” Chilly, windy, over-cast or not, heads were bopping, and feet were moving – it was apparent that the boys of TBT felt right at home and the powerhouse acoustic five piece was all anyone needed to feel the heat.
When a festival has so many talented, highly acclaimed national acts on the weekend bill, it is only natural that the one leading frustration an attendee might have is the age-old dilemma of overlapping sets. While Trampled by Turtles was raging heavily on the main stage, whimsical sounds were emulating from the Potomac Stage as Elephant Revival enchanted the crowd with their heartfelt, infectious tunes birthed out of nature as the band’s premier muse. “I absolutely love this band, everything about them is beautiful,” was a statement that echoed from a captivated crowd and one truly could not think of a better description for this Colorado five piece. In celebration of the full moon that was to appear later that evening, the band made time to include a most glorious rendition of “Ring Around the Moon” featuring Bonnie Pane on the musical saw, but it was their performance of “Time” that received the strongest response, for it featured an incredible washboard solo – scrubbing clothes or wringing out rhythms, the washboard is an embodiment of strong, virtuous women – exhibited both by Pane and later on in the weekend by Breezy Peyton of The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band.
Del McCoury and Trey Anastasio took their respective bands to the stage as Friday’s full moon headliners; bringing the two together made for a truly unforgettable experience. Compared to the other acts on the bill, the presence of the Trey Anastasio Band is what made Delfest’s line-up truly unique. When hearing Trey, one wouldn’t necessarily think “old time,” or “bluegrass,” but the inspiration within the genre is something that is clearly heard. “I’m getting teary-eyed just thinking about it,” remarked Trey as he described the impact that Del McCoury’s album Blue Side of Town had on his music while traveling with Phish back in 1999.
When Del graced the stage, together he and Trey’s band performed “I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome” and “Beauty of My Dreams”. Later, Jason Carter and Ronnie McCoury joined in for the set’s encore, featuring “Heavy Things” and Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” but the collaborations were not the only notable moments during the set. An unexpected cover of Gorillaz’ “Clint Eastwood” resulted in a crowd-pleasing uproar and the full moon breaking free from behind the clouds mid-set created a profound sense of unity for all. Friday night at DelFest. What magic!
The Travelin’ McCoury’s and Leftover Salmon hosted the late night Friday Pickin’ Party at the DelFest Music Hall – while the headlining performances of the night certainly raised the bar high, there’s something to be said about the boys of the Travelin’ McCoury’s when they loosen up a couple of buttons and trade in the blue jacket for a weathered flannel and a taste of the late night crowd.
While this year’s DelFest showcased some of the finest acts in bluegrass/newgrass/old-time/roots, call it what you will, it also lent an opportunity for up and coming bands to take their stab at a heightened sense of fame. Saturday morning brought the final round of the bluegrass band competition at the Potomac Stage. This year’s winners, The Unseen Strangers, will have the privilege of performing at DelFest 2014, yet one band that didn’t quite make the bill, Cricket Tell the Weather, are certainly noteworthy and one not to miss.
Perhaps one of the most impressive performances of the weekend came from the soulful sounds of 22-year old Texas singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz. “I’ve found my wings and I’m ready to fly,” were the heartfelt words that emulated from her lips during “Left Home” and there couldn’t be more truth behind the lyrics. Coupled with her soulful voice, bouncing between the six-string banjo, octave mandolin, mandolin and guitar, this multi-instrumentalist withholds a sense of talent that makes her truly unforgettable. Her rendition of Bob Dylan’s “Ring Them Bells” can bring tears to a grown man’s eyes and she can cover songs in a way that truly make them her own. Following her set in the DelFest Music Hall was a small, “chill little performance,” as she put it, where audience members were able to ask questions and open up conversation with her in an intimate setting. Paul Simon’s “Kathy’s Song” was a memorable moment from the music hall performance, one of many more to come. Watch out for Sarah Jarsoz. While young, sweet and seemingly innocent, she truly is a force to be reckoned with.
Performances by Greensky Bluegrass, Keller Williams with More Than a Little, Red Baratt, as well as the 6th Annual McCoury Family Jam took place throughout the rest of the day and trying to fit it all in, at times, seemed nearly impossible. “If you want to sit around your tent, camp in your backyard,” was a memorable quote from Reverend Peyton during Sunday night’s late-night set, and this couldn’t hold itself to be more true while experiencing DelFest. The festival is so rich with good, wholesome music, that camp was a place often abandoned until wee-hours of the morning, or after a disappointing rejection trying to catch one of the three sold-out late night shows.
Friday night was magic and Saturday night was on fire. While the barnburner was scheduled for the Sunday late-night, the sparks emerged prematurely and the result was something worthy of the history books. The Del McCoury Band’s Saturday night set featured, not only the original members of the band, but the Masters of Bluegrass themselves – JD Crowe on banjo, Bobby Hicks on fiddle, Bobby Osborn on mandolin and Jerry McCoury on bass. Together they showcased their mastery with tunes like “Love those Hills of Old Virginia” and “Wheel Hoss” a perfect precursor to their Sunday afternoon set.
Then came Old Crow Medicine Show with an unstoppable energy unlike any other. The band moved across the stage in a way that holds them true to their name, for they aren’t just a band, they truly are a show and one not to miss at that. They come together, split apart and move across the stage in a way that claims it as theirs to own. From fan favorite “Take Em Away” to “Methamphetamine” their set showcased a range of tunes, yet they all had one thing in common – they left the crowd dancing and thirsty for more. “If you’re going to play in Cumberland, Maryland, you have to have two fiddles in the band,” was a statement by front man Ketch Secor that opened the flood gates for a McCoury sit in and Del, Jason and Robbie joined in to add flavor to “CC Rider,” “Darlin’ Corey” and “Tear it Down”.
Entering the music hall for Saturday’s late night, the “less refined” Hackensaw Boys took the stage. The juxtaposition to the Old Crow set couldn’t have been more appropriately placed and the Virginia Hoe Down was now underway. Chance McCouy (OCMS) sat in on fiddle and banjo, the venue was packed and the night gave way to hootin’, hollerin’, stompin’ and rompin’. The Infamous Stringdusters kept the party going well into the early morning, opening with a high energy “Fork in the Road” making room for a crowd pleasing Grateful Dead cover “He’s Gone” and leaving room for guests Ronnie McCoury and Greensky Bluegrass’ Anders Beck to share the stage. It wasn’t until after the music hall cleared out however, that things got truly interesting. Post late-night jams in the coined “Moonshine Tent” with members of Greensky Bluegrass, Trampled by Turtles and Old Crow Medicine show lasted until the sun came up, and even then the party wasn’t over. The sun was up, but fires were still burning and bows were still gliding rapidly across weathered strings.
As if Saturday wasn’t satisfying enough, Yonder’s Ben Kaufmann described Sunday as “The best Sunday of my life,” and he wasn’t the only one who shared that sentiment. There was a slight chill in the air all weekend but Sunday’s weather proved to be nothing short of pristine. The day began with a gospel session that no Sunday morning at Delfest would be complete without. Following was a set by Larry Keel and the Natural Bridge, bringing Jeff Austin on stage for his debut 2013 DelFest appearance on a cover of “Ramble on Rose”. While the main stage offered up a variety of talent that day: Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, there was a draw to the smaller of the two stages and memorable performances from Aoife Donavon of Crooked Still, The Hackensaw Boys and Spirit Family Reunion made the Potomac Stage the Sunday hot spot. Check out Yonder Mountain String Band’s set from Delfest on Archive.org
Perhaps most noteworthy, however, was the big sound that came out of the New York-based six-piece, Spirit Family Reunion. There was a purity that poured from their sound and they are not just a band to “stomp, clap, shake and holler with,” but rather a band to come together around. There is something to be said in their name, for their performances cultivate family – they bring people together over a common theme woven throughout the originality of their sound. Fred Moyse of The Hackensaw Boys sat in on the band’s closing tune, “I’ll Find a Way” and what resulted was something of true beauty. Complete strangers came together, linked together, singing and swaying, repeating the chorus “Don’t worry about me, I’ll find a way,” and that was how Sunday at DelFest felt – care and worry free.
Following the Spirit Family Reunion set, a crowd gathered in the music hall for a performance by Keller Williams and the Travelin’ McCourys. Packed from one end to the other, the group played an impressive set, playing off of several covers, including yet another Dead tune, “Candyman” and a personal favorite, My Morning Jacket’s “I’m Amazed”. Among others, Donna Summer’s “Hot Stuff” “Hobo Song” and “Something Else” off of the group’s latest collaborative album, Pick, also made their way into this unforgettable set.
“We’re going to give you our all, we promise you that,” noted Jeff Austin during the opening of Yonder Mountain String Band’s headlining Sunday evening set, and he wasn’t lying. Yonder was perhaps the most appropriate pick for a Sunday night act, for they are Delfest veterans with enough gusto to breathe life back into a crowd that had been going strong on a bluegrass buzz since Thursday afternoon. Yonder’s set was everything you’d hope for out of the band: a mind-exploding version of “Sidewalk Stars” with enough distortion to balance out an otherwise unplugged weekend, “Holdin’”, “Sometimes I’ve Won” the happy, catchy little tune “Don’t Worry, Happy Birthday” and so many more. Claiming Del McCoury as one of the best champions of music any genre can have, Jeff Austin invited Del to the stage and he joined the band for “Prisoner’s Song” and “Hit Parade of Love”. Ronnie McCoury and Jason Carter quickly followed suit, closing out the set and the main stage with a hyped up “Traffic Jam” into an encore of the traditional bluegrass “Red Rocking Chair”. But the weekend wasn’t over.
Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band and Greensky Bluegrass were scheduled to burn the barn down in the music hall, but this wasn’t a show for just anyone; only the strong can survive when it comes to a Sunday late night and the performance was, according to Anders Beck, “a celebration of those still standing.” RPBDB and Greensky served as a great pair for closing out the festival, as both bands have a certain roughness about them, a bit tattered and slightly torn, the perfect metaphor for the crowd gathered in the venue come Sunday night.
Greensky Bluegrass is a unique group of talented musicians that take bluegrass music to a different level – there is an originality in their sound that is not seen in other acts in the circuit and it is only a matter of time before they begin to soar in their own green sky. Opening their late night set with “Jaywalking,” a track from their latest album, Handguns – the boys of Greensky Bluegrass certainly brought down the heat and the flame spread throughout as their performance advanced. What makes Greensky different is something that exists beyond words: they hit at the depths of the soul and extract the beauty that is pain within us all. Each band member has his own contribution to the Greensky sound, but Paul Hoffman and his mandolin stand at the forefront while Dave Bruzza extracts the darkness with his deep, almost haunting vocals and incredible capacity to express feeling with the hollowed sound of his acoustic guitar. They closed their set and in turn, the weekend, with a cover of Bob Marley’s “Could You be Loved,” rounding out the circle and centering in on the roots of the music celebrated at DelFest.
Sometime around 4 a.m., the music hall cleared out and the late night wanderers found their way back beneath a darkened sky. Approaching the tracks, the whistle of a train approaching off in the distance became more evident and shortly thereafter the bars at the crossing lowered. It was a cloudy evening with the moon completely out of sight, leaving the lights on the passing train to twinkle like the stars absent from the sky. Soon after, the bars rose and the train was out of sight but its whistle could still be heard. The 6th annual DelFest may have been over, but the tradition it has created lives on – not just until next year, but always. And there is one person to truly thank for that – the legendary master of bluegrass himself, Mr. Del McCoury.
Twain’s writing came from a period in American history when a new culture was born out of carved gourds, animal hide and strings – when the concept of “old-time roots music” emerged in the 1800s, country twang, ancient rhythms and front porch blues weren’t the only things that broke ground with it – values were something that could be heard and a strong sense of community resonated from the plucking of five strings. From the minstrel shows of the 19th century to the rise of Appalachian folk in the 1900s to the jam/grass/blues blend we hear today, roots music is alive because of the shared tradition that is the stored energy within it. No man better exemplifies this ideology than bluegrass legend, Del McCoury, for with DelFest he has created a space for all to come together under a single canopy that transcends both place and time.
