Despite the torrential downpour that swept the Syracuse streets this past Sunday, this year’s annual Westcott Street Cultural Fair lit up with a vibrancy and energy that could outlast any inclement weather. With over 30 acts performing on six different stages across Westcott Street, thousands of visitors got the chance to celebrate their cultural roots with acts ranging from Ivory Coast inspired drumming to tribal fusion belly dance.
The festival features over 100 artist tents, with a range of shopping in addition to Westcott Street’s most trusted food vendors. Free classes were also available during the entirety of the festival, where visitors of all ages can learn yoga, belly dance, and drumming. In case you’d rather watch the pros, you can always mosey over to the Wacheva Multicultural tent, where you can witness their Drumming and Dance studio perform Flamenco, Salsa, and African Dance routines.
With the addition of the Golisano Children’s Hospital Kids’ Stage (and a plethora of puppies!), this festival has a friendly, family-oriented vibe. But don’t fret fellow millennials- the ongoing concert series engages audiences of all ages, especially for funk lovers. If you consider James Brown and Wild Cherry your scene, dancing in the pouring rain to the Blacklites as they perform on the WAER Main Stage is an unforgettable experience. With an energetic stage presence and howling 12-piece band, there was no way you could stand still during their performance.
For anyone who wants to stay in the loop for next year’s event, follow the Westcott Street Cultural Fair on their website, Facebook, and Twitter.
Some time has passed and the words are just starting to come to those who collectively took part in what can only described as a lucid nirvana; a tangible bliss experienced by all senses.
Entering its fourth year, Night Lights Music Festival had a buzz, but it wasn’t until after that anyone realized how special this year was. Back in early spring, the announcement of such acts as Turkuaz, The Mike Dillon Band, Consider the Source, and the all-mighty Snarky Puppy generated an unheard of type of hype in Buffalo: one that looked past our short summer months. The music appreciators of the community carried the excitement right onto the grounds as the first day began.
The high musical expectations bonded the group that gathered as tents were pitched and friends were quickly made. Everyone on the grounds were extremely friendly, bringing Buffalo’s moniker of the “The City of Good Neighbors” out to the woods of The Heron in Sherman, NY. The fest could not have been laid out any better. Camping was close, two totally different stage experiences and plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the fall weather and scenery in New York state. The foliage alone at this time of year provided a view during the day that matched the light spectacle at night. The ground’s fruitful accommodations didn’t stop there either. Bands were happily able to park, unload, and reload their gear right next to the stage and the food was as delicious as it was affordable. There were two places that you could grab a bite to eat and it was hard to pass the offers up. For $15 you could get a cheeseburger, a generous slice of pizza, a grilled cheese sandwich, a bottle of water, a bowl of amazing chili, and still have a little money to tip the staff for their hospitality. The people of Night Lights ate like royalty for the two days spent in the woods.
Everything from top to bottom met or exceeded expectations, leaving only the bands to hold up their end of the bargain, and standing right there waiting was the full lineup, eager to accept the challenge.
Day one started off with Cleveland’s Broccoli Samurai, bringing their flavor of jamtronica to an area that is familiar with the band and showed up in support. As the four-piece danced through melodies, the crowd gathered and began letting go. Drummer Chris Walker’s drum and bass style of playing paired well with the band’s more atmospheric sound. If this was any indication of how the festival would go, it was already traveling in the right direction. As the day wore on, more people began to arrive after getting out of work and rushing to join in the fun. Being later in the season, daylight was quickly fading and the first glimpse of this year’s lights were being eagerly awaited. Between nine and midnight, a great back-to-back combination of Jimkata and Lazlo Hollyfeld took hold of the collective spirit for the first time. It shouldn’t have caught anyone off guard as both bands have local ties with Jimkata spawning from Ithaca and Lazlo calling Buffalo home. In the case of Lazlo, this is even more special as Night Lights was started by these guys, and through their vision, it’s grown quickly in four short years to the best festival in Western New York. Lazlo’s set was packed with energy, and if you’ve caught this act, you’d know that this wasn’t anything different from when they rip up the stage at Nietzsche’s. With the band featuring Matt Felski on vibraphone, their sound is unique and incredibly exploratory at times. The music appreciators showed their love for the band for not only their music, but what they have built this festival into.
The highlight of the night though came during Dopapod‘s already jam-heavy set. As the band proceeded to wow the audience, Buffalo’s own Mike Gantzer came out for a sit-in with the band. The Western New York love was in the air as known-Rochesterian Rob Compa played opposite on ax from Gantzer. The two traded licks before syncing up for a momentum-building tear across fretboards, propelling the Friday night party onward to the Saturday morning. It’s not even fair to say that Mike holds his own up there anymore as he’s now joined the club and making Aqueous fans across Buffalo prouder with each moment under the lights. As the party wound down, campers were sharing their own version of what they heard, completely unaware that Saturday would only raise the bar.
Saturday started with rather ominous weather, but that could not surpass the energy for the second day of music. Afternoon sets by Rochester’s Ocupanther and Buffalo’s Funktional Flow showed off what the area is capable of in terms of young talent. Both bands have been cutting their teeth in the local scene and beginning to stretch out into other markets. Even with different styles, both bands had a solid draw and brought their best to the stage.
The brass sounds of the 12/8 Path Band carried the party both physically and emotionally into the woods as the lights began to take effect and illuminate the path to the Café Stage, which was buried in the woods. The Mike Dillon Band was up next and it would be their dynamic set that started the domino effect. For the next seven straight hours, the festival would peak, hitting a stretch and a high rarely seen in these parts. The music would transcend the woods that surrounded the grounds, igniting a powerful music experience. Mike Dillon himself stepped up onto the Café Stage with his wild hair and larger-than-life personality. As he took his helm behind the xylophone, Mike announced that his bassist was probably soaring overhead as his flight was delayed. If it was any indicator of the amount of talent though that was present at this fest, the show went on with John Ferrara from Consider the Source sitting in and providing a new perspective on the low-end for Mike to dabble with. It wouldn’t be the only sit in of the day either with Mike Dillon returning the favor later in the night.
As the show began, there were few knowing what to expect. Mike Dillon’s prowess was quickly realized though as there are few that have, both, the energy and imagination that Mr. Dillon embodies. His melodic choice in the instrument helps take the crowd musically to another world, while the rhythmic aspect of it allows him to channel the passion that is coursing through his veins. The band channeled the Consider the Source-style experimental heaviness with John putting out a vibe that the drummer hopped on and accentuated. As you’d expect with a last-minute substitution, there were some things just called on the fly, but what you wouldn’t expect was how well the band pulled it off. The execution must have energized Mike to step out into the unknown as he called out to his two stagemates saying, “Here’s one you two have never played before. It’s in the key of C.”
There was hardly a stutter in their phrasing.
Mike’s actual bassist eventually arrived and finished out the set, thanking John for his help in the process. Mike’s work with the sticks was fascinating to watch from both an artist and crowd perspective. He sent people spinning with enthusiasm while the stars made their entrance and the night set in. As the rawness of the set came to a close, the residual sound permeated the deciduous surroundings, filling in with sound what the lights could not.
The night wouldn’t let up.
As Mike Dillon finished his set, there was a funk army setting up camp under the Main Stage tent, preparing to unleash on the unsuspecting crowd. From the distance, you could hear the rolling bass line of Taylor Shell and the heavy stomp of Buffalo-native Michelangelo Carubba behind his kit. As the crowd drew closer, the sound filled out with a varied vocal attack, a loaded brass section, and guitars that cut through the crisp, autumn air. There was simply no slowing the roll of this unit as their forward progression was almost uncontrollable. The band’s strongest asset in Carubba stomped out a heavy beat, keeping this arsenal of weapons on track and coming right at you.
Over the course of this year alone, Turkuaz has covered bands like the The Talking Heads, and most recently, Sly and the Family Stone at this year’s Catskill Chill. Giving the Night Lights crowd a taste, the band pulled out a well-timed cover of the Talking Heads “Slippery People”, shedding light on a clear influence to their sound. Another highlight from their set was the song “Electric Habitat”. The tightly executed song pushed the crowd as the melodic line was woven through the rhythm of the song. Guitarist Craig Brodhead really dug in on this one and clawed his way up the tonal food chain to stand out amongst his peers. If music is technically using the same set of notes that are available to every other musician that’s come before them, then where did these guys find all of this energy? The momentum they set in motion from the very first note is like no other band out there today.
The unique blend of sound is not even a result of their instruments alone as the crowd was treated to an acapella segment during their set. The entire band layered vocal tones while bassist Taylor Shell gave a scruffy “Yeah, yeah, yeah” lyrical contribution. The overall assault from the Brooklyn-based group was felt by the crowd who were sent reeling from their set. On the way back to the Café Stage, there were plenty of “did you know they were that good” type comments between the path travelers. With some of that militant funk mentality rubbing off on the crowd, the collection of people pushed forward into the night preparing to endure even more at the hands of Consider the Source.
The Middle Eastern ‘sourcery’ commenced immediately as their sound was encompassed by that culture among many others. The overall drive behind their set though was pushed with a heavy dose of metal, which was clearly an influence on their approach. Gabe, Jeff, and John are the only three who make up the band, but you wouldn’t be able to guess that with your eyes closed. Their sonic assault is a clear indicator of what World War Trio will sound like, and a great follow-up to the barrage of funk from Turkuaz.
Gabriel Marin is the guitarist in the group by instrument, but equipped with a MIDI pickup, he is able to pull out just about any tone he chooses on a given night. As the crowd approached the stage, a heavy dose of xylophone had people wondering if Mike Dillon was making an appearance with the band, only to find out that it was coming from Gabe. His aggressive approach was balanced by his smoothness as his hand glided around the fretboard, providing much color and flavor to their songs. Pulling from his inner Tom Morello, Gabe culled noises and wrangled them into a driving melody that was full of rage. The whole group embodied this angstful spirit that came out through both their music and stage presence as they thrashed around and felt the music deeply. The encircling crowd felt it too, as many closed their eyes and got lost in the progressive jams. The deep synchronicity the band fell into carved out a deep and wide aural path that the crowd willingly followed them down. While their set wound down to the end, the energy certainly wasn’t. The woods danced with colors and people followed suit as they made their way back to the main stage where the pinnacle of the night was about to take place. The peaking energy was felt through the trees and up from the ground with every step.
As the excitement came to a head, the crowd gathered under the big tent at the Main Stage for an experience few had heard or seen before. The members of Snarky Puppy took to the packed stage, fitting in like a puzzle piece with how many instruments were laid out. It has to be noted as well that this was not the exact same band that played the night before, and even that band wasn’t the same as the night before that. Snarky Puppy’s rotating cast provides an interesting twist to jamming and the cohesive sound that is developed from it. Not only do members rotate in and out throughout the tour, but each and every musician is a multi-instrumentalist with the ability to pick up something different on any given night. It doesn’t matter who anyone holds atop their musical pedestal, there is no band better than these guys right now. The band is a true musicians band and it showed with every Night Lights act collecting backstage, trying to catch a glimpse of these guys. Saying that on it’s own though would be selling the band short, suggesting that they’re unable to relate to the common and casual music listener. That couldn’t be further from the truth. The band is capable of taking an odd time signature and creating a groove and feel that’s deep enough to get a crowd dancing. Each and every person latched on to every swell and lingered on every ebb and flow.
As the band progressed through their set, it was a true spectacle to see how easily they translated their music. Buffalo is a music-loving community and showed its true appreciation for the band over and over again throughout the band’s set. At one point during the show, bassist/conductor Michael League took the time to clap out a beat, asking the crowd to join in with its relative ease. Once everyone caught on, he remarked, “there, now you can all count in 7,” simplifying something complex down to the non-musically inclined.
Taking nothing away from the whole, the percussion work within the group was driven, yet subtle; calculated, yet raw. Louis Cato specifically on the drums, who happened to play bass the night before because he simply can, put on a clinic. With their music education outreach, maybe he was just confused on where he was because he was there to teach that night. As I sat surrounded by some of the best drummers backstage, their eyes couldn’t get any bigger than mine as they watched this man completely decimate the kit without losing one person in the crowd. Even with all of this power, the band could still finesse a note and added a gentle touch to the color, painting just enough at times for the brush to touch.
Coming back for an encore, the band searched out Mike Dillon to join them. His unusual approach fit in well and a musical battle ensued to close out the set. Dillon’s words the next day on social media summed up his experience saying, “They [Snarky Puppy] are one of the few Denton bands that came out of the school of music that have continued a trajectory. Every time I see them, they get better.” While it’s hard to understand how a band that did what they did at Night Lights can continue to get better, the hundreds of fans who were there will surely check back next time to see if that holds true. It was a treat to have one of the best in the world out in Sherman, NY for one night, pushing that high point higher than it has ever been. These guys are more than just a band; It’s a musical prophecy coming to fruition and everyone there bore witness to the truth.
With an almost insurmountable hill to climb following Snarky, Buffalo’s beloved sons in Aqueous didn’t try to fight the current. Instead, they did what they’ve been come to be known for and settled in to their healing role after everyone’s mind was just collectively blown. In this area, it’s typically been at the hands of these guys, but being always up for the challenge is built-in being from Buffalo. As the set got going, it was clear that their new drummer Ryan Nogle provided a spark to the band as it had been a while since they played this inspired and driven. What was assumed to be a reliever role, was soon flipped, as the band continued the pace that Mike Dillon and Turkuaz started and Consider the Source and Snarky Puppy pushed forth. Nogle and the rest of the guys were channeling all of the greats that came before them on this given night and their bright choruses and slow rolling groove kept bodies in motion well into the night. It’s hard to place a finger on it, but Mike Gantzer is one of the most engaging and compelling guitarists out there today. With his efforts, the band built swelling jams, reaching an ominous high point before letting it all fall down. Their ability to change gears and send you soaring is a gift that they share with some of the bigger acts of the night. The crowd might’ve been still reeling from what proceeded, but they were willing to let Aqueous take them higher.
Despite the urge to keep the trajectory, eventually all good things must come to an end. In the case of Night Lights Fall Music Festival 2014, all great things came to an end as well. There was unfortunately no exception to the rule, regardless of the crowd’s willingness to keep dancing. The threshold and boundary to which music can be pushed was just tested this year and it opened up a lot of people’s minds to how high they can personally set that bar. For those in attendance, it will be tough for a while to hear something that can even hold a light to Night Lights. We all drank from the fountain of musical youth and rejuvenation was aplenty.
All video is courtesy of our friends at Buffalo.fm
Not quite ready to admit 2014’s music festival season is over yet? It does not have to be. The first annual Resonance Music & Arts Festival takes place from October 2-4 at the Frontier Ranch in Pataskala, Ohio. Located 20 miles east of Columbus, the festival features two nights of Ohio natives Papadosio as well as Greensky Bluesgrass and Nahko and Medicine for the People as headlining bands.
The music starts Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m., and plays continuously for more than 12 hours per day on Friday and Saturday. Resonance boasts an eclectic lineup—from the multi-layered electronic beats of ESKMO to Twiddle‘s uplifting jams and The Mantras‘ heavy shredding to deep funk from The Main Squeeze, most branches of rock are covered.
The Empire state will be well-represented each day. Tauk and Aqueous play Thursday, Aqueous jams again Friday afternoon, and Consider the Source closes the music early Sunday morning after a long set from Dopapod Saturday night. Tauk has been touring furiously in support of their 2014 album, Collisions, while Consider the Source plans to release the first part of their new album, World War Trio, on Halloween. Dopapod has a new album, Never Odd Or Even, scheduled to come out on 11/11/14.
If the music is not enough, there will be visual arts, fire dancing, yoga, and The Amazing Giants will be hard to miss, donning colorful outfits and performing acrobatics on stilts. Each ticket also includes car camping, so you will never be too far from extra blankets or a quick heat source at this early autumn festival.
View the complete schedule and purchase tickets here.
The Utica Music & Arts Festival is becoming what is considered a tradition to those in and around the Utica, NY area. Those that attend just know to mark their calendars for that second weekend in September, in anticipation of one of the most eclectic mixes of music at some of the best Central NY music venues. Musicians vie each year for the few select spots, and each year we are introduced to new acts with huge talents. Eleven venues participated this year featuring music on both Friday night, all day Saturday, and into Saturday night. The artists space was set up at the Utica Auditorium, featuring face painting, a magician, vendors, and an indie garage sale, all while local artists create their spectacular murals.
Lukin’s Pizza, new to the Utica Music & Arts Festival this year, proved to be one of the most crowded venues as the UMAF kicked off the festival Friday night. Catching locals Pocket Change, a band whose sound is a melting pot of all their favorite genres rolled into one melodic beat, rocked the stage first with a warm mix of vocals and melodies as an appetizer of sorts for what was to come.
Returning this year were fan favorites Nick Piccininni and Jason Barady from Floodwood who turned up the heat and beat with the crowd this opening night. Their unique and energetic music is always a promise to get the toes tapping and hands clapping. This feel good music is one reason why they are crowd favorites no matter where they play. Whether as solo artists or all together, Jason & Nick always bring the party.
Following Nick and Jason were Driftwood, an Americana/Folk Music band from the Binghamton, NY area. These four musicians have evolved over the course of the years into one amazing group, keeping up the beat and the energy previously established this Friday night. Festival favorites and new to this attendee, they definitely have been added to the must see list of musicians when they come to town.
When giving out awards for most unique sound and most fun, Shinobi Ninja, a mash up of Hip-Hop, Punk, Metal, and Pop, wins hands down. These rockers from Brooklyn were mesmerizing. Their head banging, rapping, hip hop style of music and vocals drew you in and hooked you. As they flipped their dreads, shredded like a heavy metal band, and rapped tunes such as the Beastie Boys, they totally rocked their crowd. Total fun is how to describe these performers.
As Saturday rolled around, the fun continued down on Varick Street with UMAF favorites HafaSass, Mark Kroos, Miss Marlow, and Ryan Montbleau. The Nail Creek Pub was the venue to be at Saturday night as HafaSass set the stage for the night with their spunky sound. Next up, Mark Kroos returned to a full house and shared his magic. If I had to describe Mark’s talent, it would have to be as a prodigy. This young man is one of the best guitar players I have ever seen. Shredding out the catchiest of tunes on a regular acoustic guitar and a double neck electric guitar, his sound is pure magic. His one man band is all it takes to thoroughly entertain and ramp up a crowd. His ability to produce sounds on a guitar that mimic a train whistle, while playing a melody and singing a tune at the same time just leaves the crowd flabbergasted each and every time they see it. As his YouTube video of “Dueling Banjos” went viral, he jokes of how can he possibly follow that up. As he shares his new compositions, showcasing his amazing abilities to play a double neck guitar, I guarantee he will one day surpass that expectation of “Dueling Banjos” with an arrangement solely all his own.
Miss Marlow, another crowd favorite, is one of the most unique bands to frequent UMAF. Traveling all the way across the pond from the Netherlands to O’Donnels Pub on Varick Street, Miss Marlow is a four piece rock band whose signature sound can only be described as a mix of Led Zepplin, Stevie Nicks, and Heart all rolled into one rocking band. We are fortunate to have them each year and hope they continue to return.
Closing out the festival this year was Ryan Montbleau. First time seeing him, I was intrigued about him as I could get nowhere near the stage to shoot any photos. This standing room only crowd, packed in like sardines, were ready for Ryan to wow them, as was I. As he took the stage, he did exactly that. His style was one I could listen too forever. His sound to me was unique. His voice, melodic and sexy. His humor, candid and witty. Joined on stage by UMAF favorite, Jason Barady on mandolin, all I can say is what a perfect pairing. Peanut butter and jelly had nothing on these two. Jamming together on song after song, Ryan and Jason played for hours to an entranced crowd. Ryan’s seamless ability to just pull songs out of a set list in his head was evidence that this music was a part of him, a natural ability to perform, and a sound he just shares as a natural gift. If I had to describe his style, it would be Modern Folk mixed with Indie Rock. Their performance together was a gift and the perfect way to close out another successful festival.
Not that anyone needs a reason to visit the great Upstate, NY in the Fall but in case you need one, The American Music Festival for the Lake takes place this weekend, Sept. 20 and 21, 2014 at Lake George. The two-day event will offer plenty of crafts, activities, food and live music from both regional and national acts.
Tickets are still available online at their site or at the gate with prices set at $ 15 on Saturday and $10 on Sunday with children under 14 free each day with an adult. There are VIP tickets available for $25 on Saturday and $20 on Sunday that offers guaranteed seats with a special viewing section. Ticket admission includes the music, block party and the arts and crafts fair.
The festival will take place at the new Charles R Wood Park in the West Brook enviro-park project on Beach Road in Lake George. The park offers 2.5 acres of festival space out of the 12.5 acre park with big plans for the rest of the area such as a playground, skate park, water feature and environmental interpretive area. The event will raise funds and awareness for S.A.V.E. (Stop Aquatic inVasives from Entering) LAKE GEORGE- a partnership which was created in hopes of removing an invasive species that is currently threatening the lake.
The rain or shine event begins at 11AM with music themes set – Saturday is rock and Sunday is country; supplying a little something for everyone. Saturday’s headliners include local big shots Wild Adriatic and rock legends Robert Randolph & The Family Band with fireworks to follow. Sunday’s main acts include Boston’s country rock band, Girls Guns and Glory with American jammers, New Riders of the Purple Sage. The schedule below includes the weekend lineup:
The second Annual Lockn’ Music Festival was a huge success, drawing approximately 30,000 fans to the massive Oak Ridge Farm in Arrington, VA over September 4-7, 2014. Founders Peter Shapiro and David Frey listened to fan complaints last year to make major changes to the festival grounds, including building new stages, roads, and entrances, as well as hiring better-trained staff to handle parking, security, vending, and logistics. Music started daily around 11 am and continued until 3-4 am each night (except Sunday).
Thursday
The music kicked off promptly at 4 pm with the No BS! Brass Band from Richmond, who treated the first fans to horn-loaded renditions of popular favorites by Michael Jackson and Led Zeppelin, including a fiery version of Led Zeppelin’s “The Ocean” with a “Black Dog” riff at the end, ending with a festive “Thriller”.
The Revivalists, from New Orleans, started on the Oak stage, hosting one of the first sit-ins of the weekend from Lettuce’s guitarist Eric Krasno. They covered the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” with rocking soul that amped up the sweaty crowd, as lead vocalist David Shaw jumped off the stage to sing in the crowd.
New York’s own Lettuce brought their extreme funk to Lockn’ with fast-paced tunes that set the groove for the night. One of the highlights was Alecia Chakour sitting in on vocals for “Do It Like You Do” from their latest album, Fly, with a swanky melody, smooth bass line, and sensual flair thanks to Chakour. She also dedicated “The Sun” to her friend, Brian Farmer, who was Warren Haynes’ guitar tech and recently passed this year. Lettuce broke out fierce classics like “Lettsanity” and “Last Suppit” along with one of their newer songs, “Phyllis”, and closed the set with “By Any Shmeeans Necessary”, joined by the No BS! Brass band.
Just as the sun began to set and cool off festivalgoers, back-to-back sets by Umphrey’s McGee andThe String Cheese Incidentheated things up. Umphrey’s McGee executed their first set with precision and purpose as the 6 piece band rocked the stage with triumphant sound. String Cheese immediately followed Umphrey’s on the adjacent stage with a set of crowd-pleasing originals like “So Far From Home” and “Can’t Stop Now”. Umphrey’s returned with a solid “Wappy Sprayberry”, and a fresh song off their newest album, Similar Skin, “Cut the Cable”. Flexing their jam-band prowess, Umphrey’s tore into a half-hour version of “Puppet String > Higgins”, and closed with a rousing rendition of Pink Floyd’s “Shine on You Crazy Diamond”.
SCI ended the night on the main stage with a tribute set to Kool and The Gang, joined by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and JT Taylor (a founding member of Kool and The Gang). There was no fighting the dancing bug when a trio of backup singers joined in, where everyone on stage showed off their dance moves. The old school disco funk had the crowd singing along to “Ladies Night” and “Get Down on it”, with a wild “Celebration” encore.
A new stage conveniently situated on the walk back to the campsites, the Relix Shakedown Stage, hosted late-night sets all weekend. Following the funk theme, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk packed the grassy amphitheater for an explosive dance party in a field framed by a colorful line of trees. Playing crowd favorites “Everybody Want Sum” and “Put It In the Dumpsta”, Dumpstaphunk was joined on stage by the Steel Town Horns for “I Know You Know” and “I Wish You Would”, closing the night with “Raise the House”.
Friday morning brought blue skies and a hot sun making most festivalgoers crawl out of their tent just in time for Keller Williams‘s Grateful Grass set on the Acoustic Triangle Stage at 11am. His 5-piece all string band included mandolinist Jeff Austin from Yonder Mountain String Band, fiddler Jason Carter from Del McCoury Band, Keith Moseley the bassist from The String Cheese Incident, Ray Starling, and the man himself, Keller Williams, who altogether drew a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. The foot-tapping, southern swing style set was greatly appreciated by the audience and musicians, as Williams continuously thanked everyone for the chance to perform some of his favorite Dead songs. Walking out of the shaded forest area to the top of the hill, guests had an amazing view of the festival grounds and colorful tents, backed by the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.
NY’s instrumental progressive rock band, Tauk, opened the main stage with an insane breakdown of The Beatles’ “She’s So Heavy”. Tauk kept fans cool with fluid segues and refreshing grooves, which have appeared on Sirius/XM JamOn. When asked about plans for fall tour, bassist Charles Dolan beamed that they have shows booked until January, with a Halloween gig being announced soon.
Friday began steamy, as the 6 piece bluegrass plucking madness of Cabinet took the stage, followed by Del McCoury Band, who dressed in their finest suits to play harmonious and authentic folk tunes. Drive By Truckers brought a classic rock ‘n’ roll sound with the help from four screaming guitars and simple lyrics. Their “Grand Canyon” set closer sent layers of ringing guitar riffs echoing across the field.
The String Cheese Incident returned to the main stage for a second night of two sets, much to the delight of fans. This Colorado band rarely tours the East Coast, making their appearance at Lockn’ even more special. The set was light and breezy with caribbean vibes that drove the crowd wild. The set took a turn towards electrified bluegrass when Sam Bush joined in on fiddle for one of their more popular new songs, “Colorado Bluebird Sky.”
A last-minute addition to this year’s lineup was Bill Kreutzmann’s Locknstep Allstars, stepping up to fill the gap left when Grateful Dead co-founder Bob Weir cancelled his appearance. The Allstars included keyboardist Aron Magner from Disco Biscuits, guitarist Tom Hamilton from American Babies & Brothers Past, ace guitarist Steve Kimock and the legendary bassist Oteil Burbridge of the Allman Brothers Band. The musicians shared intense chemistry, gliding through the set of Dead classics, with sit-ins by Keller Williams for “Bird Song” and Taj Mahal for “Further on Down The Road.” Kreutzmann’s set closed with “Franklin’s Tower”, a Dead cover played later by Phil Lesh and Friends (one of many “cover collisions” throughout the weekend).
The last main stage act wasPhil Lesh, Grateful Dead bassist and founder, along with his Friends, drummer Joe Russo (Furthur), keyboardist John Medeski (Medeski Martin & Wood), legendary jazz guitarist John Scofield, and guitarist Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule, Allman Brothers) for a two hour set of improvisational spacey jams. They kicked off the party with a festive “China Cat Sunflower”. It was refreshing to hear other band’s covers such as Traffic’s “Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys” and Cream’s “Sunshine of your Love”. Deadheads rejoiced to hear familiar favorites such as “Shakedown Street” and a lengthy “Unbroken Chain”, a dark and mysterious “Mountains of the Moon” and a furious “The Other One”, followed by Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy”. Curiously, Phil Lesh and Friends closed with “Franklin’s Tower”, which was also played earlier by Bill Kreutzmann’s Locknstep Allstars.
The warm summer night was capped off with a beautiful acoustic Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi set on the Triangle Stage, and Chris Robinson Brotherhood on the Relix Shakedown Stage, who performed one Black Crowes cover, “Tornado”, and mostly originals, such as “Shore Power”, from their new album, Phosphorescent Harvest, along with a smokin’ version of “Never Been to Spain” (by Hoyt Axton). Chris Robinson closed the evening with an intense version of Slim Harpo’s “Got Love If You Want It.”
Saturday brought blazing sunshine and high humidity for Lockn’ fans, eager for two more days of incredible music. It was so hot that even the speakers were sweating. The steamy afternoon started on the Oak Stage with the bluegrass expertise of Larry Keel & Sam Bush, joined by Larry’s wife Jenny Keel on upright bass. The music shifted to upbeat rock, as Ween guitarist Aaron Freeman (aka “Gene Ween”) took the Ridge Stage, playing a new song (as of yet untitled), starting off with the crowd scratching their heads. He rocked through “All the Way to China”, and “Covert Discretion”, the latter a song about saving himself from his chemical dependency. He played most of the songs off of his new album, Freeman, which are very philosophical stories of his life and the battles with various influences of fame.
Bluesy guitar virtuoso, Gary Clark, Jr. brought out-of-sight guitar licks and powerful vocals to the Oak Stage in the early afternoon, as the heat took over while fans sought or made any shade possible. Clark opened with “Catfish Blues” (Robert Petway) and “Ain’t Messin’ ‘Round”, and as his guitar playing warmed up, so did the crowd, but the cold local craft beer helped dull the heat. Clark played an hour and a half with mostly originals, including “Don’t Owe You a Thing”, a fuzz-guitar finger-picking blues ballad, B.B.King’s “3 O’Clock Blues” and the sultry “Bright Lights”.
Tedeschi Trucks Band proved to be one of the best acts of the weekend, with adoring affection for each other that speaks through their music. The crowd cheered with all the variety from soul, blues, and southern rock that was full of heart. They played blues classics such as “Rollin’ and Tumblin’” (by Hambone Willie Newbern), “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed and Burning” (Willie Johnson), a rousing version of Derek and the Domino’s “Keep on Growing”, and a beautiful version of “Bound for Glory”, which was dedicated to the late Brian Farmer. In a 10+ minute long “Misunderstood”, Derek showed off his deft slide guitar, moving to “Bound for Glory”, graced by Susan’s angelic vocals and soulful guitar, along with intense Hammond riffing by Kofi Burbridge.
Wilco opened with their 2001 classic, “War on War”, from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. During Wilco’s set, a passing sun shower provided a brief relief from the summer heat, as well as a bright double rainbow across the horizon. Frontman Jeff Tweedy cracked jokes about the weather, quipping “don’t rainbows suck?” during “I’m the Man Who Loves You”, then teased “Let it Go” from the film Frozen. As they dove into some serious jamming, keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen smashed his keys with a pillow. Guitar duels ensued between Nels Cline and Pat Sansone, with rhythmic backing by bassist John Stirratt and drummer Glenn Kotche. Wilco played other favorites, “Handshake Drugs”, “California Stars” and “Kingpin”, closing their set with “A Shot in the Arm”.
Phil Lesh and Friends kicked off Saturday night with a slew of segued songs, starting with a killer “Going Down the Road Feelin’ Bad” and ending with a beautiful “Bird Song”. Mingled into the line was a somber “Wharf Rat”, along with a picturesque “Eyes of the World” and a psychedelically-tinged “Caution”, augmented with great walking bass lines by Lesh and lovely organ fills by Medeski. “Dark Star” was enhanced by the soulful vocals of Warren Haynes. During the Beatles’ “She Said, She Said”, Phil & Friends’ set was cut short due to a nearby lightning storm, which prompted Lockn’ authorities to order an orderly evacuation of the concert field.
‘You can’t have a Panic show without a little panic’, as a few fans commented while the skies grew dark over the fans rushing to their campsites. The rain delay was lifted after an hour, with Widespread Panic starting on time. Steve Winwood sat in for strong vocals that were as cool as the fresh air after the rain. “Can’t Find My Way Home” went into dark jam territory as Winwood added a touch of the blues. Sax man Randall Bramblett joined alongside Steve and Widespread for “The Ballad of John and Yoko” through nearly the end of the set. Winwood played the best version of “Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys”, which was also covered by Phil the night before. Winwood’s powerful organ solo brought recognizable delight for the set closer, “Gimme Some Lovin’.”
One of the biggest acts of the weekend was the main stage closer of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. The legendary rock group opened with the iconic “So You Want to Be a Rock ‘n’ Roll Star” (The Byrds), blasting through top hits “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”, “Free Fallin’” and “Yer So Bad”, with Petty on acoustic. His set finished with a rocking “Refugee” and “Runnin’ Down a Dream”. Petty encored with “You Wreck Me” and a sizzling “American Girl”. The familiar in-your-face rock had stretched out jams, and was much better live. Tom Petty is like hanging out with old friends, making jokes about music and poor memories of the past.
Late-night Saturday started up the hill on the Triangle Stage, for a rare appearance of Hot Tuna Acoustic, with founders Jorma Kaukonen and Jack Casady on guitar and bass, and Barry Mitterhoff on mandolin. For his 17th birthday, Jorma’s son Zach joined Hot Tuna on stage to play guitar during their opener, “Been So Long”. Hot Tuna did a number of classic covers by Reverend Gary Davis, such as “I Am the Light of this World”, with Jorma’s incredible fingerpicking and Jack’s virtuoso walking bass thunder, which really took off at the last half of “Hesitation Blues” and the lively “Keep On Truckin’” encore, as well as sprinkled throughout their set, along with Barry’s tasteful mandolin picking and occasional audience support on the choruses.
Late-night closers and the real “break-out” band for Lockn’ was Bustle In Your Hedgerow, who completely burned up the hillside at the Relix Shakedown Stage with passionate instrumental versions of Led Zeppelin songs, bringing a fresh intensity to these classic rock anthems. Led by the multifaceted Marco Benevento (with his army of keyboards and circuit-benders), Dave Dreiwitz of Ween on bass (a modern-day John Paul Jones), Scott Metzger (of Particle & Rana) on guitar (shredding Jimmy Page licks with aplomb), and the ever-limber Joe Russo (Furthur) on drums, pounded out Bonham beats to the responsive crowd. Bustle gained many new fans at Lockn’ with incredible renditions of “For Your Life”, which went into a dark and mysterious “No Quarter”, as Marco unleashed alien sounds from his vast array of keyboards and effects, with stratospheric keyboard solos.
Few people were sleeping, even at the campsites, but everyone said how much they loved listening to Bustle. A Native American tribal dance circle evolved around the sole campfire, and fans slowly soaked in the Bustle set as the three days of music, camping and walking started to sink in.
Sunday
Sunday started out cool and mellow, with a welcome cloud cover to thwart the blazing late summer sun. Keller Williams played his Grateful Gospel set on the Early Triangle Stage at 11 am, with classics like “Ripple” done with a bluegrass feel, assisted by a skilled gospel vocal troupe. Keller then went into a light and airy version of the Dead’s “Eyes of the World”, where fans didn’t mind another ‘cover collision’, as it was fresh and tastily enhanced by soothing vocals and guitar work. Hailing from Charlottesville, Erin and the Wildfire opened the main stage at noon to a few early risers, but more fans arose from their camps to flood the concert grounds for SOJA, who brought a large local following and fired up the crowd.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals kicked the afternoon into overdrive, with straight-ahead power rock anthems like “Ah Mary”, “Low Road”, and “Sweet Hands”. “Nothing but the Water” went into part of Sly’s “I Want to Take You Higher” and ended with an eerie”White Rabbit”. Potter dedicated their encore to the memory of Brian Farmer with a sorrowful “I Shall Be Released”, with Grace taking the helm of the B3 and belting out vocals that echoed off the hills. GP&N ended their set and completed the tribute with The Beatles’ “With a Little Help From My Friends”, propelled by Grace’s blasting organ & vocals.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals
Willie Nelson treated long-time fans to straight-ahead versions of many classics like “Crazy”, “You Were Always On My Mind” and “Georgia”, playing almost 30 songs in an hour and a half. He joked throughout, making fun of the hard road life and introducing songs like “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” with related stories to provide context. Wilco had another memorable set, with “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart”, “Hesitating Beauty” and “Hoodoo Voodoo”, finishing with “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”. Widespread Panic also played a great closing set on Sunday, treating fans to Neil Young’s “Vampire Blues”, where Randall Bramblett again joined the band, this time on harmonica. They closed with a funky version of the Bill Withers classic,”Use Me”, with Susan Tedeschi joining on guitar and vocals, and Bramblett on sax.
The Allman Brothers Band performed Live at the Fillmore East, kicking off with “Statesboro Blues” (Blind Willie McTell) and “Done Somebody Wrong” (Elmore James), and a sweet & smooth version of “Stormy Monday” (T-Bone Walker) with soulful vocals by Gregg Allman, sweet slide work by Derek Trucks, and rhythm guitar by Warren Haynes, who took a soaring solo at the end. A few of the standouts were a nearly 15-minute “Whipping Post”, with ridiculous slide and guitar solo trades between Derek and Warren, and a lengthy “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”. The Allmans closed out the set with “Blue Sky” > “Mountain Jam”, ending with “Little Martha” and an encore of “Mountain Jam Reprise” to close the main stage, while group and album cover photos of the Allman Brothers of yore graced the audience, who cheered to thank the Allman Brothers for a lifetime of music, reflecting on the band who will soon retire.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps0K3SFMS-Y]
See You Next Year
Entry into the festival was far smoother this year due to skillful planning, as well as better layout due to the purchase of adjacent land so all the campsites could be closer. The concert fairgrounds and camping areas were completely redesigned, with new stage locations and new roads built to handle more fans. VIP and Super VIP had larger camping and concert field space, more bathrooms and showers than last year.
Moving the late-night Triangle Stage to the nearby ridge made it less than a 20 minute walk from the main stage field (versus a long 45-minute walk last year). VIP facilities were larger and cleaner this year, under constant maintenance until after midnight. Patrons enjoyed more food choices, more fresh water taps, colder beer, and better use of space, as compared to 2013.
There was a temporary shortage of porta-johns, but more were promptly delivered the next day. There were complaints of minor thefts of tapestries, coolers, and other personal items, but in general the fans were well-behaved and all the major areas were kept safe and sound. The crowd was well-behaved, withstanding the blistering sun with umbrellas, wide hats, shade tents, and water mist guns. In spite of a cancellation by one of the major headliners (Bob Weir and Ratdog, which also cancelled a Furthur reunion), other musicians stepped up to the plate to fill the open main stage slots (namely Bill Kreutzman and Phil Lesh with their respective super-groups).
One of the newest additions to this year’s activities was the on-site biking program. Fans were encouraged to bring their bikes, or could rent one, courtesy of Snowshoe Mountain Bike Park. Oak Ridge Farm has over 30 miles of trails to explore with guided tours from the Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club. Because of the beautiful weather, bikers could be seen pedaling at all hours of the weekend. Disc golf, yoga, and swimming hole trips, cultural awareness and crafts were also some of many activities that Lockn’ provided to patrons.
In spite of threats by the ABC to shut down Lockn’s liquor license, county and state police reported only minor incidents, and Lockn’ ran very smoothly, especially considering the amount of fans and crew this year. Thanks to careful planning, and expenditures on key infrastructure like new staging, camping, electricity, and roads, Lockn’ organizers seek to improve the area further, and bring more business into Nelson County next year. Although The Allman Brothers are retiring, we can hope to see many of the headliners return next year.
No family tree has as many strange branches as the ChillFam, and, from Sept. 5-7, approximately 5,000 fanatics gathered at the world’s foremost musical family reunion–the fifth annual Catskill Chill. Old friendships were rekindled and new ones born at Camp Minglewood in Hancock, NY. Among many other acts, Lettuce, Turkuaz, and Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe pumped out the funk, Kung Fu, Particle, and Papadosio rocked hard, and Dopapod, Electron, and Yonder Mountain String Band played their unique styles. From staff and vendors to artists and admirers, everyone at The Chill was camped on cloud nine. With round-the-clock live music on five official stages, pristine early September weather, and characters aplenty, The Catskill Chill was once again the perfect way to wind down festival season.
Friday
Anticipation and excitement blew in the pleasant Friday afternoon breeze as tents sprang up from the tennis courts down to the lake. My friend Chris and I headed to our “island”—a grassy triangle between sidewalk paths, large enough for our tents and chairs. Last year, we were known as the parking lot pirates; donning old-school Pittsburgh Pirates caps in homage to Ryan Stasik, our volunteering duty was to direct festival goers where to park. This year, we graduated to press pirates, hooked up by PR director Destiny Beck at the eleventh hour to promote the music we feverishly crave.
After setting up camp on the island, MUN’s early evening set in Club Chill was the first batch of music for me. While Nahko and Medicine for the People played the Main Stage, MUN jammed in the only fully enclosed stage. Led by guitarists Alfred Rylands and Wiley Griffin, they put on a heavy set of improg. The Brooklyn-based quartet will tour the Northeast this fall, providing the desirable kind of MUNdays with their “astrofunktronica.”
After The Eric Krasno Band lit up the B Stage with Alecia Chakour, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe played the first primetime Main Stage set. With a solid mix of covers and originals, the funk-masters ignited a massive dance party in the hangar-like pavilion. Denson showed off his versatility with back-to-back covers of The Marshall Tucker Band’s “Can’t You See”, and The White Stripes’ “Seven Nation Army”, on the flute before switching back to the sax for The Beastie Boys’ “Suco De Tangerina”. Dressed to the nines, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe wrapped up with “Shake It Out” and the mass before them obliged excitedly.
Uplifting piano notes from Marco Benevento began floating down from the B Stage as Karl Denson and company were still raging. Benevento’s was one of my most anticipated sets of the weekend, and he delivered. Banging his head and keys emphatically, melodic runs rained from Benevento’s piano in the steamy three-walled shed. Once in a while, he would take a break from jamming to clap along, beaming. “DJ” Drew Dreiwitz, also of Ween, cranked out a huge bass solo while Benevento sat back, sipped from his Solo cup, and soaked it in. The trio, rounded out by Andy Borger on the drums, covered “Benny & The Jets” and had the whole venue singing in raptures. Benevento will be touring this fall in support of his new album Swift, which releases on September 16th, and his show is not one to miss; he is as energetic and talented onstage as he is gregarious offstage.
From 11:15 p.m. to 1:15 a.m., Lettuce blew everyone away back at the Main Stage. Guitarist Eric Krasno, feeling at home at The Chill, shredded like a madman. The fired-up Kras sparked the rest of the band: Neal Evans crushed on the keys while the funk was rooted in the horns section. The venue was packed with fans swaying in hammocks, chilling in the bleachers, or grooving on the dance floor, which spilled out onto the hill in the rear. Lettuce played hits off each of their studio albums, including “The Dump”, “Sam Huff’s Flying Raging Machine”, and “Madison Square”. Adam Deitch was a rock on the drums and turned it up from “Outta Here” into a slamming solo. Jesus Coomes rattled bones with the bass and Alecia Chakour’s vocals were exalting. By the time they ended with “Blast Off”, the ChillFam was already in a state of bliss.
With Lettuce still keeping it fresh on the Main Stage, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong began flocking in Club Chill. The quartet features two guitarists with very different demeanors. Greg Ormont’s Sideshow Bob-like hair, infectious smile, energetic personality, and emphatic upbeat vocals make him hard to miss. While Ormont danced around grinning and singing, Jeremy Schon stood relatively in place, shaking his blonde mane, fingers deftly sliding around his six-string. Schon ripped through PPPP’s lively funkalogue, showing off big-league guitar skills. Barefoot bassist Ben Carrey scooted around the stage playing tight bass lines and drummer Dan Schwartz made his presence well-known. Twiddle’s Mihali Savoulidis joined for “Poseidon”, a number off Pigeons’ new album, Psychology, and the Baltimoreans hatched new dirty birds by concluding with a red-hot cover of “Suck My Kiss”.
The music would go on past 5 a.m. with Alan Evans’ Playonbrother jamming in Club Chill, but DJ Shpongle’s 2:30 a.m. set was my last bit of music on Friday. Shpongle, aka Simon Posford, had no trouble adding to his loyal following. He has mastered the art of playing to the mood. Those not melted into the hillside danced vigorously to the ambient DJ set. His beats are all-inclusive and joy ballooned in the pavilion as DJ Shpongle closed the Main Stage in style.
Saturday
Vermont quartet Twiddle was the first to play the Main Stage at 1:45 p.m. on Saturday. They opened with a rendition of “When It Rains It Poors” featuring beautiful vocals and warm harmonies. With each member dressed as a different Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Twiddle segued into “Somewhere Over The Rainbow”. The master of turning knobs, Dopapod’s Eli Winderman, joined a few songs later and they almost got “Stooooped” off the stage when Kung Fu’s Todd Stoops sat in on the keys. Twiddle is finding their stride with well-composed songs, a positive message, and rapidly growing following.
Last year, as Chris and I directed cars in the hot, dirty parking lot, new-found enemies mocked us from their all-access/VIP pedestals: the teachers. When I heard a “Hey, pirate!” call while grabbing lunch between Twiddle and Cabinet, I knew instantly who it must be and my hand reached instinctively for a non-existent sword. As anticipated, it was one of the teachers.
Instead of spending our energies plotting each others’ demise, however, we formed the teacher-pirate alliance against wooks at this year’s Catskill Chill. On good terms, we wandered around pretending to duel and enjoying each other’s company at killer sets of music. From 4:30-6:25, ChillFam favorite Dopapod jumbled up an enthusiastic Main Stage crowd with jams like “Black and White”, “Freight Train”, and “Vol. 3 #86″. While they oozed out mostly originals, Adrian Tramontano joined on the hand drums for a Herbie Hancock cover before we headed to see a band people were talking about all weekend.
Long Islanders TAUK poured out chunky progressive rock in Club Chill after having slammed Lockn’ Festival the afternoon before. The quartet, whose members have been friends for longer than many Chillfam members have been alive, proved that they are not up-and-coming: they are here. They looked at ease on stage delivering heavy instrumental jams. They played “Mokuba”, “Friction”, and, personal favorite, “Collateral”, off new album Collisions. Bassist Charlie Dolan anchors the group while Matt Jalbert’s tight guitar riffs and well-placed solos add a healthy dose of inflection. Alric “A.C” Carter manipulates his keyboard dexterously while the “new guy” Isaac Teel does not miss a beat on drums. As Dolan pointed out, the group has the flexibility of continuing down the instrumental route or adding vocals one day, and their firepower gives them plenty of time to decide.
Despite the warmth of Club Chill and the delicious eeriness of TAUK, I moved over to the Acoustic Junction to catch the most talented trio in show business, Consider the Source. A loyal following wiggled in the rain as the Sourcerors rewarded with a cover of The Beatles “Blackbird”. They followed up with “Wayfaring Stranger” during which drummer Jeff Mann stepped up to the mandolin; he was so smooth that I barely noticed he was playing an atypical instrument. As the rain fell and the sun went down,the music was just getting turned up.
Yonder Mountain String Band played the headlining set on Saturday evening as the rain let up. Allie Kral sat in on the fiddle and, having caught her final set with former band Cornmeal at Summer Camp in 2013, I was eager to see her add to the Colorado bluegrass quartet. Their version of “Only A Northern Song” was awe-inspiring and they plucked out a unique rendition of The Talking Heads’ “Girlfriend Is Better”. Having also headlined in 2012, Yonder Mountain String Band may be an outlier to the funk-rock heavy lineup, but they bring a great following to the party and put on a captivating show. The strings-only group closed out their set by playing “40 Miles From Denver” and “Southern Flavor” to a delirious crowd.
After the first half of Cabinet’s Dead set in Club Chill, I learned that, after disbanding in 2011 (following 12 years of bumping), Canadian-based techno trio The New Deal is back. Consisting of keys player Jamie Shields, bassist Dan Kurtz, and drummer Joel Stouffer, they played a late night technotronica set to a packed Main Stage. Reunited, the band is scheduled to play a handful of shows across the country this fall as well as Dominican Holidaze.
I hopped over to the B Stage for The Nth Power after some more wook-watching. I need to be tested, but I may have been impregnated by their music. The quintet with one outlier (Nikki, Nigel, Nick, Nate, and… Weedie) played baby-making music to a dazzled crowd. Most of the songs they played will be featured on their 2015 debut full-length album, Abundance, but they threw in a euphoric cover of Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You”. Featuring powerful vocals and deep bass lines, the Nth Power creates a rich flavor of funk and produces a mesmerizing show.
Papadosio’s late night Main Stage set on Saturday proved that a music festival is like a box of chocolates. Anticipating an ambient, trancey end to the night, Papadosio put on a slamming set of rock. Festival goers like myself, who expected to be gently lulled toward sleep, were rocked back to life starting with a 20-minute “Find Your Cloud”. Eli Winderman joined for a tasty “Unparalyzer” as the Brouse brothers, who handle the band’s keys and synths, gave Dopapod’s keyboardist the reins. Anthony Thogmartin’s songwriting ability was evident as always and ‘Dosio is rounded out by bassist Rob McConnell and drummer Mike Healy. The Ohio natives jammed deftly until 4 a.m. while Pink Floyd/Talking Heads/Phish fusion Pink Talking Fish wound down the night in Club Chill.
Sunday
Every day at a music festival should start with a set from Turkuaz. After helping one of my best friends (whom I met at last year’s Catskill Chill) move out, Dopapod showed their innovation is not limited to the stage by serving up pancakes with a side of jam. Then, Turkuaz supplied the fuel needed for the rest of the weekend at the Main Stage. One cannot not dance while watching the Brooklyn-based funkernaut. Michelangelo Carubba looked and sounded fly as usual while leading the 9-pack on drums. Celebrating her birthday by gracing loyal fans with rich vocals, Sammi Garrett was on point all day and guitarist Dave Brandwein laid down the hammer on his axe. Bubbles and sunshine filled the early afternoon air while Turkuaz put the “fun” into funk with the title track off their recent album Future 86. As the horns rang out, knowing looks spread through the crowd: “These guys are getting it!”The band is on fire right now and their merch sports my new go-to alibi: “Turkuaz made me do it!”
After packing my gear up and reluctantly moving off the island, the rest of the day was dedicated to music. Particle carried on the bash that Turkuaz started as drummer Darren Pujalet led a one-way race to funkville. Turuaz’s horns section came out to brighten the set for a jam, then The Hornitz and original bassist Eric Gould joined and shook up the house. Guitarist Ben Combe is a force on stage, and Particle’s progressive synthy style is catalyzed by Steve Molitz on the keys, who also spit a rendition of Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story”. Particle played plenty of new songs and left many people slack-jawed with one of the harder sets all weekend.
I followed Particle’s bassist Clay Parnell up to the B Stage, where he also played with American Babies. They played a more traditional rock set highlighting Tom Hamilton’s songwriting and singing abilities. Electron’s Aron Magner sat in for a cover of The Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie” and the crowd loved Dylan’s “Tangled Up In Blue”.
Back at the Main Stage, Kung Fu impressed with hard funk. Tim Palmieri challenged Eric Krasno for “master shredder” title of the weekend and Todd Stoops played some glorious piano solos. Robert Somerville got real saxy and Chris DeAngelis was crisp on the bass. These ninjas’ chemistry glows like a beacon on the stage. Drummer Adrian Tramontano’s kit, like Tramontano himself, is compact, but the Zack Galifianakis look-alike is an inspiration for us vertically challenged denizens everywhere. As onlookers gawked, he crushed one of the best drum solos of the weekend, moving with remarkable speed. The horns and ladies of Turkuaz reappeared to form Kungkuaz and play Stevie Wonder’s “Haven’t Done Nothing”, a highlight of the entire weekend. The Connecticut quintet, who will tour the East Coast in October and November, never fail to deliver.
Before I could see Consider the Source‘s plugged-in set, I heard them and thought, “That can’t be them; that’s at least 6 or 7 people.” It was, however, CTS. There is videographic proof that I am not being hyperbolic describing the Sourcerors as a crew filmed the set. Drummer Jeff Mann must have eaten his Wheaties; he played with a maniacal reckless abandon. Guitarist Gabriel Marin, whose fingers glide like butter on glass across his fretless guitar, played an upbeat trumpet solo on his custom double-necked instrument. “Tihai For The Straight Guy” was a classic example of Beach Boys meet Middle Eastern pop-rock and, during “Keep Your Pimp Hand Strong”, bassist John Ferrara ripped the dirtiest bass solo of the weekend. With the first part of their new album World War Trio releasing this Halloween, expect heavy ripples from Consider the Source this fall.
The final evening at Camp Minglewood was chilly, but Electron cranked the heat at the Main Stage. Comprised of The Disco Biscuits’ Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner on bass and keys respectively, Lotus’s Mike Greenfield on the drums, and American Babies’ guitarist Tommy Hamilton, they broke through with the most expansive jams of the weekend. Not only was their music out of this world, their light show was spectacular. Despite being Sunday night, the dance floor was as packed and busy as any point during the weekend. Electron played richly textured space jams with intricately laid layers and explored the psychedelic. Magner pounded emotionally on the piano and gave equal attention to the synths, and Greenfield put the pedal to the metal a bit more than he would with Lotus. With glow sticks flying, rage sticks raging, and bodies bumping, Electron put an exclamation point on a great weekend of music.
My ship had sailed at Catskill Chill by the time the plug was pulled on Electron. Having bonded with old friends, acquired a host of new friends, danced to hours of incredible music, and explored every corner of Camp Minglewood, I was ready to put another successful Chill in the books. The marathon was over and the memories were made; now, I attempt to wait patiently as anticipation is already bubbling for Catskill Chill 6.
Check out a video of Yonder Mountain String Band from the festival:
moe., The Disco Biscuits and The Main Squeeze performing a special tribute to Michael Jackson. That’s just a taste of what’s coming to the 6th Annual Aura Music & Arts Festival in Live Oak, Florida in March.
AURA announced today the addition of iconic jam band moe., who will play two sets, to the already impressive 2015 line-up. Headlined by The Disco Biscuits, Papadosio and Snarky Puppy, the festival will take place at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park (SOSMP) in Live Oak, Florida March 6 – 8, 2015.
AURA has also added two sets by high-energy funk quintet The Main Squeeze along with returning artists Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and McLovins. Chicago’s versatile electronic trio Cosby Sweater will make their AURA debut along with South Florida’s improvisational Stinky Pockets. True to AURA’s collaborative nature, artists-at-large The Shady Horns (Ryan Zoidis and Eric Bloom of Lettuce) will pop up in several sets throughout the weekend with their sax and trumpet in tow. For fans that want to arrive early, Ghost Owl has been added to the Thursday night pre-party with Dopapod and Kung Fu.
The full line up includes:
The Disco Biscuits, moe., Papadosio, Snarky Puppy, Kung Fu, Dopapod, RAQ, Jimkata, Consider the Source, The Main Squeeze x2 including a very special Tribute to Michael Jackson, American Babies, The Mike Dillon Band, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, The Mantras, McLovins, Ghost Owl, Cosby Sweater, Fusik, Ketchy Shuby, Uproot Hootenanny, Stinky Pockets, and Artists at Large: The Shady Horns
Tickets start at $150 and can be purchased online here. Festival organizers have made ticket payments easy by developing a Payment Plan.
Boston Calling ended the summer on a high note at City Hall Plaza. Each day of the festival had its own vibe and the crowds seemed to love every second of it. Friday was the day for rock stars to be rock stars, Saturday saw front men and women possessed by endless amounts of energy, and Sunday was for the bands as a whole ensemble to shine. Although a storm knocked out some performers, Boston Calling did a bang up job once again at City Hall Plaza.
Photo by Bryan Lasky
Although hot and humid, Friday’s portion of Boston Calling was a great success. With people streaming into City Hall Plaza to check out the food and liquor vendors, giant connect four games, merchandise, and a free make your own pennants station; the three bands who graced the Jet Blue Stage tore through their sets ferociously. Starting the weekend off, and happy to do it, was Future Islands. The four piece band played a non-stop 45 minute set full of easy to dance to bass lines and a tinge of pop-rock via their synth player. Neutral Milk Hotel took to the stage next and put on a show to remember. Filling the stage with horns, accordions, electric bagpipes, violins, guitars, drums, saws, and banjos; Jeff Mangum and his crew tore into a non-stop hour-long set that went from a wild rock show to an intimate acoustic, depending on the song. The crowd was Mangum’s from the moment he stepped out and dove right into “I Will Bury You in Time”. The band came out and “Holland, 1945” was next and everyone, but especially multi-instrumentalist Julian Koster, was bouncing around stage all night. As per their request, very few cameras were in the air throughout the show making their set a must see event, as you won’t be able to go back and look at bad footage off of your screen. During “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” the crowds’ voices could be heard right in time with Mangum’s, as he had asked them to be right before the song began. After a beautiful solo acoustic “Two-Headed Boy Pt. Two” from Mangum, he said thanks and good night and strode off the stage to a rapturous applause.
The National closed down night one of the festival with a fantastic show from beginning to end that included both mellow and hard-hitting songs as well as a fantastic light show. Matt Berninger’s deep voice echoed throughout the plaza as fans swayed to the tunes. Aaron and Bryce Dessner’s back and forth guitar playing continuously pushed the band forward during the set. Of note, Aaron helps curate Boston Calling and made sure to thank everyone for coming out for this great weekend of music. “Ada” got the first big reaction from the crowd, with “Sea of Love” coming soon after it to keep the crowd going. The band seems in top form when Berninger shows as much emotion as he can while singing or screaming the lyrics at times. The stream of rockers at the end of the set was tremendous, starting with “Graceless” and ending with “Terrible Love” with Berninger singing while walking through the crowd. The band then closed the day down with a quiet acoustic “Vanderlyle Crybaby Geeks.”
Day two saw the crowd slowly stroll in as the afternoon continued on. S. Carey‘s mellow rock was a good festival starter for the day. Mostly known for being the drummer from Bon Iver, he played a set of music that was perfect for a hot sunny Saturday. Sky Ferreira was up next and had some problems with equipment and restarted a few songs throughout her set. Even with this trouble, she and the band soldiered onward playing songs “24 Hours”, “Ain’t Your Right” and “Boys” to an ecstatic crowd. Bleachers stepped up to the stage next and took over the entire crowd on the plaza. Jack Antonoff was jumping all over the stage and giving the crowd everything he had from the moment the music started. His endless energy seeped throughout the set and to the rest of the band. “Reckless Love”, “Shadow” and set closer “I Wanna Get Better” were absolute barn burners and set the level that every other band playing needed to match for the rest of the day.
Photo by Bryan Lasky
The Hold Steady were next and kept the energy up for their entire set. Frontman Craig Finn egged the crowd on for everything they could give back to the band as soon as his feet stepped on the stage. The dueling guitar work of Tad Kubler and Steve Selvidge was jaw dropping, as was the connectivity of drummer Bobby Drake and bassist Galen Polivka. Opening with a great “Constructive Summer” right into “Hot Soft Light” and “I Hope This Whole Thing Didn’t Frighten You” was one of the best opening three songs of the weekend. After their set ended and people started heading over to what was to be Volcano Choir’s set at 6:05PM, an announcement was made that a storm was passing through Boston and the festival was being put on hold until it passed. Some fans left City Hall Plaza, while others went up to the VIP area. The staff did a great job of giving everyone enough time to head for safety before the storm actually hit – they should all be commended since once the storm came through lightning, thunder, hard rain, and dangerous winds swept across the concert grounds. Once the storm passed the damage to the concert site was assessed, including broken banners and live electrical wires, and the entire plaza was evacuated. Twitter was the news source that finally let us know at 8:30PM that it was ok to come back in and we wouldn’t be seeing Volcano Choir or Girl Talk, but Lorde and Childish Gambino would both be playing.
Photo by Bryan Lasky
Once the crowds were in, Lorde came out to a rabid audience and played her album Pure Heroine in full, but not in the album’s order. Her set time was cut to 50 minutes due to the delay, but she used every second of the set to wow the crowd. With a stunning light show, she tore through “Tennis Court” as the crowd screamed every lyric back at her. Lorde was very taken aback by the crowd’s out pour of love during the set and told them as much during a short speech in the middle of the set. The back to back of “Royals” and “Team” sent the crowd into an absolute frenzy all over the plaza. Ending with a beautiful take on “A World Alone,” she left the stage have conquered Boston’s City Hall Plaza. Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover, came on stage within 30 seconds of Lorde ending her set since he only had an hour to play and he had the crowd jumping and dancing in front of him for the full portion of his set. Focusing on songs from Because the Internet, Gambino was a non-stop ball of energy and his band stayed right there with him during the whole set. Nothing but smiling faces could be seen as people left the plaza despite the weather trying to ruin a great Saturday in Boston.
As fans entered City Hall Plaza on day three, tired faces could be seen, but the music would pick everyone right back up. Local act Gentlemen Hall started the day off with a mix of rap, rock, and pop. The band played with all of their heart for 40 minutes to win every member of the crowd over, and by the end of the set, anyone who was standing in front of the stage was rocking along with the band. Eight piece band San Fermin came on like wild-fire next and sent the ever-growing crowd into a frenzy. Allen Tate’s baritone voice mixed beautifully with Charlene Kaye’s soaring vocals. John Brandon’s trumpet playing saw him jump around the stage as well as into the audience. The whole band gelled together wonderfully to create a non-stop force for their short time on stage together. New song “Parasite” was a big hit with the crowd and could be a breakout song for the group throughout the country soon.
Photo by Bryan Lasky
White Denim raised the bar for how bands needed to perform the rest of the day with their set. A clear influence of theirs that could be heard during the entire set was The Grateful Dead. From jamming a few songs past their normal structures to the bluegrass-rock hybrid that some songs had, the band clearly was borrowing some lessons from one of the best American bands of the last 50 years. The band played a near flawless set for the people of Boston, and they responded with nothing but cheers and applause. The War on Drugs soon followed and played a mellow laid back set of rock that could have been plucked from the mid to late 70’s. Adam Granduciel’s vocal style is very similar to Paul Simon’s and if you close your eyes you could almost imagine the legend being on stage singing. His guitar work though was anything but as he furiously played the instrument at times, but it never seemed to continue for very long. Boston’s own Lake Street Dive mixed country and rock together with wonderful harmonies from all four members and had the crowd in the palm of their hand during their time on stage. Rachel Price’s voice alone would have been good enough to listen to, but when mixed with Mike Calabrese, Bridget Kearney, and Mike Olson’s, it just turns into magic. 21 Pilots then leaped and ran all over the main stage. Their show is a spectacle to be seen. From crowd surfing drums, to smoke machines, to both members jumping and doing flips all over the stage, 21 Pilots won the weekend for being the most entertaining band at the festival. The music is a mix of rap, rock, and pop definitely wasn’t the most technical music of the weekend, but the show was exciting at least.
Photo by Bryan Lasky
The 1975 and Spoon were the next two acts to play the festival and both played good sets, but neither was overly exciting. Both bands played fairly straight forward rock and were both good to listen to in anticipation for the headliners. The Replacements set could be described only as being punk music from the heart. The band which is on a reunion tour with two original members, Paul Westerberg andTommy Stinson, played to an audience that sang along to every song they played whether Westerberg remembered all the lyrics or not. All was forgiven though as the band was having a blast on stage and all the positive energy seeped through the crowd. In a little over an hour the band played 22 songs and declared victory at City Hall Plaza. The crowd wanted more, but it was not meant to be. Closing with “White and Lazy” and getting a quick encore of “Alex Chilton” all the faces leaving from the show had nothing to show for it but smiles. Nas and The Roots had the honor of closing the festival, but it was really two separate sets. Nas came out first with his dj and did some songs off of Illmatic as well as some other hits before The Roots joined him about 40 minutes in for One Mic. The two bands played together for about 10 minutes and then Nas left the stage and The Roots played for another hour on their own. Both sets were tremendous, but I think most people thought it was going to be a full set of the two legends playing together, which really would have capped off the amazing weekend in Boston. There are already plans for Boston Calling in 2015 so stay tuned and make sure that you make your way down to City Hall Plaza if you’re looking for a weekend of great music in the middle of Boston.
As with all of the 14 years prior, this summer’s moe.down 15 festival held in Turin, New York was nothing short of a remarkable live music gala featuring acts from Upstate NY and across the country. This festival would not be in existence however, if it were not for moe. themselves. moe. has not only become a pioneer of the jam-rock genre, but the band has also influenced the festival scene like few others. Turin’s beautiful Snow Ridge Ski Resort has been the host of this event for 13 years now and has seen many different types of performers from all genres, but with one common theme… moe.!
The Snow Ridge Ski Resort, nestled just outside of Turin, is a prime location for such a festival. The area is somewhat secluded, with several parallel ski slopes serving as the festival grounds. Though smaller than previous years, the camping areas are located on the slopes along either side of the main venue. The main slope serves as a natural stadium, where festivalgoers can look out over the grounds and the two stages at the bottom of the hill. Though sometimes a hazard during heavy rains, this past Labor Day served up just the right kind of weather for a festival. As to be expected at any festival, there was some rain, but it came briefly in the wee hours of the morning on Sunday and did not seem to cause any issues for campers.
moe.down is not just your run-of-the-mill festival. In times where festivals try their best to get as many artists as possible, sometimes with upward of one hundred performers, moe.down keeps their lineup small, allowing artists to play two or three sets. This may not seem like big deal, but for anyone who has attended, they know that it gives listeners the opportunity for much more depth in their musical experience. Instead of festivalgoers seeing new band after new band and getting a bit overwhelmed in the process, one can get to know a band over the weekend by watching multiple sets and seeing how versatile a band’s music can be and how they have evolved as a group.
On Friday, Aug. 29the music began just after 6pm, but most campers had gotten there much earlier, some even showing up a full day before the festivities started. It did not take long for the adjacent hills to turn into a small tent city, especially since the main campground space had been cut nearly in half compared to previous years, eliminating one whole ski slope as a camping option. Ohio’s The Werks kicked off the fest with the first of their three sets. This jam quartet played almost their entire repertoire, as they alternated sets with Lotus and moe. themselves. The Werks played many of their popular songs including “Duck Farm”, featuring high-energy solos from lead guitarist Chris Houser. One of the group’s most distinct elements in their music is the presence of the electronic synthesizer and sound manipulations, creating what has been called “Psychedelic Dance Rock”. Each set proved to be more impressive than the last with several cover,s including a great rendition of “Pink Panther” that was a real treat for all in attendance.
Jam seemed to be the only thing on the menu Friday night as Lotus took to the stage, asserting themselves as one of the powerhouses of the genre. With a unique hybrid of jam/rock and electronic dance music, Lotus never fails to keep the crowd on their toes and dancing wildly, even after the music stopped. Similar to The Werks, Lotus incorporates many electronic samples that can be enjoyed by everyone, from classic jam fans to younger drum and bass lovers. After the dueling Lotus and The Werks sets, the air became heavy with anticipation as the moment everyone had been waiting for drew near. Yes, of course, that meant none other than moe.! The Upstate legends made their way to the Mountain Stage for their first set of the weekend and all the moe.rons (the name given to the die-hard moe. fans) were in a frenzy. There was not an unsatisfied person in the venue as moe. performed a set that can best be described as a “Meat sandwich.” moe. began with their song “Meat”, a song with a heavy rock feel that is filled with screaming guitar solos, lightning fast bass playing, and intense percussion throughout. This was a common theme throughout the set, returning to “Meat” in the middle and then ending the night with one final mighty “Meat” jam. There would have been no better way for the band to open the weekend and really get the party started.
moe.down has two very special groups that are there to support festivalgoers of all backgrounds. The first is a women’s support group, the Yodeladies, who have a tent set up in the venue to aid women in whatever way they can. The other group, the Happy Hour Heroes, is also there for those who choose to remain drug and alcohol free and need support and information on that choice. Both groups get their names from moe. songs, “Yodelittle” and “Happy Hour Hero.” The festival grounds is also filled with many vendors selling their local and handmade goods, as well as ecofriendly products made of various recycled materials. Though there is not an art gallery on the grounds like some other fests, the Snow Ridge Ski Resort has ski lifts running all weekend for those wanting to get a better view of the festival. From atop the slopes, one can see the beautiful rolling hills and Western Adirondacks of the surrounding area and it is a perfect spot to catch the sunrise and sunset.
American Babies started things off on Saturday with two sets of their soulful rock and roll, with Conehead Buddha playing in between. Conehead is known for their large presence with eight musicians on stage, creating an extremely energetic sound that is a mix of ska and funk. moe. wasn’t far behind, playing their first afternoon set, which seemed to be a warm up for their double feature later in the night.
Though the weekend was mostly filled with jam/rock performances, one act that certainly set itself apart was Les Claypool’s Duo De Twang. Claypool is known for his following of what might be best called “eclectic and extraordinary fans”, and his music clearly shows why. Best known for his music with Primus and Oysterhead, his Duo De Twang was much different, providing a much more mellow bluegrass and folk/blues feel, covering Jerry Garcia and playing some traditional Canadian songs. There was something a bit off with Les that day however. Maybe it was his lack of fondness for the hippie crowd or something personal, but his loyal fans could easily tell something wasn’t right. At one point, mid-performance, he stopped after attempting some of his famous “fancy finger waggling” and apologized to the crowd saying, “the devil’s inside me no longer”, referencing his inability to play the bass like he used to. The rest of the set was rather odd, with a lot of talking about his life and what seemed to be a hint of sadness. He ended by playing his South Park theme song several times and “Jerry Was A Race Car Driver”, one of his hit songs with Primus, before stopping not a minute after he was scheduled to end. Many including myself were somewhat baffled and hope that the devil will find his way back into Les’ fingers once more.
Saturday’s jams were far from over though, with up-and-coming festival favorites Twiddle playing three sets on the get.down stage. The trio’s endless jams explored the limits of jam, rock, and some of their own renditions of the classics, including a medley of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” with their song “When It Rains It Poors”. Between Twiddle’s sets, the late ’90s Gypsy punk rockers Gogol Bordello showed they still have all the energy they did fifteen years ago. The crowd was belting out the lyrics with the band to “Break The Spell” and “Wunderlust King”, and then finishing the set by yelling “Goodbye Forever!” as the band exited the stage in a dramatic fashion.
moe. came in with a bang, starting off with “Bullet” and its lyrics, “We are all waiting, for the main event.”, but it was obvious that this was in fact it. They were later joined by the Conehead Buddha brass section with moe.’s song “Nebraska” before ending their second set. Before the third and final set of the evening began, moe. guitarist Chuck Garvey took center stage to thank all who helped make the festival possible and all those in attendance for coming out. He finished by saying just how special moe.down was to him and the band, and that it was the highlight of their year. The third set saw some variation, starting off slow and bluesy and then morphing into a lighter Caribbean feel with Rob switching basses and Al getting out his double neck guitar. Then, for a very special solo, Chuck broke out a talkbox, an instrument used by Peter Frampton that allows the player to manipulate an instrument’s sound by using a plastic tube held in their mouth. Towards the end of the set, the Conehead Buddha horns reentered with a Paul Simon cover and “Threw It All Away”.
All the moe.rons were partying extra hard Saturday night and into Sunday morning, despite the filling in of “The Ditch”, an iconic part of the moe.down festival. There were even a few sorrowful chants of “Where’s the ditch?!”, but there were still a good number of people paying tribute to it by dancing atop the mound of gravel that now stands in its place. It seemed that most people were still asleep at noon when Wild Adriatic began their first set. Slowly, people made their way to the venue for Jerry Douglas Band’s bluegrass led by Jerry himself on the dobro. Staying on a somewhat blues theme, Soulive took to the Mountain Stage. The band is made up of Alan Evans of Alan Evans’ Playonbrother, his brother Neal who is typically seen with Lettuce, and is led by guitarist Eric Krasno, known for his work with Lettuce as well. The band played several songs off their album Rubber Soulive, and you could tell by the look on Krasno’s face that his sweet yet sorrowful solo during their cover of “Eleanor Rigby” came from somewhere deep within.
There was more in store for the bluegrass lovers at the fest with Al and Vinnie of moe. performing with one of their side projects, Floodwood. The group made their first appearance on stage at moe.down several years ago, bringing together veterans of the string-band world for this all-star ensemble. The moe.rons were especially excited to see their favorite moe. musicians and they burst into applause as mandolin player Jay Barady jumped down into the crowd for a solo during “It’s A Long Way To Virginia”.
It was right back to the electric jams after Floodwood, with O.A.R.’s rock and Americana tunes. The band covered Sublime’s “Pawn Shop” and ended with an incredible medley of “Revolution” and Bob Marley’s “No Woman No Cry”. Upstate’s own, Aqueous performed two sets, playing “Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop” just to make sure that no one in the crowd was thinking about going home early. Their groove-rock was a perfect recipe for dancing, letting festivalgoers let loose one more time before the weekend was over. Aqueous’ set was nothing short of over the top intensity as the mountain resonated with their infectious rhythms and solos.
It was then finally time for what could be either called the best or worst moment of the weekend… moe.’s final sets. After ending their second to last set with “Water”, the crowd didn’t budge as all the moe.rons made sure they locked down their spot for the second jam. Aqueous played for only about 30 minutes before giving way to moe. to finish things off. It was all about Chuck for the final set and the crowd could not be kept quiet. He led things off with “Puebla” and soloed for what seemed like an eternity, shredding every note as if it would be his last. There were only about five songs, each about fifteen or twenty minutes long, but it was an outstanding exhibit of the musicians’ impressive endurance. The guys took a short break to announce this year’s moe.down Mayor as the infamous “Rex”, much to Rob’s dismay, before returning to their final song. It seemed only right that moe. ended moe.down 15 singing the words “I’ll find my way back to you” from their song “Rebubula”. You could tell that the crowd wanted more, but the were only left with fireworks as they smiled thoughtfully, thinking about the unforgettable weekend that they had just taken part in.
It was another great year for moe.down and the moe.rons with good vibes and good music supplied all around. The Snow Ridge Ski Resort was happy to be home to moe. and we hope it will continue to host this great Upstate fest for many years to come.
