NYS Music 20​14

Category: Hudson Valley

  • Destination: Mysteryland USA 2014

    When Mysteryland USA was announced I was immediately interested in covering the event. I was excited that a multi-day music and camping festival was going to be held at the site of the original Woodstock festival and the fact that the music at Mysteryland would bear little resemblance to the original festival. ID&T, the company hosting Mysteryland, started as a hardcore record label in the late 1980s as dance music exploded in Amsterdam. By 1993, they had organized the first Mysteryland festival in Holland. In 2002, the festival switched to a day and night format. One of the goals of the festival is to promote friendship and inspiration, and this is accomplished by working with record labels and other artists to curate multiple stages, art installations and food and drink vending.

    mysterylandMysteryland allows its guests to become part of a truly interactive environment, not knowing what exactly is going to happen next. You can meet people from the same place that you’re from, or from the other side of the globe. You can hear new music from acts you might not have heard of, or you can check out a favorite performer in a unique new setting.

    On Friday May 23, 7,500 Holy Ground campers began celebrating Mysteryland USA 2014 at the Camping Circus stage, located within the Holy Ground camping area outside of the main festival venue. The music provided a nice backdrop as people arrived and began setting up their campsites. By the end of the day the camping area was packed out. Navigating through camp to the showers, portos, stage and vendors was tricky during the days as occasional rain contributed to the most traveled pathways between tents becoming extra soggy. During the nights it got even harder as the harsh light from the light towers placed around the campsite forced you to shield your eyes so that you could focus on what was immediately around you; having a small flashlight here was clutch. Although the daytime temperature rose above 70 degrees F, it cooled to near 40 degrees F at night.

    mysterylandDancing under the tent of the Camping Circus stage Friday night provided a small preview of what was to come for the weekend when the festival officially kicked off on Saturday. The featured performance Friday was the official pre-party, Nicky Romero Presents: Protocol NY Reboot. Even in the cooler nighttime air, the dance floor under the tent got hot and sweaty as you moved towards the center of the crowd, and standing at the edge of the tent you could observe a noticeable difference between the ambient temperature and the heat generated by the party inside, moreso when the breeze picked up. The BangOn! NYC Boombox Van was parked not far from the Circus tent and played music into the night after campers had returned from the main stages, adding an extra dimension of sound and activity to the atmosphere in Holy Ground. I enjoyed John Dahlback and Don Diablo before Nicky Romero took the stage for a great high energy set, which turned out to be a good example of how his set would go on the Main Stage the next night.

    mysterylandOn Saturday, I finally got to see the main festival venue. On the way in I took a small detour to visit the monument commemorating the 1969 festival. It is located past the main gate and looks towards the site of the stage and the field that the fans watched the show from. This field was decorated with many rows of flags and was named the Ceremony Field at Mysteryland. At the front of the field were several teepees, a fire pit, a small stage and a dancing circle. The official opening ceremony was held here, and featured members of the Red Hawk Council, which represents first nations and indigenous people of the Americas. The ceremony began with traditional native drumming and chanting.

    A speaker from the Red Hawk council welcomed us to Mysteryland and explained how the native focus on the earth, honor, integrity, respect and love was reflected in the crowd and experience of Mysteryland. We were asked to think about what we want in life, and what we need from it. The happiness and peace that comes from the music and the dancing that we were going to participate in, and the friendships that we came with and the new ones that we were going to make, shows us that this is how Mother Earth wants us to be. After the speech, the Red Hawk dancers were introduced and they began to lead the crowd in traditional ceremonial dances. They showed us two different dances before a small rainstorm began and scattered the crowd. And this is how Mysteryland really began for me.

    mysterylandThere was so much to do and see here that it was truly overwhelming. Once the music starts, one quickly realizes that they can stay at one stage for most of the day and experience the type of music they enjoy most. The tent stages – Big Top, The Sound of Q-Dance, and Spiegeltent were all full of people dancing and enjoying the sounds of pop, electro, hardstyle and experimental house. Like the Camping Circus stage, the Big Top and Q-Dance stages were under large tents. The Spiegeltent was a traditional Dutch portable venue constructed mostly from wood, and being inside it actually felt like being inside an actual building, which was unique here at Mysteryland.

    The Vinyl Only stage was tucked into a stand of trees, and had an open air DJ booth at one end of a synthetic dance floor surrounded by stage rigging decorated with vinyl records. There was a small pavilion behind it that had many disco balls hanging from its ceiling. I really enjoyed this stage for its steady blend of house music.

    Big Gigantic closed the Boat stage on Saturday. This was an open air stage in front of a small slope. The whole facade of the stage was fabricated to look like a sailing ship. The DJ booth appeared to be in the cabin in the center of the ship, and there were several pairs of large butterfly styled sails rising above it. Dance platforms were located on both sides of the DJ booth for those with backstage access. Big Gigantic was one of the most unique acts here because they use live instruments – drums and a saxophone – to provide rhythmic and melodic textures over a base of electronic sounds with styles ranging from jazz to hip-hop to dubstep.

    Kaskade closed the Main Stage on Sunday. This stage was styled as a house of cards in an Alice in Wonderland theme. The DJ booth here was in a ML cutout in the center of the stage, with five towers of cards rising around it. The central tower was the tallest and featured a clock face at its top. All of the hour markers around the face of the clock read ‘NOW’. The finale at the end of Kaskade’s set was fantastic. After more than ninety minutes of driving electro with elements of pop, trance, moombahton and more, all of the lights within the card towers were flashing and pairs of laser lights were tracing multiple layers of colored wedges through the smoke above the crowd. And then the fireworks started. Small rockets were launched from within the crowd on the field in front of the stage, slicing through the layers of smoke and lasers and exploding in the sky above the festival. More fireworks were launched off in the distance to the left of the stage. The launching, whistling, expanding and exploding were all choreographed to the music and a farewell monologue to the guests of Mysteryland, reminding us that yesterday is history, today is a gift, and tomorrow is a mystery.

    Mysteryland USA 2014 was presented as well as or better than most debut festivals. The rainy weather leading up to the festival contributed to some delays and under-performance of some of the technical and logistic aspects of the event, but on the whole the vibe was fun and positive and the music and art created an environment shared by more than 20,000 people for two days that really took you away from the day-to-day world. ID&T is already planning another Mysteryland festival for Memorial Day weekend in 2015 and is hoping to make it an annual event. I look forward to spending a few short days at Mysteryland in the future and finding it better than when I left it.

  • Art Garfunkel Performs Song and Prose at the Paramount Hudson Valley, Saturday June 14

    GarfunkelArt Garfunkel, legendary folk singer known for his part in Simon and Garfunkel, has recently taken back to the stage after three years of recovery from vocal cord weakness with a number of performances in the greater Northeast. This Saturday, he brings his performance to the Paramount Hudson Valley one night after a nearby show at the White Plains Performing Arts Center in White Plains.

    Diagnosed with vocal paresis in 2010, Garfunkel felt a tragic loss with his inability to sing. In the time he spent off stage he took to other forms of expression in writing and poetry. In early 2013 he felt the need to return to singing, as a singer does. He has overcome the tragedy (as he calls it) by learning how to sing differently, in a lower register.

    Now over a year after his return to the stage, Garfunkel has built a performance based on his songs and writings. On his tour he is joined by guitarist Tab Laven performing songs from his years with Simon and Garfunkel, his solo work as well as covers from some of his favorite songwriters. Aside from song, Garfunkel will also share thoughts from his writings and poetry.

    Be a part of “An intimate Evening with Art Garfunkel,” an acoustic performance with songs, anecdotes and prose at the historic Paramount Hudson Valley in Peekskill this Saturday.  Tickets for this performance are available here.

    For a full listing of Art Garfunkel’s performances, visit his website here. He is scheduled for  five additional Northeast stops in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Queens before moving on to England for five performances in September.

  • Taste of Country Music Festival 2014 at Hunter Mountain – June 12th-15th

    Coming out of the gate in 2013 as a new country music festival, the Taste of Country finished with a huge win for all involved.  With a field of winning performers in the first year, those in attendance at Hunter Mountain were in for a treat.

    Taste of CountrySet in the picturesque Catskill Mountains of New York State, only a few hours north of the NYC, and an hour off of the NY State Thruway, Hunter Mountain is centrally located and the perfect setting for a country music festival.  Just envision lush green foliage and cool mountain breezes along with your favorite artists, food, friends and family.  What could be better?

    Country music is said to have originated in the southern Appalachian Mountains of North America as immigrants brought over favorite instruments such as the Irish fiddle, the German-derived dulcimer, the Italian mandolin, the Spanish guitar, and the West African banjo.  This collection of culturally based music and instrumentation has evolved over the years into what is today’s country music.  

    Taste of Country
    Hank Williams Jr. – Taste of Country Music Festival 2014

    Country music is so diverse and appeals to so many listeners that we now see it crossing over to main stream radio, with hits topping both charts.  It just seems fitting to have this event in the foothills of the mountains, be it not its original Appalachian mountainside, it’s still truly the perfect setting for the only country music festival held in the Northeast.

    With a “Who’s Who List” of country musicians gracing the two stages this year, you would be hard pressed to choose which stage to be at at any given time.  However, don’t fret, because this festival has been organized by Townsquare Productions, LLC, a collaboration between Townsquare Media Group and Chet-5 Festivals.  “Townsquare Media Group is a diversified media, entertainment and digital marketing services company that owns and operates radio, digital and live event properties, and Chet-5 Festivals has produced the Mountain Jam music festival since its inception in 2005”.

    They have organized these two stages so that the musical acts are performing at staggered times and attendees can meander between the two and not miss a minute of either show. Having attended several festivals in the past, this option has me extremely excited as I can see everyone on my “must see” list, and not have to choose between which stage to spend my time.

    Taste of Country
    Taste of Country Music Festival 2014 Line Up

    Options for camping are numerous as well, however becoming limited in certain areas.  Passes can be purchased for the whole weekend event, with or without camping, and they recently released single day passes in the event you can’t make it for the whole three-day festival.  Wait…did I say three-day festival?  I meant four-day festival as they have just announced their “Campground Kickoff Party” to begin on Thursday, June 12th as a thank you gift to ticket holders.  And if you don’t feel like camping, visit the Taste of Country Music Festival website for a list of alternate lodging accommodations within the area.  Shuttles will run from local designated areas throughout the entire weekend and tickets are still available for the shuttle services.

    Like all great events with music, fun, and friends, there must be food.  Those attendees planning to eat at the event will have a smorgasbord of choices to choose from, with numerous vendors satiating appetites with foods as unique as grilled mac & cheese sandwiches to the perfect Chinese noodles and vegetables. Yes I said grilled mac and cheese sandwiches.

    For this who can’t sit still, there will be vendors and activities on site to saunter through and see all there is to see.  For the perfect view of the whole event, don’t forget to ride the chair lift to the top for the best vantage of all the goings-on below.

    Spectacular music is the focus of the entire weekend, with spectacular views, spectacular food, and spectacular friends and family.  Now that is what country living is all about.

  • Mysteryland USA: The View Through a New EDM Fan’s Lens

    MysteryLand USA was my first EDM festival but I doubt it will be my last.  As a middle aged rocker that occasional enjoys the occasional jam band, I really didn’t know what to expect.  However, when I got to the grounds of the original Woodstock at Bethel Woods, I could already feel the excitement in the air.  My normal routine for festivals or concerts is to get there early and to scout the stages and setup.  I start planning my shots and my day with no one else around, understanding the lay of the land. For Mysteryland this was at high noon on Saturday, and there wasn’t a single light, laser or LED to be seen. There were however, huge circus-style tents, a Spanish stage with sugar face designs, a vinyl area with old albums all over and an octagon building that was brought over from the Netherlands.  There was even a large boat set-up as a stage.   But the highlight was the main stage. It was a house of cards, no, it was a castle of cards. It looked amazing and in the middle was an area that the DJs and artists could practice their craft and entertain the 20,000 fans in attendance.

    When the gates finally opened all the festival-goers were greeted by sheriffs and state troopers with their canine unit drug sniffing dogs.  Festival organizers, ID&T, said they were going to run a clean festival and to the best of their ability they did a great job.  After spending two days, it wasn’t the typical cloud of smoke, nor did I walk by underage drunks passed out at three in the afternoon.  Did I mention that they enforced a 21 and over policy?  Additional fences were added to increase security and there were 850 people working the festival besides the 250 performers. This wasn’t the normal festival; ID&T were planning for the future and wanted to prove to their hosts that they could offer up a quality, successful festival on the holy grounds of Woodstock and keep it safe and clean.  The goal wasn’t as much about making money as it was getting an invitation back.

    One of the aspects of the festival that I did look forward to were the costumes the ravers put together to express themselves. While some outfits were purchased, it seemed like most extravagant and therefore the best ones were handmade. I saw people dressed as animals, Dr. Seuss characters, the whole cast from Alice in Wonderland, aliens and more. There was even a parrot and a pirate combo with her on his shoulder, put that by the boat stage and it was the perfect scenario.  As per any electronic music event, there were no shortages of hula hoops or fuzzy boots, and more than your fair share of glitter and body paint. A few of the outfits (or lack of) made me thankful that I have three sons, because if I had a daughter wearing a bra and panties out in public I wouldn’t be the happy-go-lucky guy that I am.  Honestly in the proper setting it really does barely raise an eyebrow.

    Some of the things that made Mysteryland unique compared to most festivals that I’ve been to were the amount of International visitors.  Over 27 countries were represented and more than half the states also had a solid presence.  The European touch on the festival was evident in the hospitality and organization, especially in the media area.  Overall this festival was other worldly and I look forward to the next one.

  • Basilica Hudson Gearing Up for Soundscape 2014

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    The Basilica Hudson recently announced an abridged lineup for Soundscape 2014 for September.

    The two-night affair promises at least the following five acts for September 12th and 13th: Swans, Deafheaven, Tim Hecker, Julia Holter, and Gamelan Dharma Swara. However, more acts are anticipated to arrive.

    Purchase your tickets anytime before June 15th, and you are granted an “Early Bird” discount of $50 for the weekend.  Afterwards, the price goes back up to $60.

    Originally a foundry that produced railroad car wheels in the 19th century, Basilica Hudson is an 18,000-square foot arts and performance venue that boasts a capacity of 1,200 people, but no climate control.  Hence, shows are scheduled during the Upstate New York springs and autumns.  It is located on the South Bay off the eastern shores of the Hudson River, south of the Amtrak Terminal.

  • Woodstock 50th in the Works for 2019?

    Woodstock has gone through two major official reincarnations since the original fest changed the musical landscape forever. With the 45th anniversary this year, many have wondered whether the third installment of this epic music festival would be in the works. While this appears to not be happening, original promoter and co-creator Michael Lang appears to be in the early planning stages of the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, an event that launched so many careers into the stratosphere.

    woodstock1969

    Details are minimal at this point: the site will likely be near the original Bethel site, and it’s anyone’s guess which bands will be present. Considering the past two were fraught with issues (Mud, fires, crime etc.), one would hope they go back to the original mindset: hippies, peace and love. NYS Music will be monitoring this story and keep you abreast of any changes. Who would you like to see at Woodstock’s 50th?

  • Moby Interview – Mysteryland USA 2014

    While at Mysteryland USA 2014, writer/photographer Chris De Cotis had the opportunity to sit down on Sunday, May 25th for an interview with DJ and electronic musician Moby, not long after he arrived at Bethel Woods Center For The Arts. Richard Melville Hall is a classically trained musician who has been performing in the electronic dance music scene for three decades. He ascended to fame and commercial success in the late nineties while I was still in college and earned a Grammy award three years in a row from 2001-2003. I asked him questions about his career as a musician and about his perspective on electronic dance music, music festivals, and the music industry. His stage name is a nickname given to him at birth; he is a distant relative of Moby Dick author Herman Melville and is a part of a family with a long arts tradition.

    Interview Moby at Mysteryland 2014
    Interviewing Moby at Mysteryland 2014

    Chris De Cotis: How do you think music festivals have changed the music business?

    Moby: I first started playing festivals twenty five years ago, and mainly in Europe, because at that point festival culture didn’t really exist in the States. Festival culture in the States seems like it was Woodstock, then Altamont, then US festival, then there weren’t really that many festivals. And then Lollapalooza happened, which is a travelling festival. And Lollapalooza was a festival in that it involved a lot of musicians, but it didn’t feel the same way as like, a Glastonbury. And then slowly European festival culture came to the states, Coachella being one of the first really big European-style festivals, and now, it’s everywhere. And I think, one of the ways it’s changed the music business is that the utility, or the criteria by which a lot of music is judged now is ‘how does it work at a festival?’

    Still, a lot of music is judged on how it works in your living room, how it works in your car, how it works in your earbuds when you’re going to work. But now, there’s this… like dance music, most music played here isn’t the sort of music you’d necessarily want to listen to at eight o’clock in the morning when you’re making breakfast, but it has a utility where it makes perfect sense here.

    CD: How do British festivals compare with American festivals?

    Moby: It’s very hard to generalize. There are great European festivals, and there are shitty European festivals. There are great American festivals, and there are terrible American festivals. They’re neither better nor worse, they’re at times different and at times quite similar.

    CD: Outside of the PR part of it, your set, and then the Speaker’s Tent engagement, will you get to see any other parts of the festival?

    Moby: I have about three hours between the public speaking I’m doing and my DJ set, and so I’ll be walking around, probably going to a vegan food truck and going to different stages, seeing what’s going on.

    CD: Is there anything in particular that you really want to see?

    Moby: To be honest with you, I haven’t really looked at the festival lineup. The nice thing about a festival is that you can wander around and be randomly, accidentally exposed to things.

    CD: Do you have a favorite genre of EDM?

    Moby: No, I like everything. I mean, when I’m home I listen to a lot of, you know, I listen to WC and I listen to Led Zeppelin, and I listen to Pantera and you know, I like everything.

    CD: Do any one of these genres inspire you right now, more than any other?

    Moby: No, again, I just like everything.

    CD: Do you think dance music is, or will be, or has been considered ‘pop’ music, generally?

    Moby: The funny thing is, if you look at the state of electronic music in 2014, there is Lady Gaga, and then there is, you know, big pop records that are made by electronic musicians, and then there is obscure, minimal Berlin techno which will never get played on the radio. As a very broad musical genre, it can exist at the most mainstream and the most underground concurrently.

    CD: Has it become harder for you to evolve or progress as a musician as you’ve achieved more success?

    Moby: I don’t know. My goal as a musician is just to make music that I love, and hopefully in the process make music that other people like, or that other people love. I’m not too concerned with evolving or progressing, I’m more interested in just how the music resonates with people emotionally.

    CD: What other things that you are passionate about has your success allowed you to pursue?

    Moby: I’ve been an animal rights activist for a very long time, and so, as a result of whatever random, weird success I’ve had, I’ve been able to financially help different animal welfare organizations, and environmental organizations and human rights organizations, and I think, as a quasi-public figure, when I look at an issue that I’m interested in or concerned about, it’s figuring out how to be the most effective activist. And sometimes that means just donating money, sometimes it means speaking out about it publicly and trying to draw more attention to it. Sometimes it means getting creatively involved with an organization to see if I can help them in other ways.

    CD: What topic will you be discussing at the Speaker’s Tent today?

    Moby: I started working about ten years ago at an organization called the Institute for Music and Neurologic Function. It was started by Oliver Sacks, who is a neuroscientist, a neurologist. I will be talking about music therapy from both the personal anecdotal level and from a clinical level. Looking at the science behind music therapy, how it effects the endocrine system, how it affects neurotransmitters.

    CD: What is your assessment of the dance music scene over the past five years, and where do you feel we will be five years from now?

    Moby: My background is very strange. When I was really young I played classical music, and then I grew up playing in punk rock bands and studying music theory. Djing and electronic music is… something I came to later, for me.

    What’s been very interesting, because I started making electronic music in the late eighties, and at that point electronic music really was a ghetto, and now, practically speaking, it’s become like the most ubiquitous dominant musical form on the planet. Because every hip-hop artist, most pop artists, dance artists, they all use the same equipment. I don’t think it’s overstating it to say that probably eighty to ninety percent of the music currently being listened to on the planet is produced in some context electronically, and I don’t see that ending because the means of production used to be so much more complicated.*

    Now you just need software, and I feel that the ubiquity of the software, and how egalitarian it is means that anyone can make electronic music, and I just see that continuing to lead to electronic music just being so ubiquitous.

    Stay tuned for Chris’ review and photos from Mysteryland USA.

    *Ed. note:  The late eighties and early nineties marked the beginning of a large growth in the availability and variety of specialized professional audio equipment like synthesizers, drum machines and samplers to more people and at lower, yet still generally high prices.

  • Mountain Jam Returns for Its Tenth Year of Amazing Music on the Mountain

    This year marks the tenth anniversary of Mountain Jam, a festival produced by Mountain Jam, LLC, in association with Woodstock, NY’s legendary independent radio station Radio Woodstock 100.1, and none other than guitar and vocals virtuoso Warren Haynes. You know if Warren Haynes is involved, it’s going to be good! The festival will take place at Hunter Mountain, a world-class ski resort nestled in the heart of the Catskill Mountains in Upstate NY, from June 5-8. Located just over two hours from New York City, it is definitely worth the trip up the mountain to check out this festival, which features approximately 40 bands on 3 stages.

    Having started out as a one-day festival to celebrate Radio Woodstock’s 25th anniversary, it has grown to what it is today, a festival that has been consistently rated as one of the top music festivals in the country by magazines such as Rolling Stone. Over the years, Mountain Jam is honored to have hosted some incredible talent, from internationally touring bands, including Widespread Panic and Primus, to some local favorites from right here in Upstate New York, including John Medeski and Simone Felice, and this year is sure not to disappoint. Not really knowing where to begin, as there are so many spectacular musicians who will making appearances over the course of this four-day festival, just a few of the bands that will be playing include: Bob Weir and Ratdog, the Allman Brothers Band, Government Mule, Umphrey’s McGee, Pretty Lights, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Jackie Greene, and The Avett Brothers. And these are just a fraction of all the huge acts that will be there! The two main stages are set up right next to each other, which maximizes the amount of time there is to play/see music, as while one band is playing on one stage, the stage next to it is being set up for the next band. (It is also much easier on the knees, for fans at least, who don’t have to trek across fields to make it from one band to the next.)

    The third stage is located in Healey Brothers Hall, inside the Main Lodge. It is always worth heading indoors to check out this more intimate concert space, and to escape from the elements, if necessary.  This year, in honor of Mountain Jam’s 10th anniversary, a series of workshops will be taking place in Healey Brothers Hall throughout the weekend. Stop by to participate in these workshops, which are being led by various authors, photographers, painters, dancers, and musicians, including Michael Franti, who has become quite the fixture at Mountain Jam, and who will be performing a very special acoustic set! Another cool act to perform on this stage will be Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, who will be joining the Paul Green Rock Academy – another collaboration that promises to be exceptional. Other workshop topics include songwriting, led by Eric Earley (of Blitzen Trapper), Valerie June, and Connor Kennedy; and a reading and discussion with Duane Allman’s daughter Galadrielle Allman.

    Hunter Mountain has become quite the year-round attraction. For those daring enough, between sets, be sure to squeeze in enough time to experience North America’s longest and highest Zipline, right there at Hunter! For a unique way to be able to take in the spectacular mountain views while not having to miss a beat of music, take a ride on the Sky Ride, which allows you to view the two main stages from above on the mountain’s ski lifts. There are plenty of other activities that can provide a brief hiatus from all the rockin’ music being channeled out to you, including yoga and sound healing classes, drum circles, and a live interactive version of Farmville 2! In addition, Ash Street Puppetworks will be strutting their fantastic puppets around the festival site throughout the weekend, and you can’t really miss them, so be sure to snap some photos when they pass by – they are quite the sight to see! Another act that has become a staple of Mountain Jam who will be back again this year is the Shilly Shally Fire Troupe, who jumps from place to place around the festival site to captivate the audience with their unique interactive fire act. The Fire Troupe will even be giving workshops this year for those who have always been curious as to how they do all their remarkable tricks!

    For the wee ones, there are plenty of activities to keep them entertained (an important note: children 10 and under are admitted to the festival for free with a ticket-holding adult, limit two children per adult): children’s music and entertainment will be performed on Saturday and Sunday mornings; there will be a “cozy kids corner” complete with arts and crafts, hammocks, and a sandbox, and even its own potty; the well-known Wormtown tent, where kids can get their faces painted and participate in team games (there is a child registration area located at the Wormtown tent, in case your child gets lost during the festival); and the “Wayfinder Experience” interactive game. None of these activities should be treated as babysitting services, but they definitely provide some much-needed distractions for the kiddies, and they do so in such a way that encourages the children’s teamwork and creativity.

    While you are enjoying all the music and activities, it will be hard to avoid reveling at the beauty of the scenery surrounding you. To demonstrate the festival producers’ awareness of that fact, and the forward thinking that went into the planning of this festival, Awareness Village will once again host exhibits from not-for-profit organizations and environmental groups, in addition to children’s entertainment, performance and sculpture art, physical and spiritual healing, a beer and wine garden, and much more. On top of all that, Awareness Village is the spot to be if you are itching to meet some of your favorite artists, as you will be able to find many of them signing merchandise in the Radio Woodstock Artist Signing Tent throughout the weekend! The Festival will also be continuing its greening efforts with recycling, carbon offsets, and $1 water refills to reduce the usage of plastic water bottles. So be sure to stop by the Awareness Village to see the many positive impacts that are being made by local environmental groups, and to learn more about how you can help move this planet in a more positive direction.

    It would be foolish not to mention the extraordinarily wide range of food options from which to choose at Mountain Jam. Many of the food vendors are located right along both sides of the concert field, so you don’t even have to miss any music while scoring some grub to sustain you through the rest of your dance-filled days! From New Orleans-influenced cuisine to Asian-style stir-fried noodle dishes, from tacos to pizza, you will find all that and more at the Festival. Some of the more unique food options available this year include How We Roll, described as serving comfort food in an egg roll, and Meltdown Gourmet, where they serve up a variety of creative grilled cheese creations, including a BBQ chicken mac and cheese sandwich!

    Tickets are available on the Mountain Jam Festival website, with a variety of ticket options available, ranging from single-day tickets ($69 for Thursday only; $99 for Friday, Saturday, or Sunday), to 3- or 4-day passes with or without camping (if you buy at the “It’s About Time!” price, a 4-day pass with camping would cost $269). In addition, there are designated “car camping”, “lot car camping”, and “near-car camping” passes available, if lugging all your gear up to a camping spot on the mountainside isn’t your thing. RV passes are also available, with several designated areas to choose from as far as where to park your home for the weekend. One can also purchase one of several “Jammer” packages, which provide VIP amenities such as early access to the festival, private camping areas, a special viewing area in front of the stage, access to shaded hospitality tents stocked with hors d’oeuvres and discounted drinks, and 24-hour access to air-conditioned bathrooms (which can be key, especially when it gets hot and sticky outside, which often happens at Mountain Jam). Jammer pass holders are eligible to reserve lodging in the on-site Kaatskill Mountain Club, which provides swanky accommodations during the festival right there on the outskirts of Awareness Village. (These rooms are sold out for this year, but be sure to reserve your spot for next year’s festival if you are looking for a more luxurious festival experience!) This year, you can also purchase an on-site parking pass; your other option would be to park for free at one of the festival’s off-site parking lots and take a shuttle to the festival entrance (or you could always utilize the many parking lots that seem to pop up on people’s front yards for such events, for a small fee, of course). Please see the Festival’s website for more detailed information on ticket pricing and to purchase tickets and RV/car camping/parking passes. The Festival website also has a list of hotels in the vicinity of Hunter Mountain, many of which will be serviced by a hotel shuttle being offered by the Festival for a $20 fee, allowing you to leave your car behind at the hotel and not even have to worry about looking for parking at or near the Festival.

    Whether you decide to come for the day, or for the entire four days, you will discover that you don’t have to travel very far (that is, if you live in Upstate NY) to find world-famous, as well as locally known and loved, musicians playing in a pristine mountaintop setting. Mountain Jam is a place where you can just let loose and enjoy yourselves to the fullest, where you will come to see familiar faces year after year – and meet plenty of new ones, and where you can get your karma washed by a team of “Bliss Facilitators” right there on the concert field! Come on out to Mountain Jam in the heart of the Catskills for a thoroughly enjoyable four days of music, art, and community from June 5-8! In the meantime, here’s a preview of what’s to come at this year’s Mountain Jam Festival!

  • Kesey’s Son To Bring Furthur Back

    The quaint village of Millbrook, nestled in the geographic middle of Dutchess County, is no stranger to celebrities.  Located no furthur than a 90-minute drive from New York City, it also boasts a population of less than 1,500 neighborly residents.  Actor Matthew Modine and music artist Daryl Hall – both local residents – can often be seen visiting the local farm market, and do so with an apparent confidence they won’t be approached. As is life in the quiet village of Millbrook.

    But, it wasn’t so placid in 1964 when Timothy Leary established residency at one of the local estates.  The Dietrich Estate, its gatehouse can be viewed by those traveling NYS Route 44A, briefly served as headquarters to promote his “Turn On, Tune In, Drop Out” philosophy. What happened at the estate is recorded in Tom Wolfe’s 1968 novel Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, which recounts the cross-country trip Wolfe took along with Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters, aboard the technocolored bus named Further .

    The Dietrich Estate in Millbrook, NY, was a stop for Ken Kesey and his bus "Further" back in 1968. (Photo Credit: Steve Ainsley)
    The Dietrich Estate in Millbrook, NY, was a stop for Ken Kesey and his bus “Further” back in 1968. (Photo Credit: Steve Ainsley)

    Now, Kesey’s family is planning on furthering the patriarch’s legacy.

    To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Kesey’s cross-country journey, a Kickstarter venture is underway to bring the iconic bus back to life and tour the country again.

    As of today, May 23rd, the initial goal of $27,500 has been surpassed.  Part of the money is being used to refurbish the original 1947 bus, which will also serve as a “rolling recording studio with live FM broadcasting,” as stated on the family’s fund raising page.  The rest, well, it looks as if they will be doing their best to recapture the “magic” from the ’60s.  Their intentions are printed on Kickstarter, in bold face.

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    We expect a huge turnout in 2014 as we, with your financial help, show up in full Prankster style in various cities, parties, and the vibrant festival scene.

    To which towns, cities, parties and festivals we will be able to bring the Bus and the Pranksters is entirely contingent on your generosity.  The trip could be a few short weeks, or a few months, covering countless miles and many parties: it all depends on your contributions.

    The more we raise over our target, the longer Furthur and the the Pranksters will be able to be on the road and recording the fun at every stop!

    – Furthur Bus 50th Anniversary “Trip”

      Zane Kesey and Derek Stevens

    Unlike 1964, this 8,500-mile tour promises a multi-media experience that will include video streaming, Internet updates, along with the aforementioned audio recording.  Pranksters will be hired as “extras” to star in the videos throughout the journey.

    The original cross-country trek did involve filming, but the intent of releasing the footage as a feature film never came to fruition.  Nonetheless, the bus trip, and the events surrounding it, became the stuff of legend.  The Who released “Magic Bus” in the summer of 1968, in reference to Kesey’s bus.  The Grateful Dead did the same in 1971 with their release of “The Other One”.

    As magical and whimsical the eyes of the “Baby-Boom Generation” may view Kesey’s journey, it’s not shared by all.  Decades after Kesey and Leary finally left Millbook in 1970, residents still talk about the past as if speaking of their own misguided, adolescent children.

    The psychedelic parties at the Dietrich Estate came to an end, thanks in large part to then-Dutchess County Assistant District Attorney G. Gordon Liddy.

    Before his involvement with the Watergate burglaries, Liddy made a name for himself for his unrelenting pursuit of Leary.  He initiated numerous busts on the estate, leading to arrests for narcotics, public nudity, and lewd and lascivious behavior.

    It is assumed with great confidence that Kesey will not be approached by the residents of Millbrook to be added as a stop on the latest tour.

  • Poughkeepsie Wanted Rock and Volbeat Delivered

    Poughkeepsie was long overdue for a rock show on Tuesday night when Volbeat, Trivium, and Digital Summer came to town. The Mid-Hudson Civic Center was beginning to fill up when Digital Summer hit the stage early. Kicking things off early didn’t stop anyone from getting right into it. The hard rock newcomers had the stage presence of a headlining act, getting the crowd moving with their contagious energy. Most impressively, the band featured 13 year old Austin Rios on drums, who could easily give his much older peers a run for their money.

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    Trivium kept the night going, powering through a 45 minute set packed with hits. The guitar driven tracks were accompanied by the powerful vocals from frontman Matt Heafy, who got the crowd jumping and singing along on tracks like “” as well as the band’s latest single, “Strife”. They saved he best for last, building up anticipation with an eerie drum intro and light show to match before kicking things into high gear one last time. Mosh pits broke out while the entire audience screamed “In Waves” each time the chorus hit.

    Despite being entertained by a surprisingly musical soundcheck, fans began to grow anxious for headliner Volbeat to take the stage. Just before 10pm chants for the band were met with the dimming of the lights. They immediately  jumped into “Doc Holliday”, featuring the first of countless solos from guitarist Rob Cagiano. Amid hits such as “Lola Montez” and “Heaven Nor Hell” singer Michael Poulsen joked around with the crowd and talked about some of his influences growing up, including Johnny Cash. A cover of “Ring of Fire” fit Poulsen’s voice perfectly, with the audience drowning him out on occasion.

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    With an extensive catalog to choose from, the band did their best to fit in a few songs from each, including energetic dance along track “Sad Man’s Tongue” from their 2007 release Rock the Rebel/Metal the Devil. Fans were in for a treat on “Evelyn”, when Trivium’s Matt Heafy and Corey Beaulieu joined Volbeat on stage. Heafy provided the screams on the heavier track, with Poulsen’s distinctive voice on the chorus, making the crowd go absolutely insane for the all-star combination. Following “Still Counting” the audience were desperate for more, chanting for one final song until the band finally made their return. The 4 song encore came to a close with older tracks “Thanks” and “The Mirror and the Ripper.” The punk rock tracks had the audience jumping along from front to back for one last time. Simply put, Volbeat are a fun band to see live. For both old and new fans, it’s nearly impossible to not dance along with a smile on your face throughout the entire set.