So, the last blog that I made, disappeared out of no where. It was really unfortunate that I spent a ton of time dedicated to posting... 10 photos... which took me all of 5 minutes... and then it went and deleted itself. Boo. But for real, I am getting my website up and running again, eventually, which will contain my best(?) photos. And this will be where I post photos from my everyday life/events that I wouldn't add to my portfolio.
This summer I have been lucky enough to work at Relix Magazine, a national music magazine that covers the likes of the Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers, Gov't Mule, Derek Trucks, Umphrey's McGee, Tea Leaf Green, and all of the other bands that I have come to obsess over the last few years. It has been to my advantage that Relix also travels to music festivals all across the country, and they have been so kind as to take me along for the journeys. Fortunately, these festivals are some of which I would have been attending anyway. The benefit of a free ticket and gas money to these concerts pays for the amount of money I spend commuting every week. So, for those of you who are against internships... I win, big time. Some of you may say that this sounds as if it is the best gig in the world... and I would have to say that I agree.
Quickly before I post my photos, these are the covers of the issues of Relix that I have been apart of, so far. You can see my name in the "interns extraordinaire" section at the front of the magazine. Exhilarating, I know. At least they spelled my name right.
April/May June July
NOW! Here are some photos from my journeys starting from the beginning... and ending never.
Summer Camp in Chillicothe, IL on May 27th-30th (not including driving.) Took 16 hours to drive there... and 24 hours to get back? Make sense of that. Anyway, it was the first festival of the season, and to date it has been the best. As much as the heat made me hate everyone and everything, the summer eventually got hotter, and when I look back, the best sets were at this festival. How can you really go wrong with 6 Umphrey sets, 6 moe. sets, and a private bass workshop featuring Victor Wooten, and Rob from moe.? Not to mention Mule being there... at one point I could stand on top of a hill and hear Umphrey's and Mule at the same time. I couldn't think of a better scenario for anything ever.
Here are some photos of Summer Camp and a list of the bands that I saw/loved:
30DB - acoustic
Umphrey's McGee - 6 sets
moe. - 6 sets
Victor Wooten (plus private bass workshop jam)
Moving on... The following weekend I attended Mountain Jam at Hunter Mountain... the dates being June 4th-6th. This festival has been the love of my life for a few years now and it was convenient that many of the loves in my life attended with me. These loves being Ray, my boyfriend of 5 years (as of the weekend prior when I ditched him for Summer Camp), his sister Jess, her boyfriend OB, and our good friend Nick Barreda. This was my third Mountain Jam and I must say, it was the weakest so far. I was disappointed in the fact that there was no Umphrey's or bands in that type of genre. It seems that the Jam tried to steer away from bands such as Umphrey's McGee, Tea Leaf Green, U-Melt, and Lotus, bands whom have attended their festival before. In my eyes, the festival attracted a much older crowd this year and the bands seemed to cater towards that. Really lengthy, monotonous jams that rarely caused me to lose brain cells (which is what you look for at a festival, in more way then one?) Granted, it was Levon Helm's 9th or 10th 70th birthday show extravaganza at the end of the show, where they brought out about 50 musicians that I never heard of. But, in all honesty, the festival was fun, but my least favorite festival to date of all the festivals I have been to in my life (melodramatic.) I think one of the main highlights was playing with two extremely muddy, seemingly parent-less 5 year olds who are more or less destined to be muddy hippies.
Also, I was told by more then one credible source that Dave Matthews, who I wouldn't care about if I had to pay to see him but of course wouldn't mind seeing him for free, was going to come on stage for Levon Helm, which forced me to stay later into Levon's set then I had originally intended and freeze my ass off, and then he DIDN'T come out... extra disappointment and a cold.
Also, I was told by more then one credible source that Dave Matthews, who I wouldn't care about if I had to pay to see him but of course wouldn't mind seeing him for free, was going to come on stage for Levon Helm, which forced me to stay later into Levon's set then I had originally intended and freeze my ass off, and then he DIDN'T come out... extra disappointment and a cold.
Despite the dreary efforts of Warren Haynes, who I still love, adore, and admire after all of this, there were still some great parts to the festival. I got to meet Jeff Austin from Yonder Mountain String Band and my new favorite, 30DB. And, I finally got to hear these Avett Brothers that everyone has been raving about.
So, with that said here are some photos of Mountain Jam and a list of the bands that I saw between the rain storms:
So, with that said here are some photos of Mountain Jam and a list of the bands that I saw between the rain storms:
Gov't Mule - 4 sets
Warren Haynes - with nearly every single act
Levon Helm - with everyone he has ever known
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi
The Avett Brothers
Yonder Mountain String Band
Anyway, I got home at some point on Monday just in time to take a shower and take a breath, maybe two... but not likely, before I had to get back to school on Monday night at 6pm. Then... Wednesday morning came (I don't remember Tuesday happening, though I am sure I appeared awake, I was more then likely not), the morning that we were leaving for Bonnaroo. It just so happens, that everyone had to wait for me because I had to take a test in the city Wednesday morning. This is how the test went... I took the train from Massapequa to Penn Station and arrived at 8:56 (meanwhile I still had to take a subway and make it to class by 9am.) I was late. I freaked out on the way to the test knowing that I only had 45 minutes to take it and I knew I would get there after people had already begun. I managed to take the train uptown meanwhile I know that Canal street is very much downtown from Penn, so I got to my class even later... making it 9:20am by the time I walked into the building. On top of all of that, I lost my school ID so it took me time to sign in, and wait for the elevator that only on days when I am rushing, take their time. So, I finally got into the class, signed in, turned my computer on (old piece of crap Dell desktop), took the test and left the classroom, and was on my way back to Penn Station by... 9:26am. So after all of that bullshit, the test probably didn't even take 2 minutes. I got to Penn in no time and was on a train back to Massapequa to meet up with the rest of the Roo-crew. The crew included... divided by cars, myself, Billy, Caroline, Jackie and Megan. The other car sausaged (yes, that is an adjective) Nick Lee, Nick Barreda, OB, Jess and Ray.
Then, I embarked on a million (67.3 hours to be more exact) hour drive. This was the first festival that I was actually driving to with friends (which means I had to pay for transportation, boo.) The drive was intense, but the festival was an overall good time. The bands were hot, as were the long days. I literally at one point thought that I was melting. Turns out, I was just burning, which to me is the same thing. Good thing my super tan complexion from the festivals prior made me just tan enough to not get skin poisoning.
These faces describe the heat.
Honestly though, if you thoroughly enjoy bathing in piss, it really wasn't a problem to stay cool... but the fact that MOST people don't enjoy DRINKING piss... the 45 minute water lines were really rough.
This guy drinks goat piss erryday. (Beerfest?)
The lineup for this festival as most people know, was spectacular. There were literally too many bands to see. They were overlapping and I felt as if I couldn't miss any of them. There was a point where I was saying okay, I will go see one song from this person then go to this tent and see 30 seconds of this person, and then run and try and catch the last breath from this band. At first I was complaining about the poor scheduling that the festival put together, but then I realized, that just by seeing the headliners preform, I would already get my monies worth, and the rest of the bands were just extras. I still had to work the Relix booth for 4 hours a day, two hour shifts at a time, but really the only people that I missed were Ingrid Michaelson, who I really only cared to look at, and Stevie Wonder, who I could hear perfectly from the booth.
I keep saying that I would never go back, but I think that if next years lineup can be even a smidgen as good as this years... I am already sold. Even if I have to buy my own ticket next year... hint.
So, as per usual, here are some photos and the lineup that I caught from the festival of joy:
Dave Matthews Band
Michael Franti and Spearhead
The Avett Brothers
Umphrey's McGee
Clutch
Clutch - acoustic
All in all, this summer has been pretty rockin'. I've met some really great people and went to some pretty fantastic shows. This of course, does not even include the in office performances that I saw by the likes of Jackie Greene, Tea Leaf Green and Andy McKee. I saw a lot more, however those are the ones that stick out in my memory as giving me a mini panic attack. Also, at a benefit I worked for Relix, I won a bracelet made out of Warren Haynes guitar strings... and from what I was told by a credible source, the strings were from when Warren played with the Dead. If that is not enough to make all of you deadheads, phishheads, spreadheads, umphreaks, and moe.rons quiver then I don't know what will...
Below is a link to a video of Jackie Greene from a performance in the owner of Relix's office... for weeks I have watched this video non-stop... as should you.
stolen photo
And, here is a photo taken by my shitty camera in my iPhone of Tea Leaf Green. Mind you, when I saw Trevor and Josh just mingling around the office, I actually had to leave the room. Pathetic, yes. Reasonable, yes.
Oh also, this seriously beautiful human came into my office today. Good thing was that he was just as talented as he was beautiful which made it all even better! His name was Robert Francis, a singer, song-writer from California. I took a few photos which I will add eventually. As for now, just look at this one of his beautiful face that I stole.
stolen photo
The summer is not over yet... still to come is Gov't Mule in August at the Summer Stage followed by Mule at Westbury Music Hall, both shows more then likely featuring Jackie Greene.
stolen photo
But before that, Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, CT featuring the likes of Further, Primus, Umphrey's McGee and Galactic will take place at the end of July into August.
And then last but certainly not least, in September will be moe.down in moe.hawk, NY. Obviously featuring none other then moe., who will probably have around 6 sets, if not more.
Keep checking back for more photos of upcoming shows and otherwise.
Later days!
Alli
buh
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