Festivals

Deep Roots Mountain Revival Festival is proud to announce the daily performance schedule for its inaugural music and arts festival on September 15-18, 2016. Top-tier bluegrass, jam band, rock and country acts will convene on the legendary Marvin’s Mountaintop in Masontown, WV, the original site for the All Good Festival.

Outside Lands is in its 9th year but you wouldn’t know to look at it. In some ways it feels like a brand new festival, while in others it’s clear that it’s far from amateur. The smooth operations, from getting fans through the gate without much wait to having eco-friendly workers to help navigate which bin to put your trash in (compost, recycling, or landfill), are just a few pieces of proof that Outside Lands really has their shit together.

A quintet of renowned Northern California jammy groups – Jackie Greene Band, Steve Kimock & Friends, David Nelson Band, The Mother Hips, and Moonalice – provided a nine-hour supersonic background on August 6 for a couple thousand bohemian yet genteel attendees at the 2016 incarnation of the Petaluma Music Festival. The proceedings had all of the markings and vibes of a big family gathering, which played out at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds amid beaming sunshine and comfortable temperatures that never rose above 75.

Oh how we love our transformational festivals!

For so many of us they have guided and shaped chapters of our lives, inspiring us, exposing our souls to new truths, to incredible workshops, art, beloved friends, community and deeply moving music that stays with us throughout the year. They are called transformational festivals for a reason, because when you come to one you leave changed. And yet the transformational festival scene is also going through its own metamorphosis.

If there is one thing Madison House has perfected, its creating magical experiences for its attendees. Laid out on a large vista set amongst Buena Vistas Collegiate peaks, the backdrop alone created a unique experience. It was clear from the minute one stepped through the entrance gates that this was a well crafted, detail oriented, experience driven festival.

The inaugural Vertex festival just wrapped with tremendous success. Hosting 8.000 attendees in the stunning Arkansas River Valley in Buena Vista, CO for 3 days/nights, the weekend was filled with incredible and diverse musical performances, interactive art installations and high mountain adventures – all with a uniquely Colorado twist.

The monsoons came late to southern Colorado and New Mexico this summer, causing festival promoters to watch the skies. Here in South Fork, CO at the opening of the 11th annual Rhythms on the Rio Music Festival rain-heavy clouds released their payloads earlier in the day, well before the festival opened around 5 pm. Alexander Kofi and the Jah Kings’ great vibe pushed those clouds further away to reveal a great night for some spectacular music.

A magical weekend came to a close on the captivating grounds of historic Black Oak Ranch in Mendocino County as the 6th annual Enchanted Forest Gathering wrapped another wondrous festival experience within the lush embrace of the majestic oak forest and refreshing Tenmile Creek.

Grand Point North, the music festival presented by Grace Potter and Higher Ground at Burlington’s Waterfront Park on September 17 and 18, announced the return of Grand Point Weird, a visual arts installation, to the weekend-long party, Grand Point Local, featuring local restaurants and food products, and the Reverb Eco Village, benefiting several local Vermont non-profits.  Organizers also announced that Soule Indomitable and River Whyless will perform the official after party at Nectar’s in downtown Burlington immediately following the festival Saturday night.

I have a moleskine book I keep in my pocket at concerts. My wife gave it to me as a gift years ago. She always gives the best gifts. This tattered little vestige to my musical history is used solely for notes at concerts I am reviewing. Nothing could better embody who I am, not just as a writer, but as a person. Every time I write in the book, it is a process. I have to take the now stretched out elastic rope off of the book, turn to the page marked with the connected bookmark and pick up where I left off.

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