Ben Harper

Saturday morning is one of the toughest to motivate for, especially when it is hotter than the previous two days, but with the lineup that was ahead of us, one finds the motivation to get to Centeroo early. After all, this day was a special day in history. It was the 40th Anniversary of the Monterey Pop Festival. What better way to celebrate the first rock n' roll festival, than to enjoy the festivities of the greatest rock n' roll festival.

In the beginning of June of every year, most musicians and music lovers know that the greatest festival of all time takes place in that small town in Tennessee called Manchester that has become famous for this unique and prodigious extravaganza. This was my fifth time out of its six year existence that I have made the pilgrimage to this Mecca for music. It is never without struggle, conflict, or a challenge that one achieves complete bliss or fulfillment.

I would like to apologize to the kid who passed out before my mosh pit neighbors' feet at the sound of my scream. It was at that point in the early morning, somewhere between midnight and dawn, when the thick voodoo pierced my soul sacrificing my voice to the hottest, heaviest, dirtiest jam I have witnessed in my short thirty years on this planet. The victim can take solace in the fact that four nights later my voice has yet to return. Yet he was hardly the only person whose knees buckled at the sounds emanating from the stage.

JJGrey and Mofro guys can do no wrong in my mind. I've gotta admit I enjoy their more enthusiastic shows, some days JJ just is in a mellow kind of mood, but today did not disappoint in the least.  It might have had something to do with the fact that they hadn't played in three weeks, which Grey informed the audience early on.