I woke up in Grand Teton National Park to the sounds of crazy mountain birds, and was glad not to have been eaten by bears or wolves during the night. The festival itself provides no camping but there is plenty to be found in the park and in the surrounding forests. On the drive to the festival grounds, I saw a moose, and nearly 30 people taking a picture of it. There was a lot to look forward to, and anyway I've seen moose before, so I didn't stop until I hit Teton Village.

The funky, jammy, L.A. based Underground Orchestra proved to be a good start to the music of the weekend before the chaos started. Anthony Rogers-Wright proved to be an entertaining bassist and just one component of this group. Sam Feldman plays the mandolin, which I love, so this group had an instant in.

This fall, Lotus releases their highly anticipated studio album, Hammerstrike, and steps out on their most ambitious tour yet. The months ahead will wrap up a huge year of growth for Lotus; a year that has positioned this instrumental post-rock outfit for a breakout 2009.

Summer seems to be coming quickly to a close, and the end of festival season is in sight.  This summer was somewhat special, as I was able to witness the birth of two new music festivals onto the scene.  In July it was the mega-sized Mile High Music Festival, and on August 16th and 17th the smaller, cozier Jackson Hole Music Festival.

After Langerado, I had no idea what to expect out of my trip.

Opportunity – This is the reason why many of our ancestors came to the United States. When they arrived here, more than likely they came through Ellis Island.

It's no secret that some of the best music, or at least the most outspoken, comes out of times of turmoil. The 60's and 70's were a heyday for such music, much of it politically righteous and fervently anti-establishment. But there was a lot to be righteous about back then, and in times when there is so much to be upset about, people find that they have much to say.

Electronic music pioneers DELERIUM have announced the D-Tour 2008 North American Tour, which kicks off in Vancouver September 11 and ends in Atlanta October 4.  This marks the first major tour for front man Bill Leeb and Delerium in five years. Fans can expect guest vocalists from past Delerium albums to make special appearances, including Sixpence None The Richer's Leigh Nash and chanteuse Kristy Thirsk.