Purple Team Wins! Soulshine Tent
Chillicothe, IL
May 24-26, 2013
Pre-Party May 23, 2013

Sunny Friday May 24th at Scamp!

Not only was Friday my birthday at Scamp, but it was the day I got to interview on of my favorite bands, Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band!

First I caught their set at 12pm at the Starshine stage. They played several of my favorite songs such as “Big Blue ‘72”, “Devils Look Like Angels”, “Sure Feels Like Rain”, “Something for Nothing” and several others off of their new album that came out in 2012, Between the Ditches. Rev who plays guitar in the band demonstrated to the audience the style of music that he plays which is called finger picking style. It’s a style that not that many people play now days and its where you play the bass part of a song while playing the guitar part at the same time on one guitar! His technique is quite a site to see! If you missed their set, they play shows over 250 days out of the year, so I’m sure you’ll catch them in your hometown. Overall, they were a fantastic boot stompin’ good ‘ol time. Since I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to interview them, I decided to go to their autograph signing in the merchandise tent and had a nice conversation with them to show them my appreciation for what they do. Here’s a pic from visiting with them in the merch tent…

CIT Marisa and Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

Then I headed back to my camp and got a text that they wanted to do an interview! Once I saw them again behind the Starshine stage, I just said “it’s me again!” (since I had just talked to them). We went into one of the backstage trailers for the interview, click here to watch!

And here’s a pic of myself with them pointing at my Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band patch on my vest!

CIT Marisa and Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band

After the amazing interview, I caught up with my friends and we caught the Wailers, Medeski Martin & Wood, and Keller Williams with More Than A Little.

Here’s a lovely pic of my friends in front of someone’s sexy bus/trailer on our way to the Wailers. It really brought out the ANIMAL in them! hah, get it, get it. I’m sure everyone else saw this sexy bus on the way to the Sunshine Stage.

SDC11942

Then we got some dinner and headed out for Umphrey’s, EOTO, STS9 and a little of the red barn set of moe. Friday was the such an AMAZING day, not only was the only beautiful day for weather, but I got to interview one of my favorite band on my birthday!!

Your gurl,

-Mo

 


Final Thoughts, End to the Scamp Journey of the Lone Pink Moustache, and My Challenge to YOU

Hey Summer Camp!

I cannot even begin to tell you that how much I wish I could start my Memorial Day weekend over and go back to Summer Camp. I had such a FANTASTIC-LY-GLORIOUS-ROCKIN-JAMMIN-BLUEGRASS-GYPSY-PUNKIN-GOOD-TIME at Scamp. There were a few acts that I missed and wished I had time to see at Scamp, but at the same time, I saw so many amazing acts and had so many great memories that will last a lifetime.

The highlights of my weekend include the following:

  • Yoga yoga yoga yoga…and some more yoga
  • Celebrating my birthday at Scamp on Thursday
  • Thursday sound check of Umphrey’s McGee at the Sunshine Stage
  • Cornmeal covering Ted Nugent
  • Meeting and hanging out with fellow Scampers, friends and awesome neighbors (I seriously met someone everywhere I went!)

  • Water water and more water!
  • My fellow co-workers (the CITs and Camp Counselor)
  • Making artwork out of my broken shade canopy

  • Camping right by the Moonshine Stage
  • Keller Williams playing “Freaker By the Speaker”
  • Every minute of Gogol Bordello
  • Primus playing “American Life” & “Tommy the Cat”
  • Primus having 3 members of Gogol Bordello come out and play with them during their set! (truly a dream come true…) And Primus bringing out and playing with Bob Weir
  • Seeing live at Scamp 2 songs that I put in my contest video for the Summer Camp Counselor position (CRAZY!)
  • Wearing costumes!

  • Umphrey’s Umphrey’s Umphrey’s Umphrey’s Umphrey’s
  • Being a part of Yellow Team in the Field Day events (and winning MVP for Yellow Team)
  • Hanging out with the founder of Food Patriot and volunteering my time with them by collecting signatures for their organization
  • Friday and Saturday late night
  • Someone singing to me the Attack of the Killer Tomatoes theme song when I was wearing my killer tomato costume (awesome!)
  • Rockin’ out to some bluuues muuuzac with G. Love

  • A streaker taking a morning jog through my campsite on Sunday
  • Havin’ a bluegrass stompin good ol’ time with The Devil Makes Three
  • Michael Franti’s incredible and touching set
  • Rubblebucket’s dance party!

  • Camp Counselor Maria’s campsite show with members of moe. and Greensky Bluegrass
  • Jane’s Addiction’s amazing performance and Perry’s silly comments
  • Ending summer camp with some of the best homemade ice cream I have ever had from one of the vendors at Scamp
  • And of course, being your Counselor in Training at Summer Camp Music Festival 2012

The last day at Scamp of the Lone Pink Fuzzy Moustache…

 

These were only some of the highlights of what was an INCREDIBLE weekend. May our memories of Summer Camp 2012 live on forever…can’t wait to see everyone next year!

Now my challenge to YOU, the Scamper, is to see who can keep their Summer Camp 2012 braclet on the longest. I used to do this ALL the time with my friends after going to other music festivals. So far I’ve got a week down, but I have a feeling I’m going to have to take it off soon because of work, but I’ll try my best and you should too! Good luck!

P.S. Don’t forget to check back for my journey and reviews of shows in the St. Louis area throughout the rest of 2012 and into 2013! (If the world doesn’t end……hah, jk!)

Love, hugs, and thugs,

Your girl, Mo


The Final Countdown….What Maria’s Getting Pumped About for SC 2012

Hola fellow SCampers!!!

As we approach the weekend we have all been anxiously waiting for, I wanted to take a minute and give you guys a better idea of who I am and what I am going to bring to Summer Camp this year. First and foremost I want to introduce you to the people I am coming to SC with; two of the main people who you will see in my vblogs are dear, close friends of mine who actually introduced me to Summer Camp six years ago and have been there with me every year since, Derrick Lawless and Steve Bannister. Two super chill, awesome people who I met in college and am proud to say will be a part of my life for the rest of it. Come Summer Camp 2050 we will be there rockin’ it out like ever before. There are other friends of mine who are coming, Matt Weiler, Brian Buss, Christina Fountain, and Jake Kuykendall, (if you meet anyone of them, buy them a drink!) most of them are also friends from college who share the love for good music and good times.

One of the reasons that Summer Camp is the ULTIMATE most AMAZING festival is the line up.  Every year I think to myself “man there’s no way this year’s line up is going to be as killer as last year’s” and every time I am proven wrong.  I not only get to see the bands I already love and follow throughout the year; but there are always so many new bands that I fall in love with.

Some of this year the sets that I am looking forward to seeing for the first time are Gigantic Underground Conspiracy; an awesome compilation of artists from several bands who are sure to put on some jams you most certainly don’t want to miss. Tedeschi Trucks Band, I have always wanted to check them out and for some reason or another have never gotten the chance, with that kind of talent I know it’ll be an amazing show. Sun Stereo a sweet local Champaign-Urbana band with a distinct and fresh jazzy-rock feel, check them out in advance on facebook. 

The bands that I have seen many a time before but cannot wait to check out are Lotus, went to their Halloween weekend show in Pittsburgh, PA this past year and it was out of this world good, if you haven’t checked them out – seriously it’s a show you don’t want to miss.  Eoto is probably one of the bands I enjoy seeing live the most – they NEVER disappoint and manage to keep every show super fresh. Lastly can we say Talking Heads cover band? This Must be the Band is definitely one of those I gotta check out, can I put a request in? Let’s hear the Talking Heads song your band is named after =)

Alright so I have limited space and limited time and there are tons of bands I am dying to check out (like two bands not mentioned above who are among my all time favorite bands and who I get to see every year 3 days in a row ONLY at Summer Camp? that’s right…moe. and Umphrey’s), but I can’t talk about them all.  So to let you know more about myself, I grew up on the Beatles, it led the way to harder rock and then jazz, such as Zeppelin and Dave Brubeck, and from there evolved further to include jam and electronic rock.  I appreciate all artistry and talent, but I have a soft heart for drummers as I like to pretend I know how to jam on my used Evans drum set.  I love Summer Camp for various reasons, but one of the main ones is that it was the first music festival of my life. Music has always had such an influential role in the essence of my being and there is no other festival that I feel as in touch with the tunes I love as SC.  This is not your impersonal mob fest, you come to Summer Camp once and you feel like part of an extremely, extremely, large family forever.

On that note, for you first timers let me tell you some of the things I make sure to pack.  For all you ladies, TP is a MUST. As glorious an experience as port-a-potties are, most of them run out of toilet paper and the best thing to do is be prepared, bring some and put a few squares (can you spare a square?) in your pocket.  Next bring some trash bags, it is a privilege to use Three Sisters Park and we need to be responsible, have plenty of trash bags not just for garbage, but you never know what the weather could bring and you’d be surprised how dry one of those can keep you.  Glow sticks are essential, not only do they add to the beautiful sea of lights at night on the main stage but they provide a great atmosphere for campsite hangouts. With all the great shows playing all the time, you are destined to catch some day shows and when the sun is strong some sun screen is essential! I have seen way too many people painfully red from neglecting to get their rub down, so SPF 50 it is! Finally, make sure to bring your crazy. This is a once in a lifetime experience to let go of everything that ties you down and let your true inner-self soar, so bring a happy spirit and leave your worries at home!

As your Summer Camp counselor I want you all to seek me out, let me make this your best Summer Camp yet.  I want encompass the sweetness that is Summer Camp, and the only way I can do that is with your help. You fans are what keep SC alive and I want to show how we bridge the gap between the fans and the bands. Summer Camp is so much more that just music. It is about you living life; lets celebrate it.

I am going to promote some special Summer Camp spirit; my fellow moe.rons and I will be awarding fellow scampers that show special spirit throughout the festival. For example we will award the sweetest campsite, the person with the wildest outfit, the dude/dudette with the most innovative accessory or the neatest jam shout, and many many more; so let us join together and make this year the best Summer Camp EVER woop woop!!

SCampers for life!

Summer Camp Counselor Maria