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Summer Camp 2012
Hello everyone! Summer Camp 2013 is coming up quickly so I figured it was about time to share with everyone the interview I was able to do with Janis Wallin and Jordan Wilkow of Family Groove Company.
In the interview we discuss Family Groove Company growing with the festival over the last 9 years, their favorite collaborations with artists at Summer Camp, and why checking out the workshops at Summer Camp is so important.
I hope everyone enjoys this interview and is looking forward to attending Summer Camp Music Festival 2013 as much as I am.
Sorry I haven’t been on here in some months. I had some pretty big things going on in my life. But besides that, I just wanted to take a moment and remember a great Summer Camp neighbor Jay, in which my friend Joe, my man Adam, our friends, and I got to know at Summer Camp 2012 and we were looking forward to camping by him again in 2013. Luckily, my friends got to neighbor-up with him at Electric Forest a month after Scamp 2012. But unfortunately, Jay passed away in January. He was such a kind and sharing person and had the best hangout spot in our neighborhood at Scamp, and with the few days that I got to know him, he made it perfectly clear that he loved his dubstep, electronica music, and anyone he came in contact with. R.I.P. Jay buddy, we’ll rage it up this year in your memory! You showed me that Scamp neighbors are the best neighbors!
<3 your girl,
MoMo
Friends and Neighborinos at Summer Camp 2012………..Joe (far left in blue shorts), Adam (down front in yellow), me (in black down front next to dew sign), and Jay (far right with a beard and gray hat with his lady) <3
So, if you know me or have read any of my posts here thus far, you know that I’m a die hard UM fan. I cheated on my boys this Halloween and traveled down a dusty little jingly side road to see moe. at the Ryman in Nashville with a few of my new beloved scamper friends. It wasn’t my first moe. experience by any means. I saw them first in 2005 in Asheville, hit up a few of their sets at festivals and of course saw them rock it hard at Summer Camp 2012. I kind-of fell off the moe. wagon after they split and never really got back in the groove with ‘em until this past scamp– sad yes. But, as I was telling my friend Billy Ray, that’s what music is there for. You pick it up, move with it, cry to it, make love with it then put it down like a tired relationship.
First off, the Ryman (aka: The old Grand ole’ Oprey) is absolutely gorgeous– an old world palace with charm and grace and more beautiful war stories than a retired Vietnam vet. When we walked in, the stage was filled with sunflowers, from the floor to the ceiling. The lights shimmered sweet fluorescent fall hues of orange and yellow. And then moe. took the stage with creepy Vanilla Sky style masks and serious pursed lips. They played the creepy Halloween roles up, staring the crowd down and taking their places then rolled into a slow moving ‘Bones of Lazarus’.
The crowd hooted and hollered and shouted Chuck’s name as they drifted into one of my personal faves, ‘Haze’. “Heeey lets go, doesn’t really matter when or where…” Moerons were boogyin’ like it was 1999. A boy scout beside me, dressed in full attire, from a completely moe. patched up sash with matching knee high socks, shuffled his feet as his broken arm rested in a sling. The crowd roared as they jammed into ‘Downward Facing Dog’, ‘Rainshine’ and ‘Smoke’, killing each one in ususal moe. fashion, with hard hitting vocals, strong guitar rips and those twinkly little up-beats that Vinnie beautifully throws in the mix.
By set break, the crowd had figured out the theme of the evening. Moe. was playing three albums through and through, cover to cover. It was a magical night filled with breakout jams of songs that haven’t been played in years like ‘Long Island Girls Rule’, ‘The Battle of Benny Hill’, ‘That Coffee Tune’ and ‘Brain Tuba’, Thank you moe. It was an evening I’ll certainly never forget! To listen to the whole mind melting experience, click HERE!
You may have been keeping tabs on the fiery 2012 political debates with Romney and Obama squaring off in a battle of health care reform, tax breaks for the rich and pure suit and tie debauchery on all fronts. However, on the sidelines an important battle in jamband land has slowly gained attention as percussionist Andy Farag and keyboardist Joel Cummins throw dirty funked-up blows across the stage. That’s right– the boys of Umphrey’s McGee have had enough and they’re not concerned with Obamacare of Romney’s 47% because they have hardcore stimulus packages of their own. Oooh dirty.
So, who really is the people’s President? The slickest melody maker that will take away suffering for all of UM nation? Farag stands firm by solid middle class values and is firnly rooted in his solidarity with all Um-freaks to create a more loving community in jam nation. Listen to his platform strong points HERE! Unfortunately, we hear nothing of free BBQ topped with Andy’s famous southern rub for all nor do I hear anything about UM dance parties filled with techno-colored care bears and moustache rides. Dismissing those strong points from his argument truly make me question his so called desire to unify the divisions singer Brendan Bayliss so fondly sings of.
Meanwhile, the weathered and wrinkled keys master Mr. Cummins , stands firmly by his belief and love in America. In fact, he repeats the point one too many times in his weak opening argument. He speaks of economic freedom and the ability to make our children’s dreams come true using tried and true good ol’ American ideals. He attacks Farag for his eratic drug use and inability to run UM nation while he’s all doped out in his apartment, teary eyed and eating cookie dough while banging around on a new drum set bought with the people’s money. Mister Cummins intent focus on some Candy Land version of childhood however just may prove how out of touch an old mind can be.
Ultimately, it it is up to you– the fans. Who will you trust to run UM nation?
The progressive rock gods of Umphrey’s Mcgee are on fire these days, wielding their finely tuned instruments as golden swords in the battle of jam band face melting show stoppers. Their infamous Summer Camp 2012 sets blazed the woods with their usual intricate and intensely woven jam-rock ballads, keeping both die-hard UM fans satisfied and newcomers yearning for more. In case you live on another planet and aren’t familiar with their unique, experimental melodies, let me break it down for you.
Their sound is like no other, offering listeners a poo-poo platter of hard rock, funk, blues and electronica, all mushed together with a sweet rhythm melody pulling all of the flavors into one mouthwatering meal that only leaves you guessing what will come next and hungry for more. In fact, Relix magazine dubbed them The Last Jamband Standing in their March issue this year, dishing them out as playing “some of the most densely composed rock around, changing keys and time signatures with head-spinning” finesse”. And those words are so true.
After wowing scampers with their eclectic 80s hair band dance grooves, Umphrey’s McGee has continue to make hefty rock god waves in their intense summer tour, giving younger music lovers around the world a taste of the old-school jam band festival scene. From their mind-blowing four hour rock-n-roll late night spectacle at Bonnarroo to their rollicking beach-side show at Hangout Fest in Alabama, Umphrey’s Mcgee is a band you don’t want to miss this year. Tickets are still available for their upcoming Red Rocks show in September as well as their recently announced New Years Atlanta run! See you on the dance floor! ~Tiffany
I was SOOO nervous…I was pacing; I was worried I would fall, I would trip, I would stutter, I would pee my pants…luckily none of that happened and I am so relieved. It was a great experience, such a natural euphoria to be up there in front of so many people and getting to announce one my my favorite bands of all time. I wish I could do it every year! As I have reiterated over and over, all the band members were ultra cool and made me feel comfortable going into it and that for sure helped. Thanks again, guys! You rock…in every way =)
Day Three at Summer Camp also known as Field Day was one for the books. It is perhaps the most classic of SCamp lineups with the moe. and Umphrey’s McGee tag teaming the headline slots of the evening. But first it was time to get dirty. I got up and went through my morning routine, getting ice, and getting ready for the day. I made my way to The Church to charge batteries and post for the festival. I got a chance to really meet up with the CITs and chat a bit with them about their coverage. The CITs this year brought their “A” game, and really stepped up the level of coverage from last year. They had some solid support that allowed them to hit it hard. I have to say the entire program has really come a long way. Last year the CITs and myself as Camp Counselor were largely left to our own devices. This year they had help with interviews and to really fan out across the festival to bring a wide array of perspectives to the blog. It was great to see them along with Maria really take on their role in a big way. It made me miss my crew from last year.
It was off to Field Day, and to represent for the Purple Team. As the Online Purple Team Captain I felt it was my responsibility to get out and participate in this incredible aspect of the festival. Last year was the inaugural year and the Red Team took away the honors. This year the Yellow Team had a strong presence, but time would tell who would take the trophy. The first event of the day was Sunrise Kickball, which due to the fact that I was up late for Ha Ha The Moose was not an option for me. Actually as I was crawling into my tent I heard a couple of my neighbors getting up to go see Stasik and kick a few balls. The Saturday competition began with Capture The Flag. Last year Purple Team won this one and I wanted to make it happen again. We were a man short and I actually grabbed a SCamper who happened to be walking by. That kid was simply amazing. He singlehandedly snagged two flags before he was tagged out. We were down to just two men and managed to retrieve the Yellow Flag for the win. Next up was tug-o-war. We quickly won the first round against Red and it was a final between Purple and Blue. The Purple Team pulled it off giving us a solid lead to start the day.
I ventured off to see Umphrey’s McGee playing a private show in The Church as part of their VIP Picnic offering. I asked Vince if I could slide in the back to witness the fun, he very nicely obliged. It was a small show with maybe a hundred or so hardcore Umphreaks in the building.
SET I: Slacker, Booth Love, Mamu, Wizard Burial Ground, A Go-Go
ENCORE: Much Obliged
Here’s a short video Maria this year’s Camp Counselor snagged from the show.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pZuYaR9ei0
The sound was intense as it blasted off the walls of the small enclosure. It quickly became warm as the faithful fans danced away the afternoon. I would say that it might have been the hottest set of the weekend, most certainly in temperature. The highlight of the show was a bust out of Mamu, which UM has not played in four years. All in all I was truly thankful to have witnessed it given the fact that it was a last minute addition to my Summer Camp experience.
Afterwards I headed back for Field Day and watched the Purple Team go undefeated in Flip Cup. It was looking like this rag tag group of fans might just pull it off. Next up was Dodge Ball and it was a tight race. It came down to one Purple Teamer against one from Yellow who happed to be a member of a certain family known for frequenting the rail as a unit. Obviously people were rooting for the kid, but in the end he was hit out and the Purple Team was victorious. As long as Red didn’t win Arm Wrestling the Purple Team would get the title of 2012 Field Day Champions. Luckily it was Yellow who won their only event of the weekend and Team Purple took the trophy. I was pretty stoked, but it was time to head out and catch some live music.
I headed over to the Soulshine Tent to see Marc Ross of Rock The Earth hosting a performance and discussion with Chuck Garvey. I entered to see The Ragbirds finishing up their set and was happy to see them. I caught them last year and they have such an amazing energy and vibrancy to their performances. Lead by Erin Zindle whom I had a chance to chat with at The Floodwood show at the VIP bar the previous evening. She is simply stunning playing a djembe to a bubbly crowd. She has a sugary voice that fits tightly into their organic, World sound. I saw the last three songs of their set and was happier for it.
Marc hosted an interesting conversation with Mr. Garvey that included not only their views on the environment but also a detailed discussion on Chuck’s musical roots.
SET: Where Does The Time Go, Suck A Lemon, Hi and Low*, Bell Bottom Blues**
*w/ Vinnie Amico
** w/ Vinnie Amico and Brendon
You can watch the entire set and discussion at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09emXkCHnwY. Thanks to foosman1 for posting.
Non-profits have always had a prominent place at Summer Camp. When thousands of people gather in one locale it’s an opportunity for us all to learn together. That’s exactly what this was, and I want to personally thank Marc for hosting such an awesome event.
I met up with Amy at the Rock The Earth show and we headed over to The Campfire Stage to see Denver locals The Lumineers. We have both been infatuated with this band as of late and it just so happened that we had to travel a thousand miles across the country to see this local phenomenon. They are an acoustic stick of dynamite pulsating with energy and charisma. It’s only a matter of time before they absolutely explode on the level of Mumford & Sons or The Avett Brothers. Bully to Summer Camp for having the foresight to include them on the lineup. Highlights from the set included “Flowers In Your Hair” and their single “Ho Hey.” I reluctantly left a few minutes early to go and see Gov’t Mule on the big stage.
Warren Haynes is the hardest workingman in jam. He is a member of Gov’t Mule, The Allman Brothers, Phil & Friends, various other Dead-related Projects, and he has a solo band. I have always been impressed with his playing as well as his work ethic, and Mule was a solid addition to the Summer Camp lineup.
SET I: Kind of Bird, Temporary Saint, Gameface, Beautifully Broken, Trampled Under Foot, The Other One Jam, Hunger Strike> Dear Mr. Fantasy> Hunger Strike, When The Music’s Over
The set is available for purchase on Mule Tracks.
The “Beautifully Broken” was soul melting and showed us the tender side of Mr. Haynes. Matt Abts on the kit was an absolute machine bringing his complete prowess to the performance. Teasing “The Other One” before a “Hunger Strike” sandwich that contained Traffic’s “Dear Mr. Fantasy” was stunning. His southern style was an excellent touch to the fest, and I’m always happy to see The Mule.
It was time for the main event, a bare-knuckle boxing match between moe. and Umphrey’s McGee. I raced over to the pit so I could shoot the McGgee.
SET I: Tango Mike> The Floor> Through The Cracks, Bridgeless> Utopian Fir, August, 1348> Bridgeless
SET II: Depth Charge*, Hurt Bird Bath, Comma Later> Nothing Too Fancy, Tom Sawyer, The Triple Wide> Hangover> 1348
ENCORE: All In Time
*First Time Played
You can listen or download the show on Archive at http://archive.org/details/um2012-05-26.mk4_16bit. Thanks again to tonedeaf for posting.
Again it was back and forth shows with sets splayed out like a fine double-decker sandwich but I will start with UM. The master shredders pulled out all the stops for their Saturday night at Summer Camp. Kris just kills the kit every time blasting on the double petal like a man running for his life. The “Tango Mike” into “The Floor” opener was almost scary as I hopped around the pit taking photos. Their first set seemed to fly by but the newly debuted “Through The Cracks” with it’s funky swagger stayed with me. They utilized “Bridgeless” as the crux of the rest of the set, but I left before they made it back to it for moe.
After moe.’s first set I returned to The Sunshine stage to get a bit more of the Umph. The first time played “Depth Charge” was a sinister kick to the shins that featured some stellar guitar work from Jake. The “Nothing Too Fancy” stretched to well over fifteen minutes and saw the band really building towards something. It nice to see the “ADD Band” let a jam grow naturally. However the obvious highlight was the Bayliss sung version of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer.” I ended up heading back for moe. during “Hangover.” As much as I love me some Umphrey’s, moe. keeps pulling me back.
moe. began their Saturday night with the Chuck sung “Wind It Up” and they most definitely sounded like they were ready to play.
SET I: Wind It Up, Big World> Ricky Marten> Californ IA> Moth, Happy Hour Hero*, White Lighting**> George
SET II: The Road, Paper Dragon> Haze, Shoot First> Meat> Billy Goat
ENCORE: Plane Crash
*w/ Warren Haynes
**First Time Played
You can download the recording on Archive http://archive.org/details/moe2012-05-26 – Thanks to Travis Souza for posting.
Al got snappy on “Big World” before the whole band blasted off with “Ricky Marten.” “Moth” would have been the highlight of the set had Warren Haynes himself not stepped out for “Happy Hour Hero.” His southern slide guitar really altered the jam on this song. It was a great juxtaposition to see a bunch of Yankees jamming with the south’s incomparable son. Next up was a new song with Rob on vocals entitled “White Lighting.” I think it’s great that both moe. and Umphrey’s are comfortable enough to debut songs at Summer Camp. It’s a great Petri dish for fans to get a taste of new tunes, and it seems like every year one of them is introducing something fresh. They ended with an extended “George.”
For the second set we headed up to watch moe. from the side stage. It’s a vantage point I will never tire of seeing them from. The hour and half set was full of massive jams including a twenty-five minute “Meat.” Few jam bands these days can even stay on a song for that long, so it’s great to see moe. really going deep on this track. They kept it up with a big “Billy Goat” to close out their second set. They encored with a predictable but always welcome “Plane Crash.”
It would have been easy to call it a night right then and there but the draw of seeing Umphrey’s Biscuit performing songs by Pink Floyd and The Beatles was too much to pass up. Billed as The Brain Damaged Eggmen, Magner and Brownie from tDB joined Kris, Bayliss, and Jake from UM for this exceptionally rare performance. Joel came out as a front man for a version of “In The Flesh” as well.
SET I: Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band> In The Flesh> Another Brick In The Wall> Jam> Fearless> Tomorrow Never Knows, Have A Cigar> Jam> Breathe, Jam> Comfortably Numb, I Am The Walrus> Jam, Brain Damage/Eclipse
Additional highlights of the show included a powerful “Fearless” and a sick “I Am The Walrus.” They ran through a wide array of songs from each band’s catalog adding the twist that only an Umphrey’s/Bisco side project could inject. It was definitely a fun way to end the night. We headed back to our campsite ready for one more day as Summer Camp 2012.
Video Links
Summer Camp implemented a lot of new technology this year including RFID chips in the bracelets. This is an entirely current advance that helps with security and well as tracking the crowds. In the future it could aid in finding your friends on your smart phone, but I think we are still a few years away from that. I woke up early as the sun bled into my tent. It was the first time in years that I didn’t camp in the woods, which meant that I was up by 9 AM each day to get going on my coverage. I tossed some fresh ice in the cooler and grabbed a shower all of which were conveniently located in the VIP area. By 11 AM I had eaten and was ready for some fun. I opted to save my strength for moe.’s opening set.
I remember being very nervous last year waiting to introduce moe. Maria was calm and collected as she fired up the crowd for an early set by the boys from New York. It was a great kickoff to the official festival; they opened with a fiery “Not Coming Down.”
SET I: Not Coming Down> Wormwood> Downward Facing Dog, Queen Of Everything> Timmy Tucker, All Roads Lead To Home, Crab Eyes, Spine Of A Dog> Buster, Okayalright
You can listen to the set on Archive at http://archive.org/details/moe2012-05-25.mk41.sonosax.m10.flac16 – Thanks to Bean for posting.
moe. came out of the chute with all guns blazing. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, when a band has an unbroken streak like they have, there is nothing they can’t accomplish. The three part rhythm section of Vinnie, Jim, and Rob rips like a well-oiled machine giving Al and Chuck plenty of room to soar. I continue to be impressed by them at every turn and they are my main reason for coming to Summer Camp. This set featured a massive “Timmy Tucker” that just seemed to go on and on. Their segues were crispy especially the transition from “Spine Of A Dog” into a rowdy “Buster.” They closed their too quick set with a brief “Okayalright.”
I took the opportunity to go charge my batteries at The Church and check in with the crew. Holly had assembled a great group to help everyone. Matt, Danny, and Graham all pitched in to make the weekend run smoothly and I really appreciated their help. After a few posts online and a bottle of water it was back to the main stage for Keller Williams. He emerged from the backstage already strumming guitar like a rascally bard donning a black handkerchief covering his face ala the cover of Thief. He opened with, “I Feel Love” into “Breathe.”
SET I: I Feel Love> Breathe> Turtle In The Front Row> Acoustic Jam> Looping and Intro> Breathe> Freeker By The Speaker> Dragon Attack, I Told You I Was Freaky> Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked, Floatin’ On The Freshies, Doobie In My Pocket, Loop Jam> Born To Be Wild*
*with Al Schnier
You can listen to the show on Archive at – http://archive.org/details/kw2012-05-25.mk4_16bit – thanks to tonedeaf for posting.
Keller is another one of those artists that is an intrinsic part of the lineup. It would feel weird if he wasn’t there. Even though he had to travel across the country for a performance at Delfest the same weekend he made it point to give us a great afternoon set. The massive “Breathe” was simply stunning showcasing everything Keller brings to the table from acoustic picking to his looping. The “Freeker” got the whole audience in synch and segued into Queen’s “Dragon Attack”. And without missing a beat he went into The Flight of The Concords’ “I Told You I Was Freaky.” I mean who on earth but Keller would string those songs together? Seeing him play is like a random flow of consciousness, which is why I love watching him perform so much. My one request this year was to see Leftover Salmon on the bill so I had to leave during “Doobie In My Pocket” so as not to miss a note. Unfortunately that meant I missed Al’s sit-in on a transcendental “Born To Be Wild.” The nice thing is I can always go back and listen to the recording, which you should do too if you didn’t catch it.
Leftover Salmon is fresh off their incredible performance on the streets of Denver, and I have been sharing my excitement about their resurgence with anyone who will listen. You can read about their show on Santa Fe on the Summer Camp Blog.
SET I: Gulf of Mexico, Just Keep Driving, Liza, Midnight Blues, Aquatic Hitchhiker, Sing Up To The Moon, Highway Song, Better, Light Behind The Rain, Bend In The River
They began with a trio of tunes off of their new release Aquatic Hitchhiker, showing they were ready to set the afternoon on fire. Andy Thorn has truly reinvigorated the band in a big way, adding both his banjo and his vocals to the mix. Salmon has come full circle and I foresee big things for them in the near future. The highlight of their set was a Drew Emmitt lead “Highway Song” that basically melted face.
“I don’t always drink beer, but when I do I drink it at Summer Camp.” – Drew Emmitt
Drew was referencing at totem that featured the spokesman from Dos Equ+is hovering about the crowd. I feel it’s moments like this that also show the playful nature they all have onstage now. They closed their hour long set with a classic “Bend In The River.”
After a quick trip to post and grab a battery at The Church I was back in the pit for Weir Robinson Green Acoustic Trio at The Sunshine Stage. As they walked out in front of the crowd I quietly checked photographing Bobby off of my life to-do list. They opened with an audience pleasing “Truckin.”
SET I: Truckin’> New Speedway Boogie, Ain’t Broke, Iko Iko, Deep River Blues, West LA Fadeaway, Deep Elem Blues> Dark Hollow, East Virginia Blues, When I Paint My Masterpiece, Uncle John’s Band, Hey Mona, Not Fade Away
I found their mellow flow and musical camaraderie to be quite inviting. Bobby gave both Jackie and Chris ample opportunities to harmonize as well take a few numbers on their own. “West LA Fadeaway” made everyone stand at attention. The “Deep Elem Blues” into “Dark Hollow” was mesmerizing. Amy and I found a spot in the shade and danced away the afternoon. They ended their set with a perfect, “Not Fade Away.” I was ecstatic as I headed to Cornmeal at The Moonshine stage.
For the second time in two days I was seeing Chicago jamgrass monsters Cornmeal. They have come so far in the last few years, tying up all loose ends musically and coming together as one amazing musical unit. The turnout for this set was a little lax but all those who made it down for the set were dancing up a dust storm. I make it a point to see them whenever they make it to the Front Range and seeing them two days in a row at Summer Camp is just one more cherry on the massive sundae that is this festival. The highlight of the set may have been the down tempo “Old Virginia,” which always seems to melt my heart whenever I get the chance to see it live. We stayed until just after 7:00 PM and skedaddled back Sunshine for the Umph.
Following the same formula as last year, with moe. during the day and Umphrey’s headlining the night, Friday belongs to the McGee.
SET I: Gurgle> 2nd Shelf, Pay The Snucka> Miami Virtue> Glory, 2×2, Ringo, Loose Ends> Puppet String
SET II: Jekyll & Hyde> Ocean Billy> Mulche’s Odyssey, Bright Lights, Big City> Dump City> Ocean Billy, 40’s Theme, Forty Six & 2, Day Nurse> Pay The Snucka
The full show is up on Archive at http://archive.org/details/um2012-05-25.mk4_24bit – Thanks again to tonedeaf for posting.
Now there was a Gogol Bordello show between these two sets, but I’ll get to that. With three full hours of stage time Umphrey’s took us on a musical journey that ran the gambit of what they are capable of. The most striking thing about UM is how incredibly tight they are, they’ve been called an ADD band because of their predilection to stop on a dime and rip off in another direction. I would go so far as to say they can stop on a dime, do a cartwheel, leave seven cents change, pickpocket your sister, and shake your hand at the same time.
Summer Camp, it is so good to be back. Hands down my favorite fuckin’ festival. – Ryan Stasik
Their Friday show as a whole exemplifies why Umphrey’s is perhaps the last great jamband slashing tunes that spanned progressive to death metal and everything in between. The “Pay The Snucka,” which is arguably my favorite song of theirs, went keyboard trance before breaking down into “Miami Virtue.” I cannot stress how good they are, and just when I think they have peaked I see a show like Friday at Summer Camp. They continue to build and build adding new tricks to their repertoire. The “Ringo” was yet another high point in the show before they ended their first set with “Loose Ends” into “Puppet String.”
The second set started on the darkest of tones with “Jekyll & Hyde” and began their back and forth with a massive “Ocean Billy” sandwich. The meat of that sandwich was a brain-shattering “Mulche’s Odyssey” and an 80’s sounding “Bright Lights, Big City” into “Dump City.” They finished their show by going back into “Snucka.” It was simply put a solid outing by the boys from Chicago.
During setbreak I high-tailed it over to see Gogol Bordello. Having never seen them live before I knew they were high energy, but little could have prepared me for the gypsy punk explosion I witnessed. Passing vocals around the stage like a hot potato with members of the band seeming to appear out of nowhere to take a turn at the microphone. The instrumentation alone was enough to make my head spin. They are most definitely a band I will see again.
After UM I ran over to catch Primus. They opened with their standard “Those Damn Blue-Collar Tweekers.” Primus just sounds amazing right now. They are on point and were a great addition to the Summer Camp lineup. By all accounts they stole the weekend with both a Gogol Bordello sit-in as well a version “The Other One” with Bob Weir. However I have to honestly say I left about halfway through the show in order to regroup at camp before late night in the barn. I’ve always known that you can’t see it all, and with a few overlapping sets, some hard decisions have to be made. It’s that way at every festival and Summer Camp is no exception. An old friend of mine who I reconnected with at SCamp this year said it best.
“A music festival isn’t about who you choose to see, it’s about who you choose to miss.” – Concert Joe
We headed back to camp midway through Primus to recharge and get ready for late night. Suddenly I remembered that Floodwood was playing a midnight set at the VIP bar. We headed over as they were sound checking and getting ready to play. This show ended up being one of my highlights of the entire weekend. It gave me a chance to focus on them with a much smaller audience than the night before. And it also became a big social event with Ian, BC, and Shane from Fort Collins, making it down. It really felt like a family affair. They invited Kris Norwak up on stage to close out their hour and suddenly it was time to head back up to the barn.
As we arrived we saw Cornmeal tuning up on stage. They were joined by all of Elephant Revival for a massive clusterpluck for the lucky crowd. It was yet another gigantic jam breaking out at Summer Camp for anyone who happens to pass by. Are we seeing a theme? We hung out until Elephant Revival left the stage to hit the road that night for another festival, and headed into the Red Barn for a much-anticipated set of Ha Ha The Moose.
Amy and I had been talking about this show since we say that it was on the line up. We knew we would be up late on Friday for the festive occasion. For those that don’t know Ha Ha features Dr. Guano, Jeff Von Kickass, and Sludge from Christmas Island. It was a bizarro show with the three of them donning bright orange prison jumpsuits, luchador masks, and giant moose ears like that of some odd fraternal organization. As they strutted out to the stage, fans began booing and cursing the band. I found myself grinning from ear to ear as I had stumbled upon something utterly silly like a master’s degree art project gone awry. After some back and forth between the audience and the band they opened with Poison’s, “Talk Dirty To Me.”
SET I: Talk Dirty To Me, 20lbs of Shit in a 2lb Bag, Ha Ha The Moose, Sexy And I Know It, Mr. Her, Looking Down The Barrel of A Gun> Apostrophe , 10 Things Vin’s Likely To Say, Thirsty Carbunckle, Rednecks Are Everywhere, In The Name of Freedom, Devil Toad, Fuck This Shit!
You can listen to this show, and you should, on Archive. http://archive.org/details/HHtM2012-05-26 – Thanks to jesse d scott for posting.
“This is the worst crowd I’ve ever seen in my life… I want to thank the Illinois Regional Correctional Facility for letting us out for the night.” – Dr. Guano
This was just a wild ride, and musically as you might expect it was top notch. However, I felt utterly compelled to boo. It was that type of blatantly silly experience and even though the hour was very late, I was dancing wildly. Their version of LMFAO’s “Sexy And I Know It,” had me in stitches as Guano belted out, “Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle.” Commander Nad joined them on “10 Things Vin’s Most Likely To Say.” Perhaps the most hilarious song they preformed was “In The Name Of Freedom,” where Dr. Guano actually got off the stage and asked members of the crowd what they would do in the name of freedom.
Guano -“Barry my friend what would you do for freedom?”
Barry – “Obviously listen to this crap at four o’clock in the morning.”
Guano – “This is a god damn waste of time.”
So to sum it up this was a complete and utter waste of a Red Barn show and I can’t believe I stayed up all night to see this horrible excuse for a band. But seriously go see Ha Ha The Moose if you don’t value your time. We managed to get to bed after the set that stretched to 4 AM, content with the thought that we had two more days of Summer Camp ahead of us, and Ha Ha The Moose behind us.
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