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Summer Camp
Well here I am again in beautiful Chillicothe, IL.
After 9 years of coming to Summer Camp, Three Sisters Park definitely feels like home. This year I have about 30 people in my crew, I’ve been friends with many of these people since High School, most have been to Summer Camp over 5 times and we even have a handful of Summer Camp virgins. The beauty of Summer Camp is we can act ridiculous without having to think about grown up problems back at home, it’s like being a kid again.
Needless to say, setting up our campsite is quite a task when you have so many people. Luckily, this isn’t my first Summer Camp. I am practically a pro at planning and organizing the dopest campsites and this year was no exception. I was able to choose the most perfect spot right off the path in the woods. Part of being a CIT allows me to enter the camp grounds early on Wednesday to scope out the scene and plan the best spot to call home for the weekend.
Before tent city was built
Once my crew was able to meet up with me and all the essentials were up, we were finally able to crack open a beer and head to our first show of the weekend… Umphrey’s soundcheck 
It was awesome to see over a hundred people to show up just for a soundcheck!
Umphrey’s soundcheck
After meeting all the rest of the CIT’s I headed on over the VIP tent for the 312 Welcoming party. This was a great opportunity to kick back on some recliners and watch a little bit of the Hawks game, which they projected on the ceiling of the tent. I concluded at this time that this might be the most baller spot to hang out at camp.
Hawks Game at the VIP Lounge
On our way back to the Starshine stage to catch Cornmeal a very friendly gentleman gave us a ride on his mustache mobile.
Mustache Ride!!!
Cornmeal was something special. Tons of people were at this set to see one of their favorite bands play one of their last shows with their current lineup. I met some wonderful fans that shared some mixed emotions about seeing these last shows with Allie Krall. I met a wonderful woman named Audrey who wanted to be the official Summer Camp Mom. She definitely has my vote!
Official Summer Camp Mom
Yesterday’s pre-party had a variety pack of music that got me really pumped for the rest of the weekend. My favorite part about the pre-party is the local Midwest flavor that breaks in our dancing shoes and helps us practice our dance moves.
Cornmeal and Friends
Art in the Soulshine Tent
Thursday’s pre-party provided the perfect opportunity to loosen my bones and get my dance moves down pat. It was a long, grueling afternoon, hauling all of our gear from the lot to our campsite, but well worth it. Our site is perfect, we have excellent neighbors and we even got to catch some amazing music. And that was just the pre-party!
I am
PUMPED to kick off my festival season with all you beautiful people at Summer Camp 2013! For my very first blog post ever, I am going to share my thoughts on this year’s ridiculous lineup…..Needless to say, I can’t wait to experience Summer Camp as a CIT! I guess it’s my job to remind my fellow campers to be safe, stay hydrated, and see as much music as possible because this year’s lineup is INSANE! With that being said, hollar at your CIT if you see me around! I love making new friends, especially at Summer Camp!
Well hello fellow campers,
For the past couple of weeks now, I have been counting down the days to this. It’s finally here. Soon, whether young or old, veterans to rookies, or just a hometown kid looking for something to do, you’ll definitely find it here! The 13th annual Summer Camp Music Festival has finally arrived and its about to be one hell of a time! Since this is my first official blog, I want to take a second to thank everyone that helped get me here. Joe Connors, big ups to you for recording everything and taking the time out of your day to do so! Brittany Noonen, thank you for continuing to push me through it even when I felt like I didn’t have a chance to make it! Judy Geick (Mom), a round of applause is in order for you for raising me from the boy that I was into the man I’ve become. Michael Michels (Dad), thank you for never giving up on me, and never letting me do less than what I’m capable of. Fred Geick (Step Dad), thank you for always taking me in as if I was your own. You taught me a lot about who I am and really helped shape me into the person I am today. Also, a shoutout to everyone that voted for me to help make this possible! Hometown kid representing scamp? WHAAAAT!!? The first time that I ever had the pleasure to go to this lovely festival was 7 long years ago.
From the moment that I arrived and stepped foot on to the patches of sand and dirt, I had no idea what to expect. I saw things I had never seen before. Things that others rarely see. A rare spectacle called compassion for a stranger. People everywhere were so generous and thoughtful, kind and caring. Someone who I had never met before that shares the same passion that you have, attitude you carry, and spirit you live. Walking into Three Sisters Park 7 years ago changed my aspect on humanity. It gave me hope that maybe one day everyone would feel this magical, overwhelming power that you have once you enter the festival and leave with it for the rest of your life.
I’m super excited to be writing these blogs for everyone this year so you too can enjoy some of my events with me. Should I go and see Moe or Big Gigantic; Moonshine, or Sunshine; do I want Lays BBQ chips that haven’t been opened or do I stick to what I know and dive into the ant infested French Onion Sunchips because honestly I hate BBQ chips and they really suck! I don’t like making life decisions like this. Thankfully I won’t be alone on my decision making and journey into freedom this year. With me will be my lovely girlfriend of which will be her 3rd year at the festival. My best friend Jon and his super rad girlfriend Katie will also be partaking in the festivities this year. His cousin Fisher and brother Adam will be there. All of whom are virgins to scamp. Other cool cats with us will be Timber and her boyfriend Nick. Pope and his girlfriend Steph and many many more. I cant wait to meet all of you this year and take tons or pictures and write more boring things for you to read and spit on! So until then… HAPPY CAMPING EVERYONE!!!
Last year at exactly this time I ended a 3 1/2 year relationship to go to Summer Camp Music Festival. Say waaah? Okay, so there’s more to the story than that one power-packed line of course. We’ve all had the feeling after a few years of holding hands, finishing each others sentences, keeping the googly eyes in check for that one special someone…..suddenly our eyes wander round and our heart wonders ‘oh what’s beyond the fence’…and we feel a panick, hot flashy sensation in our chest. Yep, that’s where I was at.
And at this time I found out that I had won a camp counselor in training position through Summer Camp’s Camp Counselor contest (an idea funny enough which was my bf’s at the time to enter into). He was graduating from college at the time and after finding out I won he told me he just wouldn’t be able to swing it with family & friends coming to celebrate him, no cash in the wallet and a potential new big boy job on the horizon. Sooo, I cried a little in my mini-wheats and rolled it around over and over in my head for two weeks. What was I going to do? He didn’t want me going without him and with each passing day I felt this need to do this for myself. to prove to myself once again that I could just show up in Chicago with a backpack by myself in the woods and I didn’t need a hand to hold, an eye to watch over me or a safety net to fall into.
I reached out to a girl on the Craigslist ride-board two days before the festival…still rolling it around in my head whether I could do this and if I could actually just hitch a ride with a total stranger. She was a sweet girl, a younger gal’ that went to the college right down the road from me and was offering the spare seat in her Prius. I told her I would let her know and explained a little of my situation. My boyfriend of course told me I was absolutely insane for even considering. So what did I do? The day before I ran to Target and grabbed a single ladies tent, lantern and granola bars then called the girl and told her all cats are a go. She told me to be ready the next morning at 8am.
My boyfriend was out of town playing a show in Tennessee so I simply wrote him a very thoughtful, compassionate letter about how I desperately needed to do this for myself. He would understand right? And then I hit the road with this very sweet young girl in a Prius with the compass set for the woods of Chicago. I showed up with a full pack hovering over me and wandered into the woods not knowing what was going to happen….
If you’ve gone to Summer Camp (or any festival) before, you know there’s probably the person that’s a little too organized with the planning…. nice to meet you, that’s me. But this year, I didn’t send out my usual spreadsheet of packing reminders and to-do’s to our campsite – which is all boys – and it was both missed and requested! So, from your friendly over-organized CIT, here’s my comprehensive go-to packing list. I didn’t include food, since everyone does that a little differently… plus we have fantastic food vendors, and you should support them. Hope it helps you out!
For the Campsite
- Tarps
- Lawn chairs
- Grill
- Camping stove
- Propane
- Lantern
- Radio
- Bugspray
- Sunscreen
- Sleeping bags
- Pillows
- Blankets
- Sheets
- Towels
- Flag Pole
- Car A/C Charger
- Flashlights
Don’t Forget
- Ticket
- Underpants
- Toothbrush/paste
- Shampoo
- Cell phone charger
- Umbrella
- Sunglasses
- Condoms (better safe than sorry)
- Rain Jacket or Poncho or Garbage Bag
- Empty water bottle (to fill @ filling stations)
- Camelbacks
- Deodorant
xoxo, CIT Abby
Leftover Salmon is a Colorado tradition. They are the source from which so much jam and bluegrass flows. String Cheese Incident, Yonder Mountain String Band, and so many others would not be what they are today if it wasn’t for the trail blazed by Salmon on a cold night in Crested Butte over twenty years ago. After an incredible set at Summer Camp i figured it was time for an update from the mountain state. Leftover has gone through some transitions through the years. The passing of Mark Vann, the departure of Jeff Sipe and Bill McKay, the search for formidable replacement on banjo that ended with Andy Thorn have all had an effect on the band. They have persevered and their music is as vibrant as ever.
Their show at The Aggie Theater in Fort Collins was completely sold out meaning tight quarters were the order of the night. I staked my spot Vince side on the rail. They took the stage just before 10 PM with a quick “Liza.”
Set I: Liza, Gulf Of Mexico, Voodoo Queen Marie, Aquatic Hitchhiker, Gold Hill Line, Sing Up To The Moon, Morning Sun, Highway Song, BooBoo*, You Can Find Some Other Man, Lonesome Johnny Blues**, Danger Man**
Set II: Gonna Have A Party, Here Comes The Night, Walking Shoes, Bend In The River, Light Behind The Rain, Riding On The L & N, The Other Side, Mr. Wrong**, Come On Baby**, Out In The Woods**, Railroad Blues**, River’s Rising
ENCORE: Euphoria
*W/ Friends on Drums
**W/ Johnny Hickman on Guitar, Harmonica, and Vocals
Big thanks to Rob O’Brien for taping and posting on Archive. http://archive.org/details/los2013-04-13.24bit
This show was a non-stop shredfest that showcased the new era of Leftover Salmon. The setlist is a mix of fresh and classic with a few surprises thrown in for good measure. “Gulf Of Mexico,” which is basically an indictment of BP and the devastation they caused to the costal waters, was a nice touch. Their Zydeco was showing with “Voodoo Queen Marie,” but it was “Aquatic Hitchhiker” that made jaws drop. This instrumental song built so beautifully, relying heavily on Andy Thorn’s banjo. Andy really has revitalized this band in a big way and continues to keep the energy at peak level. “Gold Hill Line” was a quick, but passionate version with Drew on vocals before they invited a few friends to help with percussion on “BooBoo. “You Can Find Some Other Man” kept up their breakneck pace before they called their old friend Johnny Hickman to the stage. Hickman is from the alternative rock group Cracker and he along with David Lowery recorded bluegrass versions of their songs with Leftover Salmon performing as the backing band. The result was an album entitled O Cracker Where Art Thou?. Hickman is an accomplished guitarist with a rowdy, bluesy feel to his style. Much like what Bill McKay brought to the table, Hickman transformed Leftover Salmon into a rocking bar band. They blasted through two Cracker tunes, “Lonesome Johnny Blues” and “Danger Man” before taking a short set break.
Thirty minutes later the band and opened up round two with “Gonna Have A Party.” We were treated to a subtly stunning “Here Comes The Night,” before coming back to one of their newer songs, “Walking Shoes.” There seems to be a more tuned in consciousness in their lyrics than some of their early work. There is a maturity that only comes with being on the road for two decades and it is seeping into everything they do. Drew busted out his fiddle for “Bend In The River,” which is always a treat, but the highlight of the show was the Andy Thorn sung “Light Behind The Rain.” They slamgrassed us with “Riding On The L & N,” before Drew’ mandolin took the driver’s seat with the Salmon classic “The Other Side.” They invited Hickman back to the stage for a four-song run of both Cracker and Salmon tunes that left fans happy. The version of “Out In The Woods” was yet another highlight in show filled to the brim with high points. They closed the set with an absolute barnburner rendition of “River’s Rising” that showcased the evocative vocals of Mr. Emmitt. There is something about his voice that stays with you long after the amps have been put away for the night.
Leftover Salmon came back to the stage with a quick “Euphoria” and as quickly as it started it was over. This is the type of show that leaves you all bubbles and sunshine. The rain had begun to drizzle as the capacity crowd filtered out into the night. Exhausted smiles dotted the faces of the people as they wiped the sweat from their brows. It was a good night of Salmon and an energizing way to spend a Saturday evening in Fort Collins. For a band that has been on the road for so long it would be easy for them to become blasé as well. However LoS is always innovating, inviting guests, and generally leaving it all out on every stage they play. This a new dawn for this band and I for one am happy to be witnessing their rebirth.
There is nothing like the budding beauty of Chicago in the Spring and no more amazing of a place than Wrigleyville, home to the Chicago Cubs. Just round the corner from the home plate entrance to the renowned Wrigley Field is the go-to joint for Cubby fans year-round, aptly named the Cubby Bear. What better way to kick off the 2013 Scamp season with a lil’ pre-fest shindig than with a pre-jam with two members from one of Summer Camp’s headlining jam legends.
Ohhhh mama, that’s right! Jake Cinniger and Brendan Bayliss of Umphrey’s McGee are planning on tearing down the Cubsters house May 9th to make sure you Scampers have your game face on for 2013! And they won’t be alone in laying down the shiz and amping the Chi-town scene for what’s to come. They’ll have a little help from one of Chicago’s own, Zmick, a four piece prog rock band whose sound is dubbed ‘dungeon funk’! If you haven’t allowed your ears the hypnotic pleasure of taking in the multi-layered bass-laden grooves of these boys, then do yourself a favor– DO IT NOW!! (If you love UM, you’ll dig Zmick and I say this as a hardcore prog. rock bass head)
Just a little jammage to get us all toasty before the big party! Rock Balls!
Jennifer Hartswick discusses everything from TAB at Summer Camp to her latest album The Ocean Floor. She is a force to be reckoned with at the festival, taking part in multiple sets with a wide array of artists throughout the weekend. She dives into her first experience at Summer Camp as a patron not a performer and how that began her infatuation with this Midwest tradition. Take a look.
My friend, Melody was celebrating her annual trip around the sun, so it was it great excuse to come down to The Ogden for a night of rowdiness with the Dang Ol’ Dark Star Orchestra. With the exodus for John K for greener pastures, Jeff Mattson has filled the void nicely with his spot on guitar tone and solid vocals. We met for some pre-show libations at The Snug before hitting The Ogden around 9 PM. The room was filling in properly, but it wasn’t overly packed. There seemed to be an abundance of Dead Family in attendance, which made me wonder if they were on DSO tour. The idea seemed silly, but if you are truly looking for authenticity and to relive the shows of a bygone era, it makes sense.
“I literally just got out of jail.” – Random Concertgoer
Dark Star took the stage just before 9:30 PM. They performed a show from October 9th, 1977 that took place just down the street at McNichols Arena. The show reads like a Greatest Hits album. Rob Barroco dedicated the show to fallen fan Joel Campbell, who passed away in a tragic car crash earlier this month.
Set 1: New Minglwood Blues, They Love Each Other, Cassidy, Dire Wolf, Looks Like Rain, Brown Eyed Women, Lazy Lightnin’> Supplication, Sugaree, The Music Never Stopped
Set 2: Samson and Delilah, Scarlet Begonias> Fire On The Mountain, Estimated Prophet> He’s Gone> Truckin’> Drums> Terrapin Station> Around And Around
Encore: Casey Jones
The original show is up on Archive, Thanks to Charlie Miller for posting. http://archive.org/details/gd1977-10-09.sbd.miller.109972.flac16
I’ve said it before, but Dark Star Orchestra is not really a cover band, they are historical re-creationists. They are more akin to the people reliving Civil War battles every weekend than say Super Diamond. Since I’m not talking about anything new here, I’ll just stick to the facts. They opened with a fiery “New Minglewood Blues” that certainly got the crowd’s attention. By now the room, while not completely sold out, was certainly at capacity. In fact it was the perfect amount of people in my opinion; enough room to maneuver, and plenty of people to fill in the gaps. The “Cassidy” was precise and made for a beautiful back and forth between Donna stand-in Lisa Mackey and Rob Eaton. “The Music Never Stopped” was executed perfectly as it became a huge peak prior to the setbreak.
They opened the second set with an astounding “Samson and Delilah” but it was the “Scarlet” “Fire” that got the crowd standing at attention. Around this time I found myself in the smoking section and heard this gem.
“Man, Jerry is so good tonight.” – Random Concertgoer
The “Terrapin” hit the mark before a huge set closing “Around and Around” that featured a stellar “Johnny B. Goode” tease that left me wanting more. They said their goodbyes with a quick “Casey Jones” to close the night. I have to say that DSO has never sounded better, and their attention to detail continues to impress. If you have a hankering for the Good Ol’ Grateful Dead, this will most definitely cure what ails you.
