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Umphrey’s McGee
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
You know sometimes when you listen to an album and it feels like the lyrics to each song are narrating your life story at that exact point in time. Well right now, David Byrne must be the fly on the wall playing Best of the Talking Heads and reading my mind. To help you understand what I mean, observe the course of events leading up to this once in a lifetime chance to get into the heaven that is Summer Camp.
And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house with a beautiful wife
And you may ask yourself, “Well, how did I get here?”
That was me in a nutshell at the beginning of April. I wasn’t in a shack, but I was certain my life vehicle wasn’t driving in the right direction in the land of cubicles. My passion was hearing live music not climbing some synergistic hypothetical ladder. So, I stepped off the merry go round. I wanted a place where the music didn’t stop and my creativity could flourish. I wanted it to be the Seinfeldian “Summer of Dave.”
My core group of friends in Chicago are part of two bands, FGC a seasoned SCamp veteran, and Old Shoe who are first timers to Chillicothe like myself. The best way to start the summer I wanted was to be at Summer Camp to see them perform. After entering the contest to be part of the camp counselor program I thought my perspective of the different festival experiences, both from the collective eyes of bands I know, and my own could provide a unique glimpse into Camp life. What I hope to provide for all camper experience levels is a genuine voice and accurate account from the point of view of both performer and fan.
People who live near Chicago are truly blessed for one reason and its not the weather. This city draws so much great musical talent to its wind swept shores. Homegrown acts like Umphrey’s and Cornmeal to left coasters like Hot Buttered Rum regularly stop by to say what up while on tour. I’ve been fortunate to scope a lot of the 2012 lineup this year before they hit the stage just because of this allure Chicago holds over musicians.
In my spare time I attend an average of about three to four shows a week. Burning the candle at both ends responsibly is my modus operandi. With venues such as Martyrs and the Vic in my backyard its actually tough to avoid all the good midweek music. Luckily, as it happened I ran into the right set of circumstances that left me reviewing shows for a few music publications. Coincidence or fate stepped in and corrected my course and set my path towards a dusty moonlit road in Chillicothe.
I’m ecstatic to experience the aura I’ve heard surrounds the festival. For a festival going on its 12th year the SCamp team has managed to keep their core fans happy while adding national talent and handling expanded ticket sales. That usually takes someone at the heart of it all making sure values are upheld and everyone is on the same page. So the first thing i’m doing when I get to camp is finding Jay to shake his hand.
While its no secret that UMphreaks and moe.rons are the foundation of the festival the lineup keeps evolving each year. The multi-genre acoustic funk artist that calls himself Keller Williams will surely be on my top must see acts. As will be the case with legend infused Weir, Robinson, Greene Acoustic Trio. Transcendental folk artist Elephant Revival is an act gaining attention and I’m relishing the chance to hear their fiddle laden harmonies. Yonder Mountain String Band and the Infamous Stringdusters will not leave me strung out. I’ll stay close to home and the lake and check out some homegrown bluegrass in Cornmeal. Then move on over to the funk-defying sounds of Family Groove Company in addition to a bevy of spectacular windy city acts sprinkled throughout the schedule. Chicago Farmer is the type of story teller that relates to people from all walks of life and i’m gonna scope Cody’s Sunday set for sure. Confirmed are rumors of a superjam collaboration called “Shoe Groove Z” taking the stage Thursday with Old Shoe, Zmick, and members of Family Groove Company as special guests. I hear the red barn late night will be where is at for Brain Damaged Eggmen as members of Umphrey’s and The Disco Biscuits celebrate music of Pink Floyd and The Beatles. Hopefully i’ll also get a chance to brush shoulders with the husband wife super couple that makes up the Tedeschi Trucks Band. Been really looking forward to hearing new songs off their new release Everybody’s Talking due out before camp starts May 22nd. Where else would a Talking Heads fan be, but front stage center for This Must Be the Band’s late night soulshine tent appearance? DJnoDJ also performs Daft Punk which should be a great listening experience at those wee morning hours moments before the rooster crows.
Schedule wise there is so much greatness that i’m thinking you’ll be hard pressed to please everyone. But that’s life and sometimes you run into difficult choices. To me that is a good problem to have happen and too much good music should not dissuade from your overall satisfaction when its all said and done. Breathe deep and let the great wealth of talented open air performers smack you across the face ever so gently. There is nary an act on the bill who can’t handle a large crowd as opposed to a cramped recording booth. Part of the allure of festivals such as Summer Camp is you are almost guaranteed to see some magical sit ins and collaborations. I’m going to keep close to the musician workshops at the Soulshine Tent to capture those moments first hand for you throughout the weekend.
The David Byrne fly on the wall keeps whispering to me that he isn’t sure where we’ve been, but one things for certain i’m going to Summer Camp. The world is blooming and we are floating above it with nothing but glass blown 1000 year old flowers to show life during festival time can leave you with memories that remind us this must be the place. Such a wild, wild life sometimes. Hope you’ll share in my Summer Camp of Dave.
See you at camp friend,
Dave
Hey Scampers,
Check out this video of what to expect in less than 4 weeks!
Can’t wait to see you all soon!
Your Summer Camp Director
I took some time to tim my experience of Umphrey’s in Colorado. Check out the link to Day 1 Here: RAGE
Just click RAGE above 
For those of you who don’t know, the foundation of any good music event is the street team. If you are on one, you understand what I mean. If it wasn’t for the people on the street, spreading the word, how would anyone find out about that concert? Now imagine putting together a festival…how many concerts are there? There’s got to be at least 50. And since that’s 50 times the size of one show, well we need 50 times the street team. So I implore you Summer Campers, get your street team act together. Go out to your community and tell them about summer camp.
Recently, I made a video for the Umphrey’s show that came through Denver. Check it out here and put something together of your own for Summer Camp.
Hey Campers,
We are excited to present to you our take on Sh*t Festies Say. Featuring members of moe., Umphrey’s McGee, Family Groove Company, and Cornmeal, and a few of our favorite festies.
Enjoy!
Your Summer Camp Director
Hey Campers,
Umphrey’s McGee will be playing at The Canopy Club in Urbana, IL on February 19th….the weekend after Valentine’s Day! So we thought, in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, to bring a Booth Love Photo Booth to the event for charity.
At the Summer Camp Field Day table you will be able to buy raffle tickets to win passes to Summer Camp, merchandise and more. Each raffle ticket will give you 1 photo in the Booth Love photo booth. The $5 from each raffle ticket will go to benefit the Champaign County Humane Society in Urbana. Fans will have from 8pm-12am to enter and snap their Booth Love photos. Winners will be notified by text message by the end of the show and can come collect their prize at the Field Day table after the concert.
For another chance to win, after the concert, the Summer Camp Facebook page will post an album of the photos taken throughout the night. Tag yourself for a chance to win one of 3 Thursday Pre-Party Passes!
This is a Summer Camp Field Day event so every raffle ticket purchased will count for points for the Red, Yellow, Blue and Purple Team. The team that raises the most money for the Champaign County Humane Society will win the Booth Love event!
The Champaign County Humane Society is funded entirely by donations from generous animals lovers. They need our help to continue the high standard of care they offer to homeless animals. Your donations will make a difference in the life of a dog or cat, puppy or kitten, rabbit or guinea pig.
Hope to see you at the Canopy Club and remember to buy a raffle ticket to support the Champaign County Humane Society at the show!
Yours Truly,
The Summer Camp Director
p.s. Have you seen the Booth Love video yet? It’s pretty badass….
A Day In Of The Life
Well, a weekend actually. My Umphrey’s Red Rocks and Blue experience actually began on Friday July 1st when I picked up some of my Chicago peeps from the Denver Airport. It was great to have the Midwest peeps back with me again and the buzz of excitement that could be only an Umphrey’s show was already building. We went out Friday night and Saturday night and caught my good friends, the Fox Street Allstars as they brought their band of rock and funk to my favorite Denver bar, Herb’s Jazz and Blues. If you haven’t had a chance to check out the Fox Street Allstars, please do so. They are good friends and tour around with the New Mastersounds. We all know those cats can throw down and let’s just say Fox Street holds their own.
Anyway, Sunday came and it was time for Red Rocks. By now the crew had increased to about a dozen. We had a van pick us up for the show, SAFETY FIRST, and headed out. We got to the lot just before doors, hopped in line and went into the venue. It was a slow to grow crowd and we were able to put some tarps down in the sweet spot, rows 24 and 25, just left of center. We got in touch with another crew of peeps and had our group of 30 or so rollin all together.
Up first were the New Mastersounds. They looked so funny packed in all tight on top of one another. Appearances, and Eddie Roberts’ new hair cut aside, those euro boys really held it down. I love seeing them play and I’m so happy they have become friends with the UM guys and that gives me more chances to see them. Up next was the Easy Star Allstars performing some of their originals as well as some of their dub covers. A really fun show, something must have gone wrong though with the timing because they were just about to start their bong rip influenced “money” from dub side of the moon when they got cut off. Regardless they hold it down and always put on an amazing show. Nevertheless it was time for UMPHREY’S.
I know I have mentioned before how Umphrey’s are my favorite, and this show at Red Rocks really reinforced that for me. First set began as the sun was really setting. Jefferson Waful would pretty much dominate everything that happened the whole night. When he gets to set up a rig like the one he had this night, with some 60 odd moving lights, well, he can really create some textures that are of unsurpassable beauty and I applaud him for his efforts. The music though, boy the music. This was a really special show for me for a lot of reasons. I was with some of my best friends in the world both from Denver and Chicago and I was actually privileged to be able to introduce 2 other friends of mine to UM…what a first show to see.
I’m not sure about everyone else but I am really stoked on the way these new tunes are coming together. We got Puppet String in the first set which is just an awesome song full of metaphors vocal harmonies and soaring guitar riffs. Dropping into a dirty Hurt Bird Bath was probably a really good idea, and the plunger ending was a great way to send us off to set break. 2nd set was amazing as well. Divisions and Haji were my personal highlights as those songs have the tendency to tug on my heart strings. Ok, I’ll say it, I was crying during both tunes…I can’t help it…between the scenery, my environment (inside my body), my people, the lights, the songs, it was all too much. Not tears of sadness , but almost of connection and shared experience. Leaving his lyrics open to interpretation, Brendan really allows people to connect with his music, simply amazing. Finally, the encore, Pearl Jam’s Release, with huge vocals, Brendan’s voice seemed to flow over the entire crowd and wrap them in a blanket of emotion connected to the song. This song is especially meaningful to one of my best friends, Ben Burstein, and for me to see him see this song was very special as it helps me understand what his world is about a little more.
With the show over we headed back to the van. Between our 14 and another limo of 18, we were about to continue the party at my place where an ice cold keg of PBR was waiting for us. Upon arrival, my roomie Kari was getting things ready and we were about to rage. The Fox Street boys, my roommate Jordan and his band Kinetix, and s couple other special guests who later got locked in our backyard for half an hour, were all getting down together. The tunes and the beers were flowing and we were all so happy to be home safe with each other just living the life. I think we all got to settling down around sunrise. Epic, epic night.
Waking up on the 4th we all could barely do anything considering the night before. But, in the true spirit of an Umphreak, we rallied and raged. We got up to Boulder about an hour before the show, grabbed a bite to eat on the Pearl Street mall and headed into the Boulder Theater. Crew and I headed straight up to the balcony and to our surprise, all the seats had been removed. I later found out they went out for cleaning, but it was great up there. Super roomy, awesome sound, unadulterated view. From everything I hear people talking about, they loved the Boulder Show more than the Red Rocks show and if you are into a dancey night of Umphrey’s I’d have to agree. With such a small room and everyone being such a big fan, there was a lot of energy flying around in the boulder theater. Between Booth Love, the Triple Wide, Wappy, and In the Kitchen, the dance force was out in full effect. For me, however, getting to see Murph come out and play Comfortably Numb was the highlight. Every single person singing along, it was phenomenal. Check out this video by my buddy Ben: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUkG5a2hXTM
With all that we had experienced I continue to realize how lucky we are to get to see a band like Umphrey’s. And just as every note they play can ring for only so long, seeing a live band is a fleeting endeavor. We never know how long they will play or what the future holds. So whatever your band is, go see them. Go see them as much as you can because tomorrow, you might not be able to.