Music Festival Preview Before The Festival - FestivalFamily.com

   The Spirit of Suwannee Music Park is an amazingly beautiful place of natural splendor, and, quite frankly, I wish I was there right now.  As I sit here in my frozen hometown of Louisville, Kentucky and dream about the return of summer and the beginning of the festival season, I dream of Suwannee (with the light brown hair!)  Situated near the northern border of the Sunshine State, the park is home to five major festivals a year, and is home to a variety of smaller music shows year round.  With the near perfect weather enabling year round events, and 800 plus acres that can only be described with words like picturesque and stunning, Suwannee has something for everyone.

   I guess it’s a bit unfair to have waited this long to write the preview of the Bear Creek Music Festival.  Not only was I certain to go from the gitgo, as I had such an incredible time my inaugural visit, but because they have had their line-up out the longest.  I ran into Paul and Lyle, the promoters of Bear Creek on Jamcruise, (Which started the first Sunday of JANUARY) and they proudly showed me the back ad on the cruise program, a full page promo shot of the Spirit of Suwanee main stage in full swing, with the initial line up already in print.  Not bad, especially when you consider that Bear Creek is considered the last big festival dance of the year, actually ten months away!

 I find myself feeling animated as I place these words and sentences together that might excite you as much as myself. Being an avid music listener I appreciate the many sides of the scene, and I am elated to write this preview for the Orange Blossom Jamboree. My elation for this festival is stemmed from my emotions towards the meager amount of smaller local festivals in the state. There are not many local festivals that take place here that don’t offer a regional headliner. This first year festival of jam and other select genres that circulate the music scene here will not be one to miss. The festival will be held May 21st- 23rd in Brooksville, Fl at the Sertoma Youth Ranch. This three day festival will deliver 25 bands on 2 stages that will showcase music throughout the day into the early hours of the morning.

   Smilefest returns to the scenic wonder of North Carolina, for it’s tenth anniversary.  Though it has been known by different names, it has always held the same spirit of family and love, love for togetherness, love of music and love of life.  That’s what all these festivals and shows are about in the end, after all. A celebration of life and living, a gathering of friends and family to remind us all of what is truly best in life.  To crush your enemies and to…oh wait…that’s from Conan the Barbarian.  To me, what is best in life is to be surrounded by people on the same page as I, to be lost in my moments of musical bliss and to feel that feeling of unity and hope that permeates the festival scene.  Having been at this for years, the organizers of Smilefest seem to have an innate understanding of this, and have built a line up and found a home for the whole shebang that is perfect in all ways.

Nestled snugly smack-dab in the middle of nowhere is a surreal little town called Quincy, CA. Each year over Independence Day weekend, Quincy’s Plumas County Fairgrounds turns into a temporary village celebrating music, art, and life. The High Sierra Music Festival, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, is one of the longest-running music festivals around and has always remained loyal to its California roots. Showcasing west-coast bands and catering to the slightly elevated consciousness of Northern Cali natives, High Sierra is a unique festival I recommend everyone attend at least once.

Bonnaroo.  That almost says it all.  The biggest craziest party thrown in America, year in and year out, a chance to see and hear things that can happen nowhere else.  My love for this festival is well known and well earned.  Over the years I have, thanks to Bonnarro, been treated to acts and moments that I could never have managed individually.  The list of acts brought to the farm in the heart of Tennessee is staggering and far too long to list.  Easier to say that if a band or performer has contributed something of great worth to the music scene, then it’s more than likely they have either played Bonnaroo or are going to play Bonnaroo!  The size of Bonnaroo can be daunting, and 85,000 plus people gathered in one place to be one gigantic, merry making organism can intimidate some folks.  But I tell you this:  If you give out love at the Roo, then it will come back to you.  Some of the kindest acts I have ever seen in our scene were at Bonnaroo, and I keep that spirit in me at all times.  If you like music, or people, or even acres upon acre of crazy visuals, Bonnaroo is the place for you.  There is a part of me that considers that weekend in July as a family reunion of sorts, with the crazy uncles, dancing cousins and the people I have come to call brother and sister.

    Soon it will once again be time for thousands and thousands of music lovers to ascend the Ozark mountain trails, to the magical Mulberry Mountaintop, home of Wakarusa 2010.  Nestled in the rocky spine of Arkansas, the scenic majesty of the mountain range provides a lush, widescreen beauty to serve as a backdrop for a line up unsurpassed in the festival’s history.  I have been wanting to attend this festival since it’s inception, and doubly so since it’s move to Mulberry.  Mulberry Mountaintop is near perfectly laid out for hosting a music festival, as if ages of erosion had this level surface amidst the mesas in mind as it forged the splendor that will surround you at Wakarusa.  Having had my first taste of the area last year, I have been dying to return, and will be making the drive there in geeked out anticipation at the aural adventure to come.

   Ultra Music Festival the official closing event of the 25th Anniversary Winter Music Conference in Miami will offer some of the most elite electronic acts around the world. Sixteen visually stimulating stages scattered across Bicentennial Park in downtown Miami for two full days of dancing mayhem will have you thinking you stepped into another world. There are over 250 artists and DJ’s that will perform from many electronic sub genres which range from Drum and Bass, House, Electro, Breakbeats, Indie-Rock, Minimal and Jamtronica. Once a festival held on south beach, Ultra has grown into an international award winning festival that gathers over 70,000 electronic music fans from around the world. The atmosphere of Ultra is well in effect before the festival even begins. The Winter Music Conference starts the week prior to the festival in clubs and venues throughout the city of Miami. No other city would be more appropriate for this week long music induced party. As Miami is known for its incomparable party atmosphere, where clubs are not getting packed till wee hours of the morning to have the dancing patrons leave and hit the beach before late afternoon.

As the sun makes it’s decent over the West Virginia mountains, the view that Marvin’s Mountaintop provides is one of the most beautiful views one will find at a mid-American music festival. When the evening fog rolls through the valley; the people of the mountain prepare for the euphoric circus that the cover of darkness provides. All Good Festival, located in Masontown, WV. July 8th-11th hosts four days of music featuring thirty five bands, with no overlapping sets (other than those featured on what was “Rope-a-Dope” stage, now the “Grass-Roots“ stage). 

    The winter is starting to break and for many this only means one thing, time for DelFest 2010.  This epic festival now in its third year of production and has become for many a must do festival to kick off the season.   This Memorial Day Weekend, May 27th through May 30th, marks the date for the third annual DelFest at the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland Maryland.  This annual festival hosted by bluegrass legend Del McCoury brings together a legendary lineup that is guaranteed to please any music lover.  Nestled in Scenic Mountain Maryland this family friendly festival had quickly become one of the best bluegrass festivals in the country. Cumberland Maryland rests in the western part of Maryland which is only a two hour drive from Baltimore MD, Washington D.C. & Pittsburgh PA.  Since the festivals beginning in 2008 word had quickly spread among music lovers about in regards to the work and love that Del McCoury and his team have devoted towards making his dream come true.  

   May has always been my favorite month.  School lets out, my birthday rolls around (Yay! Presents!!!) and summer begins again!  And with summer come Summercamp a music festival in Chilicothe, IL, hosted by moe., one of the baddest bands in the land.  I could very easily turn this preview into a thousand page dissertation into the might and majesty of moe.,  but I’ll keep this simple:  Go see moe.  Summercamp will feature three full doses of moe. mayhem, and you’ll still be left wanting more.

So you know you want to hit up a festival this summer. Maybe you want to hit up a few and are having trouble deciding which would be best to let loose and live it up. Let Festival Family shed some light! Practically the season opener, Mountain Jam is located in the beautiful Catskill Mountains at the Hunter Mountain Ski Resort, and has for the past five years consistently given its fans a spectacular musical event featuring a wide variety of acts. Sponsored by Warren Haynes and Radio Woodstock, Mountain Jam VI is shaping up to be the best yet! 

Come April, it’ll be time for the Allman Brothers to host their annual Wanee Music Festival.  Held in the breathtaking environs of the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park, in Live Oak, Florida,  Wanee features a southern fried music lineup guaranteed to satisfy.  With your hosts The Allman Brothers you get not just one band, but their stellar side projects, such as Warren Haynes’s Gov’t Mule and Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeshi bringing their jams. Never mind the presence of sometime member Jimmy Herring and hios current band, an act you might have heard of, Widespread Panic! 2 nights of Allmans plus 2 nights of Panic =Blues/Rock heaven!

    Chicago, home to more than just a killer skyline, the Bears and excellent pizza, is hosting it's annual Chicago Blues and Bluegrass Festival on December 12th, at the historic Congress theater.    The event is an one day, indoors, (It is December!) kid friendly event celebrating the spirit of American musical pioneership and heartfelt expression.   Long heralded as one of the true homes of the Blues, Chicago has always been a mecca for for muscians from the heartland of our great nation.  From the same seeds that bore the blues came bluegrass, and the music that started in the mountains have taken root and grown strong in the "Windy City!"

Stay tuned, as we have so many Festivals lined up to give you a sneak peek at. It is here you will find the insight to the party before the party.