Monday, November 3, 2014

Suwannee Hulaween 2014: The Deep Freeze

Live Oak, Florida is the new place to be for Halloween, with String Cheese fronting a festival now in its second year—and counting. The festival grounds there on the banks of the old Suwannee River are  one of the best in the country, with live oak forests draped in Spanish moss and a swimming hole down on the river that's more or less free of alligators. Featuring over four dozen acts in a setting halfway between country fair and Burning Man, it's impressed our Colorado crew enough that they came again a second year—and brought their friends with them. After a rollicking party last year, Jay and Mayor Lesley convinced the rest of the Zuma crew to fly out from Summit County. Jack Mento made an appearance, with pockets full of glitter and a gold mask over his handsome face, and Kyle even talked Tanya into coming once her trick-or-treating duties were done. Unfortunately for the native Floridians, Colorado brought their weather too: The temperature dropped to near freezing during the first night and stayed cool through Sunday.

I took over 1000 pictures on Saturday (Nov. 1) with two cameras: a Lumix GF-1 that I might buy, and a Canon Eos-Rebel that the school has issued me for a photojournalism course. I'll only post a few here—band shots today, and some fun dancing and crowd shots next time I find time to post.

The Halloween set was insane. Check out this set list (courtesy friendsofcheese.com). Rhonda Thomas made my Halloween.

October 31, 2014 
Set One Restless Wind > Joyful Sound > Pygmy Pony, Piece Of Mine > Give Me The Love > Valley Of The Jig, Cant Wait Another Day Set Two Sympathy For The Devil, Ghost Busters, Time Will Tell, Live and Let Die, Just Passin' Thru, Stairway To Heaven, Don't Fear The Reaper, Break On Through, Heaven > Live and Let Die (reprise), Thriller Set Three Miss Brown's Teahouse, Hollywood Swingin', You've Got The World, Hotel Window > Rosie > Zombie > Rosie, Way Back Home > Just One Story Encore Superstition Notes Set 2 and 3 with Rhonda Thomas & Tony White on vocals, Antibalas Horns: Martin Perna - Baritone Sax, Flute Jas Walton - Tenor Jordan McLean - Trumpet Jeff Pierce - Trumpet, Trombone 

Nov. 1, 2014 
Set One Search > Lost > Mouna Bowa, Don't It Make You Wanna Dance1, Resume Man2, Pack It Up, Alligator Alley3, Franklins TowerSet Two Let's Go Outside, Black Clouds, Sweet Spot, Birdland4, Sirens > Rivertrance > Drums > Swamp > Rivertrance Encore Bollymunster Notes 1 with Nicky Sanders from Steep Canyon Rangers. 2 with Keller Williams and Nicky Sanders. 3 with Keller Williams. 4 with Dominic Lalli from Big Gigantic

Nov. 2, 2014 
Set One 
Sometimes A River, Close Your Eyes > How Mountain Girls Can Love, MLT, Love Is Like A Train > So Far From Home > 'Round The Wheel Set Two Colliding > Late In The Evening, Look At Where We Are, Song In My Head > This Must Be The Place > On The Road, Bumpin' Reel Encore Texas 

The best thing that happened for me this weekend was catching Dustin Jones during his set with Nahko and the Medicine People, and again later, unexpectedly, at a late-night solo set on the Spirit Lake Stage. I heard someone over there who sounded like Tracy Chapman—and then suddenly broke out beat-boxing like I've never heard it. Rumor on the road this weekend was that Nahko's bass player is "about to go global." Now I know what they were talking about. This kid has more personality—and a more beautiful personality—than just about anyone I've ever met. Check him out on lovedustinthomas.com. Download some music—it's all free. "I don't want fans, I want friends," he told the crowd. I believe him. I'll post more photos later of his solo show.


















































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