Thursday – Dark Star Orchestra [Main Stage 9PM]
[Photo by Adam Kaufman]
The GOTV audience loves the Dark Star Orchestra and it’s clear the band feels the same way about the festival as they return to the Vibes for the third straight year. The best Grateful Dead tribute act in the nation has a four hour slot on Thursday night giving them plenty of time to dig into the setlist of a classic Dead show. Don’t leave early or you may miss a couple of Jerry Band gems the band loves to tack onto the end of a show as “filler.”
Friday – moe. [Main Stage 10:30PM]
[Photo by Jeremy Gordon]
When the producers of what is now the Vibes and was then called Deadhead Heaven put together the lineup for the first festival in 1996 they tapped an up-and-coming band from Upstate NY that won over the crowd with two intense, improv-laden sets which gave a glimpse into the future of what moe. would become. Thirteen years later, the festival and the band are at the top of their games. moe. has never disappointed at the Vibes and we don’t expect that trend to end this year.
Saturday – Ryan Montbleau Band [Main Stage 12:30PM]
Current Vibes staple the Ryan Montbleau Band also returns to Bridgeport for the third year in a row in 2009. Led by singer/songwriter Ryan Montbleau, the talented quintet throws elements of funk, soul and rock into their musical stew mixing catchy originals with fun covers over the course of each energetic set. The Gathering of the Vibes community took notice of the band early on and helped them grow into a national act with a loyal fanbase. The group tours the country relentlessly but always adds some extra “candy for the kids” at the Vibes.
Sunday – McLovins [Green Vibe Stage 3:30PM]
Hot off the heels of releasing their first LP, Conundrum, McLovins make their Gathering Of The Vibes debut on Sunday and while this may be their first festival appearance, it certainly won’t be their last. McLovins gained a lot of attention from jam fans, bloggers and Rolling Stone late last year upon uploading a clip of them covering Phish’s You Enjoy Myself to YouTube. The trio of youngsters nailed the complex tune with ease blowing the minds of the 85,000 people who have watched the clip. McLovins’ cover of YEM was just the tip of the iceberg as the group has gone on to write a number of impressive prog-oriented originals, most of which appear on Conundrum. You can expect a few covers thrown into their set and I’d expect a riot if they don’t play YEM. – Scott Bernstein
Tickets for Gathering of the Vibes are still available.
12 Responses
My first Vibes was 2005. No Phish festival. I did the Vibes from 05-07. Great times. Not in the cards for me this year. Between Phish and The Dead, this guy is tapped!
my first vibes was in 2005 ILCC, I was blown away by the campground and how there were NO cops and just bikers laying down the law. I pulled right up next to the stage and opened up my glass case (i was doing alot of glass art at the time) we sat and listened to music slanging glass all weekend.
My first Vibes was in ’07 at Seaside. My buddy had been going to Mariaville for a few years by himself and was hounding us to check it out. So three of us went. Upon pulling into the lot to go through security, we ended up parked next to a truck with a couple in it. The guy had a shaved head and was yelling at his girlfriend about everything. So we commented amongst ourselves that we hope we don’t part next to him, he seems to be a big loud and boisterous. As it turns out, we ended up two camp sites away from him. Friday morning it was raining pretty hard and we were sitting around our site and ended up striking up conversation with that very guy and it turned out he was a pretty cool dude and a veteran head that didn’t realize any of this stuff was still going on since the Dead dispersed in 1995. We hung out with him for the rest of the weekend, kept in touch after Vibes and now see him roughly once every couple of months for shows and festivals, plus we have been coming to Vibes with him and his girlfriend ever since. It is true, you can’t judge a book by it’s cover. Turns out he’s not really that loud at all, he was just having a bad day.
i dont know what i can say!
i had been to dead shows
but my very 1st festi was camp creek 1998 or was it 1997 hhhhhhmmm
so hard to remember
anywho
at that time Max Creek was the only “hippie” fest on that land
then vibes came around
and i held out on goin for awhile
i hit it up finally in 2004 and have been back ever since!!!
My first vibes was 2006 in NY. I pulled in and was just wowed by the laid back staff and volunteers. Here did their job but were happy and nice the whole time. Got my tent sent up and loved the atmosphere. It was like not other festival I been too. Since that I been going back every year. I do like the site better at CT though. Every year I meet more and more new people, our campsite grows and I can’t wait till the next year to go back again!
My first and only Vibes was at Bridgeport in 2000. We had a very poor experience with our car getting keyed and gear stolen, including our tent! We go all the way to High Sierra now from the east coast for what for us is a truer, more conscientious vibe.
This weekend will be my first Vibes. I’m stoked!
Last year the mud was amazing. “I’m the King of the Mud, No Showers Ever!!!”
1999 was my first and I had such a great time I’m actually still in touch with two guys who camped near me! In fact, we put together a huge compound of tents and tarps the last year Vibes was at Indian Lookout with our three extended families together it was fantastic! Grate time all around. I keep going back.
vibes was my first festival in 2002 and i was unprepared as well! vibes was so much fun but its too bad its left NY because now its too far to make it.
Be sure to check out Blues and Lasers this year. Wishing I was going just to hear those guys.
My first Vibes was in 1999 at Seaside Park, CT. I’ve been to every one since (Red Hook, Mariaville, and back to CT, which is IMO the best). moe. way the band that made me try the first one and I’m sooooo glad they are back. I have since grown to love the summer festival season (we go to All Good, Vibes, and moe.down each year). The Machine will blow us all away on Thursday, the super funky lineup of P-Funk, Deep Banana, and moe. will be the best day of the weekend (Fri.) Ratdog will make it rain again (they always do!) and Buddy Guy and CSN will close this fest out in style. Happy Vibing everyone!