The 6th annual Hangtown Music Festival filled the El Dorado County Fairgrounds in Placerville, California with sweet, sweet music from October 20th to October 23rd. The weekend was one big highlight after another, from the weather, lineup and performances, to the fans and costumes. Below are just a few of the things that stood out at this year’s Hangtown Ball…
Location, Location, Location
Sure, Hangtown Music Festival takes place in a town of ten thousand people. Sure, there’s a freeway nearby. It’s perhaps not the idyllic mountain or riverside setting that one may dream of when thinking of a small festival. But the El Dorado County Fairgrounds fits Hangtown like a glove. Ample grassy areas for tent campers. Ample parking for RVs. Buildings that allow for loud sets of music late into the night. And, it doesn’t hurt to have your festival grounds sandwiched between a supermarket and a Denny’s. And, at least this year, Placerville’s California sun shone bright all day, making for very comfortable fall weekend weather.
Most Poetic Emcee
Musician, educator, visual artist and self-proclaimed “Fashion Insultant” Joe Craven was on hand to emcee the main stage and was colorful in his presentations, to say the least. Each new performer inspired a new set of colorful clothing from Craven, as well as a personalized poem to describe the upcoming artist. Most of the musicians were taken aback by the heartfelt poems, appreciating the time Craven took in creating the introductions. Craven was also seen on stage playing the fiddle with several bands, and he even slew the crowd with the jawbone of an ass (played as a percussion instrument in this case) during the Oliver Wood/Jano Rix set.
When Life Gives You Lemons…
When it was announced that Chris Wood had to undergo emergency surgery in the days leading up to the festival, many thought that losing an integral member of both Medeski Martin & Wood and the Wood Brothers would mean cancelations by the bands. Instead, Hangtown Ballers were treated to one-of-a-kind ensembles that delivered big. Of course Chris Wood can’t be replaced, but it sure was fun to seem them try! Kirk Joseph of Dirty Dozen Brass Band (sousaphone) and Will Bernard (guitar) joined John Medeski and Billy Martin to form Medeski Martin & Mad Skillet.
Oliver Wood & Jano Rix of the Wood Brothers were joined by Ric Robertson from The Rondo Rigs on bass to present Oliver Wood with Jano Rix & The Hangtown Allstars. Some of the Allstars included Nicki Bluhm, Joe Craven, and Tim Carbone.
Most Emotional Performance
Not to take anything away from the performers who gave their all to please the Hangtown crowd, but as far as soulful performances, look no further than Carolyn Wonderland. Wonderland puts her heart behind every note she plays and every word she sings. Truly appreciative of her audience, she gives her all, lubricating her vocal chords with a seemingly bottomless plastic glass of whiskey. While each song she sings is emotionally charged, it was her band’s performance of “Room At The Inn” that brought many (including Wonderland herself) to tears. A song about the refugee crisis, written from the perspective of a refugee family, the lyrics present the crisis in a very poignant yet beautiful way. Music festivals are a sanctuary where people go to forget their troubles. They can also be an incubator for world-changing ideas and movements. All proceeds from the sale of downloads of the song go to Doctors Without Borders. Oh, and her set-closing “I Shall Be Released” wasn’t bad either.
Mix Up The Medicine
The musician melting pot that is Hangtown brought too many guest sit-ins to even begin to mention. But there were a few ensembles that were formed to bring some unique sounds to fans. Steve’s Kimock’s latest group added Jeff Chimenti on keys and Dan Lebowitz on guitar. Incidental Animals (not a one-off, but more of a jam supergroup) features Lebowitz and ALO bandmates Steve Adams and Dave Brogan along with String Cheese Incident’s Kyle Hollingsworth and Trey Anastasio Band’s Jennifer Hartswick. Half of Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe set featured Fishbone’s Angelo Moore on vocals as the bands worked through Prince’s album Dirty Mind.
Happiest Performer
Again, one shouldn’t speak in superlatives when surrounded by swirling positive energy. There was a lot of joy on display both on and off the stage over the weekend. But you just couldn’t shake the look of happiness on the face of Horseshoes & Hand Grenades guitarist and vocalist Adam Greuel. His grin just seemed to grow from their daytime slot on the Gallows Stage to their Saturday late night set opening for The Infamous Stringdusters. By the time he and some of his band mates came out to play with the Dusters, it was obvious that he was at least AS happy as anyone in the room.
Costumes
Lots of creativity was displayed via costumes, both on and off the stage. There was a gentleman being carried around the festival grounds by a very short but stout gorilla. There was a woman who had transformed herself into a coin-operated toy dispenser, complete with an “Out of Order” sign on the side of her head. Homemade or store-bought, a wide variety of costumes were on display.
As far as performers go, Railroad Earth had great group costumes for each their three sets. But the Brothers Comatose both riled the imagination while leaving very little to it with their 70’s and 80’s era hard rock ensembles. Leather jackets came off in the midday sun, as the Brothers rocked out their high-energy tunes. Oh, there was also what looked to be a sweet Billy Ray Cyrus mullet wig roaming the festival grounds, but it turned out to be Whiskey Shivers fiddle player Bobby Fitzgerald’s flowing locks.
Hosts With The Most
Railroad Earth has always been the band behind this festival, and much like their music, they create a solid base from which to explore in many directions. Seeing their wide-eyed reactions while watching performances from the audience side of the stage speaks to their love of music. Seeing members of Railroad sit in with bands delighted everyone within earshot. And their dedication to their fans and music made for three memorable sets of their own. They take their audience for a ride by letting the songs take them for a ride, expressing what flows through them with focus and joy.
All Around, A Great Hang
From the deep jams of Twiddle and TAUK, to the string explosions of Gipsy Moon and Whiskey Shivers to the funky grooves of Pimps of Joytime and Boombox, Hangtown Music Festival offered an eclectic mix of amazing musicians under the warm California sun. Next year is lucky number seven, and is sure to further enrich a growing fall tradition.
