All festivals have their diehards who simply do not miss a year, but Northern California’s High Sierra Music Festival possesses a particularly strong sense of community, where the winding pathways of the Plumas Country Fairgrounds are transformed into distinct neighborhoods, each rich in creativity and traditions but ever-welcoming to newcomers and curious passersby. Not too big and not too small, this gathering about four hours north of San Francisco offers myriad options for wandering in copacetic ways. The soundtrack – 2017’s artist lineup is one of the most promising in recent years and unlike many fests almost every act plays two sets on different days to minimize the pain of set time conflicts – is the central draw but ask almost any regular what brings them back to HSMF year after year and they’ll likely tell you it’s the hang – an intrinsically Californian, slow rolling, good vibe spilling feeling – that’s fueled this Fourth of July weekend tradition for nearly 30 years.
Important Links
Day One: Thursday, June 29th
Main Stage Headliner: STS9
Costume Theme: Sparklelicious Delight (sequins, glowing objects, etc.)
Three Can’t Miss Sets
1. The Record Company – 12:00 AM – 1:30 AM – Vaudeville Tent
The open-to-everyone late night sets in the Vaudeville often produce some of each year’s highlight performances. This first night barnburner from fast-rising Los Angeles’ trio The Record Company is just the kind of rib-stickin’ rock one needs to fully cement them in festival mode and amp one up for the first evening’s pre-dawn frolics. Anyone with a sweet tooth for Mofro, early Black Crowes, and Free is likely to vibe hard with these cats.
2. White Denim – 4:45-6:15 PM – Grandstand Stage
Few four-piece rock combos make a more gloriously huge sound than White Denim, who create music of tremendous uplift and nervy swing with more than a few nods to the daring instrumental pyrotechnics of Rush and Yes. Hard to imagine a more enjoyable place to wiggle away one’s cares than a near-sunset set by these cats.
3. Afrolicious – 3:45-5:00 PM – Vaudeville Tent
Like spiritual influences Bob Marley and Fela, SF’s Afrolicious freely mingle styles and simmer until their genre stew is well blended, organic, and ready to nourish the masses. Funky and soulful in the broadest senses, their music seeks to unify and charge up anyone with open arms and the ears to listen.
Day Two: Friday, June 30th
Main Stage Headliner: Ween
Costume Theme:Ride The Wild Side (Animal Theme)
Three Can’t Miss Sets
1. Earth, Wind & Power – 9:30-11:30 PM – Big Meadow Stage
Sneak over from Ween’s main stage set or just surrender to the cosmic grooving of The Nth Power exploring the music of Earth, Wind & Fire with the help of the TAB Horns, Rashawn Ross, Skerik, and more. While hits like “Shining Star” and “September” will likely be touched on, one suspects with this assortment of vinyl loving, old school appreciating funkateers they may dig deeper into the EWF catalog for gems like “Kalimba Story” and “Keep Your Head to the Sky.”
2. Sweet Crude – 11:15 AM – 12:30 PM – Vaudeville Tent
South Louisiana’s Sweet Crude blends Cajun echoes with thoroughly modern feel of Yeasayer and Typhoon for a captivating, transporting sound matched by their emotionally rich, heartfelt performance style. This is the sort of sleeper High Sierra excels at bringing to the West Coast that ends up being many people’s first exposure out to a band that becomes a new favorite. Start your Friday with something original and exciting.
3. Tank And The Bangas – 1:50-3:05 PM – Big Meadow Stage
Gut feeling is this heady hip hop meets modern rock meets Nu-Nu-Jack Swing meets bedroom ready slow jam meets whatever-the-fuck-they-want ensemble is gonna blow minds and jump start behinds at this year’s HSMF. Visually and sonically off the chain, Tank And The Bangas are the rare newfangled creature in the music game and this may be the last chance to catch them in such an intimate setting before they pop off in a big way.
Day Three: Saturday, July 1st
Main Stage Headliner: Trey Anastasio Band
Costume Theme: The Fancy Pants Dance (cool & unusual trousers)
Three Can’t Miss Sets
1. Corey Henry & The Funk Apostles – 11:30 PM – 1:30 AM – Vaudeville Tent
The undulating mojo of Isaac Hayes and Dilla flows through this jazz-dappled funk machine steered by Snarky Puppy keyboardist Henry. Like kindred jammers Lettuce, Henry and his Apostles are masters of dynamics, using a low heat to let the flavors settle in before cranking things to a boil. Perhaps too much fun will take place at this two hour sermon not to mention ample dancing out of one’s constrictions.
2. The Suffers – 2:15-3:30 PM – Big Meadow Stage
Be prepared to swoon and sway at this afternoon master class in classic-minded soul and deep blues. Lead vocalist Kam Franklin has the smooth delivery and ah-inspiring range of young Roberta Flack with the saucier side of Aretha juicing her delivery and the boys in the band move in empathetic, seductive unison. It’s the kinda music many say they don’t make anymore but here it is given a thoroughly winning personal polish to go with oodles of respect for their ancestors in what the band calls Gulf Coast Soul.
3. El Ten Eleven – 6:05-7:25 PM – Big Meadow Stage
Few bands slapped with a “post-rock” tag in the early 2000s are still around and actively making new music but Los Angeles’ El Ten Eleven have always gone their own bouncing, individualistic way. The duo of Kristian Dunn (fretless bass, guitar/bass doublenecks) and Tim Fogarty (drums, percussion) glide in a space where jazz fusion, electronica, and emo-esque melodies dance together. Close your eyes and they’ll take you places. Open them and they’ll make you smile at everyone around you and the dudes onstage weaving the warming spell.
Day Four: Sunday, July 2nd
Main Stage Headliner: Gov’t Mule
Costume Theme: Summer of Love Reunion (celebrating 1967 and its influence on HSMF)
Three Can’t Miss Sets
1. Gov’t Mule – 9:30-11:30 PM – Grandstand Stage
Warren Haynes, Matt Abts, Danny Louis and Jorgen Carlsson are some of classic rock’s under-sung ironmen, guys that play full-out for hours at a time and show equal muscle & flair on a ludicrous array of covers as well as on their own fantastic original material. If the Mule had emerged in the early 70s nearly everyone would rank them alongside Bad Company, Aerosmith, and the other established giants. As it is, they arrived in the 90s in the shadow of grunge and an indifferent mainstream radio. The upshot is this reliably fabulous live titan is closing out the main stage at High Sierra this year and anyone in attendance is probably gonna feel lucky as hell. ‘Nuff said.
2. Bokante – 4:00-5:15 PM – Big Meadow Stage
As a general rule, “world fusion” may be the single worst genre going but sometimes streams from far-flung locales merge into a delightful new body of invigorating water. Such is the case with Bokante, which features powerhouse singer Malika Tirolien, festival fave and lap/pedal steel champ Roosevelt Collier, Snarky Puppy guitarists Michael League, Chris McQueen, and Bob Lanzetti, percussionists Jamey Haddad (Paul Simon, Sting), André Ferrari (Väsen) and Keita Ogawa (Banda Magda, Yo-Yo Ma). This is music that envelops one and then sweeps them off to new vistas.
3. Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons – 7:30-8:45 PM – Vaudeville Tent
High Sierra brings out the rock ‘n’ roll preacher in Jerry, where he fully unleashes the full power of his trio and their voluminous catalog, all the echoes of The Clash, Springsteen and The Who in his music coming to the fore when surrounded by the welcoming, switched-on flock in these hills. It’s a Sunday show, too, and this man and his compatriots know how to tap into God’s hotline on a good day. Come get down with the motherfuckin’ King of the Disco in his new millennial rhythm nation.
