Coming home is a theme that many novels, plays, and songs often visit. Maybe even the proverbial "Prodigal Child" has to take a break from the road. Then again, maybe all those people’s children raised on the road or who escape like Walt Whitman to the open road meet at a place like 10,000 Lakes. I for one am happy to find myself in a sea of friends viewing the art of Jim Pollock, listening to the music of Umphreys McGee, Toubab Krewe, and the craftings of Bobby (Weir), Steve Kimock & Keller Williams, while fire dancers bring a heat and tribal beat that stirs the root of the human spine.
10,000 Lakes is a gypsies’ home – one that calls 25,000 or more people out onto the road to share and realize their bliss. That bliss might be health food, Go Mambo & Zym Electrolyte drinks, poi, and the Illumination Fire Dancers. The range of experiences is closer to that of a caravan that has circled the country finding exotic arts, foods, and spiritual inspirations, than a musical event put to shore in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.
Social concerns and solution are as much a part of the 10,000 Lakes Festival as music. Some of the issues being address are hunger (Conscious Alliance), sustainable energy & environmental conservation (NOLS), organic foods & products (Nature’s Gate/Go Mambo), sustainable foods and protein & energy bars.
At every turn,people are trying to promote ways of living that either betters this world we share or they are work at a human contact level to share new and eclectic music from various places around the world.
10LK Festival Highlights
Bob Weir & Ratdog with Steve Kimock (and later in the set Keller Williams joining the fray).
Jim Pollack: Artist, printer, conscious & concerned human being extraordinaire.
Umphreys McGee bringing a crushing show that was jammed out, with heavy improvisation and Phish parallels abound
Mother Rhythm Drum & Import: Whose kindness and love of music found me in possession of a very cool finger piano and a lesson on percussion.
String Cheese Incident: Music and memories. Each of the guys will be missed, as well as all the wonderful people that made their family magic from the halls of the *Bill Graham Civic* to* Hulaween*, and so many more shows. Lots of good time and wonderful memories will always be associated with this family.
Plant Trees Clothing, Nor.Cal.: Love the Mother Earth and her environment and we all might be the recipient of the of a healthy new day.
Toubab Krewe: West African Highlife jazzed up and electro turbo-booty’ed out.
Blue Ox Air Brush Body Artist: Whose mantra is the "Promoting of body art in a totally clothing free environment, love your body & complement you neighbor’s . . . art".
Disco Biscuits: A fully ablaze light show with their Ritalin amped Livetronica artistry, subtle at times, but not afraid to hit the trick fuel
Free Clif Bars and their *Green Notes Program* & music kiosk which helps bands "Green" their tours along with the fans that love them
Derek Trucks Band – Derek Trucks, his vocalist, and the rest of the band are all about delivering the blues and a bit of funk all wrapped in some heavy jams.
Gov’t Mule: Warren Haynes singing "Soul Shine."
10K Lake Sallie & early morning yoga, with breakfast and dew on the grass afterwards.
Everyone Orchestra: Matt Butler brought together an amazing set of musicians. One highlight was Asher Fulero’s right-on rendition of "Stash", Other high lights were Allie Kral of Cornmeal (fiddle), Shawn Hartung of Madahoochi (vocals), Asher Fulero (keys), Julian Fritz (drums), Scott Law (guitar), Janis Wallin (bass, Family Groove Company) & Levi Chen (guitar & Chinese Harp, Liquid Gardens).
Go Mambo’s Elderberry, Echinesa juice, a great thing when your food is a "get and go" situation.
Jon Cleary & AMG: This group was a NOLA special. Jon Cleary and his guitarist bring the heat. That sexy Hot New Orleans kinda heat that makes people rub their heads in the morning while trying to figure out who the people are on the other side of the bed kind of stuff.
Friends sharing noodles & rice, with some amazing organic blueberry blessed cheese cake. Too bad you can’t get these in a store, as they only come hand made home style.
Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk – Galactic – Cornmeal – Trampled By Turtles – Madahoochi , GypsyFoot, Pnuma Trio & Kinetix
The OurStage/Saloon Stage : This stage introduced me to quite a few bands I had never seen before, and in some cases never heard of at all. There was lots of talent brought to stage by this project courtesy of OurStage.com & 10K Lakes Festival.]
Seeing old friends and meeting quite a few new ones. With a special thanks to Dave Weissman, Levi Chen, Scarlette, and the Everyone Orchestra’s Matt Butler.
Seeing old friends and meeting quite a few new ones. With a special thanks to Dave Weissman, Levi Chen, Scarlette, and the Matt Butler.
Credit photos –
Copyright 2007 Robert Fischer/Sol-A-Koa.com
YouTube.com/Echoesfilm
