June 2009

As you read this I should hopefully be in the process of purchasing dry ice and other last minute essentials preparing for my annual 45 minute trek south to one of the largest, best run music festivals in the country.

I must admit that’s been both a neat and weird experience seeing Bonnaroo grow and develop as it has over the past seven years. My first ‘Roo experience was with my two college roommates, neither of which were fans of the ‘jamband’ scene. Nevertheless, I convinced them to go because they might not get to experience anything like it ever again. In preparation of exposing them to the festival scene, I made them a 3-volume mix CD set aptly titled: “Don’t Pigeonhole Us – We’re More Than Just Jambands!” And yes, I take my CD mixes seriously. I couldn’t tell you what exactly those tracks were now, but the point was I made them because I wanted to share what I knew would be a wonderful experience with others.

I could sit here and tell you about these different experiences: how the Flaming Lips 2003 late night changed my life for the better, when Levon Helm brought me to tears or how I finally learned to like Widespread Panic. But this would all be pointless if I didn’t mention the one thing that’s most important about going to Bonnaroo – being with your friends. That is what it’s supposed to be about. The epic peaks and valleys of the music that you experience serve as the soundtrack to your weekend. Having the time of your life, getting away from everything that’s wrong with the world and sharing that experience is what is important and I think sometimes we can lose sight of that. READ ON for more on Bonnaroo 2009…

Former Blind Faith members Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood kicked off their U.S. tour last night at the Izod Center in East Rutherford. Those hoping the pair would switch up

The first Phish tour since the band reunited rolls into Rocky Top this evening when the quartet plays a huge arena in Knoxville. The boys are off to Manchester after this one for Bonnaroo 2009. Check @YEMblog and @Glidemag for the latest.

Phish
June 10, 2009
Thompson-Boling Arena
Knoxville, TN

Set 1: Runaway Jim, Punch You In The Eye, Ocelot, Foam, Train Song, Undermind, Mike’s Song > I Am Hydrogen > Weekapaug Groove, The Squirming Coil, Character Zero

Set 2: Back On The Train, Waves, A Song I Heard The Ocean Sing > David Bowie, Army of One, Reba, Hello My Baby, Julius, Cavern, Harry Hood

Encore: Frankenstein

Glide/Hidden Track reporter Wade Wilby reports the first set was a bit sloppy but the energy was electric thanks to a rockin’ crowd. Undermind in particular was a treat and Wade noted the slower syncopated pace of the live version.

READ ON for song stats from Phish @ the Thompson-Boling…

Wade “Wyllys” Wilby will be reporting from Knoxville live for @YEMblog. Follow @GlideMag for stats of every song as soon as they start.

While Jersey City Councilman and wicked pissah Steve Lipski made a run for the title of Hidden Track’s Favorite Politician, that honor lies with Asheville City Council member “Hot” Carl Mumpower. Mumpower loves going to jamband concerts. Sure, he’s usually only attending RatDog or Panic shows at the Asheville Civic Center to observe illegal drug usage and bitch about it, but it seems Hot Carl actually liked what he saw at last night’s Phish concert.

[Asheville Music Fans Wear Hot Carl Masks to the Civic Center]

David Forbes of local Asheville paper Mountain Xpress spoke with Mumpower who had high praise for the band, their fans and the local officials. Hot Carl even showed a sense of humor by referencing his comment about the Civic Center smelling like an Amsterdam Hash Bar at the RatDog show by writing “tonight, Asheville’s Civic Center smelled more like City Hall than an Amsterdam hash house,” as part of an email he sent out about his experience at the concert.

We’re glad to see Mumpower enjoyed the show and if you see an older looking gentleman slinging Wounded Eagle Deck of Shame playing cards at Knoxville let us know. There’s always a spot in our 1972 VW Bus to bring Hot Carl on Phish tour this summer. You know you want to councilman.

• Previously on HT: Hot Carl Likes the Music RatDog, Hot Carl Sees The Music Widespread

READ ON for the full text of the letter Mumpower sent about Phish…

Both A.J. Crandall and Jennifer Kirk will be reporting live from Manchester on Bonnaroo 2009 for Hidden Track and Glide Magazine. We’ve asked each of them to write a preview of what the weekend will hold for them. Today we’ll share A.J.’s look at Bonnaroos past (2007, 2008) and future…

I’ve got some packing to do. I just looked it up. Southwest airlines lets you take two bags free. Last month’s trip to NY, on two airlines that’ll go nameless for now, I got hit at the counter for $15 for my one bag. Another $30 for an aisle seat. I was planning on scaling way back on camping goods I took from home, but now that I have all that extra room with a second bag, I’ll take rain gear etc.

Should be a great weekend. It’s a soundtrack for me and my brother to catch up on a year in the lives. It’s a weekend in early summer containing more live music than most people will see all year, or two. It’s the vibe. It’s the Coffey County sherrifs who roll their eyes and wave you through to the next checkpoint. It’s the country fried steak at the Waffle House, with grits, of course, on Monday morning. It’s why I still do this shit at age 53.

Well, it’s been a year already. And a year before that. And a year before that. And a year before that. This year marks the fifth June in a row that I have ventured east from the relatively safe confines of the Great Pacific Northwest to become a citizen of Tennessee’s third largest city (for a weekend), Bonnaroo.

READ ON for more of AJ’s Bonnaroo 2009 preview piece…