High Sierra Music Festival 2008

It starts with lists and trips to sporting goods stores for ice chests, tents and flip-flops and ends with a sunburn, dehydration, a slight case of tinnitus and a deeper understanding of the best nature of folks.

For the unacquainted, High Sierra is more than four days and five stages of music. Sure there are parades, vendors, non-profits, yoga, kid zones, poi spinning and libations, but more than that, there’s an intimate connection between not only the crowd and the performers, but also between the festivalgoers themselves.

After I made camp and had that first beer in hand it began. I breathed deeply and took in my surroundings. RVs of all sorts and sizes, tents, and tarps covering every inch of ground, pop-up canopies in groups decorated with prayer flags and lights demarcating specific theme camps, (ours was Mark-aritaville) complete with inflatable pools and fully stocked bars.

The music ran the full gamut from DJ monster Bassnectar killin’ the Grandstage in a short teaser set before Built To Spill played, to bluegrass mélange Emmit-Nershi band with Leftover Salmon and String Cheese Incident alum on opening night. If you arrived when the gates opened you had the chance to see 28 different bands that day, and every day after that too.

You would think that might just be enough, but HSMF takes it to another level with the late night shows. Another three venues open only for the night with fire dancers to entertain you as wander. Thursday night offered Led Zeppelin cover band extraordinaire Bustle In Your Hedgerow opening for the Mother Hips, Phish cover band Phix opening for Tahoe based bluegrass wonder boys Blue Turtle Seduction, and the uber fun March Forth Marching Band opening for Bassnectar all playin' 'til early in the morning.

Not bad for opening day, huh? There were even more performances than this but you get the gist.

HSMF is either so big or so cool that it has its own set of four low-powered radio stations covering each major stage. You can get your margarita back at camp and hear if the bands have started yet without use of pesky timepieces. HSMF also includes workshops everyday from Blue Bear School of Music and Abbleton Live with EOTO to shred session Guitarmageddon and a Balinese Monkey Chant workshop with my new favorites Gamelon X, for example. But wait, there’s more. There are even Music Biz Playshops to gain sage advice from those in the biz. I can’t say I ever made it to these; I’m merely flesh and blood.



Highlights for Friday included Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk in the hot sun on the Grandstage, The Mother Hips opening their Big Meadow set with “Honeydew”, followed by surprise British soul man James Hunter layin' down some serious old-school R&B. His incredible voice and tenor/ baritone sax combination beckoned me from my tent to see the former Van Morrison band mate servin’ it up sweatin' in his suit slayin' the large crowd that had been draw in.

As I rolled later into the evening swampy bluesman Papa Mail brought down the Vaudeville tent with sit-ins from Ivan Neville and Chicago Afrobeat Project opening for Florida-based Spam Allstars in the Funk N’ Jamhouse for late night. DJ Le Spam leads this mostly Latin and funk group with heavy bass and rhythm from the decks. Their music is hot and should absolutely be added to your collection.

Saturday had me runnin' all over to try and get at least a little taste of Samba Da, CAbP, and March Forth Marching Band on the Grandstand Stage, Eric McFadden Trio, The Slip and Spam Allstars on the Big Meadow Stage, to Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir’s group Ratdog playin' Dead tunes and some funky rock to close out the Grandstand then back to the Big Meadow for guitar freak Buckethead playing only with his glowing white electric and a portable cd player, holding all in awe. I’m not even a guitar kinda guy but damn can that kid play!

At this point refueling was in order, so I tanked up and headed out to the Vaudeville for New Orleans’ Trombone Shorty drivin' the packed tent out of its collective mind with the funk and even a Green Day cover done Shorty style. The Charlie Hunter Trio followed with a deep blues experience that sent some in need of higher energy to the Groovesect with Fred Wesley and Dumpstapunk late night show.

Sunday is always a little bit awkward. I woke to my neighbors breaking camp and the denial and melancholy set in. I too was headed home Sunday, but I would wait until just before sunset, the absolutely last minute I could afford to stay. Limiting my consumption wasn’t too difficult by the fourth day, I was seriously digging the blended mochas to sooth my tired body and sore throat from the smoke that had rolled in Saturday.

I started my final day by goin' to “Church”, with a gospel session back at Markaritaville and capped off with a heavy serving of the JB’s from Fred Wesley and Groovesect. I could have easily stayed, especially after being “slipped” some tea, to catch Spearhead on the Grandstand but I was however treated to a dynamite set from Gamelan X as I packed out.

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