Gathering of the Vibes 2009 part 3 Sunday
by Lauren Traub Teton
"This was truly the best Gathering of the Vibes I have been to in the 4 that I have attended."
The perfect festival weather roll we've been on since late Saturday night continued for the daytime GOV shows on Sunday. What a treat to hear Buddy Guy do a song with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. He sat in on their last song, and the show seemed to segue seemlessly into the Buddy Guy performance. Again, they keep you busy and there was astonishingly little downtime between acts at this year's Gathering of the Vibes.
Buddy Guy is a master of the blues and the audience boogied and loved it. "One leg to the East, one leg to the west, and Buddy was in the middle tryin' to do his best!" This 5 Grammy Award Winner learned at the elbow of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. Buddy Guy is continuing the tradition with a gifted amazing blond kid who plays in Buddy's band. Did someone say he was 12 years old? We couldn't hear his name but we know we'll be hearing from this next Stevie Ray Vaughn. We were doubly blessed when Grace Potter joined Buddy Guy on his stage for a song.
Crosby, Still and Nash played the final set of the Gathering of the Vibes Festival, that had been running since Thursday. On the first several numbers they sounded like they had drunk a 5-hour Energy Drink about 7 hours earlier. The set changed up the pace with a cover of the Stones "Ruby Tuesday." Storm clouds were quickly gathering, and having experienced a flash storm at this festival Friday night, it was just time to go. I planned to listen to the rest of the show in my car on WPKN who had been graciously broadcasting the music all weekend. But alas, CSN did not give permission for their show to be broadcast. I slipped away from Seaside Park and the crowd as the raindrops started to pelt, about 10 minutes before the end of the act.
In all, only about an hour of music was pre-empted by rain on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Amazing considering the history of rain that follows this (and every NY/New England summer music festival I have ever attended.) We're sorry half of the moe show was lost in the evacuation Friday night. This GOV 2009 ran with military precision and here's a shout-out to all the people who made it happen and sacrificed sleep when needed. We hear planning of the next GOV starts 3 days after the last one finishes!
This was truly the best Gathering of the Vibes I have been to in the 4 that I have attended. The two years I went to the shows in Mariaville, upstate NY were magic. The first year back in Seaside Park ('07) was the settling down year. Now the magic is back. It wasn't just the music, it was the high vibration of the crowd. It is great to be with music lovers who are dancing and enjoying themselves. Magic happens in a loose flowing environment like this, and it did!
A couple of tips for GOV goers:
Ferry
*If you're coming from eastern Long Island, consider the Port Jefferson to Bridgeport ferry. I took it over this year and it was so pleasant. Make a reservation before. The cost was $51 for a car and driver. The ferry runs with precision. It takes an hour plus to get across, and drops you about a mile from the festival and you'll see signs to get you there.
If you're a Twifty
(Twifties are people who are in their late 40s and up and FUN!! And there were lots of them at Gathering of the Vibes!) consider buying VIP tickets. This year the VIP area had 2 spacious shady tents where the show could be seen. One tent had snacks, drinks, beer for sale, and a dance floor. The other one was furnished with cushy sofas. The VIP area is a refuge from the harsh realities of weather and a great place to chill. Of course you can go into the main concert area too from there.
VIP tickets usually sell out, plan early! VIP ticket holders get 2 catered lunches, close parking, a special camping area, and more.
Rain
It's no fun to sleep in water if you're not a fish. Bring an air mattress to raise your sleeping bag above water that will seep into your tent. Expect it!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Gathering of the Vibes 2009 part 2
Gathering of the Vibes 2009 part 2
by Lauren Traub Teton
Saturday night at GOV was possibly the best Saturday night EVER!!! It was the best In my 4 years of going based on music, weather, audience, and general VIBE! Friday night's noodly improve performances on the main stage were replaced by the Levon Helm Band's drum-tight performance where every note was in place, but many old Band favorites were freshly arranged and sounding superb. This perfomance reminds me it is time to watch one of the greatest music concert movies of all time again - "The Last Waltz."
Bob Weir and Ratdog totally surprised me. I have seen them many times and if last night turned out to be a show that didn't inspire me or the weather turned nasty, I was planning to slip out of the concert early and make for my bed and some needed catch-up sleep. Well, it was getting LIGHT when I finally got home, so I think that proves that this was one of the best Ratdog shows I ever experienced. The set kicked ass from start to finish, with the proper blend of dancin' tunes and spacey ones. The show finished up with "One More Saturday Night" and the crowd went wild. Light stick fireworks "went off." It's pretty to see huge handfuls of light sticks fly through the air, and you'll see it in the video. Just explain to me me how that fits into the heavy ecolgoy and recycling vibe of this show?
The weather was PERFECT in the 70s all night as we made our way to the 1:30 a.m. late show of Perpetual Groove on the Green Vibes Stage. It's the same venue where the Lettuce show was last night. You had to have a "Camping" ticket to go to the Green Vibes stage in the campground. Security runs like a well-oiled machine at this year's event and wristbands were checked at the gate to the campground. I had never heard Perpetual Groove, but being a dancer, how could I resist seeing a group with a name like that? I was not dispappointed as the dance scene raved and raged inside and outside the big white tent.
People slowly meandered back to their campsites at the end of this EPIC Saturday night at Gathering of the Vibes 2009.
More to come, and VIDEO whenI I have time to edit. Now going back to see Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at 2:30,
by Lauren Traub Teton
Saturday night at GOV was possibly the best Saturday night EVER!!! It was the best In my 4 years of going based on music, weather, audience, and general VIBE! Friday night's noodly improve performances on the main stage were replaced by the Levon Helm Band's drum-tight performance where every note was in place, but many old Band favorites were freshly arranged and sounding superb. This perfomance reminds me it is time to watch one of the greatest music concert movies of all time again - "The Last Waltz."
Bob Weir and Ratdog totally surprised me. I have seen them many times and if last night turned out to be a show that didn't inspire me or the weather turned nasty, I was planning to slip out of the concert early and make for my bed and some needed catch-up sleep. Well, it was getting LIGHT when I finally got home, so I think that proves that this was one of the best Ratdog shows I ever experienced. The set kicked ass from start to finish, with the proper blend of dancin' tunes and spacey ones. The show finished up with "One More Saturday Night" and the crowd went wild. Light stick fireworks "went off." It's pretty to see huge handfuls of light sticks fly through the air, and you'll see it in the video. Just explain to me me how that fits into the heavy ecolgoy and recycling vibe of this show?
The weather was PERFECT in the 70s all night as we made our way to the 1:30 a.m. late show of Perpetual Groove on the Green Vibes Stage. It's the same venue where the Lettuce show was last night. You had to have a "Camping" ticket to go to the Green Vibes stage in the campground. Security runs like a well-oiled machine at this year's event and wristbands were checked at the gate to the campground. I had never heard Perpetual Groove, but being a dancer, how could I resist seeing a group with a name like that? I was not dispappointed as the dance scene raved and raged inside and outside the big white tent.
People slowly meandered back to their campsites at the end of this EPIC Saturday night at Gathering of the Vibes 2009.
More to come, and VIDEO whenI I have time to edit. Now going back to see Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at 2:30,
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Gathering of the Vibes 2009
Gathering of the Vibes 2009
by Lauren Traub Teton
Bridgeport,CT. July 25. Gathering of the Vibes summer music festival has returned to rock out Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT.
See the vid here.
Heavy rain Thursday gave way to a perfect day on Friday. Campers were packed into the 370 acre park, and hay had been thoughtfully placed over a lot of the muddy areas for easy walking. Twifties - the FUN people in their late 40s, 50s, 60s, and UP were out in full force enjoying the fest. George Clinton and P-Funk got the crowd crazy with "We Want the Funk." Musical experimentation is what the Gathering of the Vibes stages were made for, and George and his band let it fly. A female singer changed up the pace and tone, and kept dancers on their feet for the changes in direction that the music took.
Deep Banana Blackout once again reveled in being the home team on their hometown stage. Jen Durkin, lead singer and glue of DBB looked glam and svelte in her black dress and glorious thick blonde dreds. Their were hints that they might reprise their famous Zeppelin set of GOV 2006 where Jen Durkin channeled Robert Plant on the two delicious Zeppelin covers, including "Whole Lotta Love" from the Red Sky set 10 years ago. (read about the 2006 Gathering of the Vibes and see pix here.)
But since DBB always keeps it all fresh, we were treated to a Santana song from Woodstock (the first one, that is) and the crowd danced their feet off! And Jen had her sister, and her "soul sister from another mother" join her on a tribute to Merle Saunders (of the Saunders/Garcia Band and much more.) UFOs of candle-powered globes with laser lights floated over the crowd. One has to wonder what happens if one lands on a tent.
Time between bands was short. Unbelievably short, not even 5 minutes to hit the portolet or get a beer. I never thought I'd ever say "there should be more downtime between bands." moe started their set on time at 10:30 but then a serious lightning storm whipped up and the audience was told "go back to your cars" 'til it blows over."
After about 90 minutes the storm passed, and the party was back outdoors with Lettuce playing some of the best funk of the night at an intimate venue under a tent, by the seaside. This was a reunion of the band started by high schoolers in 1992 in Boston. The weather was crisp and the humidity had dropped, the dancing was intense, great party weather once again.
See the vid here.
More to come...after it happens!
by Lauren Traub Teton
Bridgeport,CT. July 25. Gathering of the Vibes summer music festival has returned to rock out Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT.
See the vid here.
Heavy rain Thursday gave way to a perfect day on Friday. Campers were packed into the 370 acre park, and hay had been thoughtfully placed over a lot of the muddy areas for easy walking. Twifties - the FUN people in their late 40s, 50s, 60s, and UP were out in full force enjoying the fest. George Clinton and P-Funk got the crowd crazy with "We Want the Funk." Musical experimentation is what the Gathering of the Vibes stages were made for, and George and his band let it fly. A female singer changed up the pace and tone, and kept dancers on their feet for the changes in direction that the music took.
Deep Banana Blackout once again reveled in being the home team on their hometown stage. Jen Durkin, lead singer and glue of DBB looked glam and svelte in her black dress and glorious thick blonde dreds. Their were hints that they might reprise their famous Zeppelin set of GOV 2006 where Jen Durkin channeled Robert Plant on the two delicious Zeppelin covers, including "Whole Lotta Love" from the Red Sky set 10 years ago. (read about the 2006 Gathering of the Vibes and see pix here.)
But since DBB always keeps it all fresh, we were treated to a Santana song from Woodstock (the first one, that is) and the crowd danced their feet off! And Jen had her sister, and her "soul sister from another mother" join her on a tribute to Merle Saunders (of the Saunders/Garcia Band and much more.) UFOs of candle-powered globes with laser lights floated over the crowd. One has to wonder what happens if one lands on a tent.
Time between bands was short. Unbelievably short, not even 5 minutes to hit the portolet or get a beer. I never thought I'd ever say "there should be more downtime between bands." moe started their set on time at 10:30 but then a serious lightning storm whipped up and the audience was told "go back to your cars" 'til it blows over."
After about 90 minutes the storm passed, and the party was back outdoors with Lettuce playing some of the best funk of the night at an intimate venue under a tent, by the seaside. This was a reunion of the band started by high schoolers in 1992 in Boston. The weather was crisp and the humidity had dropped, the dancing was intense, great party weather once again.
See the vid here.
More to come...after it happens!
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