FESTIVALS – A GATHERING OF FUN, MUSIC & MORE

October 18, 2013
by
3 mins read

by Steve Prendergast
Going to festivals to see some of our favorite bands has been such a great experience for many of us over the years. Hearing the stories from the many who do, is always an enjoyable time. From the first tales of Woodstock of 1969 and beyond, it has taken many shapes and forms and has taken many on a musical, soul searching journey sometimes lasting more than just one show. For some, the journey has never stopped. Jam bands like the Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers, Grand Funk Railroad, later on Phish, Widespread Panic, String Cheese Incident, Dave Matthews Band and now more recently, Moe, Umphrey’s McGee and STS9 have given many fans of improvisational jam music experiences and memories that will carry them through their lives. Some fans of Improvisational Jam music continue going year in and year out to select festivals all around the country to hopefully get just another small taste of that great feeling of musical, communal bliss.
Now in 2013, we can experience musical euphoria at many venues and festival across the country. There is Bonnaroo, Camp Bisco, Summer Camp, Wakarusa, The Electric Forest Festival, The Gorge, Red Rocks, the Allgood festival just to name just a few. I have had the great opportunity to live close enough to the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida to get to experience a sliver of that enjoyment over the years. One of the better music festivals that comes around every year in SMP is the Wanee Music Festival.
Hosted and Headlined by the Allman Brothers in April of each year, it brings a chance for the young and the old to go out to the wilderness for four days, camp out in a beautiful setting and hear some awesome jams from a diverse group of very talented musicians. As much fun as the music is, sometimes there is a forging of new friendships and awakening of the senses that many experience that can be just as valuable. Walking around, checking out all they different camp site set ups and the people watching can sometimes be just as fun as the music.
You can read the Wanee forum on their website www.waneefestival.com and find many stories of people who travel hundreds of miles each year to partake in some great music and festivities at Wanee. They come from New York, Chicago and like the guys who camped near me this past April, as far as California. Some fortify group shelters that take days to build. I saw one that housed at least 50 people. The tarp itself was over 100 feet by 40 feet and well over 50 feet in the air. Some of those who come every year, put up elaborate, colorful, artistic, psychedelic prints on blankets that hang from clothes lines circling around their site. Some bring nothing but a backpack and cheap tent. Yet others, who have a little wealth that they don’t mind parting with, bring $200,000 camper buses and park in the VIP areas with hot water, electric and all the amenities.
One of the more entertaining parts of Wanee each year is the drum circle. It is usually set up way out in the boondocks of the camping area a long ways away from the main stage area. When the bands are done playing around 2 or 3 in the morning, those who just can’t stop from having fun, journey their way back there. You can still hear drum beats from all over the music park. Sometimes you can find a fifteen foot high bonfire, circled by 30 or 40 drummers from all walks of life, collectively maintaining a hypnotic, trance like beat. You might get a glimpse of some guys with long poles, fire burning at the ends twirling, spinning and juggling. It is also always fun when you get to see 15 or 20 different girls out there all of which is equipped with LED lighted hula hoops spinning and twirling as the drums pour out the thumping beats.
Yes, we all go to see The Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule, North Mississippi Allstars, Widespread Panic Derek Trucks and Susan Teduschi every year at Wanee. Yet, when we think back of the time we spent, our memories are filled with the new friends we met, the vendor art we saw, the side show experiences we were a part, all of the crazy stuff we saw out there, the costumes people wore, the rage sticks that people carried around, the cool outfits and colorful, happy friendliness of everyone we met that also keeps ups coming back for more.

Folio is your guide to entertainment and culture around and near Jacksonville, Florida. We cover events, concerts, restaurants, theatre, sports, art, happenings, and all things about living and visiting Jax. Folio serves more than two million readers across Jacksonville and Northeast Florida, including St. Augustine, The Beaches, and Fernandina.

Current Issue

SUBMIT EVENTS

Submit Events

Advertisements

An Evening with Jason Isbell
The Amp
Collision Homecoming
JWJ Park Events
omaha-steaks-banners

Date

Title

Current Month

Follow FOLIO!

Previous Story

Gainesville's Downtown Festival & Art Show

Next Story

QUILLS

Latest from Music

A Broadway-loaded FOUR PHANTOMS Experience

Whether it’s a version of the movie or one of myriad of productions on Broadway and other venues around the world, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is one of the longest-running and highest-grossing shows in Broadway and West End (London) history.  It originated in London, as its author is none

RIVERDANCE is 30 years young

Riverdance 30 – The New Generation is not only bringing new choreography to the show, but it is also introducing a new generation of dancers, none of whom were born when Riverdance first took to the stage 30 years ago.  Emissaries for the show, Irish siblings Anna Mai and Fergus

Empty Register: The Band That Spans Across City Lines

Words and Photos by Amiyah Golden  A couple months back, I was enjoying a night that was filled with a variety of tunes under the Riverside Arts Market Bridge. As I watched the next group prepare for their set, the static flow of expectancy was instead disrupted by something

February New Music

Feb. 14 The Lumineers  “Automatic” It’s been three years since this popular folk-duo has released a full-length album, and fans are over the moon (it’s me) with glee as they hear the pair merge sounds again with “Automatic.”  I highly appreciate the release date falling on Valentine’s Day, as it’ll

February Concerts

Feb. 1 Beethoven & Rachmaninoff Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts jaxsymphony.org Hotel Fiction Blue Jay Listening Room bluejayjax.com Tape B Decca Live deccalive.com Seventh Day Slumber & more Murray Hill Theatre murrayhilltheatre.com Black Drum Reunion Underbelly underbellyjax.com Feb. 2 A1A: Jimmy Buffett Tribute Show
July 5th Cleanup
GoUp

Don't Miss

The Avett Brothers

November 15 The Avett Brothers St. Augustine Amphitheatre (904) 471-1965

Paula Poundstone

Paula Poundstone “Twitter is the postcards in my head.” It’s