Rothbury Review

Day 1 – Thursday 7/3

After a hectic day of supply buying on Wednesday and a two and half hour drive from Novi we arrived at the Muskegon Airport to pick up Bill and Kenny around 10:45 AM. They landed right on time and after our greetings we loaded up the mid-size rental SUV (note to self: get a full-size next time) and were off.

Since I was the driver being on the road this early was my idea because avoiding traffic was my number one priority. I didn’t want a repeat of Bonnaroo 2002 where Teri and I were sitting in traffic triple the time it took us to fly from Oregon to Tennessee. Well low and behold we encountered ZERO traffic, not even a slight slow down, as we followed our “secret” directions to the Back Forty. This would be the first of many things over the holiday weekend that would work out perfectly.

(The worst reports of traffic I read about after the fact were anywhere between two and four hours, which is superb for a first year festival.)

They opened the Back Forty at high noon and we arrived for check in at 12:06. Probably a little too early, but when you’re on the Back Forty you always have options. After looking over the schedule for a while we moseyed on over to Shooters Saloon. Now how many other festivals have on site bars and restaurants? Exactly, none. So after a quick Red Stripe each and a grilled cheese for Bill, Kenny showed up with our keys and off we went.

I was able to drive the rental right up to our Cabin (#38) so we could unload right at the front door. NICE! After about an hour of getting situated we tapped our first mini-keg of Bell’s Brewery Oberon Ale around 2:00 PM and immediately began to tell stories of shows, festivals and tours past. Nothing like good friends, good weather and plenty of alcohol!
After a few hours of drinking Kenny, Teri and I decided to check out the lot while Bill took a nap. A short shuttle ride dropped us off at The Ranch. From there we navigated ourselves to general camping to see what we could we see. Shakedown was just filling in, but certainly showed massive potential. After a few laps around the lot we decided to head back to our cabin for some pre-music turkey sandwiches and more cocktails too of course.

Greensky Bluegrass – The Ranch Arena – 7:15-8:30 (1st show)
Old Barns, Send Me Your Address, 200 Miles, Break Mountain, Road to Nowhere, Bottle Dry*, Just a Lie, Against the Days, Train Junkie, The Reverend, Dry Country > Time, Tied Down*
* with Tim Carbone on fiddle

We arrived late for the boys from Kalamazoo during “Break Mountain”, which we had no good excuse for. I was counting on the Michigan natives to deliver a high energy set in front of their home peeps to open the festival, and they did.

We stood just to the right of the soundboard on a little rise and could see the stage perfectly. The sun was now out and the weather was ideal. What makes Greensky different than most jamgrass acts is dobro player Anders Beck. It’s actually kind of surprising what a difference having a full time dobro player does for the overall sound of bluegrass. This was a very solid way to start the festivities with “Dry Country > Time” (Pink Floyd) being the highlight for me.
Perpetual Groove – Sherwood Court – 8:15-9:00 (3rd show)
Golden Path > Deception Structure > Three Weeks, Mr. Transistor, Save for One > Teakwood Betz

After making our way through Sherwood Forest for the first time we stopped in for a little PGroove. We got there during “Three Weeks” and stuck around for “Mr. Transistor” before we had to bolt. What I saw was pretty much typical meandering PGroove, but this was their first show with new keyboardist John Hruby, and something about them was a little different to my ears. Probably not enough to make me a fan, but also not enough to put me asleep for once.

Zappa Plays Zappa – The Ranch Arena – 9:00-10:30 (1st show)
Blue Lagoon, City of Tiny Lights, Flakes > Broken Hearts are for Assholes, Bamboozled by Love, King Kong, Don't Eat the Yellow Snow > St. Alfonzo's Pancake Breakfast > Father O'Blivion, Inca Roads, Willie the Pimp, Cosmic Debris

I have to give credit to my boy Kenny for leading us here. I was skeptical at first but ZPZ ended up being the most pleasant surprise of the entire festival for me. I really didn’t know what to expect but these boys were tight, funky and entertaining. Not being totally familiar with the Zappa catalogue it was a nice role reversal of sorts with Kenny telling me what songs were being played for a change. I think we left the VIP area somewhere around “Yellow Snow > St. Alfonzo’s” for my first must see show of the weekend.
Lotus – Tripolee Domes – 10:15-11:30 (11th show)
Spiritualize, Scrapple, Wax, Tip of the Tongue, Bellwether > Flower Sermon > Greet the Mind

Teri and I arrived at the Domes right on time. We were supposed to meet Bill and Kenny to the right of the soundboard but the crowd was so packed in there was no shot of that happening. So we settled into a nice spot in the back off center and were treated to a “Spiritualize” opener. Like the hardcore Lotus fan next to me said to no one in particular, “You don’t know what a treat a ‘Spiritualize’ opener is.” Next came “Scrapple” which is short, but probably my favorite of their new tunes.

The always welcome “Wax” was up next and totally delivered the goods. At this point the music and vibe were so hot I knew something special was happening. The only slower moment of the show came next with “Tip”, but even that provided some excitement, albeit not the good kind. Some jackass decided it would be a good idea to climb up one of the domes. Luckily no one was hurt, but that fool almost ruined the best festival ever on the first night.

The closing trio of “Bellweather > Flower Sermon > Greet the Mind” was Lotus in full bloom. They kept the people grooving though flawless segues so much so that no one could leave during “GtM” even though the Biscuits had already started. As pretty much everyone around us was saying “I want to leave but I can’t because the music is too good!”

This show reminded me of when I saw Lotus on 12/30/06 opening for The String Cheese Incident in San Francisco. That night featured a smallish crowd that kept growing and growing with the energy increasing at the same exponential rate. Needless to say my boys made a bunch of new fans at Rothbury, and Bill was one of them.
the Disco Biscuits – The Ranch Arena – 11:15-1:30 (16th show)
World is Spinning, I-Man > Digital Buddha > Run Like Hell* > Digital Buddha*, Home Again, Shelby Rose > The City > Orch Theme > Shelby Rose, Wizards in Winter
E: Story of the World, Rockafella > Run Like Hell
* with David Murphy on laptop

We arrived at Bisco during “I-Man” and it was impossible to be bummed about being late coming from Lotus. The VIP area wasn’t very crowded but the field itself was. I dropped my pack and immediately got busy grooving. I love “Digital Buddha” and Marc Brownstein was dropping the bass bombs just as I like them.

When “Buddha” led into Pink Floyd’s “Run Like Hell” I wasn’t too excited, but when Murph appeared mid-way through “RLH” that changed in a hurry. People love to kill STS9 over their use of laptops, but let me tell you, when Murph popped onto that stage the jamming went to another level entirely. “RLH > Buddha” was pure Bisco madness plain and simple. At this point we noticed that Johnny R. Goode (Biscuit lighting director) was using the trees lining the stage as a backdrop for his paisley light swirls. Kick ass!!!

When “Home Again” is your breather song you know you’re at a quality Bisco show. The “Shelby Rose > The City > Orch Theme > Shelby Rose” pretty much sapped any energy Teri, Bill and I had left (Kenny, where were you?) but we did make it though the closing “Wizards in Winter”. At this point it was 1:30 and Brownie came back on and said “Rothbury has given us more time.” Uh-oh, should we stay or should we go? Well Teri made the call to pack it in just as “Story of the World” was starting. The rationale being we had no idea how much longer they would play and we had a big day in front of us tomorrow.

This was BY FAR the best Thursday in modern festival history. I mean you could have made a night out of the acts I didn’t see; Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Mickey Hart Band (featuring Steve Kimock, George Porter Jr., Kyle Hollingsworth and Jen Durkin), Railroad Earth and EOTO. Now that is what I call quality entertainment options!

Day 2 – Friday 7/4

My day started with a hot shower, two turkey sandwiches and Grey Goose and cranberry by 11 AM. NICE! After some pre-gaming at the cabin Bill and I took off for the day leaving Teri (lot) and Kenny (recovering) behind. I learned from day 1 and entered the festival grounds with a backpack full of beer and water for the long day ahead.

Tea Leaf Green – The Ranch Arena – 2:00-3:00 (6th show)
Let Us Go, I've Got a Truck > Zoom Zoom, Borrowed Time, One Reason, Drink of Streams, Jezebel, Can You Guess It? > Death Cake

We got to TLG during “I’ve Got a Truck” and it was no different than every other TLG show I’ve ever heard. They played a bunch unremarkable five minute rock tunes and one big jammer (“Jezebel”). These guys might just be the most overrated band on the scene today. I don’t think I can sum up my feelings about TLG any better than Jambase’s Cal Roach already did…

“There is a thread of sameness that links many, many jam bands together, but the really good ones develop something unique that transcends this makeshift genre, and Tea Leaf Green hasn't found its something yet.”

The one good thing that came from this set was that we realized the true brilliance of the VIP area at The Ranch. It was the only shady spot in the entire field, the view was just left of dead center, AND it was on a slight rise above the crowd in the field. Oh yeah, and it had two port-o-lets. I offer up no hyperbole when I say this was hands down the best VIP section ever created for the modern festival goer.
Betty LaVette – Sherwood Court – 3:15-4:15 (1st show)
setlist unknown

This was the breather/meet up with everyone show of the day. Since the Sherwood Court stage offers neither shade nor a VIP Area we decided to hang just off the field in the beginning of Sherwood Forest. It was plenty shady there, but the sound bleed from other stages made it less than ideal. That said Muskegon’s own Ms. LaVette was a little flat to me. Maybe my expectations were set too high, but I couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed by her showing.

Snoop Dogg – The Odeum – 4:15-5:30 (1st show)
Livin’ it Up, Tha Shiznit, Snoop Bounce, How Does it Feel When You Got No Weed, Gin and Juice, I Wanna Love You, Keep Bouncin’, 187 > Nuthin’ But a G Thang, Ups & Downs, Sexual Eruption, Smoke Weed Get Drunk and Fuck, Lodi Dodi, Pump Pump, Jump Around, Drop it Like it’s Hot, Gz and Hustlas, Who am I (What’s My Name)?, Lean Wit It/Hey Hey Hey Goodbye

This was the one place everyone knew they had to be, and you could tell by the size of the crowd that practically everyone was indeed there. Snoop’s production started right on time at, you guessed it, 4:20. I’m not a big hip-hop fan so I can’t really say what he played, but all the peeps who knew his music were totally psyched about the amount of old tunes he played.

Snoop summed up the afternoon perfectly when he said “We’re smoking weed, drinking, Snoop Dogg is on stage and it’s 4th of July…now make some noise!” We did, and then Bill and I went one way and Teri and Kenny another.
Drive-By Truckers – Sherwood Court – 5:00-6:15 (4th show)
After the Scene Dies, Self Destructive Zones, That Man I Shot, 3 Dimes Down, The Company I Keep, Marry Me, Putting People on the Moon, A Ghost to Most, I'm Sorry Huston, Jealousy*, One of These Days, World of Hurt, Women Without Whiskey, Lookout Mountain
* with Betty LaVette on vocals

I have to admit I was pumped to see the Truckers, especially with Bill since he’s seen in the neighborhood of 100 DBT shows. Unfortunately they didn’t deliver. They weren’t bad, but they weren’t great (like 6/10/05, Bonnaroo) either. Something was just a little off, and to me it seemed like their energy was lacking for whatever reason. Not sure how that could be at Rothbury, but Bill relayed to Teri later that day that the Truckers’ set was “just average.” Hey it happens to everybody, and I was out after “Marry Me.”
WMD’S – The Ranch Arena – 5:15-6:30 (1st show)
You are What You Eat > Celebrate Your Youth > You are What You Eat, Thin Mint, Freeker by the Speaker, Eyes of the World, Kiwi and the Apricot, Ear Infection, The Juggler > Dancing in the Street > The Juggler, Pepper, Newness, Tribe, Best Feeling

The second I walked into the VIP area I knew I should have skipped the Truckers and went right to Keller and the MD’S. Keller and his all star band were grooving the afternoon away to “Kiwi and the Apricot” when I arrived. I wasn’t really all that familiar with the rest of the songs played until the end, but I was totally taken aback by how tight the band around K-Dub was. They really brought a whole new life to his tunes. So if what Keller says is true, and he really does prefer playing with a band over performing solo now, then that bodes very well for the future. The closing duo of “Tribe, Best Feeling” could not have been better for Teri and we spent the set break discussing how great a show we had just seen.
Yonder Mountain String Band – The Ranch Arena – 7:00-8:45 (4th show)
Casualty, Rain Still Falls, Don't You Lean on Me, Hit Parade of Love, Robots* > Fingerprint*, Up on the Hill Where They Do the Boogie*, Catch a Criminal*, Fine Excuses*, 2 Hits and the Joint Turned Brown*, New Deal Train*, Steep Grade Sharp Curves*, Kentucky Mandolin*, If There's Still Ramblin' in the Rambler (let him go)* > Angel* > Follow Me Down to the Riverside* > Angel* > If There's Still Ramblin' in the Rambler (let him go)*
E: East Nashville Easter*
* with Jon Fishman on drums

After chilling in the VIP area between shows the boys from Colorado came out and straight tore it up. The first four songs were all about each member getting a turn to sing. So when Fish stepped out and mandolin player Jeff Austin said “Let’s turn ourselves into a little rock band shall we” things went crazy. I mean they really were rocking it out like I’ve never heard them do before. As an example guitarist Adam Aijala was using distortion, lots of it, and I loved it!

“Robots” set the tone and the show took off from there flowing oh so nicely into “Fingerprint.” “Boogie” always brings up memories of Leftover Salmon for me, so I was getting down with a vengeance by then. “Catch a Criminal” is a newer original from bassist Ben Kaufmann, and a tune I enjoy quite a bit.

“2 Hits” was entertaining as always, but it was Austin’s experiment about mid-way through that really took the cake (I’m not talking, click on the link above). “New Deal Train” was via the request line per Kaufmann and “Steep Grade Sharpe Curves” might be my favorite Yonder song of them all. “Kentucky Mandolin” with Fishman was fierce and had the peeps creating a massive cloud of dust near the stage.

Teri and I left during “Rambler” to go back to the cabin and recharge for the night, but I kind of wish we had stayed to the end. Granted we probably would have missed the entire first set of Panic if we stayed, but my regret comes from the fact that we’re much less likely to see YMSB with Fish in Oregon than we are WSP. Oh well, spilled milk and all.
Widespread Panic – The Odeum – 8:45-12:00 (13th show)
I: Pigeons, North, Walk on the Flood, Surprise Valley* > Arleen* > Surprise Valley*, You Should Be Glad, The Take Out* > Porch Song*
II: Fishwater, Pleas > Bust it Big > Second Skin, Disco > Drums** > Jam > Love Tractor, Protein Drink* > Sewing Machine*, Life During Wartime*
* with Ann Marie Calhoun on fiddle
** with Jeff Sipe on percussion

After some cocktails, chips and sitting time we were back on the shuttle to main stage with my backpack refilled with supplies. We touched down in the main stage VIP area during “Walk on the Flood”, just in time for Ann Marie Calhoun’s appearance.

When you see fiddle and Panic together it may not sound good, but let me tell you something, Ms. Calhoun has it down. She doesn’t need space or a break for a solo; she’s perfectly capable of finding her own space to fill in around the edges, something that probably isn’t very easy with a band like Widespread. She still gets her chances to shine, but it flows so organically that nothing is forced.

“You Should Be Glad” was great as usual and the closing duo of “The Take Out > Porch Song” was perfect for some fiddle action. As Bill said at set break, “With Panic it’s an embarrassment of riches on stage. Then you add in Ann Marie, and well, we are very lucky to be here.”I can’t say that the beginning of the second set featured any of my favorite tunes, but “Fishwater, Pleas > Bust it Big > Second Skin” was as solid and diverse as anyone could ask for. I always love a “Disco” and what the drum section did to kill the momentum “Jam > Love Tractor” brought it right back. I’m not big on “Protein Drink > Sewing Machine” but Bill was literally waiting on it, and to see his reaction when they broke it out was worth the price of admission.

The closing choice of the Talking Heads “Life During Wartime” was perfect and it tore the figurative roof of The Odeum. They stopped rather abruptly right at midnight and everyone was kind of wondering what happened. That is until the fireworks started going off seconds later. You want to talk about a display, cripes were these fireworks good…and long too. Everyone was oohing and cheering for what seemed like 10-15 minutes (or more). Just the perfect way to end a great day.Yes, we all went home after that skipping Primus, Thievery Corporation, Bassnectar and Pnuma Trio. When you get old there’s only a certain amount of bullets in your gun, and since we all had an extra late night coming the next day, we did the wise thing and got some sleep.

Day 3 – Saturday 7/5

I started this day well rested and with a hot shower once again. Since I was up early enough I decided to hit the complimentary breakfast buffet this time around and was glad I did. A hot breakfast of a made to order omelet, potatoes and a few mimosas was just what the doctor ordered. When I got back to the cabin I was ready to roll and no one else was so I decided to do a little venturing on my own.

Trampled By Turtles – Sherwood Court – 12:45-1:30 (1st show)
I’m a Stranger Now, Darkness and Light, ???, November, Old Joe Clark, Rich/Poor, White Noise, Valley, ???, Trouble, Codeine

I arrived at the stage during “White Noise” not having any idea what to expect. I was very pleasantly surprised by what I heard. These kids from Duluth, MN could really pick. They were a standard bluegrass group (guitar, bass, banjo, mandolin & fiddle) but they sat in chairs in a half moon shape on stage. Maybe that setup helps them connect or something, but I wasn’t digging all five guys sitting down the entire time. That said I left at the end of “Trouble” feeling very lucky to catch the four songs I did.Dead Confederate – The Ranch Arena – 12:45-1:45 (1st show)
setlist unknown

The main reason I came in early was to see these buzz boys from Athens, GA and man was I ever disappointed. They were more indie noise rock than anything resembling jam, just not my style at all. Half a song in I was wishing I stayed at TBT, but I stuck it out alone in the VIP section for the final four songs of their set. Needless to say this was the worst thing I saw all festival.

Emmitt-Nershi Band – Sherwood Court – 2:00-3:00 (2nd show)
Midnight Run, Good Times Around the Bend, Gold Hill Line, Texas, Long Road*, Restless Wind*, Into the Distance*, Love is Like a Train*, Down in the Hollow*
* with Anders Beck on dobro

Teri met up with me a few minutes before the show was about to start. We had a prime view of the stage and plenty of room to boogie as well just to the right of the soundboard. I’m always happy to hear Drew Emmitt’s voice, which is the epitome of the high and lonesome sound (after Del McCoury of course), so “Midnight Run” was a great way to kick things off for me.

“Gold Hill Line” was the next highlight for me and is probably my favorite new Drew tune. “Texas” was called by a random kid walking through the crowd right after Drew said “We’re gonna get Billy to tell ya a little story now.” The title track from Drew’s new album was up next, and “Long Road” has the makings of another Emmitt classic. The Cheese people got their fix and were bouncing off the walls (figuratively) during “Restless Wind.”

“Into the Distance” brought on the change of pace section of the show and slowed things down perfectly. “Love is Like a Train” kept the mood mellow, but was also the biggest jam (12+ minutes) of the set. After everybody got a chance to shine “Down in the Hollow” closed out the best early afternoon show I saw all weekend.

The way Drew and Billy took turns singing lead vocals every other song was nice, as was the actual song selection. Even though they only had an hour they made the absolute most of their time (much like Lotus did), and Anders Beck’s dobro playing added just the right touch around the edges. Walking back to the shuttle it dawned on me just how much high quality bluegrass I had seen. Greensky, YMSB, TBT and ENB all treated me extremely well. Medeski Martin and Wood – Sherwood Court – 5:15-6:45 (10th show)
Pappy Check, Cat Creeps > Improv* > Piano #1, After the Onsen, What'd I Say?, Where's the Music?, Bass Solo > Tootie Ma is a Big Fine Thing, Heavy Bass Groove
* with Col. Bruce Hampton on vocals

When Teri and I got back to the stage it was way more crowded than it was when we left, although we were still able to muscle our way to the right of the soundboard again. The opening “Pappy Check” was phat and had me grooving immediately. The next highlight for me was the improv section that featured Colonel Bruce “scatting” overtop of a classic MMW psychedelic space freak-out. The only other standout to me was “Where’s the Music?” which got the crowd bumping once again.

The rest of the show wasn’t bad by any means, but it wasn’t the ass-shaking goodness that MMW can be at times either. I knew going in that we’d see a lot of new tunes since the boys are in the middle of their “Viva La Evolution Tour” where they are composing new music on the road then recording an album of said music immediately after. Three separate times in a year no less. Even so this set was a little too heavy on “jazz odyssey” sections for me and didn’t feature enough danceable beats to keep the peeps fully involved.Soul Stew Revival – Sherwood Court – 7:15-8:45 (1st show)
Don’t Do It, Sugar, Stand Back, Pack Up Our Things, Don’t Cry No More*, Get Out of My Life Woman, People, Hey Jude, I Want to Be Loved, Hercules, Key to the Highway, Anyday
* with Col. Bruce Hampton on vocals

Except for a brief appearance by Kenny and Bill during MMW Teri and I were on our own all day and that continued for the Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi extravaganza. This was another show where I really didn’t know what to expect and after chilling in Sherwood Forest during the break we settled into a shady spot off to the left of the stage.

The Band’s “Don’t Do It” got things rolling and let us know we were in for some good old fashioned blues with a twinge of Motown. The Allman’s “Stand Back” was a nice treat with Trucks’ slide guitar work in full effect. Bobby Bland’s “Don’t Cry No More” was our second shot of Colonel Bruce back-to-back. The Colonel traded lyrics with Tedeschi and it was really very solid. Allen Toussaint's “Get Out of My Life Woman” was ripping blues that once again featured Trucks but with a much grittier tone. “Hey Jude” was given a very nice twist with Tedeschi’s soulful voice.

We left at the start of “Hercules” so I could go back and re-supply and Teri could get a prime viewing spot at the main stage VIP area. After being slightly disappointed with MMW I was brought back up by the pleasant surprise that was the Soul Stew Review. As is usually the case with me it all comes down to expectations. I had none for Trucks and Tedeschi so it was easy for them to impress me. Dave Matthews Band – The Odeum – 9:00-11:30 (5th show)
Seek Up, Eh Hee, Grey Street, Rhyme and Reason, Proudest Monkey, Satellite, Corn Bread, So Damn Lucky, #41, You Might Die Trying, Sledgehammer, Tripping Billies, #27, Jimi Thing, So Much to Say > Anyone Seen the Bridge > Too Much, Ants Marching
E: Gravedigger, Louisiana Bayou, Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)

I hopped off the shuttle during “Proudest Monkey” and immediately noticed how packed the main stage area was. Dave easily drew the largest crowd of the entire festival. Heck, even Shirley the shuttle driver thought so. It was nice to be reunited with the entire gang to see a show for what was really the first time all day.

Looking at the setlist after the fact I was a little bummed that I missed “Grey Street” but the first three songs I did hear I really liked. “Satellite, Corn Bread, So Damn Lucky” was a great mix of the old and the new for me. But “#41” is really where this version of DMB started to shine. Fill in saxophone player Jeff Coffin (LeRoi Moore was out due to an ATV accident) took the outro jam to another level entirely. What was impressive though was how the rest of the band followed Coffin, something Dave haters would never ever give his band credit for.

Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” was given the Dave treatment and was totally enjoyable. The next three songs highlighted the other “new” member of this unit, guitarist Tim Reynolds. On “Tripping Billies, #27, Jimi Thing” Reynolds’ electric guitar work added another level of ferocity to DMB’s attack. I think if there was an overriding theme amongst the peeps in the crowd it was that Tim should be a full time member of the band. It’s like his playing is what they’ve been missing all this time.

The rest of the show was pretty standard DMB fare and I was basically just counting the minutes until STS9’s performance. Nobody seemed to mind my constant time check updates either, at least not that they said anyway. We left during “Gravedigger” and heard some of “Bayou” on our walk over. In retrospect us leaving Dave early turned out to be very smart as the biggest traffic jam of the weekend took place on the way to STS9 from DMB. Sound Tribe Sector 9 – The Ranch Arena – 12:00-2:30 (29th show)
I: Peaceblaster '68* > Peaceblaster '08*, Lo Swaga, Economic Hitman, Tooth, Aimlessly, Oh Little Brain*, 118, Arigato, Abcees > Evasive Maneuvers, Open E, Beyond Right Now*, Shock Doctrine*
Zinn Doctrine* (played during set break)
II: The Unquestionable Supremacy of Nature, Move My Peeps, The Rabble, Breathe In, Rent, Monkey Music, Hidden Hand Hidden Fist*, One a Day, Inspire Strikes Back, The New Soma*
* concert debut
After what can only be described as a magical walk though the night time Sherwood Forest we arrived at the VIP section. I was surprised at the size of the crowd, both in the field and in VIP alike. After the rest of the people arrived from Dave it was easily the biggest non-main stage crowd I saw, and probably the fifth biggest overall crowd of the entire festival after DMB, Snoop, Panic and Phil. Being a West Coast recluse for the most part I had no idea how big STS9 really was. People were extremely psyched up to see them and many (like us) were looking forward to it all weekend.

The boys did not disappoint either delivering a performance that will undoubtedly go down in their annals as legendary. You have to give them credit for opening with a debut when the crowd was literally teeming with anticipation. “Peaceblaster” had what it took though, especially the ’08 part, so much so that I was compelled to whisper in Teri’s ear that “I don’t know what this is, but I like it.”

After that came the always welcome “Lo Swaga” which featured a reworked intro and a slightly different beat to my ears. “EHM” was next and was the one new tune that I was really hoping to hear. “Tooth” is a down song for me, but it gave me time to check out the massive lighting rig that Saxton was putting to the best use I saw all weekend. But that’s not all; STS9 also had some LED lights on stage that stretched from behind keyboardist David Phipps to the back of percussionist Jeffree Lerner.

These vertical strips of light were all of varying heights, could go in waves, all at once and be any color. I told Kenny that I needed some in my living room. He humored me at first, but later on in the night he came up to me and was in complete agreement.

“Aimlessly” came next and brought the house down. If STS9 has a bona fide crowd pleaser this might be it. “Brain” was another debut and “118” seemed re-worked somewhat to me as well. “Arigato” is always welcome but it was the “Abcees > Evasive” that came next which really took the dance party to another level. This is a great pairing of songs and I’m glad the boys discovered it.

As always “Open E” was perfect for a bathroom break and I was back in time to see the closing debut duo of “Beyond Right Now, Shock Doctrine.” This is what makes STS9 great; even though nobody knew these songs (changes, climaxes, etc.) people were still going crazy. That’s a credit to how good the tunes are as well as how skillfully they were played.

I have to admit at the time I didn’t like “Zinn Doctrine” and sat down for a rest. But little did I know it was just filler being played over the PA while the boys took a quick nine minute “set break.”

Coming back with “TUSON” to open the second set was a great way to reignite the party. “Move My Peeps” settled into a nice groove next and had me boogying my hind end off. “Breathe In” was the next high point for me and saw me moving to the back of the VIP area to get as much space as possible for my twirling. “Monkey Music” was probably the one treat for setlist geeks like myself, and I totally enjoyed it (from the back of VIP again).

Teri was failing by this time and Bill and Kenny had left for other adventures. So what’s a husband to do? We left for the shuttle during “Hidden Hand Hidden Fist” and heard “One a Day” start before we got on the bus. It was just after three when we left and the show ended around 3:30 AM so we didn’t miss much.

Walking through the crowd I was once again amazed at the scene in the field. It was still packed and people were getting down with a vengeance. I was really impressed with my boys to the point that I’m willing to say they are officially “next.” There’s no disputing that Panic wears the jam crown right now, but as far as which band will be filling summer sheds on their own after that I nominate STS9.

Day 4 – Sunday 7/6

The final day started out much slower than the previous three. Teri and I barely made the one o’clock breakfast buffet cutoff and took our showers when we got back. I was a little ragged by this point of the weekend, but no where near what it’s normally like on the fourth day of a festival. In fact, it was the BEST I’d ever felt on any day four in my long festival career.

MOFRO – The Ranch Arena – 3:00-4:15 (2nd show)
War, By My Side, Everything Good is Bad, Circles, Jookhouse, Lochloosa, Dirtfloorcracka, HoCake, I've Been Loving You, How Junior Got His Head Put Out

I was on my own for MOFRO until I said these magic words: “I’m just going to chill in the shade at the best VIP area ever.” I mean why sit at the cabin when there’s good music being played and we have a guaranteed shady spot to sit in? That seemed to resonate with Bill and we were off loaded down with chairs, beers, waters and a blanket.

In my humble opinion JJ Grey and his boys provide the perfect soundtrack for a sunny afternoon festival set. This show certainly fit that bill with the highlight for me being the middle section of “Jookhouse, Lochloosa, Dirtfloorcracka, HoCake.”

But as good as the music was Bill and I really just sat and reminisced about how great Rothbury had been. They set out to be green and both of us agreed that this was by far the cleanest festival ever. Stationing people at the recycling cans was a stroke of genius and taught everybody there a lesson about what waste goes where.

Another topic we touched on was how friendly and knowledgeable the staff was. Obviously this wasn’t their first rodeo, but their ability to adapt to any situation and make the right decisions on the fly was uncanny. They generally did this with a smile on their face as well. The staff really wanted Rothbury to come off well, and not only did it show, but it carried over to the fans too. The general vibe amongst the peeps was overwhelmingly positive and believe it or not most knew this was the best festival ever long before it was over.

The last thing we waxed poetic on was the weather. This might be pushing it a little, but if any festival ever had a better climate over four days I don’t know about it. Mid-80’s during the day with little to no humidity and a nice breeze. Then down into the mid-50’s at night with no rain to speak of. In other words, the perfect festival weather. I had a conversation with a shuttle driver about this very topic and it ended with me saying “It was meant to be” and her agreeing wholeheartedly.

Trey Anastasio – The Odeum – 4:30-5:30 (11th show)
Back on the Train, Brian and Robert, Water in the Sky, Secret Smile, Driver, The Inlaw Josie Wales, Farmhouse, Let Me Lie, Sample in a Jar, Mist, Wading in the Velvet Sea, Sleep Again, Waste, Backwards Down the Number Line*^, Alaska*^, Chalkdust Torture^
* concert debut
^ with Mike Gordon on bass

We met up with Teri and Kenny at the main stage VIP only a few minutes before the Bad Lieutenant strolled out with his Martin guitar. The crowd was big for Trey, but not really as big as I thought it would be. “Train” was a perfect opener as the line “It took me a long time to get back on train” was oh so fitting for Trey’s first show since 3/9/07. I couldn’t help but think “Brian and Robert” was chosen for a reason too. The line about the Everglades didn’t get it’s normal cheer during “Water in the Sky” but that’s because people were out of practice in my opinion.

“Josie Wales” was a treat to hear how it was meant to be played and “Farmhouse” received the largest response of any song to that point. “Let Me Lie” was strangely moving and the chorus got to me for some reason.

Gonna take my bike
Gonna take my bike out
Gonna ride it slowly
Gonna ride just how I like

Anyway, after a rousing “Sample,” “Sleep Again” was next highlight for me. “Waste” was nice too and set up Cactus’ arrival impeccably. After some playful banter from Trey we were treated to two new originals back-to-back. “Number Line” was poignant as it was sent to Trey on his birthday from long time lyricist Tom Marshall. “Alaska” was the one that really grabbed me though. About mid-way through I was imagining what it will sound like when the boys get back together in 2009.
“Chalkdust” was a fitting closer before everyone raced off to see Mike’s new band. Some people apparently were bitter about Trey’s set, but I don’t get how they could be. What did they expect, a 20 minute “Reba” with a ripping solo? He was up there with an acoustic for cripes sake! I went in not knowing what would happen and was pleasantly surprised with what I heard; all Phish songs and only two solo tunes (I’m willing to bet “Sleep Again” is played by Phish though).

C’mon people, get with it already. Trey’s just a guy, not a God, so everything he plays isn’t always going to mind blowing. I was hoping four years with no Phish had taught some lessons around the country. Guess I was wrong.

Mike Gordon – Sherwood Court – 5:45-6:45 (1st show)
Another Door, Walls of Time, Time for Loving is Now, Dig Further Down, Cruel World*, Meat*, She Said She Said*^
* with Trey Anastasio on guitar
^ with Jon Fishman on drums

By the time we waded through the people Mike had already started, and it really wasn’t that long of a walk. We found some shade on the left side again and settled in. Unfortunately Mike’s set was a little disappointing. For starters he only played two tracks off his upcoming album (“Another Door” & “Dig Further Down”) and both were kind of unimpressive. The two covers “Walls of Time” (Rowan/Monroe) and “Time for Loving is Now” (Mustangs) were equally unremarkable.

A big part of the problem was that Trey stepped out on the stage before “Time for Loving” but didn’t have a guitar. Imagine that. So for the next two songs the entire audience was distracted waiting on Trey. When he finally emerged for “Cruel World” (Max Creek) sporting someone else’s axe the show finally took off.

If “Cruel World” was the appetizer “Meat” was fittingly the main course. “Meat” set the place ablaze and had me and Teri dancing like crazy people. (Yeah, we’re ready for the return from hiatus number two.)

Then came the moment everybody was waiting for. Fish joined the fray on drums for the Beatles’ “She Said She Said.” It was pandemonium amongst the peeps plain and simple. I was so excited I hardly noticed how they played. I was just happy to see three of the phab phour on the same stage playing their instruments again. On the walk back to the shuttle we heard Gov’t Mule playing “She Said She Said” immediately after we left stage. Weird, eh?Phil Lesh and Friends – The Odeum – 8:30-11:00 (8th show)
I: Here Comes Sunshine*^, Althea*, China-Cat Sunflower*, Mexican Girl*, Dire Wolf^, About Cell Block #9, Sugaree^
II: Help On the Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower^, Eyes of the World > Uncle John's Band, Mountains of the Moon, Unbroken Chain, New Speedway Boogie > Fire on the Mountain^
E: Dancin' in the Streets^
* with Warren Haynes on guitar
^ with Teresa Williams on vocals

After relaying the bad news to Bill and Kenny about the mini-reunion they missed, doing our best to finish off the beer we had left over and a turkey sandwich it off to the shuttle one last time. Unfortunately for us we could have stuck around the cabin for at least another half hour since Phil took his sweet old time getting on stage.

“Here Comes Sunshine” was a quality opener and “Althea” was great to hear since that is our dog’s name. “China Cat” did it’s thing but other than “Dire Wolf” the rest of the set was shockingly average. I will say that you can definitely hear keyboardist Steve Molitz’ influence on this incarnation of Phil’s band. His space porn funk keys tried to liven up the jams whenever possible. I wasn’t as sold on guitarist Jackie Greene though as his two originals (“Mexican Girl” & “About Cell Block #9”) fell flat to me.

Set two saw everyone but Teri flagging miserably. Even “Help > Slip > Frank, Eyes > UJB” wasn’t enough to motivate us to dance. In fact Kenny, Bill and I were all asleep by “Eyes.” When Teri noticed this she suggested we call it a festival. Sorry Phil. Rather than taking the shuttle home we caught a golf cart taxi instead and cruised around the lot some. It was quite possibly the best way to end the weekend for me. I saw more of the festival grounds on this ride home than I did the entire rest of the weekend. Granted it was quite dusty on the back of a golf cart but I still enjoyed the hell out of it.

We all crashed hard when we got back to the cabin and were up, packed and out the next morning by 10:30 AM. If you haven’t already guessed it this was the best festival experience I’ve ever had. It was so good that I’m not sure it can ever be topped. Rothbury far surpassed both Bonnaroo 2002 and Vegoose 2005 in the first-time-is-the-best-time category.

That’s not to say I wouldn’t go again next year, but the lineup is going to have to be equally as strong for me to even consider it for a couple of reasons. First and foremost the amount of people is bound to increase from 35,000-40,000 to the 60,000+ range. That makes it less appealing right off the bat.

Second is the weather. If that place gets hit by heavy rain (very possible, even likely) I’m not sure the dirt roads that make up the infrastructure there (where our shuttles traveled) can hold up. I’m not even mentioning the concert grounds, but I’m sure that would get equally ugly.

On the flip side Rothbury has a unique opportunity to avoid the mistakes of their brethren. They can control the size, avoid the pitfalls that come with big time commercial sponsors and most importantly keep their lineup jam friendly. A much underrated aspect of festivals going in the tank is when their lineups become indie-centric. Sorry indie fans, but you people just aren’t as community oriented as we jammers are. And that my friends was what really made Rothbury so special, the people and the bands that attended.

P.S. Much thanks and appreciation goes to Kenny whose generosity made our Rothbury experience truly luxurious. You may have spoiled us again dude!

P.P.S. Mark also deserves special recognition for the sheer amount of Rothbury gigabytes he’s downloaded for me after the fact. Maybe I’ll stop mentioning the “living room situation” now!

23 total sets seen

Top 10
1. Sound Tribe Sector 9
2. Lotus
3. the Disco Biscuits
4. Yonder Mountain String Band
5. Widespread Panic
6. WMD’S
7. Emmitt-Nershi Band
8. Trey Anastasio
9. Soul Stew Revival
10. Greensky Bluegrass