Jamband Spotlight: First-Year Favorites

Words and Photos by Greg Molitor (ReMIND Photography)

Hey friends!

My past year with MusicMarauders has been quite the trip. New faces, new destinations, new experiences, new dreams... my life has been joyously filled with them over the past twelve months. With MusicMarauders, my continual goal is to inspire and share the passion and inspiration I’ve felt from the jamband scene over the past eight years. This endeavor has been more satisfying than I ever thought possible as my excitement for MusicMarauders, living life, and music as a whole has never been greater than it is currently. I am blessed to be where I am today.

Before I springboard headfirst into covering this year’s festival season, I want to share with you a bit of the magic that has made MusicMarauders so special for me. For this week’s Jamband Spotlight, I’m highlighting some of my favorite festivals and sets from the website’s first year. It’s been an amazing ride and will continue to be for many years to come. Thank you, everyone. You truly inspire me to be the eyes of the world...

Favorite Festival - All Good Music Festival 2010


All Good Music Festival 2010 marked the ten-year anniversary of the West Virginia mountain throwdown, and I can’t imagine myself having a better time than I did this annual jam-centric festival. For a festival of its size (30,000+ attendees in 2010), the festival runs smoother than any other I’ve attended. The atmosphere was laid-back, the lineup of artists was phenomenal, and the setup of the festival grounds is perfect. I especially appreciated the element of no-overlapping sets of music. Both main stages were positioned adjacent to one other for set tradeoffs so after a set’s end, the crowd could stay in its location and simply turn towards the other stage for more music. As a guy who does too much running around at festivals trying to cover as many shows as possible, the economy of motion brought me welcomed relief and relaxation.



I highly recommend this festival to anyone who has never been. Make sure to tell your friends as well because camping with many good friends makes a festival much more enjoyable. I camped with a large crew that required every bit of the four canopies we brought; many laughs and smiles were shared throughout the entire weekend and I’ll always have fond memories of my time with the amazing people that surrounded me. This year’s lineup features many heavy-hitters in the jam scene and deserves a serious look for those who want to try something new this year...West Virginia sure knows how to throw one helluva party and I suggest you check it out!

www.allgoodfestival.com

Greg’s photos from All Good Music Festival 2010

Runner-up - Hoxeyville Music Festival 2010

www.hoxeyville.com

Review of Hoxeyville 2010 (Friday)

Review of Hoxeyville 2010 (Saturday)

Review of Hoxeyville 2010 (Sunday)

Favorite Festival Set:


From my experience, moe.’s night sets at Summer Camp Music Festival in Illinois have always been otherworldly. Its sets at Summer Camp 2010 were no exception as Saturday’s whopper of a performance was my favorite of any festival I attended in 2010. On Saturday, moe. brought the funk early and often as the band led with an old-school “Akimbo” and never looked back. Momentous grooves from “Sensory Deprivation Bank” and “McBain” led me down paths of exploration, lifted me beyond points previously unimagined and created powerful moments of tension that repeatedly resolved into an animalistic energy. As I screamed for more, it became apparently that moe. was conjuring a seductive spirit with its music that I had not heard them channel previously.


The second set was a musical experience that only moe. could create...undoubtedly one of the best I’ve heard from the band live or recorded. The band’s jam during “Buster” exemplifies why I listen to improvisational music. Intensely captivating, guitarist Chuck Garvey was in no hurry to rush his fingers up the fret board during his extended solo. He instead took his time building a gorgeous melodic theme that allowed the band to fill space and push the musical phrases to their affective peak. It was the perfect jam, and I’ll remember the performance for as long as my mind lets me.

www.summercampfestival.com

moe. Live at Summer Camp Festival, Moonshine Stage on May 29, 2010.

Runners-up:

Garage A Trois Live at All Good Festival on July 10, 2010.

Steve Kimock Crazy Engine Live at Hoxeyville Music Festival on August 20, 2010.

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