festgrrl: November 2011

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

This Funk Band Kills It!

This Brooklyn band, Turkuaz, (pronounced 'Ter-kwaz') blew everybody away at Bear Creek Music and Art Festival -- They're touring America bringing the funk. Enjoy!

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011

Yonder Mountain Spring Band's Southern Tour

Yonder Mountain String Band will be heading to the southeast for a tour in February, including five shows in Florida. The band will also be at Suwanee Springfest March 22-25. Tickets for the 'Cabin Fever" tour shows are here.

Below is a video of the band playing live, and here are the tour dates for your planning (and holiday gift-giving) pleasure:

02.08 Fayetteville, AR George's Majestic

02.09 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre

02.10 Nashville, TN Marathon Music Works

02.11 Atlanta, GA Tabernacle

02.12 Birmingham, AL Workplay Theatre Soundstage

02.15 Pensacola, FL Vinyl Music Hall

02.16 Orlando, FL Beacham Theatre

02.17 Fort Lauderdale, FL Revolution

02.18 St. Petersburg, FL Jannus Live

02.19 Jacksonville, FL Freebird Café

02.22 Charleston, SC Music Farm

02.23 Asheville, NC Orange Peel

02.24 Asheville, NC Orange Peel

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Thanksgiving Bluegrass Festival

The lovely Sertoma Youth Ranch in Dade City (near Brooksville) is hosting a bluegrass festival and potluck Thanksgiving dinner, starting tomorrow and lasting through Sunday. This is such a pretty campground and such a relaxing venue.

Advanced tickets are $63 for Thursday-Sunday and $69 at the gate. If you want an electric/water campsite, it's $60 for the weekend.

Here's the lineup:

THE LONESOME RIVER BAND – IIIrd TYME OUT

LARRY CORDLE & LONESOME STANDARD TIME - SPECIAL CONSENSUS – THE CHAPMANS - PACKWAY HANDLE BAND – PAM CURTIS & UP THE CREEK REMINGTON RYDE –

CHERYL WATSON & WATERTOWN - BACKWATER BLUEGRASS - MARK JOHNSON

THE LONESOME SPECIAL - CHAPPED OUT STEW - CRISPY BAKED BANJO'S - AND MORE

Have fun picking!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Bear Creek live recordings!

http://www.glidemagazine.com/hiddentrack/bear-creek-music-festival-2011-the-videos/

http://funkit.virose.net/?p=1316

Enjoy funkateers!

Monday, November 21, 2011

Discount Ticket Special for Bond-Fire Fest

The funkalicious New Year's Eve festival (Dec. 29-Jan. 2) in rural Lake County outside Orlando, called the Bond-Fire festival, is now offering 4-day tickets for $100. This promo lasts one week, ending next Sunday, Nov. 27, at 11:55, use the case sensitive promo code SIRPRIZE. Kids 15 and under are free.

The lineup includes George Clinton and P-Funk, The New Mastersounds, North Mississippi All Stars, Soullive, Zach Deputy, Papadosio, Cope, The New Orleans Suspects, and more.

This is a first-time affair, so I can't advise much about festing conditions. I can tell you these bare details: The venue has port-o-lets only -- no brick-and-mortar bathrooms. They plan several stages and a late-night tent. They will be restricting campfires to designated areas -- that part of Florida has been so very dry. No pets, no charcoal grills. You can have coolers at the campground but not at the stages.

The four-day pass includes primitive camping. You cannot reserve RV sites ahead of time -- if you want to bring an RV in and set it up in primitive, you have to pay an extra $65 at the gate. If you want an electric site, it’s $85. The promoters were not sure, when I contacted them about a month ago, whether RV sites would have water as well as electric. So I'd bring my own water if I were you, along with my festive disco outfits. They have a no-glass policy, so not sure about how to handle New Year's bubbly. Do they make champagne kegs?

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Wanna Be In A Video?

Newgrass aces Dread Clampitt will record a live show (CD and video) on Sunday at The Red Bar in the Panhandle's Grayton Beach. This excellent band is about to celebrate its10th anniversary, and the Sunday Red Bar gigs have been their bread and butter throughout that time. The show starts at 7 pm., kids are welcome, and it's free!

Here is a great Dread Clampitt original from Suwannee Springfest... note that Rashad Eggleston from Tornado Rider is sitting in.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Playing In The Band

Tonight, Tallahassee band Harvest Gypsies plays The Mockingbird Cafe in Tallahassee. Harvest Gypsies is a hard-working local band that always put on a heartfelt show with a mix of jazzy, bluesy, pop originals and covers that gets everybody dancing and smiling. At the keyboards will be the wonderful songwriter Mike Rychlik, a public school teacher, writer, all around great guy, and father of several fine musicians.

Mike has been playing the Tallahassee scene in various bands, including the Labamba Brothers,since the eary 1970s. This month, in his excellent blog, he has written a wonderful entry about playing on Tennessee Street in the old days at the Pastime, the Pastime II and Tommy's. Read it and take a trip back.

Tonight, at the Mockingbird, Mike and Warren Sutton will play acoustic versions of Mike's songs from 7-8. The full Harvest Gypsies band plays from 8-11. The show is free. It's always a good idea to reserve a table, and get something to eat, since the venue is pretty small. Have fun!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

George Clinton's Makeover

Well, we hardly recognized George Clinton without the rainbow dreads he's sported for decades. Here he is last night in Tallahassee:

Clitnon's suprprise show at Tallahassee's club The Moon featured the time-honored P-Funk shenanigans -- simulated sex on stage, fur chaps, booty shakin girls, Indian headresses, zombie costumes, a giant doobie-smoking skull head, and killer funk. At the end, I counted 46 people on the stage.

Clinton and P-Funk now head out on tour after spending time in Tallahassee recording a new album. They go to Gernamy, the Netherlands, Belgium and England. They will be back in Florida on New Year's Eve, where you can catch them at The Bond-Fire Festival outside Orlando along with The New Mastersounds, The North Mississippi All Stars, Soullive, Particle, Cope, Papadiosio, Zach Deputy, and more.

If you get tickets now, it's $150 for a four-day pass. Kids 15 and under are free. This is a first-time affair for this festival, so I can't advise much about festing conditions. I can tell you the site has port-o-lets only -- no brick-and-mortar bathrooms, and will have several stages and a late-night tent.

The four-day pass includes primitive camping. If you want to bring an RV in, you have to pay an extra $65 at the gate. If you want an electric site, it’s $85.

P Funk New Year's? Oh yeah, I'm in.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

P-Funk Tonight!

Here we go, show is tonight at 8 at The Moon, let's show George Clinton and P-Funkadelic some hometown love, funkateers!

Back in the day......

Monday, November 14, 2011

George Clinton and P Funk in Tallahassee This Week!

George Clinton & P-Funk All-Stars will play at Tallahassee's The Moon this Wednesday, Nov. 16, at 8 p.m. $10 at the door. The Tallahassee Democrat says: "Clinton and his players are in Tallahassee recording and decided to do a last-minute live gig."

Friday, November 11, 2011

Gone Festing!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe is gonna rock it late night at Bear Creek Music Festival tonight...

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Wow! Check Out this Bear Creek Band!

Some kind person (actually, the band's manager) alerted me to this 11-piece afro beat band, Zongo Junction, from Brooklyn. They've been touring with Toubab Krewe, They will be rocking two sets during Bear Creek -- Thursday at 2:00pm at the Campground Stage and Friday at 11:30am at the Big IV Amphitheater. Check out this wonderfulness:

Zongo Junction EPK from Zongo Junction on Vimeo.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Bear Creek Music Fest -- 10 Things To Know Before You Go

1. There's a giant bat house at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park. It is just beyond lake camping in the field. At sunset, you can grab a beverage and go watch incredible numbers of bats fly out!

2. You can camp for free on a beautiful cypress lake -- choose primitive "lake camping." Reese Lake, lined with cypress trees, is home to the campground stage, it has nearby Port-o-lets, and the lake bathhouse and showers are a three-minute walk away. Don't be discouraged by the roundabout kooky drive to get to lake camping. Keep a level head. Persevere. You'll find it. It's worth it.

3. You can bring your own beverages to performances on the campground stage, but not the other stages.

4. The on-site Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park restaurant has a good breakfast buffet. They have nice bathrooms. Also a really cool hand-painted mural of local wildlife. You can get food from the restaurant while watching shows in the Music Hall.

5. You can get fresh ice at the camp store next to the restaurant.

6. The white sand Suwannee River beach is not to be missed, especially with the big fat moon shining on it this week. The river's a long walk from the fest site -- grab a bike, a ride, or a golf cart.

7. The Suwannee River water is dark (dyed by tree tannins), but it is spring-fed and the river bottom is clean and sandy.

8. It can be chilly at night in North Florida. Then you dance. Then you sweat. Then you’re chilly. As festgrrl's friend says; "Layering -You're a fool if you don't!"

9. Bring a hammock. The Big IV Ampitheater is full of trees! The informal rule is you can get in anybody’s hammock until they want to use it. Then you go find another one, and so on.

10. Sunday night is awesome for those lucky enough to stay around for it. Check out my Bear Creek preview for more!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Two Fantastic Fests This Week

The musicians are coming south this week to play at two epic fests -- Bear Creek Music and Art Festival at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Fl. (Thursday- Sunday, with a Wednesday night pre-party) and Orlando Calling (Friday and Saturday) at the Ctirus Bowl.

You get all the details at the links above. Here's a little taste of what you're going to hear.

Orlando Calling performers the great Avett Brothers sing "Shame:"

Bear Creek funkateers Lettuce break it down:

Friday, November 4, 2011

Don't Forget Riverhawk This Weekend

Some Central-South Florida peeps aked me to remind folks today about this weekend's Riverhawk festival. Check out my post with all the details from earlier this week. I can't make this one, sorry to say, but wishing everyone a relaxing, sweet time, because I know you will have one in that special place!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Hello? Orlando Calling!

Bob Seger, Kid Rock, The Raconteurs and The Killers headline the two-day rock extravaganza Orlando Calling which happens Nov. 12 and 13 in Citrus Bowl Park. This first-time fest has a roster of heavy-hitting performers.It's not a camping festival -- in fact you can't bring your own chair, kids under 3 are prohibited, and kids over 3 have to get an adult ticket. So this is one of those giant stadium shows, with a lineup to match:

The Killers, Bob Seger and The Silver Bullet Band, Kid Rock, The Raconteurs, The Pixies, The Avett Brothers, The Roots, Gogol Bordello,O.A.R. (...Of A Revolution), Iron & Wine, Pete Yorn, Jenny and Johnny, Gavin DeGraw, Drive-By Truckers, Dr. Dog, Civil Twilight, Blake Shelton, Doobie Brothers, Dwight Yoakam, Buddy Guy, Warren Haynes Band, Chris Isaak, Brandi Carlile, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Lucero, The Felice Brothers, Ben Sollee,The Flatlanders, Los Lonely Boys, Blues Traveler, Michelle Branch, Justin Townes Earle, The David Mayfield Parade,The Supervillains, and Renee & The Translators

With fees, day tickets are $93.25 each day, weekend tickets are $170.50. Some important stuff to know: You can't park on site, but shuttles and other transportation options are here. There's a large list of prohbited items you should become familiar with.

Here's the great Buddy Guy, who plays Sunday at 5:

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Get Your Bad Self To Bear Creek!

This time next week, folks will start rolling into the Wednesday night pre-party for Bear Creek Music and Art Festival. We are blessed here in the Southeast with many excellent music festivals throughout the year. Even with all that abundance, Bear Creek (Nov. 10-13) rises to the top. Fests don't get much better than Bear Creek – the lineup, the musicianship, the intimate atmosphere, the kind crowd, and the sheer joy of dancing in Florida paradise (Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak.)

Bear Creek’s excellence ties back to the promoters’ main goal: to have more sit-ins than any festival outside the big daddy of fests, New Orleans Jazz fest.

More sit-ins means that musicians are energized all weekend, not rushing back to the tour bus to move on to the next gig. It means fans are constantly surprised and delighted with instant, one-of-a-kind collaborations that you’ve just got to be there to experience: Mofro’s JJ Grey singing lead with Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk on Sly Stone’s Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin; guitar ace Derek Trucks popping on stage unannounced to play with Berklee School of Music funkateer alums Lettuce in the moss-draped, hammock-filled ampitheater; the surprise midnight act Soullive performing a scorching cover of the Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby in a circus tent.

Once you go, you’ll always want to come back. At least that’s how it’s been for me, since the days of Down on the Farm, the precursor festival to Bear Creek, where the (relatively unknown at the time) Avett Brothers played an astonishing show for a tiny crowd of us in a sunny field in Quincy, Florida. This fest has come a long way since then, but it manages to maintain the intimate feel of the early days. Expect a crowd of 4,000 to 5,000 on the spacious Spirit of the Suwannee grounds.

Bear Creek promoters Lyle Williams and Paul Levine are artful in their selections -- last year, James Brown band players Fred Wesley, Pee Wee Ellis and Maceo Parker roamed the festival as artists-at-large, sitting in – and kicking ass – with band after band. Legendary funky keyboard great Bernie Worrell (Talking Heads) has torn up Bear Creek’s stages. This year we’re going to enjoy a reunion of New Orleans’ greats, the original Funky Meters. Watching young funk players jam with the folks who first laid it down back in the day is something to see.

This year, there’s an emphasis on funky jazz. Trey Anastasio of Phish fame brings his jammy Trey Anastasio Band; Medeski, Martin, Scofield and Wood and Dr. Lonnie Smith, Pee Wee Ellis and others bring the jazz. There is a ton of funk, including Galactic, The aforementioned Funky Meters, Lettuce, Dr. Klaw, The New Mastersounds, Orgone, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Soullive, and smaller acts like horn-heavy Snarky Puppy and the quirky young Rubblebucket. There’s a bunch of electronica acts and a silent disco (headphones) as well. Music’s going to go all night. Here's the full, kick-ass lineup.

Williams and Levine have been known to scout for Bear Creek acts in the late-night scene after NOLA’s Jazzfest, and so you’re always going to get the chance to see something new. I saw Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue for the first time at Bear Creek a couple of years ago before he got all Treme-big-time on us.

Bear Creek is about wandering the woodsy campgrounds and coming up on a horn section wearing high school band uniforms bringing the funk. It’s about groove-man Zach Deputy setting up an impromptu late-night stage on scaffolding above a food vending tent in the campground and instantly drawing a crowd getting down to a Michael Jackson cover. It’s about the magnificent Where the Wild Things Are wooden painted larger-than-life creatures placed around the cypress-lined pond a la The Wild Rumpus. It’s about reunion, new friends, great conversation, wacky costumes, and celebration. It’s about escape.

Ready to escape? Tickets (which include primitive camping) are available online at $175 for 3 days, $225 for 4 days, and $245 for five days. Saturday and Sunday tickets at the gate are $130. Day-only tickets (no camping) are $80 Friday and Saturday and $50 for Sunday.

Definitely plan on taking Monday off work — Sunday night is a funk get-down, including an extended jam session with Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk and a whole mess of ridiculously talented musicians sitting in. (Ivan's dad is New Orleans balladeer Aaron Neville of the Neville Brothers.)

If this video doesn't make you wanna go, well, I don't know:

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Check Out Riverhawk Festival This Weekend

We love the wonderful venue that is Sertoma Youth Ranch outside Brooksville (less than an hour outside Tampa.) Rolling hills, a little stream, nice campsites, just two stages. There are several lovely fests there during the year, and this weekend is Riverhawk. You can check out the lineup here. This fest is family and pet friendly, and get ready for some wonderful campground picking. There are great food and craft vendors.

Tickets are $110 for three days and $95 for the weekend only, and that includes primitive camping. Electric sites are extra. Kids 13 and under are free. Kids 14-17 are $30 for the whole weekend.

You can't miss with this relaxing venue and kind folk!

Here is the Claire Lynch band, who will be playing Riverhawk: