For the ninth year in a row, Bear Creekers showed up in
force Nov. 13-16, in costume, freak flags flying, ready to rage it once those funky bass lines caught hold. Some of the best funk players on the
planet threw down on the five stages, a banquet that can only be described as musical gluttony.
It's exciting and relaxing at the same time. Being in the fairy-land 800-plus acres of Live Oak, Florida's Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park helps, too. You can breathe, you can be, you can come as you are.
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| 'Nuff said. festgrrl photo |
Standout performances this year included headliners
Umphrey's McGee, who delivered two nights of blazingly fast guitar work, deep pocket groove, killer light shows, and a high energy setlist that did not disappoint. (OK, I wasn't all about the Huey Lewis and the News "Power of Love" cover but whatever; I loved The Police "Driven to Tears" cover, so, as my friend says, "You like what you like,") The addition of the horn section from the hot Boston funk band, Lettuce -- a Bear Creek fave -- was especially welcome. You can watch the shows here
Friday set 1,
Friday Set 2, and
Saturday set.
I have to shout out to Brooklyn-based band
Turkuaz, one of the best funk bands working today.Check out video of two of the songs they did
here and
here.
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| David Brandwein of Turkuaz. festrggl photo. |
Hellishly flat-out power funk with icy-cool hot girl singers, a killer horn section, great bass. They are a phenomenon on stage.
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| Zach Deputy. festgrrl photo |
Zach Deputy brought his mad looper skills, stellar musicianship and big love to the party.You can see his set
here.
Locos Por Juana, infectious Latin groove, were also very impressive. Check out one of their song performances at Bear Creek
here The 8-piece Washington, D.C. reggae-funk band See-I absolutely killed it on the ampitheater stage, watch it
here. Special shoutout to
SoberGoat, who filmed so many of the shows!
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| Carly Meyers of Yojimbo. festgrrl photo. |
How many ways can you shake your booty over one weekend? Funk heavy-hitters
Dumpstaphunk,
The New Mastersounds, and
Lettuce inspired all-out dance frenzies. You can watch The New Mastersounds Friday set
here.
Funk and soul band
Orgone, out of California, turned out two great performances. They have gone through a few different lead singers, and the current front woman, Adryon de León, is a powerhouse, Tina Turner-esque performer.Highly recommend this band. Watch their show
here. Shout also to Jacksonville's own
Herd of Watts, a boogie shaking band to watch.
Watch their show here.
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Arleigh Kincheloe,Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds
festgrrl photo. |
I was told to check out
Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds and I was not disappointed. Lead singer Arleigh Kincheloe has some sly star power and one hell of a voice. I see this band showing up on festival lineups all over the country so I'm psyched to see them again, probably this summer at
Floydfest in Virginia.
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| African Mande Jam. festgrrl photo. |
The Bear Creek West African Mande Jam was not well attended (maybe because it was an inside performance on a gorgeous afternoon), and that was a shame, because it was a fantastic spectacle of world musicians that I will never forget. It included members of Benyoro, Kreative Pandemonium,Toubab Krewe, and special guests Balla Kouyaté and Raja Kassis
. At one point, I counted 23 people on the stage.
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| African Mande Jam. festgrrl photo. |
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| African Mande Jam. festgrrl photo. |
Chris Robinson (Black Crowes, Chris Robinson Brotherhood) partnered up with New York's
Soulive for a happy-hour set in the park's beautiful ampitheater. (Nice job covering the Grateful Dead's West L.A. Fadeaway,) You can see the set
here.
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| Green Sunshine. festgrrl photo. |
The
Alecia Chakour Band brings the angels to Bear Creek. What a voice, what a presence! You may have heard her singing with Warren Haynes, Lettuce, and others.She is amazing.Listen to her set
here.
Earphunk out of New Orleans delivered rock-funk fusion on the Forest Stage, pulling out an incredible Rage Against The Machine "Bullshit on Parade"cover which made the crowd go crazy. You can stream the band's excellent "Sweet Nasty" album
here.
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| The Budos Band. festgrrl photo. |
Sit-in stalwarts over the weekend were George Porter Jr,, Grant Green Jr,, Pee Wee Ellis, Jennifer Hartswick, and the original funky drummer, Bernard Purdie. We so appreciate these masters in our midst. Oh, and let's not forget the 11-year-old guitar phenomenon, Brandon Niederauer, also known as "Taz," the hardest working little man at the fest. Check out his playing on Manic Depression with Soulive
here.
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| Jesus of lettuce, festgrrl photo |
It's hard to get to all the music you want to see at Bear Creek, because there's just SO MUCH GOOD MUSIC and that's thanks to our funky curator Paul Levine. THANKS PAUL, for another great one! You are the best!
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| Paul Levine. festgrrl photo. |
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