If you think running a music festival is easy, you should talk to Frank Chandler. The Nateva Festival promoter dealt with all sorts of permit issues last summer and has just announced that this year’s fest has been canceled. A refreshingly honest statement posted on the event’s website cites “slower than predicted ticket sales,” permitting problems and “a very crowded summer festival season” as the reasons for the cancelation.

A domino effect should now take place as the bands booked for Nateva scramble to find new gigs. Luckily they have plenty of time as the event was scheduled for August 4 – 7. Bob Weir, STS9, Guster and Gregg Allman were among the acts booked for the ill-fated festival.

Here’s the complete statement from Nateva’s website…

It is with a heavy heart, and a great sadness that we cancel the 2011 Nateva Music & Camping Festival. After an epic inaugural year, we have found ourselves struggling at every turn as we have tried to push forward with preparations for this summer.

The challenges in assembling our lineup of bands, a lack of certain venue permits, a very crowded summer festival schedule and slower than predicted ticket sales have all contributed to our decision to cancel Nateva this summer. In the end, it’s all about being able to put forth a first rate event that everyone can be proud of and that our customers can enjoy. We just don’t have the confidence to go forward at this time.

Refunds in the amount of the ticket face value and per-ticket fees for tickets already purchased will be processed via the credit card that you made your purchase with. You can expect to see this refund reflected on your next statement, depending upon your billing cycle. Any questions regarding refunds may be sent to info@natevafestival.com.

We are very grateful to the People of Maine, the Oxford Fairgrounds, our Customers, our Bands, and our wonderful Staff, and we just want to say, “Thank You” for all of your support. We look forward to seeing you out and about wherever there is great live music.

Sincerely,

Nateva Festival

We wish Chandler all the best and hope he’s able to put on another event one day as we heard nothing but raves about last year’s event.

[via Headstash.com]

The Nateva Music and Camping Festival debuted in Oxford, ME last summer with a lineup that was filled with jambands and indie faves. Nateva returns to Oxford on August 5 – 7 and focuses on the jam world as STS9, the Gregg Allman Band, the John Butler Trio, Bob Weir (a rare solo acoustic gig), Guster, Chris Robinson and Jackie Greene, Robert Randolph and the Family Band and 7 Walkers join DJ duo Thievery Corporation and festival favorites Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros atop this year’s bill.

While organizers faced all sorts of logistical hurdles leading up to last year’s event, things seem to be going smoother this time around with even some of those who were against the festival pledging their support this time around according to an article in the Lewiston Sun-Journal. Nateva organizer Frank Chandler received a permit that allows up to 14,999 to attend this year’s event, but said he plans to cap attendance at 9,999.

Tickets for Nateva 2011 are currently on sale through the event’s website.

READ ON for a full list of Nateva 2011 artists…

I’m a panelist on a podcast called Type II Cast which features a panel of Phish Geeks dissecting the band’s music. Last night we recorded our seventh episode all about the history and future of Mike’s Song. Head over to TypeIICast.com to stream or download The (De)Evolution of Mike’s.

Here’s a quick look at some other stories of note this week..

• John Popper to debut a new “melodic” band next year
• Zappa alum George Duke to perform w/ Zappa Plays Zappa
• Hear John Legend and The Roots cover Arcade Fire
• The Beatles sell over 2 million tracks in a week on iTunes
• Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon talks about working w/ Kanye
• New iPhone interface device from Akron/Family guitarist

Finally, our friends at Consequence of Sound have revealed that the Nateva Festival will return in 2011. The festival, which was held in Oxford, ME over July 4th Weekend earlier this year, is set to be held on August 5th – 7th in 2011. No word on the lineup or ticketing information just yet.

While the first annual Nateva Festival doesn’t seem to have turned a profit (according to the Sun Journal) and only hit the goal of 15K attendance on Sunday (according to the Boston Globe), those who went up to the Oxford Fairgrounds in Maine over the Fourth of July Weekend were treated to an eclectic mix of music from the jam and indie worlds. Not only did everyone we talked to who went to Nateva report they had a blast, but reviews in the local and Boston-area papers were glowing.

Official festival photographer Nick Fitanides shot most acts at Nateva and upon his return we asked him to pick his 100 best photos to share with our readers. READ ON after the jump for a full gallery…

Well, the first annual Nateva Festival starts Friday in Oxford, ME and we’ll be honest – we weren’t sure this festival would happen at all after a number of permitting and camping issues. Yet, we’re glad to see everything seems to have worked out. Today’s Sun Journal includes a great article about the red carpet the businesses of Oxford are rolling out for event attendees. We’ll have plenty of photos and news from Nateva in the coming days.

We’re still awaiting the schedule for Camp Bisco 9, which takes place at the Indian Lookout Country Club in Mariaville, NY on July 15 – 17, but the event’s producers did release an artists schedule by day this morning. Popular DJs Pretty Lights (Thurs.), Bassnectar (Fri.) and Girl Talk (Sat.) will spin in between main stage sets with LCD Soundsystem coming on directly after PL. 3-day passes for CB9 are still available for $155.

The schedule for All Good 2010 has been finalized and as usual there are no conflicts as no two bands perform at the same time. All Good takes place at Marvin’s Mountaintop in Masontown, WV on July 8 – 11. 3-day and 4-passes are expected to sell out by the start of the festival, so if you’re in for All Good pick up your tickets now or you may be shut out.

We’ve got 34 days until the Nateva Festival kicks off over the Fourth of July Weekend in Oxford, ME. Today, the producers unveiled the schedule for the event. Thanks to having two main stages there aren’t too many conflicts between the larger acts. Weekend passes are currently on sale for $229.

Furthur has undergone yet another lineup change just a few short days before the Furthur Festival begins at Mountain Aire in Angels Camp, CA tomorrow. During the band’s two live rehearsals at the Palm Ballroom in San Rafael, CA, new addition Jeff Pehrson joined Sunshine Becker Garcia on backing vocals. For those wanting an additional dose of music after the Furthur Fest, Billy K.’s 7 Walkers project will perform on a bill that also includes Holy Kimoto and the Everyone Orchestra at River Ranch Campground in Tuolumne, CA on Monday as part of an event called Furthurmore.

The latest entry into the hippie jam fest scene comes in the form of the Catskill Chill Music Festival which will be held at Camp Minglewood in Hancock, NY – about 145 miles from NYC – on September 10th and 11th. The initial lineup announcement includes Keller Williams, Soulive, The New Mastersounds, Easy Star All-Stars, Toubab Krewe, Future Rock and Particle. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10AM for $85.

Last week, the producers of the first-ever Nateva Festival – which is set for the Fourth of July Weekend at the Oxford Fairgrounds in Oxford, ME – ran into issues with permits that forced the stoppage of work at the site. Today, the Portland Press Herald reports that the show will go on as the paper says principal organizer Frank Chandler “described the permitting problem as a nuisance, and said it will not imperil the festival.”

That’s not to say that Chandler doesn’t have other concerns…

“I’m concerned about everything else,” said Chandler, who hopes to attract 15,000 fans to the three-day festival July 2-4. “I’m concerned about making sure we put on a first-class event. Do we have enough toilets? Do we have enough security – all the details that you want to be perfect where nothing is.”

We’re less than two months away from the start of Nateva and it’s certainly worth watching to see if any other issues pop up for the festival’s team. These problems are just another example of how hard it is to put together a successful festival. This year alone Rothbury, 10KLF and All Points West have all either been postponed until next year or canceled.  Acts scheduled to perform at Nateva include Furthur, the Flaming Lips, She & Him and moe.

With the addition of a number of bands that appeal to the Pitchfork/Stereogum crowd, we’d say the inaugural Nateva Music Festival is having an identity crisis, but isn’t variety the spice of life? Old idioms aside, what first looked to be a jamband festival has now added the likes of She & Him, Grizzly Bear, Passion Pit and The Constellations. Jam fans fear not, they’ve also added HT faves The McLovins, Drive-By Truckers and The Brew. Click here for the complete lineup for the event which takes place in Oxford, ME over the Fourth of July Weekend.

A bunch of killer Americana acts have been added to the lineup for the 12th Annual Pickathon Festival taking place at Pendarvis Farm near Portland, OR on August 6-8. Dr. Dog, Punch Brothers and Fruits Bats will each perform twice joining Bonnie Prince Billy & The Cairo Gang, Heartless Bastards, These United States and Langhorne Slim on the bill for the intimate event.

The lineup for the first annual Nateva Music and Camping Festival has gotten better with the addition of Umphrey’s McGee, STS9, Parliament Funkadelic, Felice Brothers, Max Creek, John Brown’s Body, Ryan Montbleau Band, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, and Greensky Bluegrass. These groups join a pack of bands that include the Flaming Lips, Furthur, Derek and Susan and moe. at the three-day festival on July 2 – 4 in Oxford, ME.

As we previously reported this morning, Conan O’Brien will perform at Bonnaroo this year. The rest of the comedy lineup was also announced today and includes Margaret Cho, Aziz Ansari, Jeffrey Ross Roasts Bonnaroo, Greg Giraldo, Bo Burnham, Doug Benson, Nick Kroll, Paul Scheer, Rob Huebel, John Roberts, Baron Vaughn and Chelsea Peretti. Bonnaroo 2010 takes place in Manchester, TN on June 10 – 13.

We’ve heard raves about last year’s Let It Roll Festival at Sunnyview Farms in Ghent, NY, so we’re happy to hear the promoters are returning to the same site for The Big Up festie on June 17 – 19. The lineup for The Big Up features RAQ, Telepath, OTT, the Marco Benevento Trio and many other acts. CLICK HERE for the complete lineup as well as information on ticketing.

A few weeks back, news surfaced that the Northeast would be getting a new “jam-friendly” music summer festival dubbed the Nateva Music & Camping Festival. Set to take place over the course of July 4th weekend at the 100-acre Oxford Fairgrounds in Oxford, ME – the festie, who had previously only revealed that The Flaming Lips and The Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band would be on the bill, announced the event’s headliners along with handful of other artist additions for their very first year.

Set to join The Lips and Derek & Susan in the southeast corner of Maine will be Furthur, moe., Keller Williams, Zappa Plays Zappa, Lotus and Moonalice – with “dozens more” additions promised in the coming weeks. The headline duties breakdown this way – Lotus will kick things off for the early-bird attendees on Thursday night, with indie-jam act moe. handling the duties on Friday night, the previously announced psych-rockers The Flaming Lips will get weird on Saturday night, while Bobby and Phil’s new project Furthur will close the event out on July 4th.

Tickets for the fest are currently on sale now with weekend passes available at early-bird prices of $199 with camping ($179 without camping), and VIP packages for $425. Will these acts get to you Maine this July?