Preview: Gathering of the Vibes 2008
Having recently finished an enterprise feature for another publication on the glut of national music festivals and what role that glut creates for regional festivals with a lot more personality, I’m more excited this year for the Gathering of the Vibes than I have been in quite some time. As the man said, “He’d have to be one charming motherfuckin pig”…er, sorry, “Personality goes a long way.”
Compared to the Roo- and Coachella-sized behemoths, and a lot of the sexy new kids with names both playful and official-sounding—Rothbury might be a bit of both, and allegedly, it was quite the time—the Vibes is a creakier, more elegant dinosaur. A glorious, humble triceratops of a festival, yes, secure in its size, pleasant in its modest ambition and its abilities, not ostentatious, and kindly manageable.
And damn isn’t it great to have it back in New England proper (it returned in 2007 after several years of renovation to Bridgeport’s Seaside Park and a few years at various upstate New York locales)? For this born/bred New Englander, it’s not only in a New England/Tri-State area happy medium, but it fills a still-felt void left by the big Phish festivals of yore and especially the can’t-believe-it’s-been-five-years-now departed Berkshire Mountain Music Festival (1997-2003). (For Berkfest alums from those heady days, monsoon conditions and all, have a scoop of nostalgia on the house) READ ON for more about what you can expect at GOTV ’08…
The Vibes doesn’t have the gaudy cache of some festivals, or some of the nationally dazzling headliners. Pitchfork and Stereogum probably won’t be there and neither will the Stone—or, blessedly, Kanye and his moon landing. But anyone who’d call the Vibes’ modest slate a “slight” lineup—dude, this is an intimate, beautiful beachside space with some of the best acts in the known universe on hand to help channel its powers.
You have the Vibes’ basic commitment: a stronghold of Dead-related acts like Donna Jean and the Tricksters, New Riders of the Purple Sage and Dark Star Orchestra. Then, you throw in a nice regional sampling that includes the always-welcome Deep Banana Blackout, Ryan Montbleau, and the Nate Wilson Group, and some kind, upstart crews like the Heavy Pets and BuzzUniverse. You hedge your bets with the groups that would play well at most any music festival: the Neville Brothers, for example, or the dependably sturdy Porter Batiste Stoltz, or the unfailingly ribald Taj Mahal, and the inspired out-ness of Dweezil Zappa’s Zappa Plays Zappa project. Then, you mix in plenty of younger-generation festy favorites: Umphrey’s McGee has by now earned the right to be called a major inclusion anywhere, and the Derek Trucks/Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival, Strangefolk and Sam Bush are similarly astute grabs.
Oh, and you’ve got the reconstituted Black Crowes playing at the best and heartiest level they’ve been at since before (OK, probably well before) the 2002-2005 hiatus, and also the most accomplished lineup of Phil Lesh & Friends since the days of the Q, so who’re you calling “slight,” pallie? (And you could field a whole ‘nother team of Friends based on who precedes Phil on Saturday alone: the Kreutzmann/Burbridge/Murawski trio, Mike Gordon’s Cactus-a-riffic band and the New Riders among them.)
Anyway, I’ll be on the ground all weekend serving up reportage and groovy photos, hoping someone like Buddy Cage joins the Crowes for their entire show and they buck the trend of playing hits-heavy festival sets (wishful thinking, I know), hoping for other sit-ins galore but not enough to get in the way (more likely), and hoping that Phil & Friends find room for Peggy-O, Cumberland Blues or some of the other rootsier stuff they do so damn well among their hotly-anticipated Saturday night two-setter (OK, quite possible).
See you in Bridgeport, and send some good weather our way.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008 at 1:18 pm
This is the first vibes I’ve missed post-Coventry. Ironically, the lineup is arguably the strongest ever. Have a great Vibes. I wish I was there, but I’ll be seeing the Crowes and Trey up in Newport. Vibe Tribe, is there anybody out there!!!!