Up North - impressions of an epic adventure
Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 12:06 pm
[cross-posted on Jamcruise Forum]
This weekend was an epic adventure of groundbreaking for a new intimate festival called Up North. It is by far the best little festival in the northeast and we will be returning in full force next year. Best performance was Lettuce, who brought the sweaty funkness dance madness early on Friday late-night. Wailers were also on spot and Umphrey's kicked it in headily midway through their set. I don't have the words to describe all that went down, but Taso does (and she will be gracing us with her adroit prose very soon). I took way too many photos, and will try to get some of these up tonight.
The stage production was top notch, the layout superb (five minute walk between stages), the scheduling ideal (gaps and little overlap between bands, only two stages so hard to miss any music), the lights were over the top (amazing visuals, tasty smoke graciously applied, trackers and colors artfully mingled, plenty of spots where and when you need 'em), the camping was perfect (shady trees everywhere, pristine clean campground with plenty of facilities), the location ideal (45 min. from Portland ME), the weather was even great in spite of a little rain (plenty of shelter, the trees provide excellent cover and places to hang tarps). Easy in, easy out...very little line at all since the gate arrivals were well staggered and professionally coordinated. Even a short beer line because they had a dozen people running the kegs...I never waited more than three minutes for a beer (or anything else for that matter Wink ). You know how at all festivals there's "down time" where you're stuck in some predicament or end up waiting for someone, finding people and things, all these little nuisances that eat up your quality time? There was NONE of that at Up North. It ran smoothly like a well-oiled locomotive. And virtually no train wrecks (a few bad apples were taken out of the mix deftly and professionally, and even the few spunions were on their best behavior).
The staff was the best...the friendliest people I've ever seen running a festival. The producers would stop their golf carts and ask people if they were having a good time (funny to see some reactions as a few w00ks were taken off guard, thinking they were getting busted Wink ), took the time to chat with everyone and anyone and also were there to enjoy themselves (not just stress out over getting the show on the road because the super pros had everything under control). Warm happy vibes all around.
In many ways, Up North reminded me of the intimate Creekside (RIP). Even the swimming was fun...although the river was extremely dangerous (didn't stop us, but kept us tight to shore). I got invited on stage to take pix more than a few times, and after only a few hours I was part of the "jam-ily". By the end of the weekend we were all good friends and I felt a Jamcruise-like vibe from the fans, artists and production people. Lots of love for and from everyone...no hassles whatsoever. Everything was so easy to find...food, drink, smoke, shade, shelter, and even got to sleep in cool woodsy splendor late into the morning (I like my rest of course, it helps me dance and do so much more the next day).
I fully realize that there are much bigger and more "impressive" festivals, but what impresses me most is the people and the emotional connection. Bigger is not always better -- when you have quality time to hang with your friends and family, that supersedes just blasting out of space with an all-star lineup. Even still, the lineup at Up North was perfect for its size (next year let's hope they get Lotus and SMMD, among others ;-}).
Special thanks to SKB and the BOC (aka Boston Music Mafia), Rafael (for rocking our camp and VIP out with his kickin' iPod boombox), Torrey (for his stellar work at the box office and freakin' hilarious observations and instigations), Damon (for mixing, and more of everything else), DancinGreg (for too much to recollect in public Wink ), Tasoula (for her last-minute appearance to fill a critical writing position), and most of all, Carolyn (who brought the entire kitchen and living room setup so we had the bitchin'-est campsite in the whole festival). What a faaaahkin' paaahhhty!!! Mojitos for all!!!
Right now I'm planning on High Sierra and Up North for next year...maybe one or two others. I highly recommend this wonderful new festival. If you want to camp with us next year, just drop me an email. For all of you camping party music fun people...put Up North on your "short list" next summer because I can guarantee it will rock your socks off! There are so many reasons why this festival gets a 10 out of 10. Next year we take it to 11!
-Phrazz
This weekend was an epic adventure of groundbreaking for a new intimate festival called Up North. It is by far the best little festival in the northeast and we will be returning in full force next year. Best performance was Lettuce, who brought the sweaty funkness dance madness early on Friday late-night. Wailers were also on spot and Umphrey's kicked it in headily midway through their set. I don't have the words to describe all that went down, but Taso does (and she will be gracing us with her adroit prose very soon). I took way too many photos, and will try to get some of these up tonight.
The stage production was top notch, the layout superb (five minute walk between stages), the scheduling ideal (gaps and little overlap between bands, only two stages so hard to miss any music), the lights were over the top (amazing visuals, tasty smoke graciously applied, trackers and colors artfully mingled, plenty of spots where and when you need 'em), the camping was perfect (shady trees everywhere, pristine clean campground with plenty of facilities), the location ideal (45 min. from Portland ME), the weather was even great in spite of a little rain (plenty of shelter, the trees provide excellent cover and places to hang tarps). Easy in, easy out...very little line at all since the gate arrivals were well staggered and professionally coordinated. Even a short beer line because they had a dozen people running the kegs...I never waited more than three minutes for a beer (or anything else for that matter Wink ). You know how at all festivals there's "down time" where you're stuck in some predicament or end up waiting for someone, finding people and things, all these little nuisances that eat up your quality time? There was NONE of that at Up North. It ran smoothly like a well-oiled locomotive. And virtually no train wrecks (a few bad apples were taken out of the mix deftly and professionally, and even the few spunions were on their best behavior).
The staff was the best...the friendliest people I've ever seen running a festival. The producers would stop their golf carts and ask people if they were having a good time (funny to see some reactions as a few w00ks were taken off guard, thinking they were getting busted Wink ), took the time to chat with everyone and anyone and also were there to enjoy themselves (not just stress out over getting the show on the road because the super pros had everything under control). Warm happy vibes all around.
In many ways, Up North reminded me of the intimate Creekside (RIP). Even the swimming was fun...although the river was extremely dangerous (didn't stop us, but kept us tight to shore). I got invited on stage to take pix more than a few times, and after only a few hours I was part of the "jam-ily". By the end of the weekend we were all good friends and I felt a Jamcruise-like vibe from the fans, artists and production people. Lots of love for and from everyone...no hassles whatsoever. Everything was so easy to find...food, drink, smoke, shade, shelter, and even got to sleep in cool woodsy splendor late into the morning (I like my rest of course, it helps me dance and do so much more the next day).
I fully realize that there are much bigger and more "impressive" festivals, but what impresses me most is the people and the emotional connection. Bigger is not always better -- when you have quality time to hang with your friends and family, that supersedes just blasting out of space with an all-star lineup. Even still, the lineup at Up North was perfect for its size (next year let's hope they get Lotus and SMMD, among others ;-}).
Special thanks to SKB and the BOC (aka Boston Music Mafia), Rafael (for rocking our camp and VIP out with his kickin' iPod boombox), Torrey (for his stellar work at the box office and freakin' hilarious observations and instigations), Damon (for mixing, and more of everything else), DancinGreg (for too much to recollect in public Wink ), Tasoula (for her last-minute appearance to fill a critical writing position), and most of all, Carolyn (who brought the entire kitchen and living room setup so we had the bitchin'-est campsite in the whole festival). What a faaaahkin' paaahhhty!!! Mojitos for all!!!
Right now I'm planning on High Sierra and Up North for next year...maybe one or two others. I highly recommend this wonderful new festival. If you want to camp with us next year, just drop me an email. For all of you camping party music fun people...put Up North on your "short list" next summer because I can guarantee it will rock your socks off! There are so many reasons why this festival gets a 10 out of 10. Next year we take it to 11!
-Phrazz
).
Small crowd, little energy, lame vendors, etc. I'll definately keep an eye out for the Up North Festival next year. Love to see the Slip, Delf and Dave Fiuczynski's KIF play.