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By: Kayceman
For those of us at JamBase, High Sierra is a family event. It's a rare moment where we break free from our computers and share time in the woods. As we've done in the past, our coverage this year is broken up amongst several JamBase staffers and longtime writers. We realize not everything is covered (most notably the amazing string bands, from Yonder to Leftover and Thile to McCoury), but we didn't even try to cover everything. Instead, we took the weekend off and simply followed our ears and let the festival show us where to go. What follows are highlights of High Sierra from your friends at JamBase.
THE SLIP: THE GOLDEN THREAD OF HIGH SIERRA
Dave Margulies & The Slip at HSMF By Dave Vann |
After an emotional, cathartic Slip set on the Big Meadow stage, featuring rousing renditions of "Airplane Primitive," "Children of December" "Ohh Belle," "Soft Machine" and more, High Sierra organizer Dave Margulies took center stage for a touching speech. As the sun dropped behind the mountains Margulies explained how High Sierra has witnessed so many amazing bands over their 17-year history, but the only band to ever play 10 consecutive years is The Slip. He expressed his joy in watching the trio develop from their humble roots into one of the most impressive bands today. "The Slip are the gold thread that runs through the tapestry of High Sierra," said Margulies, who then asked The Slip if they would come back out for an encore (something that rarely, if ever happens for non-headliners) and help us remember what it was like 10 years ago and show us how they've grown. Following the speech the band came back to thunderous applause and launched into a 30 minute encore as good as anything we'd hear all weekend. A little tease of "Cumulus" led into the old school Slip staple "Weight of Solomon." Reworked to meet current Slip standards, "Solomon" was a perfect way to remember the jammier, youthful band that has grown into a rock & roll powerhouse capable of crafting songs as good as any band in any scene. From "Solomon," Brad Barr took the lead and devastated the crowd with Zeppelin's "Heartbreaker." The set couldn't have been better, and Margulies couldn't have been more right: The Slip is the golden thread that runs through High Sierra.
SURPRISE ME MR. DAVIS: NO FRAGILE FLOWER
Surprise Me Mr. Davis in Vaudeville :: By Dave Vann |
When people talk of the glorious music from '60s and '70s a big part of what they speak so fondly of is the songwriting and the way bands like the Beatles, The Band, Dylan and Young crafted their music. With the advent of Pro Tools and home studios anyone can put out a record and often a great deal of that song craft is left untended, not allowed time to maturate. Surprise Me Mr. Davis (the union of The Slip with Nathan Moore) brings us back to those glory days with songs so perfect they can make us cry, scream and jump with joy. The Slip as a trio is a daring, explosive band with epic peaks and massive valleys. Nathan Moore transforms The Slip into a consistently brilliant Americana rock band capable of conquering any crowd. Much like Dylan recruiting The Band to back him, when The Slip grabbed Nathan Moore the union became a holy force of righteous proportions. The two sets from Mr. Davis (one Vaudeville on Thursday night, and one at Camp Harry on Friday night) were absolute highlights of the weekend.
The official Vaudeville show was one of the strongest outings this band has had. From the opening "Skull and Bones" with SCI/Zilla's Michael Travis on percussive ladder through the set-closing cover of "19th Nervous Breakdown," this was one show folks kept talking about all weekend. Tucked inside this magical performance were tearjerkers like "Sleepyhead," "Summer Of My Fall" and "As Long As There's One of Us Standing" stacked up against rollicking celebrations like "Rubber Ball," "Holly Would," "Everything Must Go" and a cover of the Raconteurs "Intimate Secretary."
Surprise Me Mr. Davis at Camp Harry
By Scott Galbraith |
The following night at Camp Harry was a bit looser but just as fun. As about 200 people set up next to the two RVs and mini-stage that comprised Camp Harry it was Reed Mathis (JFJO, Bobby Previte's Coalition of the Willing) who reminded me just how special Mr. Davis and High Sierra truly are as he testified his love for the festival explaining how he flew in a day early in hopes of not missing out - Mr. Davis was his reward. The enchanting set began with Nathan Moore pulling heartstrings on "Ambrosia Drunk." With the help of vocalist Aimee Curl (ThaMuseMeant), Davis cast their spell on anyone who was lucky enough to meander past Camp Harry. With no division between artists and fans, everyone at eye level and only arm's length away, the intimate experience of witnessing Surprise Me Mr. Davis at Camp Harry was a microcosm of what makes High Sierra so special.
"As Long As There's One of Us Standing" by Surprise Me Mr. Davis
Love is not some fragile flower
It's one that breaks the sidewalk just to bloom
Even God said there is no higher power
Than the lily or the love inside of you
So if you're out there looking for answers
Then you must know that you are the light in someone's dark
DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS: THE ART OF THE STORY
Patterson Hood - Drive-By Truckers :: By S. Weiand |
The highly-coveted last slot on Friday night's Main Stage marked the inaugural High Sierra performance for the Drive-By Truckers. The Truckers are one of the most engaging live acts around, and they know how to grab hold of a crowd. Led by Patterson Hood, the rock 'n' roll powerhouse built their set with patience, keeping the tempos slow and showing incredible restraint. Of particular note was how they crept through "Sink Hole," refusing to let the song explode, tying it down like a caged beast. With young gunslinger Jason Isbell off on his own it was wonderful to see the legendary keyboardist Spooner Oldham and longtime friend John Neff (guitar and pedal steel) rise to the occasion, creating new wrinkles in the massive Truckers attack. When it was all said and done, this was by far the hardest rocking set to ever hit a High Sierra stage.
Bands don't achieve legendary status for nothing, and watching the Truckers turn the gears and lay down the hammer from slow-burning patience to all out assault was head-splitting. The whole set was building towards the final moments. The subtle self-control exhibited by the band in the early stages was countered by the explosive ending. "Let There Be Rock" was an epic journey with Hood in prime storytelling form. But, it was the final 20 minutes of their set that was as good as anything I've heard this year. The dynamic tandem of "Buttholeville" and Bruce Springsteen "State Trooper" was creepy, inspired and mind-boggling. Hood was a man possessed. He laid down the guitar and leapt into Springsteen's character behind the wheel with no license, no registration and that State Trooper riding behind. Hood is one of the best storytellers alive, and when he grabs hold of a tale like this time stands still. These final moments of Hood leading the Truckers to the end of their High Sierra set were pure magic and something I shall never forget.
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