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Marc Brownstein - The Disco Biscuits
Leftover Salmon :: HSMF :: By S. Weiand |
1. Kai Eckhart with the New Mastersounds. Disgusting and inspiring. Totally influenced my playing at our outdoor set.
2. Discovering a new jam for "Bazaar Escape" after playing the song for eight years.
3. Hanging with the JamBase crew at Camp Harry and watching Harry Happen.
Nathan Moore – Surprise Me Mr. Davis/ThaMuseMeant
1. Brett Dennen. I listened to him for the first time on the way to High Sierra and then I was blown away by his Big Meadow show. Such comforting and fun music.
2. Leftover Salmon and Chris Thile. I had no idea! I mean sure, I'd seen them both many times, but I had no idea they were about to shoot the moon. The LOS set Sunday night was just plain kick ass. And Mr. Thile was the man all weekend. I like the left he's taking.
3. Aimee Curl (ThaMuseMeant). I know how nervous she was for this one and I was so proud of her. She sounded great and she did one of her own songs! It made me happy to watch her rise to the occasion.
Reed Mathis - Coalition of Willing/JFJO
Reed Mathis :: HSMF :: By Z. Smith |
1. Surprise Me Mr. Davis at Camp Harry. What a band! Nathan Moore captivates like no other performer, and I am inexplicably still surprised by the members of The Slip even after all these years of worshiping them.
2. Zack Smith taking portraits against the RV, commenting insightfully on his environment in a Kesey-esque fashion and bubbling over with inspiration and ideas, and crippling me with continuous laughter. He was truly in rare form.
3. Sitting in on guitar with Tea Leaf Green. Definitely the high point of the event for me. I wasn't super familiar with their music, and Dan Lebowitz had just brought us all to our tippi-toes with a very inspired lap steel sit-in, and then it was my turn. It's hard to explain what happened. All I know is I took a deep breath and we made some real music. I mean, to me, it was an incredible moment of beauty. They are a fantastic band, and I was honored by their request to play with them. They definitely showed me a thing or two. Josh, you are the man!
Patterson Hood - Drive-By Truckers
First I have to say forgive me, but I spent all day with a terrible stomach ache, so I didn't exactly get out there and twirl around in the heat.
1. Finding a fairly decent and not too foul port-o-let to dump in.
2. The nice catering lady who fixed me a plate "for later."
3. The bouncers dragging that naked guy out of the pit. "If you have a dick, leave your pants on."
Josh Clark - Tea Leaf Green
Garaj Mahal :: HSMF :: By S. Weiand |
1. All the collaborations TLG was blessed to be a part of.
2. Kickball!!!!!
3. Bearing witness to the growth of the High Sierra musical and social community, and the sense of pride that comes with being a small part of it.
Eric McFadden
1. Les Claypool and Co. was phenomenal at the late night show. Had a great time playing and listening.
2. Hearing Mavis Staples from our camp and hanging in the shade with my peeps.
3. Doing the slide guitar clinic with Papa Mali and Tony Furtado was great fun and a great learning experience.
Eddie Roberts - New Mastersounds
Eddie Roberts at Camp Harry by Dave Vann |
1. Sunday night at Camp Harry playing with Roughneck (my other band). I don't think I've ever hit my tambourine as hard as I did that night. It was an incredible way to end the weekend.
2. Arriving to Camp Happiness. Being greeted by all of our Bay Area friends. There was gear set up for us to play. Tents were popped for us to sleep in. And there was plenty of food and alcohol to be had. What more could we ask for? Ahhhh...High Sierra!
3. Scaling the fence at 7 a.m. trying to make our way to the Guitar Hero bus for Sunday morning Bloody Marys. Once we made it over the fence, the bus was locked. So, instead, we went and watched the kickball game, which was something we hadn't seen or played before. It was quite an interesting morning.
Ryan Montbleau
1. Jake Shimabukuro. Man, I haven't seen anyone master an instrument like that since Edgar Meyer on his bass. Absolutely amazing. On a uke.
2. Brett Dennen. Les Claypool blew my face off and Toubab Krewe took me to another place, but this was the first time I'd seen Brett and singer-songwriters unite! Great vibe, great message.
3. The complete stranger who, after a few extremely kind words, started making out with me out of the blue. She was hot! That was definitely a first.
Brett Dennen :: HSMF :: By S. Weiand |
Fred Torphy - White Thighs/Fred Torphy Band
1. Impromptu sunrise sing-a-long set with Brad Barr and Nathan Moore near a giant Twister game on Saturday morning.
2. Befriending the New Mastersounds crew.
3. Camp Harry.
Debbie Crockett - HSMF Organizer
1. Best Use of Rider Liquor in a Grandstand Stage Setting: Drive-By Truckers, a band who has consistently been on my line-up wish list, swilling from their 1.75 of Jack like they meant it. Always one to embrace a theme, I can happily say that I did not at that point fall into the category of "Women Without Whiskey."
2. Best "Aging Former Phish Nerd" Moment: Eric and I comparing, albeit a little sheepishly, simultaneous goose bumps during Page's solo rendition of "Wading In The Velvet Sea" during his Sunday afternoon playshop. The fact that Page was gracious and a pleasure to work with only made it sweeter.
3. Sappiest "Man (sniffle) I Love You Guys" Moment: Drifting off to sleep at some point during the wee hours of Sunday morning next to my radio (ahem, yes, I realize that sounds rather pathetic), listening to our overnight crew so effectively holding it down and keeping the vibe steady during the unique and dynamic force that is the late night scene. An accolade that could similarly extend to any of our crews. Aw, shucks...
Deb gets four moments because she helps run the fest!
4. Returning home. Connecting with dear friends. Listening to them tell me what an amazing experience they had. Experiencing the festival through their eyes and knowing that the sentiment is sincere. Remembering in that instant exactly why I do this.
Zack Smith – Photographer/Rotary Downs
Barr, Smith, Moore :: HSMF :: By SuperDee |
1. All that is, and all that will and shall be, forever the redonculusness and good times of Camp Harry. Amen. Go forth and spread the gospel of Harry.
2. Bobby Previte, Reed Mathis, Skerik and Brian Coogan freaking out, and flipping the wigs of many a festgoer.
3. Finally getting to play a late night Camp Harry set with Brad Barr and Nathan Moore. If anyone has video, please send it because I don't remember it. "Little Red Corvette" is about the only thing that sticks out. Oh wait, "Stand By Me" and "Snowed In" (with Aimee Curl!).
Dave Vann - Photographer
1. The Drive-By Truckers Main Stage Set - The whole show was amazing and they definitely held their own as headliners. Towards the end of the set I was taking photos of the band on the speaker stacks directly in front of the band when Mike Cooley and Patterson Hood walked out on to the stacks for solo's - definitely a rock & roll moment I won't soon forget.
2. Camp Harry Late Night's - I was lucky enough to camp with Camp Harry this year and every night we had our own late night sets with Surprise Me Mr. Davis, Eddie Roberts' Roughneck, impromptu jams with members of The Slip, ALO, Kanvas and the White Thighs (shredding Fred Torphy).
3. Page Playshop - The unannounced intimate playshop that Page McConnell gave on Sunday afternoon was truly amazing. Page told stories of writing and performing with Phish, played some beautiful songs, and answered some (sometimes silly) questions from fans. This kind of event is what makes High Sierra truly unique among festivals.
Susan J. Weiand - Photographer
Dumpstaphunk :: HSMF :: By Susan J. Weiand |
1. MC Tim Lynch leading the whole audience to yell "Festivaaaal!" right before the Leftover Salmon encore on the Grandstand.
2. Dumpstaphunk going off in the Vaudeville and Tony Hall channeling his best James Brown and jumping up onto the speaker stack.
3. Witnessing the huge Twister game played at dawn on Saturday morning, with some very twisted and hilarious participants.
Ted Kartzman - Rhapsody.com
1. The Slip outdoor Big Meadow set, the boys clad all in yellow, sun setting on their ten year run. "I swear I'll join you in the sun." Man, they sounded great. "So brand new, yet tired and broken down. But the forest is big, that's why we need rangers." Honestly, the most emotional I've ever been at the High Sierra. Margu's speech about the boys had to set off the "Cumulus" fireworks and the waterworks. Lookin' around, nothin' but family, The Slip bring it all together for so many of us. For real, the soundtrack to our lives.
2. Stumbling back to my camp after Bisco late night was too hot to handle. Can't dance with Lauren D and Benjy Eisen for more than ten minutes without needing a respite. Figured I'd make a whiskey drink and see who was up, and I find Brad Barr on bass, Nathan Moore on keys and Rotary Downs' Zack Smith on drums doing the full slow grind to "Little Red Corvette." Prince never sounded so fresh and dirty. Tasty!
3. The anticipation before the SMMD set, everyone packed in there wanting the same thing, and when The Slip can be Nathan's band, it's the best backing band since The Band. The magic is just there. Bradford Barr turned into Jacky White Jr. during the set, bending over backwards to see the crowd while axe-shredding. The kid is possessed. Quite happy to watch the insanity unfold and sing "I ...I...I opened the door!" at the top of my lungs.
Mike Greenhaus - Relix
1. Trying not to cry during Page's Playshop set (and almost succeeding).
2. Riding the rail at a nine-nine (that's '99) Bisco show at High Sierra '07.
3. "Airplane/Primitive."
Cole Boyle - Relix
HSMF 2007 by Scott Galbraith |
1. "Make Friends:" A slogan popularized by the good people at Merchata. At High Sierra, "Make Friends" became a call to action and the festival attendees rose to the occasion. I will go back to Quincy year after year if only to be a part of such an inviting, warm and collectively positive group of people. It was impossible to go to bed each night, as there was always good music to see, someone to skip across the campgrounds with, or something ridiculously fun to do. CAMP HARRY - I loved spilling the beans with you til dawn. Camp S*itF*ck - ditto.
2. Nathan Moore/Surprise Me Mr. Davis/The Slip/ThaMuseMeant: Any and all combinations involving any of these musicians was pretty much EPIC. You just don't see musicians exercising a craft like that everyday. Nathan Moore + The Slip = PURE GENIUS.
3. THREE WORDS: Page McConnell's Playshop. I would try to say more, but I get chills just thinking about it.
Adam Alperowicz - Relix
1. Returning my #2 pencil drawing friend Travoltordo to my brother from the other coast Tanner during ALO late night.
2. Watching the Disco Biscuits play a great festival set in front of a small crowd just after sunset and getting down with my boys.
3. Roaming grounds aimlessly on trips between the Relix booth, Camp Harry and Camp Sh*t F*ck, taking in a festival unlike any other I've ever been to. Seeing people making friends everywhere they went, doing their thing in peace and partying like rockstars, while still keeping everything safe, fun, and positive.
Court Scott - JamBase Scribe
Jake Shimabukuro :: HSMF :: By Weiand |
1. Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk – Rollicking and punchy. The Vaudeville tent was going off so hard that I half expected the tent structure, like in a cartoon sequence, to sprout legs and start gigging along to the music inside.
2. The Disco Biscuit's evening set at the Big Meadow stage was wicked fun - more accessible than their late night set, easier to find and settle into a groove. A Bisco-loving friend asserts that it was one of the best he's ever heard and I don't doubt it.
3. Ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro is understated but wonderful. He's taken a traditional instrument of his native Hawaii and figured out a way to avail it to us. I especially liked the "Ave Maria" – perfect for getting going on a Saturday.
SuperDee - JamBase
1. Page McConnell performing "Tiny Dancer" in his solo playshop. Pass the tissues.
2. Dancing with NOLA friends to the Hot 8 Brass Band. Holla!
3. Brad Barr channeling Russell Hammond (aka the epitome of the rock guitar player with mystique) during the Surprise Me Mr. Davis Thursday night set.
Andrew Warren - JamBase
Del McCoury Band HSMF 2007 by Dave Vann |
1. The epic and "completely mental" game of HORSE with Dan K at the Camp Harry Annex. The level was raised and victory assured when the East Brunswick native pulled out the elusive "Up through the Hoop" trick and left the poor Wellesley boy on the deck. "Totally decent, I must say."
2. Ah the Antelope Complex fire. What a sight it was! I was so hung up on it that several people had the gall to snap and tell me "Enough about the Fire!" I like fires, sorry.
3. Surprising Andy Gadiel with his very own golf cart for the weekend. His stellar introductions at the Big Meadow Stage were even breezier and more relaxed knowing he could jet off to basket weaving afterwards and not miss a single kudzu vine, ribbed weave moment! Thanks for the quilt basket!
Tanner Wyer - JamBase
Page McConnell :: HSMF :: By S. Galbraith |
1. Brad Barr as a whole. From the solo during "Heartbreaker," killing it with Tea Leaf Green, Surprise Me Mr. Davis all over the place, capping off with a sunrise acoustic sing-a-long of "Before You Were Born" and other favorites by the giant game of Twister. I always seemed to be taken to that place that High Sierra is known for when B Barr was involved.
2. Getting Trav back.
3. All the other things that I can't fit into a top three. High Sierra - thanks for continuing to step it up.
Patty Kaufman - JamBase
1. Biscuits Big Meadow set - loved the old school set list.
2. The Slip playing "Heartbreaker."
3. Seeing Page up close and personal.
Mason Blake - JamBase
Brad Barr :: HSMF 2007 by Dave Vann |
1. Surprise Me Mr. Davis at Camp Harry. EPIC!
2. Carolyn Wonderland. Killer blues guitar player and singer, extremely solid band.
3. Martin Sexton at the Grandstand.
Andy Gadiel - JamBase
1. Surprise Me Harry.
2. Brad Barr sitting in with Tea Leaf Green.
3. Chris Thile picking in the flower garden.
Aaron Kayce (aka Kayceman) - JamBase
1. Remembering what it is that makes High Sierra so incredibly special.
2. Watching Brad Barr destroy any guitar he held throughout the weekend.
3. Drive-By Truckers doing "State Trooper."
Use the Comments Section to tell us about YOUR Top 3 HSMF Moments...
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