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Sunday, 07.05
 Rothbury 2009 by Vann |
The sun was powerful Sunday morning, rising early to what previously was a very chilly night of sleep. By this fourth day, a thick layer of reddish-brown Michigan soil blanketed the compound (and most likely our nasal passages, too). Heading back to the festival grounds for the final push, constant reminders of the capacities for creativity made it an interesting walk. A street juggler seemed content performing on Shakedown Street, although not many spectators were present. A band of brothers were videotaping flights of massive bubbles, debating the world record-breaking feats to no end. Tireless garbage collectors spent long periods of time in the smallest of areas, possibly in search of true contentment with each discovery of a cigarette butt. The obvious MVP of the weekend was indeed the Spitfire Agency, their fingerprints evident across the entire Rothbury map, fittingly by leaving the least trace. (JB)
Yonder Mountain String Band
There are few things more perfect for a blazing summer afternoon than a set of the bluegrass stylings of Yonder. A tranquil mandolin line from Jeff Austin brought us into "Traffic Jam" just before the boys took us into a real hootenanny. Austin and guitarist Adam Aijala began trading off scorching fast licks to match the heat of the day. Bluegrass songs often have a way of melting together given the very similar chord progression and instrumentation of each, but Yonder manages to keep even the most simplistic songs fresh and fun. This might have something to do with the astonishing virtuosity possessed by all four members. Dave Johnston got to show off both his banjo and vocal skills during "Just the Same." "We realize its Sunday. You need to remember that you have no responsibilities today. It's our responsibility to keep you going," spouted Ben Kaufman. Jumping right into "Complicated," Yonder lived up to the bassist's promise. (KS)
Willie Nelson and Family
 Willie Nelson and Family :: Rothbury 2009 by Vann |
The redheaded stranger might not be quite as redheaded as he used to be, but that doesn't mean he still can't put on one helluva show. Dressed in all black from head to toe (aside from his red, white and blue guitar strap), Willie delivered on his classic brand of country music. Starting us off with "Whisky River," he seemed a bit sloppy at first but once he worked out the kinks things really started rolling. "Still Is Still Moving Me" had Willie showing off the extent of his guitar playing abilities, as his still limber fingers ran up and down the fretboard of his acoustic guitar plucking out surprisingly complex licks. It wasn't long before Nelson ditched his bulky cowboy hat, revealing his trademark braids, in favor of a bandana. Willie and his "Family" pumped out classic after classic, including "Rainy Day Blues," "Night Life" and "Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys," each one of them a gem. (KS)
Matisyahu
Matisyahu and company hopped on the Sherwood Court just around half past five. Currently in the middle of a national tour with an altered backing band including Brooklyn's Dub Trio, the sextet was obviously well warmed up, busting straight into "Close My Eyes." Entering from the right wing, Matisyahu himself pounced on stage just in time to deliver the first lyrics. Guitarist Aaron Dugan coiled a stylishly static-combustion-ridden solo, all while keeping within his usually mellow demeanor to end the track without much excess.
During the newer track "Smash Lies," keyboardist Rob Marscher really took off. Interplay between him and drummer Joe Tomino tweaked and squeaked the cut on its side and created a more organic vibe than the studio release. A visibly animated Marscher made one assume that this past tour must have been very fulfilling for the group as they continue to learn each other's tendencies. On "Youth," the declarative lyrics about rising up and taking a stand still rang true after many performances. Dueling guitar work between Dugan and DP Holmes at the end of the track even inspired Matis to climb and bust some dance moves atop a tall speaker on the right of the stage. Warren Haynes made a surprise entrance during the middle of "Got No Water." Fairly ambitious in its own right, this version of "Got No Water" was refreshing with the addition of Haynes' Southern rock style and Dub Trio's thrashy time signatures. (JB)
Bob Dylan and His Band
 Matisyahu :: Rothbury 2009 by Vann |
Let it be known, bombastic rumors of Bob Dylan's inability to put on a good live show should henceforth be put to rest. On not just an emotional or even nostalgic, holy-shit-I'm-seeing-Bob-Dylan level, but also on an aesthetically pleasing level, Dylan's headlining set at Rothbury was thoroughly enjoyable. And gauging by the look on everyone else's face during the show, I'd say this sentiment was a shared one. As soon as his rough voice trickled out from the speakers into the crowd, smiles spread like wildfire. No, his voice still isn't good – at least not in a conventional sense – but that craggy rasp was, is, the voice of a generation. What Dylan's voice lacks in natural talent it makes up for with a streak of sincerity and soul unmatched by practically any singer. "You think I'm over the hill/ You think I'm past my prime," sang Dylan with a look of defiance in his eye during "Spirit on the Water." "We can have a whopping good time." Indeed we can.
Dylan also showed his fingers still work as well, taking several surprisingly complex guitar solos throughout his set. A drastically changed version of "Tangled Up In Blue" had Dylan switching over to keys. The slightly more bluesy version was not quite what everyone expected, nor even wanted perhaps, but you got to hand it to Bob for keeping his own music alive and ever growing by introducing new takes on classic songs.
It was more than his soulful voice that made this a good show. His backing band added quite the groove to the profundity of Dylan's singing and lyrics. "This Bob Dylan guy is playing some funky-ass shit," a gray-haired fan commented to the people behind him during a surprisingly long jam. "Highway 61" was served up on an absolutely rocking platter, complete with an extended jam session that featured a simple, yet wholly captivating keyboard solo from Dylan himself. Set closer "Like a Rolling Stone" exposed Dylan's weakness at hitting the high notes with his voice, but that didn't stop the sweetness of the moment. The urge to belt out the words to one of rock 'n' roll's greatest songs was simply irresistible.
With the sun finally gone, Dylan came out for a quick three-song encore, including a rendition of "All Along the Watchtower" that sounded more akin to the Hendrix version than to his own. While his set ended a half hour early and while he didn't grace us with any acoustic material as I had hoped, the mere sight of one of the 20th century's greatest music legends playing us some damn fine music was more than enough to satiate the hungry masses at Rothbury. (KS)
07/05/09 :: Rothbury Festival :: Rothbury, MI
Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat (Bob on guitar), Señor (Bob on guitar), Tangled Up In Blue (Bob on keyboard and harp), Rollin' And Tumblin' (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on electric mandolin, Stu on acoustic guitar), Spirit On The Water (Bob on keyboard and harp), High Water (For Charley Patton) (Bob on keyboard and harp, Donnie on banjo, Stu on acoustic guitar, Tony on standup bass), 'Til I Fell In Love With You (Bob center stage on harp then keyboard), Po' Boy (Bob on keyboard and harp, Stu on acoustic guitar, Tony on standup bass), Highway 61 Revisited (Bob on keyboard), Ballad Of A Thin Man (Bob on keyboard and harp), Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again (Bob on keyboard, Stu on acoustic guitar), Nettie Moore (Bob on keyboard, Donnie on viola, Stu on acoustic guitar), Thunder On The Mountain (Bob on keyboard, Stu on acoustic guitar), Like A Rolling Stone (Bob on keyboard)
E: Jolene (Bob on keyboard, Tony on standup bass), All Along The Watchtower (Bob on keyboard), Blowin' In The Wind (Bob on keyboard and harp, Donnie on violin)
Alex B
 Rothbury 2009 by Vann |
Mist filled the wood-chip laden dance floor at the Tripolee stage as Pnuma's prolific bass player Alex Botwin demonstrated his first-class DJ skills. Botwin rocked back and forth as he turned and twisted his many knobs, producing an array of glitchy synthetic sounds. I know not where these unearthly samples came from, but they certainly were not born of a Pnuma gene as I had hoped. The crowd gradually accrued more numbers as the music and accompanying visuals grew increasingly bizarre. The highlight of the set was when Pnuma drummer Lance Shaw joined Alex, the two combining to make one amazing duo. With a live drummer and abundant hip-hop and soul samples mixed with synthetic madness, Botwin often sounded a lot like Pretty Lights. (KS)
Big Gigantic
Just as Alex B's set was coming to a close, the members of Big Gigantic joined him on stage. Dominic Lalli's tenor saxophone proved to be the perfect compliment to Botwin's mixes. After Botwin left the duo to do their thang, Lalli took over on synth and sampling duties, all the while finding time to blow searing, effect-smothered sax solos on top of it all, creating an amalgam of jazz, funk and electronic music. A lone dancer equipped with entrancing glow in the dark toys supplemented Big Gigantic, contorting her body in the most fantastic of ways. Botwin, Shaw and STS9's Dave Murphy joined BG towards the end of the set to help pump out some of the most danceable music heard all weekend. (KS)
And just like that, Rothbury had come to a close. The four days had flown by in what retrospectively felt like a mere instant. From the green-themed art exhibit Reincarnation to the contemplative Think Tanks on the environment and social change to the friendly nature of everyone there, Rothbury is really about the ideal way to live life. No, it's not about preaching but rather teaching, for those who are willing to listen. After all, wouldn't the world be a better place if we could be this friendly, this environmentally conscious and, of course, see this much live music of such high quality on a regular basis?
We came together to celebrate many things: our nation's birthday, mutual love for music and the spiritual extension of our self-expression. While evidence of a new age grassroots and environmental uprising was present, its lasting effect remains to be seen. Just as the many acres of the Double JJ Range will return to their natural state with the help of a massive cleaning crew, our own needs and desires for the world around us will need to realign and reconstruct in the coming years to make a lasting impact. (KS)
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