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Words by: Dennis Cook, Jake Krolick, Susan J. Weiand and Aaron Kayce | Images by: Jake Krolick and Susan J. Weiand
High Sierra Music Festival :: 07.01.10-07.04.10 :: Plumas County
Fairgrounds :: Quincy,
CA
Anniversaries are funny things. Often too much or too little is made of them, but High
Sierra 2010 struck a
lovely balance in celebrating its 20th year, occasionally acknowledging that they'd hit
two decades but mostly just
nailing all the elements that make this festival unique and so dear to the regulars that
return each 4th of July
weekend.
It's tough to describe High Sierra to those who've never attended. On paper it makes
little sense to say there are
people everywhere – tents and RVs tucked into every nook and cranny of the Plumas County
Fairgrounds, spilling into
the woods and open fields surrounding every stage, building and port-a-potty – yet it
never seems overly crowded
or oppressive. In fact, High Sierra is one of the most peaceful, gentle, fun-loving
assemblages of humanity most of
us have ever encountered. Ebullient camaraderie is the general rule, so there are rarely
hassles of any kind. One can
walk right up to front of the stage at almost any set, and they'll usually be met by a
smile, even if they're just meeting
the person next to them. Rare is the walk through the maze of campers around the Big
Meadow Stage where one
isn't greeted with a handshake or a hug or offered some form of constriction loosening
hospitality.
Yes, there's a strain of high octane Cali hippie-dippie-ness but mostly the citizens of
this temporary city on a hill are
just hardcore music lovers enjoying the smorgasbord laid out before them. High Sierra
attracts folks with thoroughly
catholic tastes, able to fully enjoy the rowdiness of big stage headliners like Widespread Panic and
The Black Crowes
but equally able to
throw themselves wholeheartedly into the quietude of Dan Bern or the mesmerizing, rhythmic originality of Rubblebucket.
The 20th installment accentuated all the positives High Sierra has to offer. What follows
are some of the highlights
experienced by the JamBase crew as we quested after musical nirvana as America celebrated
its 234th birthday.
(Dennis Cook)
Continue reading for Jake Krolick's highlights...
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