HIGH SIERRA STAYS PUT

thats what i love about high sierra, the people are all there to work together to make it a great festival. the safety concerns were addressed and an understanding was reached in order to keep it as great as it has always been

...yes. how verry verry fucking sweet of Sheriff Terry Bergstrand to remove the SWAT team from the MUSIC FESTIVAL...for those just tuning in last year at high sierra oficers supervised by Sherriff Bergstand were standing outside of peoples tents at night looking for the flicker of HSF campers lighters - using this as probable cause to search camps...when they found contraband Bergstands officers had a processing station on site to book the campers on thier way to jail. no shit.

i think its awesome that the promoter cares enough to try but i fear for my saftey in any place where the sherriff department would set up for a MASSIVE HUNT like this.

its too bad...the music at this event always looks awesome but ill wait untill they move to a better area - a SAFER area!

High Sierra is an awesome event. I think this article shows that the promoters are working hard to address the situation.

Don't let Evilfunk's paranoia discourage anyone from attending. Just be extra careful about when and where you light up.

See you there!

Cops ruined this festival last year. I saw them doing things that were outright against the law. Coupled with the expensiveness of it, I doubt I will be back, regardless of what that sheriff says.

long live the BEST FEST OF THE WEST! dont know if i honestly see the po stepping down though...

Just read evilfunk's comments. He is exactly right about that, although I didn't know they had a booking station on site. The cop patrols through the campground were outrageous, although it did make for some entartaining "cop games" at first. But those things get boring quickly. The police presence was so overwhelming at this festival last year that I felt nervous even drinking beer, and I was 28 years old!

Like I said, for me, the fest is too expensive these days, and I don't want to take the chance of Barney Fife getting uppity again.

what was the SWAT team ther for? do they not know what kind of folks show up these fest(well most of the people peace loving folks)?

SWAT teams pretty much say all that needs to be said & for those of you who do not know what SWAT stands for it is Special Weapons And Tactics

This is just scrambling by all involved to make sure everyone (including the po-po) make money. Face it folks, the festy days of old are gone. younger punks who care nothing of our culture, only about our drugs. Cops and under covers have moved in as a result, and the whole festy experience just isnt what it used to be. If we truly want to make our point known about the law inforcement issue, we must boycott events that have colluded with said law inforcement. DON'T GO TO HIGH SIERRA THIS YEAR! this is the only way to voice your displeasure. that way nobody makes any money including the promoter , the town of quincy, and the state park itself and especially the Gestapo Law Inforcement team. it kinda sucks, but take away the money and people listen. AGAIN, DONT GO TO HIGH SIERRA MUSIC FESTIVAL IN 2007!

Well despite my inclination that this summer we will see the same type of activity seen at a bunch of the summer festivals from last year (Greater Police Presence and Bookings), I still plan on attending this years HSMF, just because it was one of the few reasons why I convinced myself to move to Cali from Colorado. my lady and I are very much looking forward to experiencing Quincy, rather than lawrence this year. Plus its a lot closer to me, than last years drive. Lets hope that the promoters and the locals can find the common ground to allow the event to run like the bunches of other festivals I have been to, without incident and grimmace.
Another thing to think about is maybe acting with a little bit less care-free-ness this summer and doing what we all do in the real world now when we want to have "fun", just be careful and sneak-a-tokes, and controlled partying....it's really not that hard to have a good time AND stay in complete control of yourself.

If you were there you'd have seen what we mean nick. They were searching at random, completely without any probable cause. Sitting in our campsite in Hogan's Alley, they'd walk through the campgrounds at least 4 times an hour. It is just hard to relax when you feel like you constantly have to worry about the police, at any given moment you feel like you can be messed with, without any probable cause or warning at all.

If they do change it this year, good for them, and I'll go next year.

are you out of your mind?

i'm glad you won't be at high sierra. the police activity was not a disturbance to my festival expirence at all. though it was disturbing to hear some of the stories told.

the police were targeting one part of the camp more than the other's. the people around me had no problem with smoking weed, selling mushrooms and getting blind drunk. we were in the family camp. kids in the shady grove camp ground were unfairly targeted.

if your a dipshit who thinks you have the right to smoke weed where ever you want and get piss drunk and stumble around in public, maybe you should not go.

Not out of my mind, and I don't smoke herb anymore. If you had a good experience with the police, then I am happy for you. I didn't.

imo anyone who goes back here or wakarusa is taking a huge risk. the fact is cops and any govt official for that matter cannot be trusted when it comes to kids partying. so regardless of what the sheriff said, they will still do whatever the hell they want. it really sucks that kids got busted w/o any probable cause, and whats worse is that wont matter in court at all.

Actually, in all but one of the searches I witnessed, the people being searched didn't have anything on them it turns out. They shouldn't have been searched to begin with as they were doing nothing more suspicious than walking through the festival.

My deal is that I don't want to shell out $400 for a weekend, plus the additional cash for late night shows, to have to worry about being hassled by the police for no reason the whole time.

And like I said, if people didn't have a problem with the police, more power too you, I wish you more good times this year.

my question was for futhepharmer.

i believe that pig about as much as i believe any other pig, that letter was complete horse sh!t and i would be embarrassed if i was the promoter to post such lies. does he really think people are that dumb to believe a lying sheriff from some two bit town, that probably would lie to his own mother if he could make some money over it. yeah he will just patrol the outside and move the swat team back to the station, YEAH RIGHT!!! maybe so, but they will probably pull a wakarusa and have cameras all over the place.

i agree that the days of old style festi's are gone, if you are smart you would avoid high sierra, Wakarusa, and every other huge festi that cares more about money than the enjoyment of the attendees. the only way these bastards will learn is if you dont give them your money, thats all they care about anyways.

i wish i was too stupid to do anyting w/ my life, then i'd join the police and put out bad karma all day, for victimless and non- violent crimes

and if you know how police can be, you'll be carefull, at ALL times

you have got to be pretty spineless to let police scare from a music festival.

High Sierra Kicks Ass!! If your dumb enough to get arrested you deserve it. People forget we live in the USA!! DRUGS ARE ILLEGAL!! Maybe if people went to High Sierra to watch music, instead of pretending that their in some kind of UTOPIA, they wouldnt have so many problems. I indulge myself every year in the herbs and chemicals that god has given me to enhance my enjoyment of the festival, but i also keep in mind that im in AMERICA. Dont blame high sierra for the society that we live in, blame yourself. If you want things to change, get up off your lazy ass and change them.

Tom & Leatherface have it right.

I too know Roy, Becca, and Dave, through my dealings in the industry. As an east coast fan, I've only had the pleasure of taking in one High Sierra fest - I think it was the fourth year - back when Box Set played the fest. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

I was not in attendance over the last two years, so I did not get to see the cops behavior. I don't doubt that what happened was an awful experience. But I do know the "type" of festival goer's the po are looking for are the hoser's who are on all kinds of hallucinogens and major chemicals that really don't have any place even in a festival environment such as this.

Anyone who has attended High Sierra should be well aware that Roy and the krew of High Sierra are not in this for the might $$$$. I'd go back to HS if I had the money to send myself.

their = possession as in those are "their" brownies
they're = contraction for "they are"
there = as in I am going over "there"
too = also
to = I am going to work
two = 2
Just thought some of you might not know the correct way to use these. Know why people like law enforcement won't take people of our culture seriously? Because we can't even use simple words correctly. Drugs are illegal. I don't like it anymore than you. Get used to it. Weed will never be legal here. Get used to it. Know why? Because any dummy with 3 square feet of dirt can grab some seeds and grow some reefer. It may not be kind, but it'll be something. Uncle Sam can't tax that. That's why it'll never be legal. Just be careful out THERE guys. I love you all.

isn't it funny the only drugs the govt. makes legal are the ones they can easily tax. "it's okay to destroy your lungs and those people's lungs around you, and it's okay to to kill your liver just as long as we get our money, BOUT MY MONEY!" money, it's a hell of a drug!

so..its not a matter of grammar...or a matter of weather we should or should not get arrested because the promoters have friends who will vouch for them...the facts are that TONS of peoples rights as americans were shat on by Bergstand. now the promoter has a BUISINESS MEETING with a flat out PIG who has proven he does not respect HSMF festival goers. Good people do not meet and discuss anything with crooked law enforcement...cooperation + complycity = a true missunderstanding of how to deal with bad cops. also a shure sign that we are in danger if we smoke a joint at a festi.

I saw NO trouble at the Sierra Woprld Music Festival this year for one reason - they mooved the event to a county that respects people. PERIOD.

HOW HARD IS IT TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO BELIVE IN MY RIGHTS? MOOVE THE EVENT!

Here's the thing. If I was smoking herb, I would do so with the full understanding that I might get a ticket. That's not my issue. It's that I felt like even though I was doing nothing wrong I still could have been hassled. I know by paying for the festival, I was supporting the bands. However, I was also paying for an experience, and that (not cheap!) experience was somewhat lessened by overzealous law enforcement. I certainly did not pay for that.

So again, to all who are going I wish you a very happy and fun fulled festival. I just don't think I will attend until I have some gauge as to whether or not the police have reigned themselves in; I simply do not trust them. If this year goes off well, I'll be back next year.

Who are we all kidding. Yes the police pressence has been more over the last couple years and yes we are not able to buy our year supply of x,lsd, or whatever floats your boat, but by not attending the music fest then we are letting the cops win. We need to show up and show them that there is an alternative life style, that the police/repulican point of view is not the only one.
If you still want to particpate in drugs then just be smart about it. Do not try to buy anything at the fest and do not try to smoke a joint as you walk down the main path. I know that the police were hasseling more and more people, but if we are smarter then there would be less problems. We need to remember that people are getting arrested for illegal behavior not legal behavior.

I didn't go to High Sierra but I was at Waka and it was ridiculous. A few people getting arrested is to be expected but when you feel like you're on a military compound it kills the feeling of the fest. By the 3rd day at Waka you could tell everybody was on edge. I still had a good time and I'm sure a lot of other people did, after all you can't let cops bother you so much to where you don't enjoy yourself. But I shouldn't have to deal with cops constantly riding golf carts by my tent at 15-20 mph. Last year I went to Langerado in south Florida, Wanee in central Florida, Waka in Kansas and Bonnaroo in Tenn. My friends went to Summer Camp in Illinois also. All of those places were fine except Summer Camp and Waka. Bonnaroo isn't the same and probably never will be. The crowd was lame and the music lacking, but it is still the most open environment. I'm sure some people got arrested, possibly by Feds looking for big fish, but I didn't ever see a single cop messing with a single person. I heard some stories about Langerado but not much and never saw a problem myself. Wanee always has a few random arrests but never very many and I have yet to have a problem there.

I didn't realize High Sierra was so bad. I'm not surprised that Waka was like it was, after all it is Kansas but I would never think a festival in northern Cali would have a problem. The bottom line is it sucks. I really like Lawrence. The people at Kansas University and in the town are some of the most polite, nice people I have ever met. But now I don't think I will ever go back. They ruined it for me. I was planning on making it to Sierra sometime in the near future but if they don't fix it I guess I won't be doing that either. I'm no idiot, the chances of me actually getting arrested anywhere is pretty slim, especially at a music festival. But I still don't want to go to any place where I am constantly reminded that if you aren't a cop, you're really just a second class citizen.

Last year was my first HSMF and it was great. We did all kinds of super duper drugs, danced, laughed, ate well, drank well, shopped, found new favorite bands, slept in, woke up to fine music, great weather, smiles all around. I know that john law is a buzz kill, but if your smart about it, doing naughty stuff under the nose of the law adds to the thrill. I saw people getting f-ed with and it was B.S. but it doesn't warrant a boycott! HSMF deserves the support of the scene. The vibe at the fest is top shelf. Just party like an adult and not some rookie. Sometimes I think we forget that our "party favors" are illegal, hello. Don't be pissed if your breakin the law and get caught. Be careful with your party. I was out of my head most late nights all within a few feet of johnnylaw. It's possible to have a gooood time under the radar. Don't advocate a boycott of a sweetfest just because the cops are there. Just be careful and let the good times roll. See you in Quincy!

check this: the sheriff's note said that they have a "continuing duty to ensure the health and safety of festival patrons"...to that, all I have to say is that where we were staying, in artist camping, AMBUSHED in THE NIGHT by the cops, TRAMPLING US AS they tried to catch a musician that was about to play a late night show!!!!! where did they end up????? TRAMPLING OVER TENTS THAT HAD SLEEPING CHILDREN INSIDE!!! YOUTH!!!!! F*cK their claim to keep us safe...they had GUNS...Fire burn a babylon...the show will go on...just wanted to share the story so that if you are heading to the festival with children, PROTECT THEM FROM our so-called PROTECTORS...

ps...is anyone sick and tired of the festival being right next to the lumber mill? what a sad sight to wake up to after such blissful music!

AMEN Trustme!! Couldn't have said it better!

Have fun. Without me.

BAJA BASH get your sh_t together and get that festival going again. Looks like I have some extra cash and I'm looking for a festival.

Ah, California, where HMSF takes place, also one of the states(Wakarusas KS does as well) in the USA that takes DNA samples from citizens accused of a crime or arrested for a crime but not yet CONVICTED of a crime.

Not cool.

Read on: http://www.stateline.org/live/ViewPage.action?siteNodeId=136&languageId=1&contentId=129960

SOTAK, why did you have to throw the "republican point of view" in there? Do you think Democratic leaders are hanging out at High Sierra, and all Republicans are out to get ya? Sounds pretty petty and ignorant to me.

High Sierra - assume the position!

10klf is where its at. security is always 90 percent locals there to have a good time aswell.

OK Folks, heres the problem with Quincy Cops: They eavesdrop and harass. These are the things that need to stop.
A lot of you are going overboard on the whole thing besides these facts. If the cops stay away from eavesdropping and hassling folks minding their own biz, then HSMF will be back to normal.
HSMF has always been modeled after the "jazz fest of the sierras". this makes the Quincy fairgroudns a perfect place to make this come alive. The mini streets, the buidlings, the ammenities. Having cops around for this size and location is NOT the problem. Pre 2003-04, everything worked just fine at HSMF. Personally I do NOT mind being under the radar with smoke and etc. With the cops presence at HSMF generally speaking, withOUT harassment issues, things are just the way HSMF should be. Its not a private location, its like our own little city in the mtns. I actually like the fact that theres a few cops mingling as long as they arent hassling. I do love a festival where people play things smart. It takes out the sketch factors to a large degree. People dont come to HSMF to sell drugs or wares. Its a spirit of HSMF that you feel like you are on VACATION with everyone else, not at a hippie flea market. But thats besides the point....
So, this is NOT the problem.
The probelm has been HARASSMENT> And no, NOT on a federal level like Waka. Its at a local level. If the cops stop harassing people, things will flow nicely and we'll have our vibes back.
I'll take a few cops for the experience HSMF is as a whole. I think everyones gtting ahead of themselves in this comment discussion. Lets stick to the real problem, hope its fixed. besdies blatant harassement and eavesdropping, if you cant handle afew officers at a festival then stick to your 90.000 huge ass Roo or go to small festivals, or festivals in big cities.
There is NOTHING like High Sierra....I love the surreality of the Wood Mill, and its water vapor has been a memory staple for those Quincy sunrises that only bring joy to my mind, thankfully. For some, theres not a site out there that would be quite like Quincy.
HSMF promoters are CLEARLY not in it for the cash. If youre in the know, then you KNOW this. Dont speak too soon unless you know your facts. To move a festival is a really huge endeavor. If the law officials break thier promises this summer, then HSMF will start the shift. I have a really good feeling that things will work out this summer, but if not, then we can expect thigns to change for 08. The move would cost HSMF to have to skip a year this round, so in a way this year is the grand experiment. The town of Quincy would lose MUCHO revenue, and the law officials know this, and know its their last chance to make things right for THEIR community. This fact gives me hope that we wont see the problems HSMF has had.
If you were not hassled or didnt know anyone who was hassled, HSMF is by far the best time Ive had at any event. Even this past year, with a line up that I wasnt hugely fond of and the probs, I still had my best HSMF to date. So while some of you are complaining, others are finding the magic. Sometimes magic shines brightest in times of issues....There IS an inner entitiy that IS High Sierra. Whether you feel that or not, its THERE, its its own specific community that will not die. This community is one of the most caring and cautious and spirited community out there. We know how unique our HSMF spirit is and all anyone wants to do is patch things up so we can keep on keepin on.
There are festivals, and there is High Sierra.

A lot of you should be glad that High Sierra is standing up for your rights since apparently most of you are too lazy to do it yourselves. The fact that they were able to get the sheriff to write a public letter of this nature is absolutely astounding. Do you think that Johnny Law wants to admit that he was wrong? Of course not but that is what they have done. People who are pissed off that HSMF met with law enforcement to begin with are not living in the real world. You have to deal with the local authorities no matter where you go. To assume that the people running the festival or anyone else for that matter can just thumb their noses at the "pigs" is ridiculous.

While law enforcement was pretty heavy-handed at a lot of festivals last summer there are ways of changing this for next year. File complaints, write local politicians and newspapers (you would be surprised how much that can help things) or take any number of actions that might get you labeled an activist. This boycott nonsense is