Festival Diary | Jeff Lloyd of The Heavy Pets on AURA | Part One
By Team JamBase Mar 16, 2015 • 11:20 am PDT
This year marked the sixth annual AURA Music & Arts Festival, as well as the fifth appearance for The Heavy Pets. The fest was created by, as well as curated, coaxed and cosmically aligned by some of our favorite people in the world, namely festival organizers Daryl Wolff and Cameron Ferguson. The Pets and I take pride in being a part of it (almost) from the beginning, and I’m honored by the opportunity to dig deeper and share some of our experiences.
We all set out on our journey separately, a convenience the home-field advantage of a Florida festival affords us. Jim Wuest was the only Pet representing on Thursday night, and here’s what he he had to say about the pre-party, “Ghost Owl kicked off the party with some fun electro-pop. Adam Perry’s voice soared above Matt McDonald’s guitar licks and Albert Suttle’s backbeat giving the listener a very new style of rock.”
Following Ghost Owl in the Amphitheatre was the one and only Motet.
“If you can find a better dance party than the original music of this Colorado band, then please let me know because I haven’t heard it,” said Wuest. “Wrapping up the party was Dopapod, a band whose originality cannot be escaped. Dance grooves mixed with complex harmonies and distinct melodies, this band always gives the audience something it has never heard before, or at least not since their last Dopapod show. This pre-party, which was initially slated for the Music Hall and was moved to the Amphitheater Stage due to ticket sales exceeding expectations, had the feel of an average festival’s Saturday night.”
The rest of The Heavy Pets got in late night Thursday to get some sleep closer to the event as we had a long weekend in front of us with members of the band performing in 10 different sets throughout the marathon weekend.
We arrived early afternoon on Friday in time to check in and catch our buds, The Mantras. Their style of jamband badassery and conversely refreshing stage presence was clearly enjoyed by the ample crowd gathered on that gorgeous, yet swiftly humidifying Florida afternoon. They finished and we hugged and high-fived until it was time to set up to the sweet and thick-as-fuck synth sounds of Jimkata emanating through the dangling Spanish moss of the Florida live oak trees. Although I was far removed from the happenings in the amphitheater, I enjoyed it and really appreciated the way they layered synths with great vocals and changes.
Rob Compa (Dopapod) caught the set and shared a more definitive sentiment, “I feel that Jimkata has a very different thing that they do from everyone else in this scene,” Compa said. “I think they fit in this scene because they still jam, but they jam like songwriters and not like soloists. Yeah, I think they have a thing all of their own, and I really love it.”
Next was us. We didn’t necessarily have our best showing. The 6 p.m. sunset set was our 1,030th performance, ninth at AURA and 20th at the park. Regardless of these statistics, our comfort level, the proximity of our friends and loved ones, and nearly every other advantage, a few technical difficulties in the first half of the set screwed it all up. And then there he was. A bird! A plane! Nope. It was lap and pedal-steel virtuoso Roosevelt Collier. Minus only a cape, our super hero showed up and reminded us why we were all there with his soulful blend of steel and blood and heart and soul. We played a couple tunes with Velt and finished the set a different band: reenergized, reassured and reminded of the gratitude that we must always place at the core of it all. Our manager/AURA partner Matt Beck, passed along that several attendees throughout the weekend mentioned to him separately that they felt like the fest really hit its stride during our set, so at least the fans didn’t all sense our frustrations.
We finished and broke down in time to catch some moe. with friends who had traveled for the occasion. I enjoyed the set from my fellow NYers thoroughly, with their peaks and valleys, yet I got a mix of reactions from this in-the-know crowd who were excited to see their favorites but were overall not ecstatic about the set. I was frequently reminded that they are normally more fiery. Oh, art.
I went up the hill to the vibe tent to catch my brethren Lather Up! –THP jazz/groove side-project consisting of Jim, Jamie Newitt and Tony D’Amato — destroy a set of originals, covers and THP songs. They were accompanied by South Florida soul superstar, Jayjohero of Ketchy Shuby, and another scorcher with our man Roosevelt before a modest, yet enthusiastic audience. This LU! set was switched on the schedule with another THP side-project, Spontaneous Underground which also features Jamie and Tony along with college bandmate Dr. James Dunstan, due to James’ weather induced travel troubles. James was shut out of last year’s AURA due to snow, and we weren’t sure at this point whether James would suffer the same fate once again. After a quick pit stop to catch a bit of another epic Dopapod throw down, I had just enough time to prep for my second set of the weekend, Funkin’ Grateful in the Music Hall.
Funkin’ Grateful is a group of talented South Florida musicians that puts a funky twist on Grateful Dead songs and includes Jim and Jamie from The Heavy Pets. Although I have played with every member of this band, I have never played with Funkin’ Grateful before and was just sitting in for this set. They invited me up and we ripped through a raging set of GD classics with a few surprises that kept the audience and me on our toes. I had a real crazy good time. I think this Grateful Dead stuff has legs. People like it and I heard about that set a LOT all weekend.
I was able to sneak out and catch the end of our bros Papadosio’s set. What an inspiration. I literally caught the very tail end of their whole thing, but it caught me off-guard: sentimental and proud to see our brethren come so far. More on this later.
I returned to the Music Hall in time to catch Pigeons Playing Ping Pong ripping up the crowd during their late night slot. It was the perfect set for this up-and-coming group who are quickly gaining nationwide buzz with their catchy tunes, animated performances and memorable stage antics.
Afterward, I caught up with lead singer Greg Ormont for some perspective, “We couldn’t have asked for a better AURA,” said Ormont. “There are certain festivals out there that are family, and we feel it all the way through. There are a few that shine through as this incredibly ahead-of-the-curve totally tight knit family and AURA… We are beside ourselves to be part of this family because last year and this year the line up is so cream-of-the-crop and so cool. It’s really a welcoming community. Everyone can say a cliché thing about every festival, but Aura really is the supreme Southeastern family thing. All about the good music and the good vibe and everyone taking care of each other. There is a little something for everyone here. It really is the best.”
Saturday brought with it a new sun, promising warmer temps, and a whole new list of world-class musicians. Early on I got to catch Consider the Source, right as they were seemingly warming up. There were a few fans waiting for them to start but within minutes of their opening notes, the amphitheater was packed. They are old buds and I wanted to know how they brought such energy early in the day.
Consider the Source bassist John Ferrara said, “We start all of our sets with an intro called an Alaap, that is kind of meant to bring people in while also helping us get centered.”
Guitarist Gabriel Marin added, “It’s an Indian term. It’s an introduction in Indian classical music. So we started it today, closed the eyes, not that many people, opened the eyes and it’s packed.”
I had an early set in the VIP lounge with my oldest partner in crime, [fellow Heavy Pets guitarist] Michael Garulli, as our acoustic duo, Fat Mannequin. I dare say it might have been my favorite set that I was a part of all weekend. Smaller ships are easier to navigate, I guess. We played a spirited set of covers and oft-neglected THP originals to a happy and animated group of folks, and it felt terribly right.
My good times hobnobbing with the bigwigs in the VIP lounge came with a price, however, as I missed my perpetual friends Ghost Owl and my SoFlo cohorts Ketchy Shuby. I returned to festival world with a banging and lively set from The Motet. I mean, come on. I agree with Jim: this is funk musicianship at the top level. They threw down an incredibly soulful, funky and inspiring set, and although many of these guys are veterans here at the SoS Music Park, this is The Motet’s first time at AURA.
I caught up with founder Dave Watts after their set. “Beautiful day, sun was shining, it was warm: we caught a good one,” said Watts. “It’s all about this place and the people that come to it. The natural environment is so different than where we are from. The moss in these big old oak trees, and I don’t even know what the fuck these are (points to some thick Florida foliage). The amphitheater is just a great vibe. Very mellow. There is no stress at this place at all.”
I asked what drummers Dave was really pumped about being around this weekend. “Your drummer, Jamie (Newitt), he is badass… We are leaving tonight so I won’t get to see (Adam) Deitch play either. He is great. Jeff (Mann) from Consider the Source is crushing. And put Scotty Zwang on that list too. Damn.”
The thing is…Ok, there are many things, but when a musician like Dave Watts mentions so many of your friends and family on such a list you know you are in the right place.
I also got to catch up with Charles (Jones) from Dopapod earlier, and he had mentioned something similar. “I’ve said this in the past about this festival, and I still kinda think it’s true,” said Jones. “It’s filled with a lot more of our contemporaries rather than a bunch of huge names. This year there is moe. and The Disco Biscuits…but the people that you are hanging out with aren’t some unobtainable huge gigantic corporate name or something, you know? It’s nice for the musicians and the attendees to come and enjoy that…It’s the bros. It’s not just a bunch of big dudes who show up on their buses and then leave.”
While talking about this with manager Matt, he told a story of another similar conversation with Chuck: “We (Dopapod) were playing a game of building a band out of our friends and Rob chose Jamie (Newitt of THP) as his drummer.”
Of course Chuck’s band consisted of just Mike Dillon and himself. Some interesting band name ideas followed.
Check back tomorrow for part two of Jeff Lloyd’s AURA Festival Tour Diary.
