Interview | Ken Hays On 20 Years Of Gathering Of The Vibes
By Chad Berndtson Jun 19, 2015 • 10:21 am PDT
Written by: Chad Berndtson
:: Interview – Ken Hays on 20 Years Of Gathering Of The Vibes ::
A lot changes in 20 years, and the market for national festivals -and the shifting sand among musical tastemakers -has been kind to some, brutal to others. But through two decades, Gathering Of The Vibes has been remarkably consistent: grown, yes, in quality and renown, but still with the same mission -still looking very much like the “Gathering Of The Tribe” that first assembled in 1996.
Fittingly, the 20th Gathering of the Vibes, which takes place July 30 -August 2 back at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut, finds the aging festival looking ever more like itself: comfortably familiar and well-rounded without being too eclectic.
There are the expected nods to the Grateful Dead. There are the jam circuit stalwarts, like The String Cheese Incident, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Tedeschi Trucks Band. There are the Vibes perennials, like Max Creek, David Gans and Deep Banana Blackout. There are the national headliners like Wilco and Ben Harper that feel quite natural in this setting all the same -like they’re part of the tribe “anyway.” There are the outside-the-liners, like The Gaslight Anthem and Zappa Plays Zappa. There are youngsters and oldsters, newcomers and seen-it-alls. And there’s one hell of a Saturday night celebration planned in the form of an all-star band led by Warren Haynes -one of the very few cases this year where a headliner is something you won’t see anywhere else.
We asked the maestro himself, Ken Hays, founder of Gathering Of The Vibes, to take stock of it all 20 years in -and to tell us what the next 20 years might look like.
JAMBASE: Ken, the Vibes at 20. How does this make you feel?
KEN HAYS: Old! [laughs] It’s great, man. It’s been an incredible ride and we’re thrilled to hit this milestone. Looking back over 20 years, I just never would have expected that we’d be doing this as long as we have. It’s an honor and pleasure to bring people together year after year for what’s become an annual reunion of friends and family.
[Photo by Jeremy Gordon]
JAMBASE: Gathering Of The Vibes is often cited for its consistency. You’ve never wavered in mission or changed it up much even with all the changes to the festival landscape, and both fat and lean years. How have you been able to do that?
KH: The core Vibe Tribe has stayed consistent with us, that’s part of it. We really do have our ear to the ground and try to give Vibes attendees what they’re looking for and what they appreciate year after year, but also at the same time throw a curveball or something different here and there.
We have Wilco and String Cheese Incident this year. String Cheese is making its first appearance and doing two sets, one of them with Peter Rowan and David Grisman and that’s exciting. I think we’re also trying to evolve and bring in creative artists that people might not be as familiar with but that they’d like, such as The Gaslight Anthem. You have those things, and then you have Weezer and Ben Harper on board, and then our Saturday night 20-year anniversary celebration with Warren and George Porter and Branford [Marsalis], and that’s all something a little different and exciting.
JAMBASE: How do you make the call on bringing a band like The Gaslight Anthem to the Vibes? Your bookings don’t stray too far afield from what people might expect from this festival, but at the same time, The Gaslight Anthem wouldn’t be on anyone’s list of obvious choices for a Vibes lineup.
KH: Nor would Perry Farrell back in 2011, when we brought in Jane’s Addiction, you know? I think that year people were thrown a little off track and said, wait a minute, what’s going on here? But I think that’s important. People were wary of the idea, but upon the first note they played, or any of these bands play, it works. It’s always clear that the Deadhead community isn’t just listening to the music of the Grateful Dead -most open their ears and experience all different types of music. So I look at it as our responsibility to change things up and make sure the VIbes stays distinct. There are a lot of festivals that for the most part stay genre-specific. We have to stay true to who we are but also bring in new creativity.
JAMBASE: With that consistency in mind, what do you think has changed about the Vibes?
KH: We’re getting older. But what differentiates Vibes from other festivals, I think, is how family-friendly we’ve always been and continue to be. Last year we had 2,300 kids under the age of 15 at Vibes. They come with their parents and they see things like the School of Rock stage. Anything we can do to bring the family unit together -to bring kids away from TV and video games and bring parents away from the day-to-day grind and the difficult happenings going on around the world -that’s really important. We’re spending quality time together in a beautiful park with great music, friends and family. That’s ultimately what we’re still about.
JAMBASE: You spend time at other festivals and stay current with what’s happening. What’s your read on the overall festival scene today?
KH: I think it’s incredibly healthy. It’s a thriving scene, not only within the jamband community but throughout music. I went the first weekend of [New Orleans] Jazz Fest this year, and what an incredibly well-run and just well-respected festival it continues to be. What I love about Jazz Fest outside of the bands and food is just the cross-section of demographics. They bring in people of all ages and ethnicities and the diversity is extraordinary. That’s something that in our next 20 years I hope to build more upon -really offer something for everyone.
JAMBASE: I imagine you have favorite Vibes moments. What comes to mind?
KH: I think one that would definitely be in the top couple would be when Bobby [Weir] joined us in 2000. That was the first time a member of the Dead joined us at the Vibes and it was extraordinary. It was a nod from Bobby that what we are doing here is special and is on point -it’s what we should be doing. It was a pleasure sitting down and talking with him too. Doing that, you understand where he comes from and how organic and grassroots the scene that was created is. When he played “Terrapin Station” that night it was incredibly meaningful to me and my team and to the 20,000 people that were there.
JAMBASE: You mentioned the Warren jam that will headline on Saturday night this year. Warren of course has a long history with Vibes, but how did this come together?
KH: We were looking to do something that would stand out and really be musically over the top. We’ve always encouraged the whole artist cross-pollination thing, but to have something that’s a bit more structured will be great. Warren is thrilled about it and all the musicians are psyched about doing it and are taking it seriously, doing some rehearsing.
JAMBASE: So this will be a little more involved than just getting those guys up there to jam?
KH: Oh, they want to come in and just blow the doors off the place. That’ll be very, very appropriate, especially on Jerry’s birthday.
JAMBASE: It sounds like Warren bought into it right away.
KH: Well, I mean, Warren has played this role before, whether it’s at Christmas Jam or another spot where he’s bandleader. It’s a space he’s familiar with and feels comfortable in. And then all these other cats that’ll be performing with him, plus a few special guests, all of this is right in his comfort zone. He was excited to do it.
JAMBASE: Was he your first choice to do something like this?
KH: Yeah, definitely.
JAMBASE: Vibes has always been a good spot to hear up-and-comers, too. Who’s on your radar? Who could potentially headline this festival one day?
KH: Oh wow. Turkuaz. Bombino. I’m a big fan of Cabinet, and of Trevor Hall, too. All of these are bands that either I’ve caught entire shows of theirs on YouTube or live and that I’ve been excited to check out and that I think people will be excited about. And they don’t all necessarily fall into the jamband genre. You could listen as a whole or you could take out each member of these bands and listen to the parts they’re coming up with -there’s an enormous amount of talent on these stages. It’s fun to get them up in front of 10,000, 15,000, 20,000 people. Earphunk is another one -they seem to have legs. But again, the common denominator is pure quality musicianship.
JAMBASE: Who’s still on your Vibes wishlist, Ken?
KH: I’d love to host the [Red Hot] Chili Peppers Saturday night at the Vibes. I think that would be a whole lot of fun. Tom Petty would be great. Neil Young, or better yet, Crosby Stills Nash & Young. The list goes on. Hopefully we will have many years left to invite all those fine musicians.
JAMBASE: You mentioned “the next 20 years of the Vibes” and that’s inspiring to hear. Are you staying at Seaside Park?
KH: I’m not sure. The city of Bridgeport loves us here, and we love Seaside Park. It’s just a gorgeous venue. But at the same time, it’s enormously challenging and labor-intensive to keep everyone safe. It’s two-and-a-half miles of waterfront and a mile-and-a-half of beach, and the coast guard is out there and the fire boats are out there, and keeping everyone safe is paramount. I think we’re just going to keep it one year at a time.
A lot changes in 20 years, and the market for national festivals -and the shifting sand among musical tastemakers -has been kind to some, brutal to others. But through two decades, Gathering Of The Vibes has been remarkably consistent: grown, yes, in quality and renown, but still with the same mission -still looking very much like the “Gathering Of The Tribe” that first assembled in 1996.
Fittingly, the 20th Gathering of the Vibes, which takes place July 30 -August 2 back at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut, finds the aging festival looking ever more like itself: comfortably familiar and well-rounded without being too eclectic.
There are the expected nods to the Grateful Dead. There are the jam circuit stalwarts, like The String Cheese Incident, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Tedeschi Trucks Band. There are the Vibes perennials, like Max Creek, David Gans and Deep Banana Blackout. There are the national headliners like Wilco and Ben Harper that feel quite natural in this setting all the same -like they’re part of the tribe “anyway.” There are the outside-the-liners, like The Gaslight Anthem and Zappa Plays Zappa. There are youngsters and oldsters, newcomers and seen-it-alls. And there’s one hell of a Saturday night celebration planned in the form of an all-star band led by Warren Haynes -one of the very few cases this year where a headliner is something you won’t see anywhere else.
We asked the maestro himself, Ken Hays, founder of Gathering Of The Vibes, to take stock of it all 20 years in -and to tell us what the next 20 years might look like.
JAMBASE: Ken, the Vibes at 20. How does this make you feel?
KEN HAYS: Old! [laughs] It’s great, man. It’s been an incredible ride and we’re thrilled to hit this milestone. Looking back over 20 years, I just never would have expected that we’d be doing this as long as we have. It’s an honor and pleasure to bring people together year after year for what’s become an annual reunion of friends and family.
JAMBASE: Gathering Of The Vibes is often cited for its consistency. You’ve never wavered in mission or changed it up much even with all the changes to the festival landscape, and both fat and lean years. How have you been able to do that?
KH: The core Vibe Tribe has stayed consistent with us, that’s part of it. We really do have our ear to the ground and try to give Vibes attendees what they’re looking for and what they appreciate year after year, but also at the same time throw a curveball or something different here and there.
We have Wilco and String Cheese Incident this year. String Cheese is making its first appearance and doing two sets, one of them with Peter Rowan and David Grisman and that’s exciting. I think we’re also trying to evolve and bring in creative artists that people might not be as familiar with but that they’d like, such as The Gaslight Anthem. You have those things, and then you have Weezer and Ben Harper on board, and then our Saturday night 20-year anniversary celebration with Warren and George Porter and Branford [Marsalis], and that’s all something a little different and exciting.
JAMBASE: How do you make the call on bringing a band like The Gaslight Anthem to the Vibes? Your bookings don’t stray too far afield from what people might expect from this festival, but at the same time, The Gaslight Anthem wouldn’t be on anyone’s list of obvious choices for a Vibes lineup.
KH: Nor would Perry Farrell back in 2011, when we brought in Jane’s Addiction, you know? I think that year people were thrown a little off track and said, wait a minute, what’s going on here? But I think that’s important. People were wary of the idea, but upon the first note they played, or any of these bands play, it works. It’s always clear that the Deadhead community isn’t just listening to the music of the Grateful Dead -most open their ears and experience all different types of music. So I look at it as our responsibility to change things up and make sure the VIbes stays distinct. There are a lot of festivals that for the most part stay genre-specific. We have to stay true to who we are but also bring in new creativity.
JAMBASE: With that consistency in mind, what do you think has changed about the Vibes?
KH: We’re getting older. But what differentiates Vibes from other festivals, I think, is how family-friendly we’ve always been and continue to be. Last year we had 2,300 kids under the age of 15 at Vibes. They come with their parents and they see things like the School of Rock stage. Anything we can do to bring the family unit together -to bring kids away from TV and video games and bring parents away from the day-to-day grind and the difficult happenings going on around the world -that’s really important. We’re spending quality time together in a beautiful park with great music, friends and family. That’s ultimately what we’re still about.
JAMBASE: You spend time at other festivals and stay current with what’s happening. What’s your read on the overall festival scene today?
KH: I think it’s incredibly healthy. It’s a thriving scene, not only within the jamband community but throughout music. I went the first weekend of [New Orleans] Jazz Fest this year, and what an incredibly well-run and just well-respected festival it continues to be. What I love about Jazz Fest outside of the bands and food is just the cross-section of demographics. They bring in people of all ages and ethnicities and the diversity is extraordinary. That’s something that in our next 20 years I hope to build more upon -really offer something for everyone.
JAMBASE: I imagine you have favorite Vibes moments. What comes to mind?
KH: I think one that would definitely be in the top couple would be when Bobby [Weir] joined us in 2000. That was the first time a member of the Dead joined us at the Vibes and it was extraordinary. It was a nod from Bobby that what we are doing here is special and is on point -it’s what we should be doing. It was a pleasure sitting down and talking with him too. Doing that, you understand where he comes from and how organic and grassroots the scene that was created is. When he played “Terrapin Station” that night it was incredibly meaningful to me and my team and to the 20,000 people that were there.
JAMBASE: You mentioned the Warren jam that will headline on Saturday night this year. Warren of course has a long history with Vibes, but how did this come together?
KH: We were looking to do something that would stand out and really be musically over the top. We’ve always encouraged the whole artist cross-pollination thing, but to have something that’s a bit more structured will be great. Warren is thrilled about it and all the musicians are psyched about doing it and are taking it seriously, doing some rehearsing.
JAMBASE: So this will be a little more involved than just getting those guys up there to jam?
KH: Oh, they want to come in and just blow the doors off the place. That’ll be very, very appropriate, especially on Jerry’s birthday.
JAMBASE: It sounds like Warren bought into it right away.
KH: Well, I mean, Warren has played this role before, whether it’s at Christmas Jam or another spot where he’s bandleader. It’s a space he’s familiar with and feels comfortable in. And then all these other cats that’ll be performing with him, plus a few special guests, all of this is right in his comfort zone. He was excited to do it.
JAMBASE: Was he your first choice to do something like this?
KH: Yeah, definitely.
JAMBASE: Vibes has always been a good spot to hear up-and-comers, too. Who’s on your radar? Who could potentially headline this festival one day?
KH: Oh wow. Turkuaz. Bombino. I’m a big fan of Cabinet, and of Trevor Hall, too. All of these are bands that either I’ve caught entire shows of theirs on YouTube or live and that I’ve been excited to check out and that I think people will be excited about. And they don’t all necessarily fall into the jamband genre. You could listen as a whole or you could take out each member of these bands and listen to the parts they’re coming up with -there’s an enormous amount of talent on these stages. It’s fun to get them up in front of 10,000, 15,000, 20,000 people. Earphunk is another one -they seem to have legs. But again, the common denominator is pure quality musicianship.
JAMBASE: Who’s still on your Vibes wishlist, Ken?
KH: I’d love to host the [Red Hot] Chili Peppers Saturday night at the Vibes. I think that would be a whole lot of fun. Tom Petty would be great. Neil Young, or better yet, Crosby Stills Nash & Young. The list goes on. Hopefully we will have many years left to invite all those fine musicians.
JAMBASE: You mentioned “the next 20 years of the Vibes” and that’s inspiring to hear. Are you staying at Seaside Park?
KH: I’m not sure. The city of Bridgeport loves us here, and we love Seaside Park. It’s just a gorgeous venue. But at the same time, it’s enormously challenging and labor-intensive to keep everyone safe. It’s two-and-a-half miles of waterfront and a mile-and-a-half of beach, and the coast guard is out there and the fire boats are out there, and keeping everyone safe is paramount. I think we’re just going to keep it one year at a time.
