ROTHBURY 2009

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ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Woodsman » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:26 am

If it becomes reality...

...As ROTHBURY 2008 was unbelievable!

Many of you would have enjoyed the musical line up - some of the bands I have seen you all write about before.
Many of you would have enjoyed the painted up topless chicks (I heard there were fully nudes about, but did not see any).
Many of you would have enjoyed the Rave environs, including the "Sherwood forest" itself complete with a Buddah made of woody slash, Giant pods and a hammock community with volunteers dressed up like Bart Simpson. Or how about a golden or platinum wood sprite with hula hoop spinning around her in the middle of the night in the woods highlighted by a mix of incandescent and black lights that change function, color, pattern and movement cycles randomly?
Many of you would have enjoyed the completely BIZZARO plays/acts at the festival after midnight. Robot bufont chicks. Beyond anything I've seen. Makes Goth poetry seem as mundane as McDonalds. Think about Mardi Gras on Bourbon street mixed with Blair Witch project and you're getting close.
Almost everyone would be amazed by seeing the bongo-powered monkeys spinning from tree to tree eating the apple and the snake once they gain speed, highlighted by the strobes. This contraption even had the state cops dazzled at 1:15 a.m.

The weather was fantastic - too hot and sunny if anything at all - the ground getting dusty at the end.
The music didn't wrap until 4-5 a/m Thurs-Sat and up til about 1 on Sun.
I saw a man being tied up to trees and photographed by a woman at about midnight.
I saw a couple fucking in the woods while walking in this eerie techno-lit forest.
I had a unknown person from S. CA sleeping in one of my camp chairs under my screen tent this morning. I had to wake him. His tent got swamped out by a severe thunderstorm that came through after the festival officially closed.

I lived a Tim Burton dream during the wee hours of the evening. It was awe inspiring to say the least.

Pictures may follow shortly. See what others have commented about the festival if you care.
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Stiv » Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:31 am

Pictures may follow shortly. See what others have commented about the festival if you care.


I do G man and would love to see them so yes please do post some.

Sounds pretty cool.

You've been busy ;-))

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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby soulohio » Tue Jul 08, 2008 1:33 pm

what is this Rothbury of which you speak and the future date tag? If you are dreaming and taking reservations then mark me down...and send pictures.
where are you going? why don't you walk the wheel with us? what is the matter my american friend? what has upset you?
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Woodsman » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:33 pm

I did not get enough pictures of this festival. Even if I did they could never capture even a hint of the overall experience there. 35,000 party goers some of who got fully wrapped up into the vibe. It was simply incredible.

Taken on Thursday early afternoon; park & camp lot #1 out of about 5:
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What our camp looked like (from the top of the truck camper):
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The main stage (Odeum) with topless red white & blue schemed chick (that is paint, not clothing!):
Image
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Woodsman » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:35 pm

Main trail through "Sherwood" forest:
Image
hammock area strung up in the pines:
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Personal gong vibration system, set up along the main trail - note pods in the background.
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby soulohio » Tue Jul 08, 2008 2:40 pm

where was this at? who played? i did not catch any info on this gathering in Rolling Stone.
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Woodsman » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:02 pm

One of many examples of wood sprite fashion throughout the fest.
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Stilt walker:
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stick trail with mini-rave stage hidden in woods active at night.
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Woodsman » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:09 pm

So I see this couple giving hugs and one of the staffers runs over there and gets the free hugs. This was cool.
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So apparently, this couple wasn't getting enough free hugs from the crowd, so later they changed something. Can you spot what they did differently? After the change, they had a line of takers!
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The final night's rave event with one dude playing some funky ass instrument that had 4 strings on each side of him that made funky synthesized string sounds (working with that 4/4 boom rave beat).
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Woodsman » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:22 pm

Woods buddah made of sticks, etc.
Image
The dude I found Monday morning in my tent who had escaped from the night's thunderstorm that dumped about an inch of rain in 15 minutes and ran my brother-in-law out (I saw him look at the sky and quickly get under the tent at about 2 a/m and it was funny as hell. Apparently, this guy helped my bro-in-law pack up and leave in the middle of the night and he had gotten flooded out of his own tent and decided to put all his stuff (a soaked suitcase full of clothes, some posters, a 50L backpack - I thought he was moving in!) in our tent and crash in one of the chairs with a bag over his head. My wife had talked to him and he said he was from Southern California, had seen the line up and decided to come and join up.
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...and the final picture of my portion of the thread which some of you may relate to and others not so much.
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby soulohio » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:37 pm

fucking great decals on the abck of yer vann...wher in hell was Rothbury? In Ameerika?
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Woodsman » Tue Jul 08, 2008 3:51 pm

soulohio wrote:where was this at?

Rothbury, Michigan which is Northeast of Muskegon, Michigan and about an hour and a half from my place. I have a good friend that was with us at the event who lives 20 minutes away.

who played?

Ha ha...this was the good part. There were 3 MAJOR stages: The Odeum (pictured above), Sherwood court, The Ranch arena (2nd free hugs pic background above - showing stage left back stage area), and three smaller stages which I would consider "medium" in size: The establishment (giant circus tent), Tripolee domes (final night rave pic above), and The Wagon wheel, which is the only stage I didn't get to see. There was also a smaller stage in the woods that only played at night - There could have been more stages around that I didn't see as well. I saw as much as I could but you can't be everywhere all the time and the entire festival was overwhelming from my personal perspective...Here is the line up (try not to shit yourself):

* Dave Matthews Band
* John Mayer
* Phil Lesh and Friends
* Thievery Corporation
* Snoop Dogg
* Gov't Mule
* Widespread Panic
* 311
* Primus
* Modest Mouse
* Michael Franti and Spearhead
* Slightly Stoopid
* Sound Tribe Sector 9
* Colbie Caillat
* Drive-By Truckers
* Mickey Hart Band with Steve Kimock and George Porter Jr.
* Of Montreal
* eTown Radio Show
* Dresden Dolls
* Gomez
* Brett Dennen
* Taj Mahal
* Rodrigo y Gabriela
* The Black Keys
* Keller Williams
* Yonder Mountain String Band
* Gogol Bordello
* Citizen Cope
* The Disco Biscuits
* Medeski Martin and Wood
* Ray LaMontagne
* Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival
* Perpetual Groove
* Boombox
* Atmosphere
* Ingrid Michaelson
* Four Finger Five
* Zappa Plays Zappa
* Crystal Method DJ Set
* State Radio
* JJ Grey & Mofro
* The Greyboy Allstars
* Secret Machines
* Railroad Earth
* Beth Orton
* The Wailers
* Jakob Dylan and the Gold Mountain Rebels
* A3
* Bettye Lavette
* Emmitt-Nershi Band
* Lotus
* Eoto
* Panjea with Michael Kang
* The Beautiful Girls
* Yard Dogs Road Show
* Sage Francis
* Tea Leaf Green
* Bassnectar
* Pnuma Trio
* Flosstradamus
* Diplo
* The Juan Maclean
* The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker
* DJ Rekha
* Dead Confederate
* Trampled By Turtles
* Motion Potion
* DJ Rootz
* Sojorn
* Busdriver
* Greensky Bluegrass
* Steel Pulse
* Kyle Hollingsworth Band

i did not catch any info on this gathering in Rolling Stone.

As usual, It's hard to promote a first time festival. I am not sure if they got press in Rolling stone or not, but I guarantee you they will mention something about now that year one is over. *IF* they have this in 2009, I would not be surprised for a moment if the attendance doubled next year.

Just as an indicator one the friends who was with me who has gone to lots and lots of festivals over the years said this was his favorite festival including the 20+ times he's seen the grateful dead perform. Seriously, the fucking place was amazing.

It wasn't perfect and there some things that need to change (the tickets will have to go up in price if they are going to sustain this years level of performance) if they do this again (I can only hope), but I'd seriously give them a 9 on a 10 scale for overall creativity. There was a lot there that required a serious sense of out of the box imagination and innovation. Definitely a pinnacle experience in my own life.
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby soulohio » Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:04 pm

woodsman, that show sounds awsome. i actually ahd a buddy ask me about attending a show in Michinegun where Derek trucks was playing. he didn't have enough info and i passed...and that was the show you were at. I'll make the next one. Fabulous gathering.
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Woodsman » Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:18 pm

soulohio wrote:fucking great decals on the abck of yer vann...wher in hell was Rothbury? In Ameerika?


Not my van. This was another vendors. I thought it to show an interesting perspective. I say "another" as technically I was there supervising a new business venture I have as an agent to one of the vendors at this festival. This is but one of 5 more MI festivals previously arranged for this vendor's summer work. If all goes well, we will be arranging additional national locations for this vendor. So far, this new startup looks to be promising for my business group.

For me this was a business trip which i am very, very grateful for. I'm blessed that I've been able to spend a lot of nice days in beautiful natural habitats maintaining conservation, but this experience moved my thinking into an entirely different level from a business/lifestyle standpoint. Seriously, this is becoming one iconic year and it's just barely more than half over.

More about Rothbury:
http://news.google.com/news?q=rothbury&ie=UTF-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&hl=en&sa=X&oi=news_group&resnum=4&ct=title
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby soulohio » Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:21 pm

Woodsman wrote:For me this was a business trip which i am very, very grateful for. I'm blessed that I've been able to spend a lot of nice days in beautiful natural habitats maintaining conservation, but this experience moved my thinking into an entirely different level from a business/lifestyle standpoint. Seriously, this is becoming one iconic year and it's just barely more than half over.


I would be interested in hearing about this. I like forward impetus...please PM me with deatils.
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Re: ROTHBURY 2009

Postby Woodsman » Tue Jul 08, 2008 4:51 pm

Life is short. Eat, Drink & Be Merry!
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