Area 51 Soundtest 3-D
April 11-13
Indian Springs, NV

This festival is put on by the Las Vegas Jamband Society 25 miles north of Las Vegas
in Indian Springs, Nevada. The LVJBS is a great organization putting the festival together at
a local grassroots level and allotting a majority of the funds to next year's festival.
One member of the LVJBS explained it well by saying, "No one's getting rich off this event
besides the Las Vegas Culture." This will be our first year at the Soundtest (though it's their third
year running); we're looking forward to the experimental, spacey and electronic music of bands
like Moe. and Particle in the land made famous by Dr. Gonzo himself.
For more information check out their website here

We have safely returned from Area 51.
Special thanks to Erik Vraa and the rest of the Las Vegas Jam Band Society for putting on an
amazing festival with such a warm, friendly atmosphere.


Officers of the Las Vegas Jam Band Society recognized onstage Sunday between moe. sets

Pictures are now up in the
Photo Gallery

Check out Reanna's review of the weekend on JamBase

And for more go to Notes From The Road

The Big Wu Family Reunion
May 23-25
Black River Falls, WI

On-site camping included

We head to the Midwest with construction paper plastered to the front grid of our truck
collecting exquisite arrays of bursting bug gut colors and shapes (perhaps we can sell these artistic
masterpieces on the west coast where it is less apparent that over 60% of life on this planet
comes in insect form). The air may be more. . . full, but the hearts follow this trend as well;
the Big Wu Family Reunion is a great representation. Beyond the fun
classic rock-rooted music of the Big Wu, and their many friends taking the stage, the festival
provides the intimacy of a family gathering, while actively contributing to the local community.
It takes place in Black River Falls, in one of the poorest counties in WI,
where The Big Wu collect food to donate to the Neighborhood Food Pantry
(they collected so much last year they spread the wealth to neighboring counties).
If you're looking for good fun music in the warmth of a family campout,
bring your canned goods, bug spray and smiles
to the Midwest for Memorial Day weekend this year.
For more information click here

Check out pictures from the weekend in the
Gallery

The Northwest String Summit
June 27-29
North Plains, OR

Down, down, down, down the winding road to a forest dripping green and
splattered with peacocks; fairies disguise themselves as fat slimy slugs
dipped in colors of the rainbow when people come too close
to their daffodil cup tea parties with elves, gnomes, sprites, nymphs and the occasional dragon.
This magical place is better known as Horning's Hideout, and is the host for the
second Annual Northwest String Summit-- one of our favorite music festivals of the summer.
Yonder Mountain String Band headlines the weekend with six sets of music
on a wooden stage built with Bob Horning's two hands. It's a weekend of great music,
impromptu bluegrass pickin' sessions, and friendly people in a beautiful family-oriented environment.
Last year YMSB played in rain and shine, on the stage packed with guests, with friends,
family, people handing out marshmallows to roast by the fire at night,
glowmen, whiskey techs, dancing feet, hula hoops, and a great big dose of Darryl Anger.
David Grisman returns, this year with Old and in the Gray, and Keller Williams joins
the festivities along with many others.
For more information check out their website

For pictures of the String Summit click here

Baja Bash
July 24-27
NOTE: Venue Change!
Now at La Jolla Indian Reservation (50 miles Northeast of San Diego)

Wanted: peaceful music lovers, not afraid of a light sand coating, sun, music and
possible enlightenment. Another new festival for us and certainly one of the most
highly anticipated of the summer. It perfectly fulfills our aim of sharing the awe inspiring beauty
of life amidst the chaos of the times with its claim to be,
"The ultimate spiritual escape of peace, freedom, fun and love."
We no longer head across the border for the weekend's festivities,
for various reasons beyond the organizer's control
it's been moved to a larger, safer, more convenient venue in the US
(No more worries of Mexican Auto Insurance, border hassles,
and we all save $10 in toll fees!). The music lineup
is still superb with some of our favorites: Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Robert Walter's
20th Congress, the Big Wu, Particle, Tea Leaf Green and many others who will surely bathe us in
peaceful vibes, and mind-expanding sounds. Our travel-worn bodies get a well deserved rest
as we spend four days hiking, inner tubing, mountain biking, fishing,
drumming, singing and dancing. Plus, now there's a
water park, go-cart track, moto-cross track, sportsbar,
and hot showers to occupy our days!
For more information check out their website at www.bajabash.com

NedFest
August 2nd & 3rd
Nederland,CO

The only way to begin describing this festival is by the bands playing there.
Michigan Mike has assembled an all-star cast to participate in the two-day
Rocky Mountain journey through all realms of music. The festival gets under way with
a stellar lineup on Saturday including: Vinyl, The Motet, Garaj Mahal, WookieFoot,
Stanley Jordan (both solo and with Nederland Acid Jazz) and Black Frames featuring
the maniacal sax stylings of Skerik. The onslaught continues Sunday with:
Tony Furtado and the American Gypsies, The Big Wu, Robert Walter's 20th Congress
featuring Will Bernard, Shanti Groove, and The Matt Flinner and Ross Martin Band
with twenty minute tweener acts all weekend. If you know these bands you understand
the weekend's potential, if you've never heard of them you should perhaps stop reading this
and go buy tickets immediately. It's a bluegrass, world beat, jazz concert pulsing with many
unique sounds I refer to as popsicle jazz: cool, refreshing and delicious with the potential
to make your tongue feel composed of prickly velvet hairs ruled by static electricity
in freshly balloon-wafted air. There are certain expectations, so be warned.
Patrons are expected to, "Be prepared to smile, laugh, listen, have fun and dance."
If you are not willing to abide to these parameters as I have described them here
then please refrain from convening around the shores of Barker Reservoir in
Nederland, CO during the first weekend of August.
For more information check out their website at www.nedfest.com