Gathering of the Vibes Festival Review (July 25-28)

Thursday, July 25^th had finally arrived. Anticipation and excitement filled the Rock Camp crew as we all were packing away the final supplies needed for our extended weekend trip to the 18th Annual Gathering of the Vibes. Not only did the weekend mark Jess and Seth's anniversary, but it also marked the 9th year that Rock Camp Productions would attend the festival! We were on the road by 10 a.m. headed to Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut - a solid 11 hours of traveling. Though a long journey, the sunny drive was accompanied with tunes from the Grateful Dead, Jim Croce, and the Allman Brothers traced with light conversations. This combination generated nothing less than happy spirits!

We arrived around 9 p.m. just as the rain was ceasing. We checked in and were in search of a spot to set up camp. We found a prime location directly beside of the 1876 Solders’ and Sailors’ Monument that was the perfect distance from the stages. Dark Star Orchestra, a Grateful Dead tribute band, could be heard in the distance so we knew it was time to get set up and grace the crowd with Puff T. Magic-Dragon. Thursday night would mark Puff’s first appearance in his brand spankin’ new dragon skin. We had spent the entire day before cutting, sewing, and sizing Puff T.’s newest skin with a Stealie patch along his spine. Puff finally came out for Dark Star’s second set and was lovingly welcomed to yet another GOTV by the mass of people! After a good run through, we came back to camp and rested up a bit for Friday.

Photo Credit govibes.com

Around lunch Friday, a few dancing bears came out to get down to Assembly of Dust at the Main Stage. Assembly of Dust plays a variety of music and was formed by Reid Genauer in 2002. They put on quite the show! The bears were also spotted hanging around the Green Vibes Stage listening to David Gans and later around the festival grounds giving hugs and bringing smiles to everyone! David Gans will be playing at the 5th Annual Pink Moon Festival in Rock Camp this September! Railroad Earth played earlier afternoon, one of my personal favorites, and they did not disappoint! The sextet opened with their well-known “Elko,” which is from their fourth album that was released in 2006. 

The day continued with other great performances by musicians such as Galatic, JohnScofield, and Tedeschi Trucks Band! Evening started to fall over Seaside Park, which meant only one thing – Puff T. Magic-Dragon would be waking from his slumber and begin gearing up to check out Phil Lesh & Friends on the Main Stage with guest appearance by John Scofield.

Photo Credit gratefulweb.com

Puff was so impressed with everything he was hearing that he danced around for both sets of Phil and even came out for a beautiful encore of “Ripple.” The night was quite over for Puff either; he stopped in for Connecticut's own, Deep Banana Blackout, at the Green Vibes Stage for late night as well!

Saturday was yet another gorgeous day by the Long Island Sound! Dancing bears were making their way around the grounds once again and happened to run into a few puppet friends from Ash Street Puppetworks that were parading around! The Main Stage had phenomenal musicians all throughout the day. The Roots, a Philadelphia group, performed around midday with a spectacular show with Grace Potter & the Nocturnals playing shortly afterward and blowing the crowd away with Grace’s killer vocals. Gov’t Mule, formed by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project, played later in the evening and was absolutely incredible! Phil Lesh & Friends played again with another impressive performance with yet another guest appearance from John Scofield in addition to Bill Evans on saxophone for which Puff made dragon appearances during the first and second sets as well as making his way to catch Papadosio’s electronic and progressive rock vibes emanating from the Green Vibes Stage for late night.

Phot Credit B.K. Angeletti

The Sunday sunrise over the sound was one that will be forever ingrained in my memory. It was a lovely morning spent with new and old friends all embracing the magic that was Vibes. The Children’s Parade took place around 11 a.m. where Puff T., our bears, and fellow puppeteers from Ash Street Puppetworks in addition to others trekked on to see Andy the Music Man until it was time for the World Peace Ceremony. The ceremony featured Wavy Gravy, an entertainer and activist for peace and was a member of an entertainment and activist commune at Woodstock called the Hog Farm (a true inspiration to Rock Camp Productions). During this time, the parade continued throughout the crowd of flag-holders, representing  different countries. A prayer of peace was spoken for each country with a “may peace prevail” before every mention of the country. After the World Peace Ceremony, our bears danced away throughout the day hitting the crowds for Max Creek and Kind Buds! The day held great performances by Blues Traveler, John Butler Trio, and the Black Crowes, which drew quite the audience! I had met a few festival goers that had purchased a Sunday pass solely to see the Black Crowes and after seeing them live I can understand why they have such a dedicated following!

Photo Credit Jeremy Pantovic

The weekend slowly came to a close with another beautiful sunset by the water. Vibes was an incredible time for me during which I formed bonds with people I would not have met otherwise and a deeper relationship with my fellow Rock Camp crew members. It was the most perfect weekend. The energy that comes from the community of musicians, artists, festival goers, and staff can only be defined as good, positive vibes. If I was not already in happy enough spirits when I arrived, it certainly generated an even more elated feeling as we pulled out of Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut headed south back to mountains of West Virginia.

A huge thanks to all of the musicians, artists, staff, volunteers, and festival goers for such an amazing weekend! Be sure to check out Rock Camp Productions and Puff T. Magic-Dragon on Facebook! We love you!

Photo Credit Gathering of the Vibes

Gathering of the Vibes (July 25-28) Preview

Rock Camp Productions is thrilled to be bringing Puff T. Magic-Dragon out July 25-28th to the 18th Annual Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, Connecticut!

Keep an eye out for Puff T. and our signature Dancing Bear Mascots for chances to win FREE tickets to Pink Moon Festival V! We will also have Puff T. hat pins and patches available for sale, designed by Crazyredbeard!

We're really excited to be welcomed back again this year! It will be our 9th time attending GOTV and we couldn't be any happier!

Here's some more information on Gathering of the Vibes from there event page:

Vibes Celebrates Celebrates 18 Years!

Gathering of the Vibes is an annual music, arts and camping festival now in its 18th year. Vibes has grown into a four-day festival that has featured such world-class talent as Crosby, Stills and Nash; all original members of the Grateful Dead; the Allman Brothers Band; Jane's Addiction; James Brown; the Black Crowes; Buddy Guy; Elvis Costello; George Clinton and P-Funk; Bruce Hornsby; Les Claypool; and many, many more big names, while continuing to showcase extraordinarily talented, young, up-and-coming bands to the 20 thousand people who attend each year.

Held in six different venues over its seventeen years, Vibes 2012 marked the festival's eighth return to Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT, making Seaside Park the Vibes venue more than any other place.

Vibes has become the Northeast's most family friendly music festival -- springing from traditions born in the Grateful Dead community.

During the band's 30 year run, the Grateful Dead sparked the creation of an unparalleled sub-culture of loyally devoted enthusiasts. More than just another band, the Grateful Dead became a way of life for thousands of self-proclaimed Deadheads.

For decades, Grateful Dead shows served as a community-building institution where followers revelled with friends both old and new.

When Jerry Garcia died in 1995, these fans were left with a void.

In 1996, Ken Hays, a local businessman and Grateful Dead aficionado, got some of his friends together to throw a memorial party for Garcia on the campus of SUNY Purchase. Aptly named "Deadhead Heaven - A Gathering of the Tribe", the event provided a forum for music lovers to celebrate the life of Garcia and to reunite for a weekend of spiritual renewal. In 1997, the festival relocated to Croton Point Park, NY and was re-named "Gathering of the Vibes."

In each year since, Gathering of the Vibes has carried the spirit of these initial events forward by creating wholly unique musical experiences for attendees from far and wide. The folks who come to the Vibes annually to build and renew their bonds of friendship comprise the community that has affectionately become known as the Vibe Tribe.


Vibes 2013 promises to be even more spectacular than ever!


www.gatheringofthevibes.com/tickets
www.twitter.com/vibetribe
http://pinterest.com/VibeTribe/
http://www.youtube.com/user/gatheringofthevibes

Under the Stars Festival Review

Friday, June 19^th started out just like any hot, summer day at the farm, but this particular day would eventually lead our crew to Quail Ridge Lake in Aldie, Virginia. We were packed and ready to go by early afternoon and headed down the road to spend our weekend with an incredible community of artists and musicians at Under the Stars Festival. After a few hours of driving we finally made it and were embraced by the looming humidity of the day. 

Photo credit: Galaxy Dynamite!

The location was ideal! There were just enough trees and an incredible lake that was perfect to dip into to cool off. The main stage was in a prime spot right beside of the lake so anyone swimming could still enjoy the music. Many people were taking advantage of this with about 25 people in the water at any given time!

We had our bear to emerge just in time for Beggars Tomb Band. These guys were an amazing Grateful Dead tribute band and it was obvious by the crowd they had drawn that they were really talented musicians! 

The evening progressed wonderfully with music by DELTAnine, ELM (formerly Segway), and Silo Effect. Saturday proved to be just as great as the night before with all sorts of wonderful musicians and even performances by a few of Pink MoonFestival’s own Former Champions, Galaxy Dynamite!, and Moogatu! A personal favorite of mine included Sunny Trippel from On the Bus. This woman is an incredible singer with amazing vocals that left a lasting impression!

Photo credit: Wookie Post

Overall the weekend was truly remarkable! We had such a great time with everyone at Under the Stars and a special thanks to Family is Forever for hosting such a wonderful event – we love you!

Happen to take a picture with a bear this weekend? Be sure to check out a few bear pictures from this weekend on the Rock Camp Productions Facebook page!
https://www.facebook.com/rockcampproductions

Pasture Palooza 4 Review

Seth, Jake and I left from Rock Camp at 12pm on Friday, June 28th for the 4th Annual Pasture Palooza Music & Arts Festival. The sun was shining brightly and there was barely a cloud in the sky. We packed up the car and hit the road, Jake following us on his Harley.

It took us about 4 hours to reach Berryville, VA. I was following directions on my iPhone, which lead us down Honey Ln, to a dead end where we found a few other festival kids and some confusion. The lovely gal who apparently lived at the end of Honey Ln directed us down Triple J Rd to Pasture, and finally we got to 339 Minniewood Ln.

Photo Credit: Teresa Poole

The fest was set up much the same as in years past, although there were significantly more vendors this year and some cool new art installations! We set up camp in the evening sun as the rest of our crew arrived!

Unfortunately we missed Galaxy Dynamite's set, but it was wonderful to bump into Mike (GD!'s drummer) and so many other wonderful members of the Pink Moon Family as we did our preliminary wandering of the grounds.

As the most incredible sunset began the Former Champions raged on stage. Jake and Christian jumped into their respective dancing bear suits and tore it up in front of the stage. Seth and I did some Pink Moon flyering as the most incredible double rainbow bloomed over the pasture.

Baltimore MD band Pigeons Playing Ping Pong was the headliner Friday night. They have played the last 3 Pink Moon Festivals, and although they will not be able to join us for Pink Moon 5, they are still deep Pink Moon Family. And they killed it! We busted out Puff T. Magic-Dragon a few times for their incredible set.

The music ended at 12am on the dot due to the VA noise ordinances....however once the main stages shut down an incredible bonfire rager started up right in the middle of the Pasture. Paul Bee (of Cosmic Campout, Fall Freequinox and more) and his band raged some incredible covers around the campfire as most of the festival attendees sang along.

Finally Seth and I wandered off to bed, looking forward to the Saturday sun.

Saturday started off hot, and that theme continued throughout the day. I am not certain as to the actual temperatures that day, but it felt like 110 in the shade! Due to the crazy heat we weren't able to "bear" very much, and mostly just hung out lethargically in whatever shade we could find or manufacture.

Our campsite was wonderfully and strategically placed however, and we could enjoy the incredible tunes on stage right from the comfort of our camp chairs and coolers! The Southern Belles (another Pink Moon veteran) were awesome, and I was incredibly impressed by Woodwork and then Tiny Boxes, neither of which I'd heard before, but both absolutely blew my mind.

Just after Mountaintop Madness the forecasted rain came. And it came down hard. Seth, Jake and I had ducked into Jake's tent just in time, and waited it out for awhile. But as Gangstagrass' set drew closer I gave up on hiding and emerged from the tent to dance in the rain. I was super psyched for Gangstagrass....a band I had just recently discovered and ADORE. They crank out some incredible bluegrass hip-hop!!!

The rain passed entirely just in time for Gangstagrass' set. A beautiful sunset emerged as their hype man announced that they had "scared the rain off for us". They played a killer set, and tried out some awesome new material on the eager crowd. They masterfully blend a good-ol-boy country vibe, with an urban freshness and style which can't be matched. Banjo, guitar, and fiddle are matched by smooth flowing raps, and poignant lyrics.

Pink Moon Family and favorite People's Blue of Richmond took the stage after Gangstagrass. PBR's got a new drummer, and an incredible vibe. They raged an incredible set that we won't soon forget. We cannot wait to have them out to Pink Moon 5.

PBR was followed by the final act of the night, Ghost Owl, a Perpetual Groove side project. They played an awesome set, Puff T. made another appearance, and Saturday night came to a close.

Something I really love about Pasture Palooza (and Pink Moon for that matter) is the incredible sense of family and camaraderie. Most of the musicians, including the headliners (Gangstagrass, PBR, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Galaxy Dynamite! and more), hung out around the fest, before and after their sets; partying with attendees and promoting a general vibe of fun on and off stage. It is great to see artist mingling in the crowd, getting off on the experience of the festival as much as they do their sets.

Gangstagrass member with Pasture Palooza attendee
Photo Credit: Monica Hamlin

Sunday morning was rainy and quiet. Staff helped attendees maneuver the mud on their way out of the festival, as we packed up and prepared to head out. We visited our friends over at Crystal Purpose, and awesome vending booth that will definitely be at Pink Moon this year! Finally, although we dragged our feet, it was time to head home from a very successful Pasture Palooza.

A big thank you to Trevor Creany and all of the incredible people that made Pasture Palooza 4 happen! We'll definitely be back in the pasture next year, it's a Rock Camp Productions favorite!!

Me and Mindy, Rock Camp Productions Crew
Photo Credit: Mindy Priddy

Pasture Palooza 4 (June 28-30th) Preview

Rock Camp Productions is thrilled to be bringing Puff T. Magic-Dragon out to Pasture Palooza 4, in Berryville, VA, June 28-30th!! Keep an eye out for Puff T. and our signature Dancing Bear Mascots for chances to win FREE tickets to the Pink Moon 5! We will also have Puff T. hat pins and patches available for sale, designed by Crazyredbeard!!

There are LOTS of great PINK MOON bands playing this festival! Don't miss sets from: Galaxy Dynamite!, The Former Champions, Nice Couch, PBR, and Matt Jones & the Bobs!! 

We're also really excited about Gangstagrass, a Brooklyn band that specializes in Bluegrass Hip Hop. They are one of my new favorite bands this season!




Here's some more info on Pasture Palooza from their event page:

Tickets on sale now. Only $35 Weekend Pass!!! (18+ only) <www.showclix.com/event/PasturePalooza> Pasture Palooza Music & Arts Festival is an annual weekend festival and camp out held in beautiful Berryville, Virginia. Come out for a weekend of live music, camping, eating, and good times. The main focus of our efforts is to make sure each and every visitor has a wonderful and unforgettable experience. Come out for a weekend and we promise you'll have the time of your life! Spread the word about the one and only Pasture Palooza!!! The dedicated fans are the backbone of any homegrown festival. Invite your friends to this event! SCHEDULE Friday, June 28 10pm-midnight = Pigeons Playing Ping Pong 9-10 = KOZ MOS 7:30-9 = Former Champions 6:30-7:30 = The Congress 5-6:30 = The Woodshedders 4-5 = Galaxy Dynamite! 3-4 = Nice Couch Saturday, June 29 10pm-midnight = Ghost Owl 9-10 = People's Blues of Richmond 7:30-9 = Gangstagrass 6:30-7:30 = Mountaintop Madness 5-6:30 = Tiny Boxes 4-5 = Woodwork 2:30-4 = Drymill Road 1:30-2:30 = The Southern Belles of Richmond, VA 11:30am-1:30pm = Berryville All-Star Jam (feat. Trevor Creany, Sam Creany, Riley Kerns, Greg Martin, Bradley Fleming, Beatbox Bray, Matt Bass and Friends, Richard Pruitt, and more...) *Special appearance by Fargone Bananas 10am-11:30 = Matt Jones and the Bobs LATE NIGHT FIRESIDE STAGE Friday midnight-2am = Those Three Guys 2am-??? = Ari Baranson Saturday midnight-2am = Aliver Hall 2am-??? = acoustic jams all night 18+ unless accompanied by a parent Kids 12 and under get in free Camping all weekend long Food and craft vendors on site "The No List" - No dogs - No glass - No ATVs/dirt bikes - No fires - No fireworks - No illegal substances - No underage drinking - No weapons - No unauthorized vending - No RVs Gates open Friday, June 28 at 10AM Three stages with no overlapping sets

Rooster Walk V Review by: Max Friedersdorf

Photo Credit: Siobhan Cline, Drumzandspace Photography

I woke up the morning of May 24th tingling with excitement; my first festival of the year was only a three hour drive away. With big names like Ivan Neville’s Dumpstafunk, Leftover Salmon, and Yarn I knew I was in for a treat. I threw my gear in the car and began the beautiful drive across the scenic Virginia country side. The drive to Martinsville was delightfully uneventful and before I knew it I was pulling into Blue Mountain Festival Grounds where Rooster Walk V was being held. I was immediately pleased to see the picturesque fields that would be my home for the next three days. Upon setting up camp I took a walk around the festival grounds; soft, loamy earth beneath my feet and the beaming Virginia sun on my back, I took in the beauty that was Rooster Walk V. Friday night was stolen by Yarn as I had expected but I was taken by surprise by Kung Fu. I had never listened to them before that night and I was thoroughly impressed with the energy and musicianship thrown out by their wailing steel strings.

Photo Credit: Siobhan Cline, Drumzandspace Photography

Saturday morning affirmed all of my hopes that this would be a smaller, family oriented festival. I awoke to the gleeful shrieks of children playing just outside my tent and began my second day in this oasis. Starting at 11am the foothills were filled with the sound of music flowing from each stage. Just as the night before, I was delighted by the bands I had never known until then. As the day grew hotter and I grew hungrier I meandered around the grounds looking for a bite to eat. I settled down with a big slice of pie from Bangin’ Pies’, who will be slinging pizzas at Pink Moon, and trained my eyes towards Hot Twang. Their unique mixture of bluegrass and jazz, along with the witty remarks from the singer, was the perfect soundtrack for midday. As the sun began to do a number on my fair skin I sought shelter at the campgrounds. The campground was adjacent to a trickling country creek giving a perfect place to cool off and further adding to the ambiance of the quintessential Southern Virginia farm. The family atmosphere persisted throughout the day, children and adults played together with hula-hoops; face consuming smiles abounded. Saturday night is when the fun began. The festival organizers had set up a small parade, led by The Empire Strikes Brass, for the kids to enjoy. The dancing bears, a staple of Rock Camp Productions’ repertoire, came out in force, to the joy of kids and adults alike. Like rats to the Pied Piper’s flute people flocked to see the joyous spectacle. Later in the evening the real party began. The famous Puff T. Magic Dragon danced through the crowd of onlookers to the accompaniment of Leftover Salmon and Dumpstafunk. People hooped and hollered, jockeying to get a better look at the glowing behemoth. Saturday night continued, as most festivals do, into a haze of exhaustion and landed me in a blissful, much needed, sleep.

Photo Credit: Siobhan Cline, Drumzandspace Photography

Sunday morning was the crowning jewel, the proverbial cherry on top. Most festival Sundays are reminiscent of an old Johnny Cash tune, “I woke up Sunday morning with no way to hold my head that didn’t hurt.” I always make a point to catch as many bands as I can but Sundays are hard, after a weekend in the sun and potential irreparable damage done to my body I rarely have the gumption to do much but drive home. But, this Sunday was destined to be different. I awoke with the expected headache and lumbered to the stage with the intent of catching a few tunes and beating feet back home. I was abducted by the music. Never have I been so impressed with Sunday bands. The best part of Sunday, and potentially my favorite musical act of the weekend, was Stephane Wrembel and His Band. I was intoxicated with his flowing gypsy jazz. His fingers danced across the fretboard, making the most intricate guitar work look like child’s play. By the time I was in the car I had used up every ounce of energy I had saved. I drove away with a bittersweet feeling, reveling in the friends and memories I had made, knowing I’d be back in Martinsville in a year for Rooster Walk VI.

Photo Credit: Siobhan Cline, Drumzandspace Photography

Photo Credit: Siobhan Cline, Drumzandspace Photography

Photo Credit: Siobhan Cline, Drumzandspace Photography

The 5th Annual Pink Moon Music & Arts Festival Indiegogo Campaign Page

We here at Rock Camp Productions don't have ANY corporate sponsors, and depend solely on ticket sales and vending fees to throw the Pink Moon Festival! With that in mind, please visit our Indiegogo campaign page, where you can contribute to the Pink Moon Festival and get awesome rewards including VIP tickets and Pink Moon Family passes which will not be offered anywhere else! 100% of funds raised will go towards the Pink Moon Festival - for expenses including headliner deposits, artist bookings, sound and lighting equipment rentals and technicians, roadwork, etc. If you cannot contribute funds, please help us spread the word about Pink Moon and about our Indiegogo campaign! We couldn't do this without you, Pink Moon Family, and we'd like to thank you for continuing to make Pink Moon so special.

The 5th Annual Pink Moon Music & Arts Festival Indiegogo Campaign Page

Rooster Walk 5 (May 24-26th) - Preview

Rock Camp Productions is thrilled to be bringing Puff T. Magic-Dragon out of hibernation for the very first stop on our Summer Tour...Rooster Walk 5, May 24-26th!! Keep an eye out for Puff T. and our signature Dancing Bear Mascots for chances to win FREE tickets to the Pink Moon 5! We will also have Puff T. hat pins and patches available for sale, designed by Crazyredbeard!!

Here's some more information on Rooster Walk, from their event page...

The fifth annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival will take place May 24-26 at the idyllic Blue Mountain Festival Grounds just outside of Martinsville, Va. Rooster Walk 5 will feature three full days of music, arts, crafts, food and fun, headlined by Leftover Salmon and Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk. 
***
Lineup: Leftover Salmon, Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk, Yarn (two nights), Kung Fu, Larry Keel & Sammy Shelor, Sister Sparrow & the Hot Damned, Dangermuffin, Josh Panda & the Hot Damned, Stephane Wrembel, Space Capone, Sanctum Sully, Lizzy Ross Band, Kings of Belmont, Mandolin Orange, Jon Stickley Trio, The Steepwater Band, The Floorboards, Travis Book (of the Infamous Stringdusters), L Shape Lot, After Jack, Dave Eggar, Amber Rubarth and Deoro, Common Foundation, Big Fat Gap, Justin Johnson, Funk Punch, Hot Twang, Yankee Dixie, Bear Mountain Picnic, Empire Strikes Brass and Boy Named Banjo.
***
Musical genres represented will include funk, rock, newgrass, bluegrass, Americana, jazz, reggae, country and more! Camping is available on-site, and more information can be found at www.roosterwalk.com

Pink Moon Pink Moon Pink Moon

I have been working incredibly hard the last few weeks getting Pink Moon 5 organized and produced! I have spreadsheets coming out my ears (and they are so helpful)!! Facebook promotion is going really well...we have over 900 attendees (and over 400 "maybes") on the event page. You can always help us out by inviting you're friends, and we really appreciate it! I've been teaching Seth my "Facebook Secrets" (Facebook Secrets blog post coming soon!!), and he's been incredibly helpful. We've also got an add coming out in June's issue of Appalachian Jamwich! Our first round of fliers have been designed (by the wonderful Kenneth Smith) and sent off to the printer (a great guy, Bill Steele of LostChord Productions) so we will have them at Rooster Walk 5, the kick off of our RCP Summer Dragon Tour!

And, keep in mind: We here at Rock Camp Productions don't have ANY corporate sponsors, and depend solely on ticket sales and vending fees to throw the Pink Moon Festival! Sooo, buy your tickets now! Save some money and support the scene! 

I can't wait for September. This Pink Moon is going to be incredibly special. We're going to put on a show like no other, all while celebrating the phenomenon that has become the incredible Pink Moon Family. 

 

Weeding the Farm and Growing Friends - By: Mindy Priddy

This past weekend marked the beginning of many work weekends to come at the farm! Though there were a few bouts of rain, we still had a wonderful group of people – both new and old – to come and lend a hand.

A few folks arrived Friday evening and most came Saturday morning to begin working. The main task that we wanted to accomplish was clearing out the excess trees and briars that were overgrown in and around the rock circles, by trees and along the creek. And indeed we did accomplish our goals and more! Everyone worked so diligently and collaborated so well that the farm received an awesome makeover. Because the brush and weeds were pulled out and placed aside, the hidden sweetness of the flower gardens reappeared as well as the gentle flow of the creek.

 In addition to the workers, we had a several friendly animal visitors wanting to join in on the action! We stumbled upon three yellow-shelled turtles and two feisty little bunnies! Another surprise to the day was a mini dirt bike that resulted in many blunders from the much-too-big guys trying to ride it! After a few fun breaks, we continued work until an evening rain came. This provided a perfect opportunity for everyone to reflect on the day and share a few laughs and stories. 

By the end of the day (and with a few new scrapes and bruises) everyone was ready to kick back and listen to The Mad Anthonys put on a funky show – and they did exactly that! More people came to enjoy the music and boogie, so a decent-sized group had formed by the time the show started. From the people listening on the porch, to those around the bonfire and on the couches, everyone was having a great time!

The weekend was full of good vibes and positive results could be seen all around. The volunteers that helped out developed new friendships with each other in addition to a lasting relationship with the farm. The work weekends on the farm are an amazing example of how well the Pink Moon Festival generates a family of friends and an overall sense of a community. The next work weekend will be the weekend of June 1^st and we are stoked for everyone to come together again, help out and have a great time on Pinky’s farm!

Let there be songs to fill the air

Today has been an incredibly pleasant day! Seth woke me up and although the wind was howling insanely, it was so sunny and bright out I couldn't believe the chill! We sat around the stove in the kitchen drinking coffee and listening to the Beatles channel on Pandora until Seth grabbed his guitar.

Our sing-a-long lasted most of the day! We went through most of our "repertoire" and then put some solid time into learning a couple of songs for my Dad's wedding on April 20th. Dad and his fiance Lynn got engaged here in Rock Camp at Pink Moon 3, while Donna Jean Godchaux serenaded them with "Jack-a-roe". I am the"best woman" along with my little sister in the upcoming nuptials. I'm very excited, it's going to be one hell of a party.

Seth has also been teaching me to play the guitar! I have a few chords down and am just starting to get a handle on strumming (I know that sounds so silly!!). I like to practice Standing on the Moon but it's in 3/4 time and I still have trouble with that rhythm. Seth is a phenomenal guitarist and a great teacher, though mostly I just love listening to him play.

After too many rounds of Backwards Down the Number Line and Row Jimmy, Seth got to work cutting up some wood and piling it up on the porch. I cleaned house and puttered around taking care of business. I tried to run a speed test on our Internet (Wild Blue Satellite) and couldn't even load the website. So much for that. My cyber efficiency isn't high, however I make up for lack of speed and tricky access with persistence and CONSTANT VIGILANCE!

More on my social media conquest...I've finally set up Google+ pages for the Pink Moon Festival, Rock Camp Productions, and Pinky's Farm! Check em out!

Jake Shrewsbury came up for a little while. It's always nice to have him up, he's a lot of help on the farm, an honest, reliable, hardworking kid. He works at M-Rock (a fake rock manufacturing company) down near Lindside. I absolutely adore him and his entire family. His mother, Cathy made our wedding cake and his sister did my nails for the big day! The Shrewsberry's are just really wonderful people, and definitely a solid part of our little Rock Camp Family.

Now, Seth and I are cozied up on the couch in front of the fire. He is playing Angry Birds one handed with a pack of saltines in the other hand. I'm watching What About Bob? being a bug Bill Murray fan myself. Lucy is asleep at our feet snoring loudly and Ginny and a few cats are curled up next to me. Heaven.

Home is where the heart is

Sethro got a new pump hooked up and running water working in the farmhouse today. Life here is slow and steady, a constant and continual effort to keep everything comfortable and nice. We've yet to get the property completely "together", but we are making progress every day.

While Seth puttered under the house with the pump, I continued on my Spring Cleaning mission. It takes a measure of perseverance and patience to clean this house. It's a four step process: 1. De-clutter/De-trash-ify 2. Organize/Dust 3. Clean (with product) 4. Sweep. Sometimes I get a little overwhelmed, but then I sit down, smoke a cigarette, then get back to it! Today I nearly finished the living room, though there remains on corner to purge. Tonight Seth and I are going to tidy up our bedroom and tomorrow I'm going to tackle the bathroom and the upstairs and downstairs hallways. Which only leaves kitchen (where Seth has already made incredible headway) and the sitting room (which currently serves as the "catch all" for things without a designated place). The sitting room is going to be a real job.

I love this little farmhouse. It's filled to the brim with character, from the holes in the floors to the painted-over paneling...nothing is level, the fireplace/chimney is ancient and beautiful, and every corner, every crevice is filled with love. This place is home...something I have searched for my entire life. Something much more than a house, or a farm, or any dwelling or place...home is a concept, a feeling in the pit of your stomach. There are lots of "factors" that make this place my home...my soul-mate and husband Seth, our dogs and our cats, and yes our house (which was Seth's mom, Pinky's house and home) and all of the love and work and care we've put into it and our family. However, there's more to it than that. There is magic in it. Something I don't even understand, and certainly can't put into words, exists in the world that guides and designs everything. You can call it God, or Fate, or whatever you want...but it is real.

Personally, I prefer to believe that everything is controlled by His Noodliness, The Flying Spaghetti Monster.

Anyway, there's still a lot to do, not only in the house but throughout the grounds. Spring is almost here. We've had a number of incredible, sunny days, although today was very very rainy. Still, flowers are just starting to pop up, the birds and bees are buzzing around, and we go through less than half the wood we did a month ago!

Putting the Rock back in Rock Camp

Seth and I woke up in our comfy-as-hell, king size, canopy bed, in our cozy little farmhouse in Rock Camp, WV this morning. It was paradise. Absolute Heaven.

Seth got up first, went down stairs and got fires started in the living room fireplace, the cook stove, and wood stove in the kitchen. He cleaned up the kitchen a bit then cam back upstairs to cuddle for a couple of hours.

When we both came down stairs a little later the entire house was warm and incredibly cozy. Our friend had kept the fires beautifully and was on the couch reading Growing up Dead: The Hallucinated Confessions of a Teenage Deadhead by Peter Conners.

I cooked breakfast on our big, cast iron, wood burning, cook stove while Sethro went out into the forest with the chainsaw to gather wood. The cook stove belonged to Seth's great grandmother, and I love cooking on it! It's almost impossible to burn the bacon, rather those strips always end up perfectly cooked! On Thanksgiving my little sister came up from school in Alabama and we cooked an entire turkey dinner in (and on) my cook stove. It was a great dinner with everything from mashed potatoes and homemade giblet gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie and TWO turkeys!!

It was such a lovely morning. Today marks our first full day back on the farm. Since some time in September Seth and I had been living in Blacksburg, VA. Last summer Seth got into the Graduate School of Virginia Tech Department of Theatre in Cinema, in the Directing and Public Dialogue Masters Program.. He already has a Master Degree in Interactive Telecommunication from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts, but wanted to try something else, within our community and in the region. After a semester and change there though we both realized that life in Blacksburg and at Tech was not what we wanted. We are so happy here on the farm, and we have so many exciting irons in the fire with Pink Moon, our RCP touring show, The Rock Camp Store and more. We realized that we were not prepared to take a three year hiatus from our lives. So, with that in mind (and a few other reasons) we came home.

And already, after only one day, things are so much better. The cats and dogs are super happy we're back. Ginny and Lucy (the dogs) hated the apartment in Blacksburg. One of them even chewed up a bunch of my CDs. Here on the farm, with hundreds of acres to get out all of their energy, they are absolute angels.

We've been cleaning up the whole farmhouse and while it's not quite sparkling, it's getting better and better by the minute! There's still a lot of laundry and dishes to be done, and life on the farm isn't always peaches and cream...but we're so happy here. There are a lot of obstacles (the pipes are frozen or the pump is blown up so we currently don't have any running water, and getting wood is a lot of work) but we're warm and busy and it feels great.

PHEW!

Sethro and I have been without electricity on the farm for the last 12 days. There was this FREAK storm - no rain, 100mph winds, and ominously swirling clouds for no more than 30 minutes - and we lost power on Friday June 29th, right as our Pink Moon Work Weekend began.
Seth tried to go out for pizza, but literally couldn't get to Union because of all the downed trees in the road...he was kicking himself for not bringing a chainsaw!
Right before the storm Paul and Jamie called asking if we had power. I said yes, of course, why wouldn't we? And pretty much as soon as I hung up the phone the clouds started to swirl. I was terrified we were going to have a tornado....and where on this mountain would we go for shelter?! No tornado though.
After about four days we decided to spend some time in Blacksburg, VA to look for an apartment, as Seth will be a graduate student at Virginia Tech in the fall. We got a room at the Holiday Inn on Prices Fork Rd. in Blacksburg. It was very nice, had powerful AC (hizah), an indoor and an outdoor pool and a bar! Seth did some apartment shopping while I banged out some emergency business work and we at horrible Chinese food from a delivery place down the road.
We spent all of the 4th of July at Jennie's house. We watched RahBee's live set on The Lost Art, which is usually from 12-2pm (EST) on Wednesdays, but went until 4pm on the 4th!! RahBee killed his extra-long set and Jennie, Seth and I ate delivery food from Moe's. DJ RahBee will be announcing the official Pink Moon 2012 LINE-UP, this Wedesday, July 11th at 12pm (EST) on http://the-lost-art.com/live during his weekly LIVE set! Tune in and be the first to know what's in stor for this year's Pink Moon Fest!
After the sun went down we sat in Jennie's side yard and watched the fireworks over Blacksburg High School. We all fell asleep curled into our respective partners on our respective  couches.
On the 5th Seth and I checked out a few houses and finally headed home, praying the power would come back on. It hadn't and we moped about, picking up the house. We decided to have a work weekend the 6-8th. Jake Shrewsbury, Sabrina, Antoine and Jeremy came out and we made HUGE progress in the Rock Camp Store. On Saturday night the power came back on, and Seth and I fell asleep in our nice air-conditioned room. On Sunday morning the power was out again, and I just felt defeated. At this point my to-do list was a mile and a half long and deadlines were flying past my head faster than I could believe. The power came back around 6pm, and I continued my work answering emails, writing proposals, etc.
Then Monday around 2pm we LOST IT again!! Steam was literally pouring from my ears as I called the power company for the billionth time. After a few more hours of eager anticipation it came back on, hopefully for good this time!
All of that being said, I have tons of posts to write and things to do. Jeremy and I are leaving for up North tomorrow evening. I'm going to be working at Camp Bisco and Jeremy is headed for the Hartbeat! Seth will be taking a crew to Pasture Palooza in Berryville, VA this weekend to perform with Puff T.
Check back soon for lots of exciting updates....now that Rock Camp is back in the 21st Century!!! Well...almost...