Published: Page 16, ROP, 6/17/2005
SUMMER FESTIVALS
By STEPHEN A. IDE
The Patriot Ledger
For some music lovers, summer folk and bluegrass festivals offer a chance to hear dozens of top-notch musicians in just a few days. For others, it’s a ritual gathering of “family” who look forward to seeing one another, even if it’s just once a year.
Amid a sea of tents, canopies and RVs, festival-goers attend to listen, participate, learn and party. Newcomers are often amazed that they have been missing great music all these years, and veterans have come to expect the best and can’t wait to return.
It’s no wonder the web site for the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival in New York literally counts down the time until the gates open.
Here are some glimpses of upcoming festivals, along with some tips for first-time festival-goers. (A full list is in the accompanying story.)
Choose your festival
Here’s a sampling of festivals in the region this summer.
The Greater New Bedford Summerfest, July 2-3
This festival has gained in popularity each year and offers a snapshot of the contemporary folk scene. This year, look for folk-rockers The Nields, funny lady Christine Lavin (one of the Bitchin’ Babes), popular Boston singer-songwriter Catie Curtis and up-and-coming phenom Jake Armerding.
Summerfest is spread throughout historic downtown New Bedford. There are many stages scattered through the blocks by the waterfront. Expect to walk quite a bit. At least the stages all provide seats, so you can leave the chairs at home.
New York’s Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, July 19-22
Known for mixing traditional and progressive acts, it brings back bluegrass stalwarts the Del McCoury Band and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, but offers variety with Laurie Lewis & Tom Rozum, the Sam Bush Band and the jazz-influenced Psychograss.
Grey Fox, the ultimate bluegrass experience in the Northeast, has multiple stages, including workshop tents, a large dance tent and a children’s tent. Expect to walk.
The Lowell Folk Festival, July 29-31
This is the only regional folk festival I know of that remains free. Perhaps because of this you might not have heard of some of the performers, who vary from Old West Saloon pianist Dave Bourne to blues to world music styles from Slovenia, Ireland, Greece, Mali, Mexico, Korea, Klezmer, Quebec (Quebecois), cajun and others.
Despite the lesser-known aspect of some of these performers, there’s never a slouch in the bunch. And some go on to prominence. I remember seeing Alison Krauss there many years ago and remember her chatting with the public after the show. Good luck getting close to Krauss today.
A bluegrass highlight coming to Lowell this summer is power-packed spitfire Dale Ann Bradley, a wonderful singer from East Kentucky.
Newport Folk Festival, Aug. 4-7
The venerable Newport Folk Festival was responsible for helping to bring performers like Bob Dylan and Arlo Guthrie to prominence. Guthrie returns this summer, as part of his 40th anniversary of the writing of “Alice’s Restaurant.”
Newport’s lineup is a virtual who’s who, with rocker Elvis Costello & The Imposters and folk veterans Odetta, Nanci Griffith, Emmylou Harris and Richard Thompson.
Newport offers several stages and plenty of vendors. Getting there and getting out are an experience, since it’s a popular tourist destination on an island. You’ll need to drive in traffic through the center of Newport during peak season to get to Fort Adams State Park. Plan accordingly and pack your patience. The music is worth it.
If you go
Check the festival web sites for schedules, lists of performers and prices.
Usually, festivals offer “early bird” specials for folks who buy now. If you know you’re going anyway, that’s the best way to shop for tickets. Online purchasing is the norm, though some sites allow you to mail in a check. Online ordering can be confusing (they are all different and offer many options), so read carefully before you buy - often tickets are non-refundable.
You’ll likely get updated material at the main gate, but a little advanced research will help you plan your visits to the main stage.
At most festivals, you will be camped near or next to your vehicle, so don’t skimp on bringing extras to make your stay comfortable for a multi-day festival.
If it’s a multi-day festival that permits camping, pack a canopy or tarp coverage in addition to your tent. You’ll appreciate the shade during moments away from the stage area.
What to bring
There are certain essentials to bring that will make your festival experience more enjoyable.
First aid tents, often near the main stage, offer sunscreen at some festivals. But you’ll need sunscreen around camp. So it’s best to bring your own.
Equally as important: bring water. Oh, sure, you can probably buy it there, but that will cost you. You should bring a healthy supply of water for multi-day festivals, even if your drink of choice may be of the alcoholic variety. Only water will truly hydrate you.
If the summer goes well and the sun shines, wide-brimmed hats are helpful for protecting ears and necks from the sun and for cutting glare when viewing the stage.
You’ll want chairs for the main stage area and for around camp. Collapsible “umbrella” chairs are the norm. They are cheap and dry quickly if it rains. But plain-old nylon-webbed aluminum chairs are fine. Festivals like patrons to use the low-back variety. But so few people bring those, you’ll probably want a standard height chair so you can see over or between the heads of other patrons.
Whether it’s a multi-day festival like Grey Fox or day-trip romps like Summerfest, Newport or Lowell, make sure you are wearing comfortable shoes. There’s often lots of walking, if only just to get to your seat. And most festivals offer multiple stages to visit and a long vendors’ row.
For multi-day festivals, expect to purchase ice before you go and then replenish it at the festival. It’s a necessary evil, but a great task for kids (tip them generously, so they have cash to spend) and bring a little red wagon to make hauling easier for them.
Expect to spend
Festivals stay afloat financially with help from their vendors, who pay to hawk their wares. Rows and rows of tent-covered shops offer everything from cheap trinkets to mid-priced hats and bandannas to expensive instruments.
In the heat of summer, it’s not unusual to find products geared to keeping you cool, like water misters or neck wraps that you soak in water.
There are so many vendors at festivals that you might be inclined to wait to purchase necessities at the festival. But it’s best to get what you need before the trip. There’s no guarantee you can get what you want on site.
While it’s always nice to pick up a souvenir or a T-shirt, you don’t need to go broke at a festival, especially if you plan ahead.