Surrounded by warm air, bright skies, and good vibes, the line of “Scampers” buzzed from the parking lot into the grounds of Three Sisters Park in Chillicothe, Illinois for Summer Camp Music Festival 2014. Everyone had their own methods of carrying their gear to their campsites. Most had duffle bags, tents, coolers, and all sorts of other camping and party supplies for the weekend. Some could carry what they had, others used wagons or wheelbarrows, or hopped into festi-cabs, or tractor shuttles, which circled the festival grounds regularly. Some people dragged stuff on tarps all the way to their campsite. No matter what it took, everyone got out there and was ready for an amazing weekend of music, art, camping, and good company.
One of the wonderful things about Summer Camp Music Festival is the sense of community among all the people who attend the festival. From puppies to puppets, from toddlers to grandparents, everyone was enjoying an enchanting experience. At Summer Camp, people are there to enjoy the music, and art, and everyone interacts in harmony and with respect. The grounds themselves were kept to a high standard of maintenance this year, and gave off a sensible energy- from the fields, to the forest, to the people, combined with beautiful sights and unforgettable sets of great music, Summer Camp 2014 was truly a weekend to remember.
Although some acts and artists were able to play multiple times throughout the weekend, all of them were letting loose and putting on performances with infectious energy that fueled the fantastic festival experience. Rymo, the drummer from Slightly Stoopid, captured the essence of the band’s musical experience and effects in an interview on Saturday afternoon before their set. “That one hour, two hours, or whatever… that we’re playing- that’s kind of the fun, that’s like the release point, you know, where you can just let it all hang out.” Let it all hang out they did, playing an incredibly on-point set in front of an enormous, energetically engaged audience. Near the end of their set, Slightly Stoopid brought out Don Carlos, whose collaboration brought even more good vibes to the performance. From the hula-hoopers to the poi spinners, to people grooving on their feet and people chilling to the beat, we could feel the release, the positive vibrations flowing from the Sunshine Stage into the air and souls of everyone there.
The lineup this year was diverse, with awesome acts ranging from the healing sounds of Nahko and Medicine for the People, to the rage-inducing bangers of Bassnectar. Refreshingly, there was a great balance between ultra-talented DJs and bands, as well as bands which fuse the two styles, such as EOTO, The Floozies, and Cherub, all of whom threw down some wonderfully wild sets over the weekend. Scampers were also grooving super hard to sets by moe., Umphrey’s McGee, Blues Traveler, Primus, Keller Williams, G. Love & Special Sauce, Lotus, Gramatik and many, many more talented acts. ProbCause put on a memorable performance, as well as Exmag’s fine-tuned fusion of styles, and of course the musical mastermind Russ Liquid, who closed down the festival in the Vibe Tent all the way into Monday morning. “Scamp” was a magical time full of marvelous music, astounding art and positive people, and one that has likely raised the standards for festivals to come.