What’s up festi-friends? I hope you are all reading this on your smart phone while chilling at your campsite at a music festival somewhere. Maybe it is hard to read because you were up all night dancing and your brain is trying to put itself back together (I know how you feel, it has taken me an hour to write this one paragraph, we’ll get through this together).
Mornings at a festival are a special thing. Everyone has shaken off the journey to get here (long or short it is always a journey). Everyone is settled in and has enjoyed a full day of great music. Most importantly everyone has become good friends with their neighbors and this brings a feeling of closeness and community that flows throughout the festival. Everyone is enjoying their breakfast and coffee to the soothing sounds of drum circles and music coming from all corners of the camp grounds. People smile at one another as they walk through the campground saying, “Good morning”, and “What a night”, and “Happy Bisco!” (well that’s what they say here anyway).
The positive vibes are flowing and it feels good, and personally I think that is what festivals are all about. Don’t get me wrong I love the music. I mean I live for the music, and I have traveled great distances to see many of the bands here, and will continue to do so. But when the bands, and the fans all in one place, and are living together for a few days, magic happens. Benji Eison of Rolling Stone describes it best as he offers words of words wisdom to first timers in the introduction of the Camp Bisco program, “The festival is a living breathing organism. Treat it as such. Take care of each other because, in the end, it’s going to make for a better experience for all of us.” And let me just say that Camp Bisco is very, very alive.
On paper yesterday’s musical line up was unbelievable, in person it was amazing. The Werks started off the day with some great jams, then Popeska and Clockwork threw down some awesome mid-day sets to keep the party going. One of the best acts of the day was Thievery Corporation who filled in for Animal Collective who had to cancel due to illness. They found out they were playing Thursday morning, showed up Friday and killed it. Moon Boots, who I had heard great things about, did not disappoint, and had the kids dancing in the daytime (this kid included). It is safe to say we can expect big things from him in the future.
Then it was onto the big boys. The Disco Biscuits played an amazing set under a beautiful orange sky as the sun went down. Bassnectar, who blew my mind yet again along with many others I’m sure, with his sick mixes and bass drops, and a light show that is maybe the most incredible thing I have ever seen. After he was done, Disco Biscuits played another huge set that had everyone dancing tough (their light show ain’t to shabby either by the way). Then everyone migrated to the big tent for the late night shows where Destroid, Excison’s new project set the crowd off with thundering bass and crafty song mash-ups. The energy inside the tent was overpowering and you could not help but jump around and dance as hard as possible, the ground was shaking. Lotus finished off the night with a great combination of groovin jam tunes and bass beats that made for an unbelievable late night dance party. And if it wasn’t for noise ordinance laws, I’m sure they would still be playing, and I’m sure we all would still be dancing. I just can’t say enough about the energy the Camp Bisco crowd brings. People came here to get down, and they are not messing around.
I can’t believe it is the last day of Camp BIsco 12, I feel like I just got here. If time flies when you are having fun, it moves at warp speed when you are at a festival (the level of fun to be had can almost not be described in words). Oh well, we will finish the festival off in style with another incredible day of music with Zoogma, Zeds Dead, Passion Pit, and three sets, yes I said three sets by the Disco Biscuits! Then Madeon and Boombox will close out the festival with the late night sets, should be fun.
That’s how it is at Camp Bisco 12, day 2, I will talk to you all soon with a recap of last day of this amazing festival. Peace!