Bluegrass Festival, an experience like no other
The 17th annual Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival kicked off
at Bolado Park last weekend and, well, I decided to tag along.
It wasn’t my first festival go-around but it was certainly my
first bluegrass experience. And it’s something I won’t soon
forget.
There really is nothing like a bluegrass festival. The music
isn’t for everyone and personally I’m on the border on liking the
music or not
– but it was a wonderful musical experience seeing all those
around me having the time of their lives.
Bluegrass Festival, an experience like no other
The 17th annual Good Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival kicked off at Bolado Park last weekend and, well, I decided to tag along.
It wasn’t my first festival go-around but it was certainly my first bluegrass experience. And it’s something I won’t soon forget.
There really is nothing like a bluegrass festival. The music isn’t for everyone and personally I’m on the border on liking the music or not – but it was a wonderful musical experience seeing all those around me having the time of their lives.
People danced, clapped and cheered for everyone who played an instrument on stage. It was surreal to see almost everyone carry an instrument on their back – at times I felt like the only one without an instrument.
Musically, though, I was a little indifferent.
To be honest, I like more what bluegrass has helped influence such as folk and mandolin-riddled songs than the actual genre itself. No, country is not one of the genres I enjoy. After spending most of Saturday walking around the camp ground – my least favorite part was actually sitting down and listening to the music coming from the main stage or the adjacent ‘tweener stage.
By the way, that’s not saying I didn’t enjoy myself because I did.
The festival really wasn’t about the stage or who was on it. Instead, it was about the community as a whole. The main focus wasn’t on stage and for a music festival, that’s very strange and different.
Describing a stage band and their sound is pretty easy. Standup bass – check. Violin or in bluegrass terms a fiddle – check. A guitar – check. And of course a banjo – check. Add in a mandolin and possibly a resonator guitar every now and again and you have yourself a bluegrass band. It really is that simple.
Using the mandolin and the bass as the rhythm section, the songs have a strong drive to them but for the untrained bluegrass ear – like myself – a lot of the songs start to blend together.
After three hours I was starting to get numb to it so I started to walk around a bit.
In almost every tent or recreational vehicle music was seeping out for the world to hear. And gathered in small circles, men, boys, girls and women gathered to play. And it’s here where the experience really takes off.
Describing these circles isn’t easy. The music is less refined and more “jamming.” The songs are off the cuff, loose and fun.
For festival creator Eric Burman this is really where the fun is.
Burman said the music goes into the night – long after the main stage closes down.
He explained some of his favorite moments are walking in the dark and just coming upon a group of musicians playing music together.
“It’s something,” he said, grinning.
Burman created the festival in his mom’s honor 17 years ago when she was in failing health.
“I told her we were going to have a big party for her. We named it Mom’s Old Fashioned Bluegrass Festival,” he said.
Since then the festival has gotten bigger and bigger – now it attracts bands throughout California. The California-only lineup creates a relaxed and almost family-like atmosphere. Everyone knows and enjoys each other.
Throw in bluegrass to a family and community atmosphere and you get a party like no other. Everyone shares and helps each other.
Every few hours the music stopped so the musicians could teach the audience how to play the songs. Sitting on a grass hill, banjo player Kris Hare taught a small group of people how to play chords on a banjo.
Going through five or six songs slowly, Hare went through every chord with the audience. It seemed he actually cared to help others learn – which in my experience isn’t usually the case with some musicians.
That’s really the essence of the festival – everyone is equal including myself. Everyone is there to sit back and have a good time instead of starting a mosh pit or rushing to the stage. I’ve been kicked, shoved and slammed into at festivals and despite the music, the fun can fluctuate but at the bluegrass festival it was refreshing to see people respect each other and still have a good time.
I only wish I could have stayed a little longer.
This was a wonderful musical rejuvenating experience – now if they can lower the prices I don’t see any reason why I won’t be back next year. And next time I’m bringing a sleeping bag and my guitar.
Connor Ramey can be reached at [email protected]. Send suggestions of albums or local bands for him to review in his weekly column, “My Thoughts Were So Loud.”
