all photos by Felix the Hat
After a 5-6 hour drive to Quincy, CA. we pulled into what seemed like dirt fields for miles, but we were all so eager to set up tent and get on the with the good times (even though there weren’t any shows that Wednesday night). The anticipation was upon us, and couldn’t wait for the morning to come, to venture out through festie-land to discover and rediscover all the different genres of music High Sierra had to offer.
But first a few things to share with you, such as, I had no idea the filth that came with just being there (which wears off after a couple of days, and you begin not to mind the grime between your toes and underneath your fingernails); the age range which never seemed to end (5 month old baby’s, to an older man I was hanging out with that was in his mid-80′s); to very friendly, happy people who invited you into their tent area to show their hospitality (which varied on all ends); to just pretty much the best music event I have ever been to, and hope to make it to #23.
The festival consisted of three main stages “The Grandstand”, “Big Meadow”, and “Vaudeville”, with many smaller acts that you would stumble upon all day at random venues and atop of RVs. No two bands sounded alike which is what makes the festival so eclectic. The stages included genres that you can only hear at the High Sierra Music Festival, from rock, blues, bluegrass, soul, reggae, jazz, space-rock, low-fi garage, doo-wop, gospel, ragtime, punk, psychedelic country, electronic ensembles, Punjabi Roots, latin, mambo, hip-hop, front-porch, dance-hall…. let me just stop there, I have gone on way too long already. But the great thing was that if you couldn’t get down with the band or their sound, you had a couple of other choices to head over to, a mere 5 minute walk away. Not to mention that on your way, fans are camped everywhere and anywhere…
Have you ever been to a silent disco? I had never heard of one myself… but one late evening, say about 2am, we stumbled over to this grassy area, where there was a line to exchange your ID for a pair of wireless headphones. And yes, there was no loud music or even a visible DJ around, just a bunch of us getting down and dancing to the music coming through our headphones. It was comical to remove the phones and watch everyone movin’ their stuff to what seemed like silence… just another highlight that you may only be able to experience at a festival of such.
More to come on featured at band from High Sierra Music Festival later on… well, or mores so shortly.
Peace,
Felix the Hat,
Live Music City, high hopes!
