Rothbury Music Festival Entertainment Art Double JJ Ranch Rothbury, MI July 2-July 5, 2009

Lost in the middle of the Double JJ Ranch, I found myself immersed with colorful hippies, clouds of smoke, and the sweet sound of music echoing through the trees. Day one of the four-day fest, kicked off with performances from Keller Williams, Lotus, The Disco Biscuits, and The Cold War Kids. Having seen the Cold War Kids previously in Chicago, I was a little hesitant to their late-night festival-draw. Usually late night shows are left for the more electronic, jam-band assortments then the Kids’ rock-pop sound. I was pleasantly surprised to see a large crowd forming with heads banging, arms waving, and the occasional glow stick soaring.

As day two began, the gates opened early at 10am for Yoga fanatics, followed by a brief siesta. As I looked around, I noticed that everyone’s faces seemed to have finally entered festival mode. Friday’s acts were sure to be part of the 30,000+ draw, with G.Love and Special Sauce, the Canadian act Broken Social Scene, Damian ‘Jr. Gong’ Marley & NAS, the Irish punk-rock sounds of Flogging Molly, and a double set from headliners, The String Cheese Incident.

Known to most fans as Cheese, Rothbury’s show was being promoted as the Colorado bands only concert this year. Cheese’s vibrant stage antics involved fire-dancers, acrobatics, and massive sized balloons being thrown into the crowd. With Phish being back on the tour circuit, I think it’s safe to say we will be seeing more jam bands come to the surface throughout 2009.

Taking the masses into the wee hours was a late night set from the electronic rock group STS9. Thousands of people flocked to the stage, mainly covered in glow sticks, sporting eclectic costumes and laser pointers, dancing till the ground shook beneath them. It was a strong set that left many thirsting for more.

Embracing the sounds of rock, bluegrass, and some funk; day three featured performances from Jackie Greene, Railroad Earth, Zappa Plays Zappa, Les Claypool and The Black Crowes. The most celebrated act of the night however was The Dead---comprised of the surviving members of The Grateful Dead and guitar legend Warren Haynes. Starting late, The Dead played a near four-hour set into the early morning, with the midnight Independence Day fireworks taking place closer to 1 AM. Though the late-great, front man, Jerry Garcia was no longer on stage, his presence was reunited among all the fans in the crowd. Sporting Jerry tattoos, t-shirts, and plush dolls, his spirit was awoken from the dead.

The final day of Rothbury included a-list sets from Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Yonder Mountain String Band, Matisyahu, Willie Nelson & Family, and the college-scene band Guster, who exclaimed they weren’t the typical marijuana band, but, “the next song includes the word Marijuana!”

The four-day fest wrapped up as Bob Dylan closed out Rothbury, with a 90-minute, 17-song show set. Showing up late, and leaving early, he still performed the classics to the die-hard fans in the audience; “Tangled Up In Blue,” “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat,” and closing the show with a powerful “All Along the Watchtower.”

It was another powerful year for a festival that was only in its sophomore year. With two years of an abundance of attendees, strong line-ups, and new treasures in the festivals own Sherwood Forest, let’s hope for a Rothbury 2010.

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