Suwannee Hulaween 2014 Review and Photo’s
I had been looking forward to this uniting of forces ever since I first heard of its existence. Hulaween took place at the distinguished Spirit of The Suwanee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. It is known as one of the best outdoor music venues in the nation. In the months leading up to the festival the energy was on a steady rise like a roller coaster on its ascent. As the festival began to unfold, and the costumes were put on for Halloween weekend a ride of lifetime took place for all of us in attendance.
The pre party on Thursday was a success with a plethora of festival goers to celebrate with. After sunset on Thursday, Yo Mommas Big Fat Booty Band set the tone of the event. Along with beat dropping, so did the temperature in North Florida. It was as if all of the travelers from northern climates brought the cold with them for the event. However, there were plenty of campfires back at the sites. A set by Particle continued the vibes, as Electron was the cherry on top for an epic pre party. Arriving to a festival early is significant, for familiarizing yourself with the layout and logistics. It also gives you more time for music and meeting new friends.
Festival Fridays always seem to explode for me. This one had even more vitality since it was Halloween, with a costume theme of the afterlife. All the energy that led up to the first moments for everyone to conjoin took off like a rocket. These gatherings have been settings for me to gain lifelong friends, who are considered family. Friday morning and day, consisted of going with the flow with a festival brother, as our fellow neighbors arrived. At such a vast event it can be hard to time all that goes down with the timing of your friends. So, going with the flow rather than forcing it can bring exciting unexpected experiences. One could have filled up the day going to a yoga or art workshop. Although, the grounds are widespread and filled with thousands of people, I still ended up crossing paths with all of my friends at some point throughout Friday.
The String Cheese Incident are the ones that through the party, and it was a raging affair. Their set of covers triggered a lot of smiles. Their covers went along with the theme of the festival, the afterlife. A few songs hey played for that set were “Stairway to Heaven”, “Live and Let Die”, and “Sympathy for the Devil”. The main stage was where TSI performed on three times that day/night. For me Emancipator kicked off the dancing for the day as the brought the sound waves to the Amphitheatre stage a few hours before sunset.
The lineup that night was abundant. Along with the heavyweight TSI, other Goliaths such as Shpongle, Thievery Corporation, and Beats Antique led the people through the journey of new experiences. I have to say that was the best festival Friday of mine yet. The memorable moments did not stop there. The party continued from 2am to 4 am at the Spirit Lake Stage. In this fenced in area there was a stage for bands, a silent disco, art installations, uniquely built fire breathing creatures, creative alters, unorthodox structures for swings/aerial arts and more There was something for everyone. The lake was also glittered with a top of the line light display throughout the night. Once the performers stopped, the campsites were filled with people huddled around fires singing and laughing. Friday was 10 out of 10.
Festivals are on the best places to people watch, this one was even better since people were wearing random costumes throughout the entire weekend. Connecting with new people is always one of the best aspects of the festival experience. That was indeed a highlight for me at Hulaween. It felt as if I was going into the village square each morning as I would take more morning walks to get food and see friends. There was a broad amount of vendors to check out during the day for food, art, clothing, and collectibles.
I only heard positive remarks from all those that shared their experiences of the festival. Festivals are a good place to find new music, and especially those that are on a smaller scale. I saw Beartoe, a local Florida folk band on Saturday afternoon. I am now a fan. A festival favorite that has a tribe of what they like to call friends rather than followers is Nahko and Medicine for the People. Their performance was nothing less than inspiring. They sing of love and justice. The front row was filled with young children, which shows their intent of love for all people. They had an intimate but upbeat performance at the Amphitheatre stage. Their message of hope brought tears to the eyes of multiple listeners. Along with 2 more sets from the legends TSI, Conspirator and The New Deal solidified a powerful Saturday lineup. The ample energy combustion of the night came at the Main Stage finale with Big Gigantic. Everything about their set lived up to their name. The lights, crowd, vibes, style, and sounds were massive. Their name is the best way to describe their performance, with a saxophone to add a touch of soul.
The Spirt Lake Stage was once again the place to be for late night happenings. Dustin Thomas, the bass player of Nahko and Medicine for the People brought down the volume with acoustic solo set to ease the hearts and minds of his brothers and sisters as they wandered through the moss filled swampy forest.
I like to check out local bands if they are at festivals. So on Sunday, I watched Suenalo a funky Caribbean jazz band from Miami. Sundays are best when full of soul, and Rising Appalachia a folk band with international drum influence serenaded a huge crowd at the main stage during the day. There was all you can eat cheese over the weekend, as TSI performed multiple times again that day, giving those who may have missed some sets a chance get down to the groove along songs. EOTO improvised the last performance on the main stage, and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead kept the spirit of the movement alive as they closed out the final show of the weekend.
It was really inspiring to hear all of the positive remarks about the festival. Besides people wanting to hear more of their favorite artist, which everyone does, the praises were high.
My cup is continually refilled during each festival. I get new experiences, new friends, new family, stronger relationships with those I already knew, learned lessons, connections to take more further, epiphanies, and more virtue. The list of pros might be endless. I recommend attending Spirit of the Suwanee Music Park, Hulaween, and any other similar music festival. Thank you Hulaween for all of the memorable moments.
By Tracy Broxton
Photo’s by Bryan Edward
MusicFestNews.com
The event is produced by SilverWrapper and Purple Hat Productions.
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