Hometeam New Year’s Rally: Once Again, As Good As It Gets
Can’t a guy get some sleep around here?
It was Sunday night, January 1st, 2017. Happy New Year! Uncle John’s Band had just closed out Hometeam New Year’s Rally in Lakeland FL at 9 PM. I wandered back to our tent and promptly fell asleep.
Until shortly after 11 PM, when some idiot set up an enormous loudspeaker right by our tent and started blaring music. It was good music, but come on. I don’t remember what the first tune was, but I’m pretty sure it was “Fire On the Mountain.” I knew that most of the sets over the weekend had been recorded, but this didn’t sound familiar, not Uncle John’s Band and not Russ Bowers Isn’t Dead Yet.
Suddenly a titanic funk jam emerged. Unable to sleep, I kept trying to figure out what this was. Roosevelt Collier’s set from Friday? No. I just couldn’t place it. Finally, Donna pushed me out of the tent to see what was going on.
There were, apparently, lots of people not ready to stop grooving and dancing just yet. At least a hundred, and lots of musicians, too. Our MC PK was to blame, rounding up lots of available talent to come jam. I stayed outside for at least an hour, hugging and high-fiving lots of friends and family. Eventually, I went back to the tent, but there was no question about hearing the music, which went on until at least 3 AM.
That was the glorious end to a glorious weekend at Maddox Ranch, one huge New Year’s celebration with Cody and Jenelle Bean, Jillian Melucci, Charlie Bilsker, Jimmy Rector, the brilliant sound, light and rigging folks — Receptor Sound and Lighting, and the dozens and dozens of others who contributed to this awesome party.
Everything, it seemed, was perfect. Oh, we got dyslectic briefly as the temperature dropped to 38 degrees Saturday morning, but by Sunday it was back to 83. For most of the weekend, shorts, t-shirts, bare feet and sandals were the norm.
THURSDAY
This was pre-party day, and most were en route or setting up as Captains of the Frontier hit the stage at 4 PM. It was an entertaining, quirky way to start the party, with originals and interesting covers from the Gainesville band (with Mark Mayea of Ajeva on keyboards). And it ended with a first — bagpipes (more to come Sunday)! The band’s bass player is Scotty Sacks of Phairgrounds, which does promo work for other bands. He is also a founder of the Future Music Makers project helping underprivileged children get scholarships for lessons to learn how to play music.
The party got started in earnest with the next two sets, and I do not exaggerate when I say that those two alone were worth the price of admission. The first one was the Legacy Orchestra Collective, meaning a host of great musicians that Sean Maloney rounded up. Hands down this was the greatest of the bands he has put together.
The set opened with a deep bluesy take on “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology Song);” at this point, on stage were Jimmy Jams, Yral ‘datdudeondrums’ Morris, Kenny Harvey, Colin Getts and Isaac Corbitt. Probably more. Juanjamon jumped up for “Sneaking Sally Through the Alley” and “Down the Avenue.”
They played some astounding dance number, bluesy funk and more. Getts was simply superb on guitar. Likewise Corbitt and Juanjamon on harp and tenor sax, respectively. A Happy Campers tune was unreal, and that finally yielded to “Ridiculous Elephant > Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin) > Ridiculous Elephant > Fame.”
It was 6 PM, and already it was an amazing weekend. And then it blew wide open when Boxcar Hollow took the stage. Normally, you would classify their sound as roots/Americana, and they are really good. How this set turned into a slammin’ funk fest I don’t know. Blame The Rev. Funky D on keyboards if you want, or maybe Dani Jaye on fiddle (violin, you pick). I’d point to that evil funk instrument, the mandolin, as wielded by Fil Pate. Matt Weis (guitar, vocals) is totally responsible for this throwdown. Jack Pieroth (bass) and Jeff Baker (drums), too.
It started like bluegrass, really, but almost immediately it veered directly into straight-up funk, and it was ON! Funky D’s clavinet was certainly a culprit. Then a sort of reggae thing emerged, only to turn into “Soul Shakedown.” Then the funk got Marianas Trench deep, and most responsible was Fil Pate. And then Juanjamon and Sara Phillips (a.k.a. Mama Bone, artist at large on trombone) joined the madness. UNREAL.
I had seen Locochino once before, but based on this performance I clearly didn’t hear them, at least not properly. Because they killed it. They might have started with “Cold Coffee,” but “Toad’s Turnpike” was simply scorching, and the Gainesville quintet never let up. “Much Better Jam” was entirely accurate, and from there they were trance-dancey with Floyd overtones, and they closed with “Wiggle Room,” a superb rocker. Can’t wait for the next one!
Ajeva was up next with a set of originals, kicking off with “Ducks from Outer Space” and “Floating Molecules.” Reed Skahill led the band through songs from Evolve and more. Taylor Gilchrist, Dean Arscott and Travis Young had the bottom firmly anchored, and Skyler Golden continues to shine on guitar. This set dug deep into the funk.
And that was followed by more delicious funk from Displace, showing off recent acquisition Josh Formanek on guitar, a perfect fit for this quartet. “Float” from new album Undertow began the set, and then they launched into yet another nasty version of “Geonosis Shuffle” (from Eureka!). Chris Sgammato next crooned on “Friction” with Mama Bone joining in. The set closed with “Generation Sloan,” Roosevelt Collier with his first of many awesome sit-ins.
We all learned about Backup Planet from Nashville a year ago at Hometeam, where they ripped our heads right off (figuratively!). They had also given us a tremendous set at Great Outdoors Jam in July. They continued to have their way with us. They came out slamming with a tune that was similar to “Deal.” “Must Be Love” was next, and the prog-fest was on. Drummer Chris Potocik was magnificent again, a consummate showman and great on the kit. Backup Planet offered a dynamite “Have a Cigar” late in the set.
Many of us knew about Antelope, but not many had seen them before. This Phish cover band featured Matt Weis, Juanjamon, Sean Hartley and Michael GarrieThis was a great set of tunes, starting with “Birds of a Feather,” always great no matter where it appears in the set. Everybody was having fun, the main theme at Hometeam. “Poor Heart” was a blast!
You will notice that, the further we get into the weekend, the less helpful and more cryptic my notes become. Not to mention pages missing, like the one at the end of Antelope and the beginning of Holey Miss Moley.
Speaking of Holey Miss Moley, it was great to see the band at full strength, although poor Miss Robyn Alleman was ailing. It certainly didn’t show from her performance! Christian Ryan was also there; between illness and conflicts he had also missed several shows. Danny Clemmons roared on “Big Bad Wolf” with Corbitt on hand, and they turned “Bermuda Triangle” into a disco vamp!
The band’s stunning original “Afroshaft” was killer, with Mayea sitting in, sending the song stratospheric. Kenny Harvey in particular was huge on bass, and Jacob Cox always rips it up on guitar. Miss Alleman offered two songs in tribute to the late Sharon Jones: “Be Easy” and “Just Dropped In.” Mama Bone and Roosevelt joined in on “Shake It with Me,” Ryan on baritone, and Collier came back for a tight “Devil Funk.”
The late-night acoustic set was hosted by Este Loves and Critter. I know I saw them as I walked by heading to our tent. Swear I didn’t hear a single note. Scott out.
FRIDAY
Gainesville rockers Gritt have a new name, but I missed it. Nonetheless, the quartet had a great rocking set; they had opened the River Rock Fest in Tampa in November. The set was full of originals and very interesting covers, especially “How Many More Times” and a Hendrix tune.
Next up was jamtronic magic from West Palm’s Guavatron. Throughout the set you could detect elements of Yes, Phish, Floyd, funk and jamtronica, but the music was all their own. This was excellent, especially so early in the afternoon.
When Russ Bowers Isn’t Dead Yet hits the stage, you know it’s party time. In honor of his daughter, Kacey, who was on stage playing, they opened with a lovely “Ripple” and just kept rolling from there. “Mr. Charlie,” “New Minglewood Blues” and “West L.A. Fadeaway” graced the set.
I was busy trying to catch up to my two-and-a-half-year-old grandson and his buddy during Copious Jones, so my notes are nearly worthless, but suffice to say that Critter and company once again crushed their show. The Atlanta boys are welcome in Florida “any time.”
Flat Land had a superb set as well as the afternoon began to fade. They featured a number of tunes from their summer release Arrow to the Sun, including “Poco A Poco” and “Rufio’s Last Stand.” Fae Nae’s voice resounded throughout the property, and her violin and Chris Storey’s guitar crushed from beginning of set to end. There was a great version of “Say You Cared > Black Rain” and a smashing “Relax Retry.”
Isaac Corbitt and brother Newsome (guitar) had gone on separate paths for the past year, but this was the Corbitt Brothers Jam, and jam they did, with one heck of a band: Jimmy Jams and Richie Jones (percussion), Morris on drums, Juanjamon on bass (!), Critter and Joe Marcinek slinging guitars, all joining the brothers for a great romp. They did a little of everything; “Fire On the Mountain” stood out.
The Applebutter Express is a Hometeam favorite, and they did not disappoint. We heard songs from recent release Suitcase and ones from their two previous albums. Kyle and Shannon Biss were in great voice, Kyle manic on ukelele. As usual, Joe Trivette (fiddle) and Zach Rogers (bass) were amazing. “Hey My Brotha,” “Smile” and “Hot Pussy” ramped up the fun level for sure.
Toronto’s After Funk made the most of this trip with two sets at Hometeam and a number of other shows in Florida as well. This first set was all Hendrix. There are two ways you can approach a cover set: either try to copy closely or interpret. They wisely chose to interpret, and it paid great dividends, as tunes got funky, jazzy and soulful, and of course they rocked out as well. They opened with a great take on “Who Knows” and let it grow from there, including “Little Wing” and “Bold as Love.” “Crosstown Traffic” turned into a jazz tune, followed by a great “Spanish Castle Magic” and a brilliant “All Along the Watchtower,” alternately funky and jazzy. After “Red House,” “Foxy Lady” swerved into Edgar Winter’s “Frankenstein,” and they encored with “Fire.” Hell, yes.
Zach Deputy was up next, and the one-man band kept the crowd dancing to his islands rhythms and more. He got into a nice trance-y mode, his voice perfect for that.
The Mantras have made a number of visits to Florida from Greensboro this past year, and once again they simply crushed their set. The prog rock just flowed out from the stage. And somebody finally came up with a great description of Keith Allen’s guitar: it has a Cinnabon on it!
It was time for Roosevelt Collier’s Hometeam Getdown. And we were ready! Matt Lapham was there on bass and Anthony AC Cole on tenor sax, so it was all good; they work so well together. Christian Ryan was there with Cole on alto. The set started hot and just burned hotter. Zach Deputy stepped up for a great vocal. As usual, it was a funk fest with plenty of blues and rock. Some female vocalist came up to sing MJ’s “The Way you Make Me Feel.”
Juanjamon, Skyler Golden, Savi Fernandez and Clay Watson (trombone) were also involved. Look, it was after 1 AM. Finally, as PK encouraged the crowd, Roosevelt said we had to have Cole on drums for the encore. Cole then played as he sang “Good to Your Earhole.” It doesn’t get much better than Roosevelt, Lapham and Cole. That’s the way you shut it down.
Oak Hay and Harmonica Man & the Sawgrass Band were sharing the late-night acoustic set. Oak Hay was up first, and I heard at least part of that set with Fil Pate less funky and more in the proper bluegrass mode for this set. But then Morpheus took over.
SATURDAY, NEW YEAR’S EVE
Those few who rallied at 10:30 AM were treated to one of the best sets of the entire fest from the quartet Joose. They had played at Great Outdoors Jam, but I missed that one. I finally saw them on the triple bill with Holey Miss Moley doing P-Funk and Christian Ryan’s Garage: A Tribute to Frank Zappa. At that show, Joose played Thrust, the second album by Herbie Hancock and the headhunters, and it was stunning.
This early morning show was even better. Joose are Christian Ryan, saxes and flute; Mark Mayea, keyboards; Taylor Gilchrist, bass; and Yral ‘datdudeondrums’ Morris. Best playing I have heard from both Mayea and Gilchrist (and I’ve heard a lot), and most intricate jazzy work from Morris. And Ryan was in superb form as well.
Flute and synths helped introduce a Herbie tune, followed by “Flu the Coop” (Lettuce). Next up was an original that was very Chick Corea-like. Ryan started on flute, then switched to alto. Mayea was all over the clavinet, and he followed Ryan’s alto solo with a fine electric piano solo of his own. It was gorgeous. The next tune featured Hammond B3 (Mayea’s synths mimicked the clavinet and B3 perfectly) and tenor sax.
Gilchrist and Morris were so deep in the pocket that you just had to submit; I certainly did. Then Frank Wosar of Brown Bag Brass Band (next band up) brought his trombone to the mix, and they blew out a really hot tune. Ryan settled things back with a ballad that was “a spin on a tune by Kenny Garrett.”
If all that were not enough, then Joe Marcinek, an artist at large, joined the quartet. Ryan had played with him before, so I knew this was going to be, as we like to say, THE SHIT. Marcinek’s new album Slink is a funk jazz delight. With that, they played “Hyperbole,” an earlier tune of Marcinek’s, before nailing “George Washington,” which I shall declare to be his signature tune. Simply brilliant.
From the parking lot, we could hear the sounds of music. It was Brown Bag Brass Band doing what brass bands do best, marching in to the stage. Their delightful set was all over the map, from usual brass band fare to “Them Changes” and the NOLA standard “Little Liza Jane.” Ryan, Watson and Jeff Richey were members of the band. They closed with a tune very much like “Iko Iko.”
Ryan then sprinted to the other stage for his third straight set, this time with Ism, Ian McLeod’s excellent jazz ensemble, which he fronts with vibraphone. The sound check was hot, the set hotter. They featured songs from the band’s debut album Unity, notably “Spider Fight” with its Snarky Puppy vibe. That was followed by an Afrobeat tune and then Soulive’s “Steppin’.” The great set also hit Latino themes and ballads.
Redfeather was up next, and they immediately launched into a King Crimson tune, “Thela Hun Ginjeet.” Well, that’s what my brain heard, anyway. It was a rocking, trippy set with great vocals. Mark Etherington is a great front man.
Wilmington NC sent funk ambassadors Groove Fetish to throw down. They had delivered a tremendous set at Great Outdoors Jam; this one was even better. They hit funk, prog rock, and more. It was deep. Keep sending us your best, North Carolina. They’re always welcome here.
The Savi Fernandez Band had a great set at Suwannee Hulaween, and this one was a match. Tommy Shugart was on keyboards. The set was filled with lots of songs from his most recent album From My Heart, starting with “Opportunity.” Isaac Corbitt joined in on my favorite tune, “Blessed.” Savi’s playing was electric from first song to last, so engaging. “Shake That” led to a titanic set end.
Ajeva was back for their Santana cover set. In this instance, they stayed close to the originals, since Skyler Golden does a fine job channelling Carlos’ guitar playing. They offered a fine cross-section of Santana’s work, not just “the hits.” “Nobody to Depend On” was particularly good early on, as was “Jingo.” Reed Skahill introduced an African song that was about father-to-son advice, followed by an excellent “Incident at Neshabur,” which included a Row Jomah “Cat People” vamp! Bravo, boys!
After Funk then threw down a fine set of originals and a couple of covers. My notes are indecipherable, but Yanick Allwood was really engaging on vocals and keyboards, a dynamic frontman. Guitarist Phil Tessis again played a great set (he did really well with the Hendrix set, too).
Anticipation was growing as we approached the magic midnight hour, and the Juanjamon Band absolutely blew it up. They had added Bam Forza on vocals and trumpet player Cesar Lopez to their regular quintet for this show. This band always digs down to the deepest funk, but somehow they found a new level. Guitarist Dre Mack tore into “Funkify Your Life” right out of the gate. “Knockin’ Boots” morphed into a great new funk tune with heavy Zappa and P-Funk overtones (and that’s the highest praise I can offer).
By the time they got to “No Whiskey, No Wine” (which might not be the title), the stage now held Corbitt, Este Loves and Marcinek. Trevor McDannel (bass) and Michael Garrie (drums) were over-the-top awesome all set long. Then they got to my favorite Marcinek tune, “George Washington” (twice in one day!), and they just killed it. Juanjamon took a long tenor solo, then Marcinek, McDannel, Matt Giancola on keyboards, and the trumpet player. And they closed with “Hey Chester > Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples.” Damn, that was fine.
Other than the night’s headliners, no set at Hometeam was more anticipated than Christian Ryan’s Year in Revue, a tribute to some of the amazing artists lost to us during 2016. The core band featured Ryan, Jordan Garno (guitar), Giancola, McDannel, Mayea, Morris, Jimmy Jams and Tony Morales (percussion), along with a host of vocalists. (Almost) everyone was dressed in white.
It’s for certain I won’t have all the details, but let’s try. They began with three Prince tunes: “It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night,” “Partyup” and “Saturday Night,” (with Reed Skahill, a lady, and Danny Clemmons). Those were followed by three from Phife Dog’s A Tribe Called Quest: “Check the Rhime,” “1nce Again” and “Buggin’ Out” (with Jon Ditty Didier, MC Reason, Optimus Rhyme, Tanisha Wade, and Travis Young).
Joe Roma did justice to “Young Americans,” and Jamar Woods (The Fritz) provided a great “Fame” for the Bowie portion of the program. After the vocal part, Woods went back and made it a keyboard trio with Giancola and Mayea. Bernie Worrell was remembered with “Don’t Piss Me Off” and “Thugs” (Mayea sang that!).
The tribute to Earth, Wind and Fire’s Maurice White was really touching, “Serpentine Fire,” then “Sing a Song,” and finally a magnificent “Can’t Hide Love” (the ladies were awesome!). Then Tony Tyler appeared on stage and did an incredible job tackling Greg Lake’s vocals on “Karn Evil 9” (Emerson, Lake and Palmer). Dennis Stadelman (with a pink wig) sang “Space Oddity.” Encore? Damn straight: “Controversy!”
It was some time after 11 PM, and we were ready for midnight and really ready for The Nth Power, New Orleans’ amazing funky soul band. They list their genre as ‘love,’ which is entirely accurate. Their new album To Be Free is a joyous live effort, a good snapshot of what the quartet does on stage. And many at the rally had not seen them before, so this was going to be special all the way around. We had just seen them do two nights at A Feast of Funk and Soul Food, which was really special (plus backing up Jennifer Hartswick).
After PK’s introduction, there was a beautiful intro leading into “Freedom,” the first track on To Be Free. You could feel the power building, from Courtney Smith’s keyboards and Nikki Glaspie’s drums to the guitar and bass of Nicky Cassarino and Nate Edgar. Cassarino is a wonderful frontman, lilting vocals with a partial falsetto, backed by Smith and Glaspie in gorgeous harmonies.
Those who had never seen Glaspie before got the full measure of her abilities on “Thirsty,” just incredible. As they began the band’s best-known song, “Only Love,” Cassarino called Woods to the stage to join Smith on keyboards. After the New Year’s countdown, we heard more from the new album: “Truth” and “More & More.”
The album is all about hope, with one exception. If The Nth Power plays a song with more power and emotion than “Take My Soul,” I haven’t heard it yet. This version was astounding. Cassarino showed himself as a vocalist of incredible depth, and his guitar playing is superb. Edgar is a monster on bass, and Smith’s keyboards, especially synths, colored everything the band did. They were the perfect choice to celebrate the New Year with us.
When Cassarino said, “Love yourself and other people around you. That’s all we’ve got to do. The Nth Power loves you,” you knew he meant every word.
Somehow, there was more music from two amazing bands and then the acoustic jam.
The Fritz, Asheville’s greatest funk export, played Hometeam last year and Great Outdoors. They continued to build on the crowd energy after The Nth Power’s set with an amazing one of their own. Jamie Hendrickson and Jake O’Connor were again blowing it up on guitar and bass. “Things Are Getting Better.” I agree! Encore? “War Pigs,” naturally!
Hometeam favorites Come Back Alice had three tough acts to follow, so of course they rocked it! Marcinek was on stage with them, but the real treat was seeing Tony Tyler’s dad Stan on stage. We got to see him for the first time at the wedding celebration this summer (Tony and Dani Jaye), and it was great to hear him again. Many of the songs the Tony Tyler Band performs are Stan’s, and he is clearly the major influence in Tony’s playing.
The wickedness of “Ugly Rumors” popped up early in the set, and there was a great exchange between Marcinek on guitar and Tony on B3 during “Live It Up.” Next up was a great tune with Stan titled “Just for One More Moment.” It was pure swamp magic, with Dani Jaye on guitar and violin. A great tune (Stan’s?) was “Tijuana Trance” (well, close) — very Allmans-like, a dynamite jam.
That acoustic set with The Applebutter Express and the Corbitt Brothers Jam that went ’til dawn? Yeah, no. My brain switched off.
SUNDAY, HAPPY NEW YEAR!
The early-morning delight again was Joose playing under the parachute in the morning sun. After a short ballad called “Strength,” the quartet lit into “Butterfly,” one of the tunes the band had performed in their Thrust tribute. The last time, they had played the tune fairly straight up. This time, they made it their own. Each band member was a star. Ryan had a great long alto solo first, followed by Mayea with a magical solo of his own. Gilchrist’s solo was excellent, but his playing underneath the tune was even more impressive — again, best two performances I have heard from him. And Morris also had the magic touch on drums. Somebody better have recorded these sets!
They followed with another Thrust tune, “Spank-A-Lee,” a snappy tune with a flute intro before Ryan switched to tenor. And the set peaked again as Mayea introduced “Spain” with Ryan on flute. Gilchrist had a remarkable solo, and then Mayea as well on electric piano. Morris’ playing on the rims was brilliant. They closed out the set with two great funky songs: “’80s Cop Show” (Tony Roberts) and “Black Superhero Song” (Erimaj).
There was more Asheville funk on tap in the form of Dr. Bacon, purveyors of insanity. These guys are so much fun, and they keep you dancing throughout the madness. Lap steel guitar, two guitars, bass, drums, harp and baritone sax! Their kickass country-ish roots are truly funked up. If you’ve heard some of the madness of Johnny Sketch and the Dirty Notes, you’ve got a pretty good idea. Afternoon delight of a different sort!
Heather Gillis was next up. She was able to work this show into her schedule with Butch Trucks and the Freight Train Band, which had played NYE in Clearwater and had this day off. Two members of her band were with her: Gerald Watkins on drums and Nyan Feder on tenor saxophone. And she was working again with two members of The Groove Orient who had joined her last minute for shows earlier in the year: Tommy Shugart on Hammond B3 and Harry Ong on bass. And Isaac Corbitt was there, too; he and Gillis have performed together often.
She wasted no time, slamming into “Goin’ Down” and “I’m a Ram.” If you weren’t expecting to hear the later tune from a female, then you haven’t heard Gillis own it. Christian Ryan joined for “Uptight,” and Ong and Watkins had nice solos. She invited Freight Train Bandmate Chris Vitarello up to play guitar on an original. then she was stage-rushed, as Tony Tyler, Dani Jaye and Kenny Harvey played the Hendrix tune “Fire.” The eclectic set ended with a nice “Mountain Jam.”
Three dozen sets down, four great ones to go!
Leisure Chief, yet another band with Christian Ryan, was next. They featured songs from last year’s release King of Nothing and new tunes in their repertoire. “Saturday” was first with great vocal harmonies. Jordan Garno has truly meshed with the band as the newest addition on guitar. Derek Engstrom’s vocals are so on point for the band’s soulful jazzy music. “Curves” got a great treatment, and “MSTRBLSTR” remains one of their best and nastiest jams. After a hip hop tune featuring MC Nook, their set ended on the “Weekend.”
We had seen Dennis Stadelman’s Sonic Stew two weeks ago, but this was the performance I was looking for. They jumped into “Little Wing” immediately, and the energy level stayed high throughout the set. “Don’t Let Me Down” alternated between Stadelman’s vocals and Nook’s raps. Skyler Golden helped electrify “Strange Brew,” and then there was an excellent country rocker with Stadelman on banjo and Critter on guitar.
The Groove Orient had the penultimate set (or so I thought!) on the side stage. It went to funk immediately with “Shark Attack,” followed by Harry Ong singing “Bora Bora.” Next up was the band’s “Ghost Train,” Chuck Magid on vocals and shredding on guitar. Tommy Shugart was alternating between Hammond B3 and guitar. They knocked out a great version of Soulive’s “Cannonball,” and they closed with their powerful original “Hot Bandit Woman.” They were smokin’.
That left it to Uncle John’s Band to conclude the weekend. This band has played more than 1000 sets of the music of The Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia, including afternoon sets last year before the Chicago Fare Thee Well shows. They were primed and ready.
“Not Fade Away” got the party started, and we rolled from there. “Jackstraw,” “How Sweet It Is” and a great “Jack-a-Row” were early highlights. Juanjamon and Gillis joined the band for an uplifting “Turn On Your Lovelight.” There was a great “Althea” somewhere in the middle, and UJB shut down Hometeam New Year’s Rally with “China Cat Sunflower > I Know You Rider.”
Until PK started it back up two hours later.
Many thanks again to Cody, Jenelle, Jillian and all of the hard-working crew who took tickets, parked cars, picked up trash and did the other thousand jobs we festies rarely notice (unless those jobs don’t get done).
Thanks to Russ Bowers, Andy Lytle and all of their Receptor Sound and Lighting crew — just awesome. Thanks to Because of the Lotus for the wonderful laser shows and more. Thanks to Richie Williams / The Sober Goat / Shows I Go To for all the great videos. Thanks to Rising Light / The Illumi-Nation Project for all of their workshops. Thanks to those who provided wonderful children’s activities. Thanks to the many vendors for food and many other items.
Thanks to all of those attending Hometeam for the first time to feel the magic of our family.
NO THANKS to photographers and GoPro-ers who think they’re part of the action. Seriously. Get your ass off the stage and out of the way of the crowd.
And great thanks to my MusicFestNews compatriots Mandi Nulph, Matt Hillman and David Lee for their amazing photographs. You rock!
