What’s up festi-family? I am writing to you all from the best coast, I mean the west coast (dang it, I always do that), from the beautiful city of Seattle, and it israining. This is a good thing though because it will wash the dirt off my feet left over from the incredible pick’n party I just went to in the woods known as the Northwest String Summit. The String Summit or Strummit as many call it is a four day bluegrass festival hosted by the Yonder Mountain String Band in a beautiful wilderness area about 26 miles west of Portland Oregon called Horning’s Hideout. And beautiful is the understatement of the year.
When people describe Horning’s Hideout, they often use words such as “enchanted”, or “magical”, and it is easy to why as a beautiful snow-capped Mt Hood welcomes you from a distance as you approach the festival grounds and see less and less houses and more and more trees. Friendly folks with big smiles and “welcome home” signs line the steep road that drops down into a beautiful cell phone service-less valley that seems to possess every shade of green known to man. It is necessary to drive very slow through the forest to the parking areas so that you do not only disturb friends who have already set up camp in the shady woods, but also the wild peacocks that inhabit the area. Yep, I said it, wild peacocks. There are many beautifully colored, slow moving birds roaming around the area, not everywhere you look, but they are definitely around. All this and music too.. I know right?
There were three stages at this Horning’s Hideout hoe down. The main stage is a natural bowl that backs up to a lake with a dirt pit that is perfect for stomping around barefoot, and there is plenty of space to lay a blanket down and watch a show from the hill. There is another stage nestled in the woods which is perfect for smaller shows, yoga, speakers and late night jams. The third stage was on top of the Further bus (Ken Kesey’s magic bus- Google it if you don’t know what it is) that was parked just outside the main stage bowl, and had bands playing during the main stage changeovers. Basically, there was music coming from everywhere, and I mean everywhere. The campgrounds were filled with bands playing music until the sun came up. Some were bands made of campground neighbors and wanderers, and some were actual bands there to compete in a band competition, for a spot on the main stage at next year’s String Summit. I happened to have been lucky enough to camp a few tents down from this year’s winners, The Little Smokeys, who are an amazing band and some of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, watch out for these guys.
What else makes this festival so great? The kids. String Summit is kid friendly, borderline kid oriented, and there are colorful, bare-footed happy children running and playing everywhere. There are kids playing on the big toys, kids taking paddle boats out on the lake (with a parent or two of course), kids getting their faces painted. There is an arts and crafts area where kids can make art, costumes, and anything else they can think of. And on Saturday there is a kid parade through the main stage area where they get to show off all of their creations. Some may think it is best to leave the kids at home when going to a music festival, but I say bring em’, the more kids the better. I think having children around makes people act more responsibly and adds a playful, innocent vibe to the scene (and its non-stop entertainment I tell you).
For the past few years Greensky Bluegrass has had the honor of kicking off the String Summit and headlining on the main stage Thursday night. I think it is a good idea to have a different band headline for a night because it gives the fans a little variety and sets the tone for the festival hosts. They played 2 incredible sets like they do, and ruined everyone’s plans of taking it easy the first night.
Friday was a jam-packed day of tunes with the Band Competition starting things off, then Keller Williams along with his friends Jenny and Larry Keel, played an amazing set warming up the main stage. It is a pleasure to see Keller play any style of music, but when he plays bluegrass look out! That man was meant to play fast picking tunes. The Yonder Mountain String Band then came on for their first show of the weekend and, in typical fashion, blew everyone’s ears out (in a good way) with a stringed assault that left everyone wondering how the band could ever top that performance. Yonder always does though and did so for the next two nights.
Saturday was the day of the festival if you ask me. Iron Horse started off the day playing bluegrass versions of our favorite songs like Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”, and Tom Petty’s “I won’t back down”, and “Last dance with mary jane”. Then the Kid parade happened followed by a sweet afternoon set by The David Grisman Bluegrass Experience. David Grisman has been playing mandolin longer than most of us have been alive so needless to say they know how to do it. His grandson Sam Grisman had a busy weekend as he played stand-up bass in his grandfather’s bluegrass experience, but also his own band The Deadly Gentlemen, who killed it playing their own set and a set with legendary Scott Law. Oh yeah he was there too, playing on all stages on all days and treating fans with his picking and singing. Leftover Salmon then came on and tore – it – up. They even got the moms with babies to stand up and dance, swaying with baby side to side with an occasional bounce. Yonder came on after and played 4 hours of mind-blowingly fast bluegrass music with help from members of Leftover Salmon, Danny Barnes (amazing banjo player) and Darrel Anger (incredible fiddle player). Then it was time for the funk. Funk? At a bluegrass Festival? On paper it seems strange but The Pimps of Joytime held a late night funky dance party that couldn’t have been more appropriate. I see the need for patchwork bellbottoms in the future and I hope another one of their shows is in my future because they were groovy. We all danced until Fruition closed out the night with some sweet picking and sweeter harmonies on the little stage in the woods.
Sunday came too fast, as it always does, but it came filled with great music. D3K2 is an all-star collaboration consisting of Danny Barnes, Darrel Anger, Larry Keel, Jenny Keel, and Drew Emmitt. They ripped it up all day long playing jammy versions of traditional bluegrass tunes and some Danny and Drew originals. Yonder played a long set until the sun went down and had members of D3K2 join them throughout the show. What a night! What a weekend! What a festival!
Alright all you festi-goers out there, that is how it went down at Northwest String Summit 2013. Make sure you put this festival on your list for next year, and I will see you down the road as we continue to chase that boogie. Peace and joy to all.