Driving onto Marvin's Mountaintop for the first time, I was overwhelmed at the beauty of the place; now I'd heard plenty of tale about this legendary site, but couldn't have prepared myself for the natural wonder that awaited me and thousands of other music lovers and good-doers this eleventh annual holiday of jam, the much anticipated All Good Music Festival & Campout. The signage was concise and pointed us straight towards the fantastic destination; volunteers greeted us with goodness and we were ushered into the amazing moveable city... festies swarmed in contentment, in their most elemental element all year... dormant spirits returned to life, thirsty cats drank the sweet milk of their home-place.Glancing out into these rolling hills covered with lush green trees and seeing a pop up city peeking from the clearing is quite the sight. Thousands of like minded souls magnetized to this mountain's call make their collective home in the wooded acreage of the Appalachian Mountains for one unforgettable weekend per year. I was pleased to have made the voyage, and felt welcomed by the ever expanding All Good Festival Family.
Walking backstage towards the press tent I caught a unique glimpse of the festival site; how cleverly set this venue is; two main-stages sit side to side, rotating for a seamless fusion of shows; one finale is another solid downbeat, keeping your senses peaked and primed show to show, preserving the dreamstate perfectly in tact. The stretch of field that provides the audience's home is sloped for maximum visibility for the masses and the Hollywood Hills style "Welcome to All Good" lettering sitting monumentally atop the hill marks the spot. Inside the press tent waiting for my partner's photo clearance I caught up with another good spirit new to the mountaintop. She was from NYC and was highly inspired at the sight of thousands of music lovers flocked to the top of a mountain. Very cool, she said, very cool. She had just come from an encounter with Michael Franti that had left her breathless; he had called her sunshine and she was glowing... For me, the ultimate destination was the Ropeadope stage for Franti's personal set that Saturday evening, and I felt her bliss; he has a profound capacity to affect people, and that is why he gives me hope in the world. I love how he kicks the soccer ball with the festies and checks out all the shows he can, a-mixin' and a-minglin'. Yeeeep. Franti for President!
It felt incredible to be in the middle of that field I'd seen in so many pictures. I heard from a veteran AllGooder that the letters of the hilltop sign switched through the weekend last year from "Welcome to All Good" to "Goodbye Ya'll." Those touches are what make memories dance in your dreams and the experience feel like home for the goodies. The castle like gate into the main grounds can seem wondrous at times, leading you into the bustling bazaar of vendors, lined with all your favorite festival goods...
The lineup was as stacked up as ever; each show was stellar; not one disappointed. Thursday kicked off with American Dumpster, Ozric Tentacles and Dark Star Orchestra; I'm told the attendance was already proving to be the highest ever. Highlights of Friday's buffet of fine music included Keller & the Keels, Bob Weir & Ratdog and the Benevento Russo Duo. Saturday went strong all day long beginning with SOJA building to Pepetual Groove and Grace Potter & the Nocturnals and peaking with Michael Franti & Spearhead straight into Tea Leaf Green, topped off with moe. and the late night All Good All-Star Jam that included nearly everyone that had performed that day. Sunday woke us up with the Lee Boys, through to Sam Bush... then came the rain.... for Soulive and Leftover Salmon... The rain pounded, but it held out impressively all weekend until that point.The lineup of the 11th annual All Good was unmatched, and the vibes were as "All Good" as ever. I highly recommend the trek up to Marvin's Mountaintop's for the 2008 edition.
