Getting there proved to be a little difficult as the traffic got intense getting off the highway and we ended up waiting in one of several lines spread across some grassy areas that probably later turned into camping areas for those arriving late. We finally got in after about an hour (which was surprising, considering the size of ours and surrounding lines) and proceeded to stake out our campsite. Settling in Camp Muskie was nice, a little further than our site last year, but ended up being a great location. Proximity to the frequently cleaned port-a-potties and with some nice neighbors who made breakfast burritos each morning.
Thursday meant Toubab Krewe, Lotus, 2020 Soundsystem, and Break Science, for me at least. Toubab was awesome, as it always is. I'm such a sucker for those African drum influences. Lotus blew me away with an amazing Spiritualize, one of my favorite songs by them, although I do wish they had been performing at the Tripolee Domes instead of the Ranch area. And I guess it's worth mentioning now that the Domes disappointed me with their lack of actual domes. I blame that guy who was climbing on them last year during Lotus/EOTO. Anyways, Break Science was awesome, and had great danceability as he mixed a little dub with some womp womp. Thursday night was also a pretty fantastic reunion seeing as how we'd all made it back to the best place on Earth and you could just feel the energy and excitement pulsating all night long.
Friday the weather was awesome, giving us a little sprinkle of rain with some beautiful sunshine. We spent pretty much all morning preparing for Cheese with all the outfits and glitter we'd brought. but when someone received word that a secret Lotus show was going on in the forest, we booked it there. Since the festival area is a pretty decent walk, we somehow fandangled a free ride on a passing golf cart and were able to wave comfortably at our friends as we passed them by at a rowdy 11 mph. The Lotus show turned out to be awesome. Not only did they play some sweet Lotus tunes in the daylight, but also had Felix from Future Rock and the saxophonist from Big Gigantic on stage as well. All these great musicians were nestled in the trees at a burlesque themed stage. Femi Kuti & The Positive Force was just beginning in the background, so we wandered over there and I got another dose of African influenced drums and some awesome dancers. As the day progressed, we decided to battle our way to the front for String Cheese and did just that. However, there were so many other festivalians that had this same idea that we had to stake out our spot during Damian Marley and Nas's set scheduled right before Cheese. Nas is a little too angry for me and D.Marley's dreads have got to be a real commitment because they reach almost to his knees. I can't even imagine how heavy that must be on his neck.
Anywho, Cheese began their set and I immediately knew why there were over 30,000 people at this festival. The beautiful music, array of balls flopping around above my head combined with the cirque du soleil and hoop dancers left me in awe. Despite loosing my friends after first set and there being tens of thousands of people at the Odeum, I still managed to see the bouncing butterfly held by my girls in the distance. Holding a random object in the air really is the best way to leave no hippie behind.
So after second set, complete with a Desert Dawn, Little Hands, and Way Back Home, my face really did feel melted off... until I heard Chromeo rockin' in the distance. As soon as I heard the first CHROM-E-O, I ran. I ran and danced and danced and ran all the way to Sherwood Court where the two French-Canadians threw it down. I've been a huge Chromeo fan since I first saw them as last years Lollapalooza day show. Thrilled that they were slotted a night show, I opened up the reserves and found some energy not used during the Cheese show and danced my heart out. I must have been dancing like a madwoman because a security guard offered me a playing card with a GT scribbled on the back and invited me to wade through a crowd of several hundred people, wait in line and get on stage for Girl Talks performance that followed Chromeo. While Girl Talk is one of my favorite performers, I weighed the pros and cons of standing in a crowd of strangers to dance on stage and decided it was in my better interest to leave after Chromeo and head to STS9. However, Cheese and Chromeo had plastered a dumb grin on my face and I fell asleep smiling before I could even think about being sucked into Tribe.
Weirdly enough, I woke up at a decent hour Saturday, ready to eat a few breakfast burritos, celebrate our great nation's birthday and get down with The Dead. We started the day with some Railroad Earth and special guest Billy Nershi, who I didn't even notice was on stage (we were sitting behind the sound booth) until someone told me later. At any rate, it was an awesome show. Not as awesome, however, as the 2 Dead sets later that evening. It was a fairy tale evening as the sun set during first set and my friends and I twirled around drinking bagged wine. It almost seemed like we were requesting songs, every time someone around me would say "Man I hope I hear..." it would magically be the next song. Eyes of The World, Shakedown, Another Saturday Night and many more were among those psychically suggested. Although a fireworks show during U.S. Blues was expected and so cliche, I can't say I didn't love it. My mouth was probably open during the whole fireworks show and I might have even eaten a bug or two during that time. I had originally planned to leave The Dead in time to see Pretty Lights, but there was no way I was leaving until The Dead left. So, I missed Pretty Lights and only made it to the STS9 PA set, which ended up not being a PA set at all, to my pleasant surprise.
Sunday really was filled with sun, as I was forced to reapply my sunscreen hourly. While walking to Yonder Mountain String Band, we caught a few moments of Guster. YMSB was awesome, despite the lack of shade and sweltering sun but, we left before Willie graced the stage. Ani DiFranco played some great tunes to a mostly female audience (shocker). When she played a double encore, pretty much everyone was bouncing up and down and spinning around smiling. At Bob Dylan's set there were a increasing amount of naked people, just being free. Nice and breezy for them and obviously a free show for some, judging by the crowd of sleazy looking men holding cameras and camera phones trying to exploit such a carefree group of hippies. Later we headed to Alex B of Pnuma Trio's solo set, followed by Big Gigantic, joined by Murph from STS9. As I fell asleep Sunday night I wanted to click my heels and just stay at Rothbury forever and felt like a little kid that just opened her last present on Christmas day.
Rothbury campgrounds, from above
(Thanks, Jambase.com and Dave Vann for the photo)
Sigh. Post festival depression has never hit me this hard and seriously all I can do (after the 100-hour nap I promise you I NEEDED) is Google Rothbury photo albums and articles in hopes of seeing my smiling face somewhere in the background and reliving those awesome four days. One year til Rothbury 2010!!!
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