Rabbit’s Choice – Festival Reviews
READER SUBMITTED ARTICLE
by Brook Jones
Rabbit’s Choice will be your guide to worthy festivals to attend.
Using a 5 star rating method, I will rate festivals, * * * * * five stars being the best.
Stars represent 1) cost 2) location / festival experience 3) lineup 4) music / sound quality 5) perks.
Over my many years of festival attendance, I have learned that Bigger IS NOT always Better. National acts we love to see at big festivals cost much more than smaller regional festivals, which have many of our favorite bands and regional acts. Over years of experience I now attend one to three Big festivals ( always decided upon by cost, lineup, and location ) each year, and six to ten smaller festivals.
Living in and around Appalachia there is always a festival to attend, great concerts, and a loving thriving music scene for ALL genres. I consider myself lucky to be a part of such a talented and cool musical region, and love the frequency of great festivals in and around Appalachia. Having numerous tangible locations and venues to visit and adore. Different regions offer unique bands of every flavor. Way back when, I always attended Hookahville ( in Ohio ), due to my love for Ekoostik Hookah, and bluegrass music. As the economy worsened, and money became scarce, I attended regional festivals in WV, NC, and VA more often. In a world of music lovers I’m here to help you have a great experience for your money, and steer you in the right direction when ready to spend it.
One of my favorite large festivals to attend was All Good in WV. I went five years in a row, starting in 2005, until 2009, when six- ups were everywhere inside, and the scene turned bad. That was the last year I went, and the following year was when tragedy struck, and some young ladies were killed. Though with * * * three stars, I attended each year solely for the lineup, location, and experience ( which was always soulfully monumental ).
How a festval is run is crucial to your experience, good or bad. The absolute worst experience I ever had was the only time I ever went to the Langerado Music Festival, in FL. in 2008. I traveled with two friends from SC exclusively for the lineup. It was held on a massive piece of land owned by the Seminole Tribe, completely infested with fire ants. Coming in the gate, there were no festival brochures with maps, and we were told to get them later at the lost and found. Parked by employees, our volunteer could not even tell us which campground we were being put in ( it ended up being the furthest away from the venue entrance, about a mile away ). It down poured, with tornadoes on the horizon while we set up camp. So I did not leave to hear the music that March Thursday until after dark.
The music was amazing that night, especially Perpetual Groove, who melded my mind at the rail. 
My friends left that night before me, leaving me to find my way back by myself. I had been by the lost and found twice to get a map, they were already out. From 2 am till 5 am I literally walked in huge circles, unable to find my camp. By 5 am I was so exhausted I was ready to lie down with the fire ants, ( which one guy did, unable to find his camp also, and was rushed by ambulance to the hospital at sunrise ). I was camped by the only ice sales tent, and finally got directions from a Native, to arrive at my camp at 6 am, after four hours of walking around lost. Water was not easy to find, and I almost died of dehydration. Langerado * one star, for the incredible music; P Groove, REM, Citizen Cope, Les Claypool, Beastie Boys, Matt Pond PA, The Wood Brothers, Keller Williams, Grace Potter & many, many more.
The absolute BEST festival I ever attended was 10,000 Lakes Festival in Minnesota, 
in 2007. * * * * * 10,000 Lakes 5 stars; not only was it relatively affordable, the lineup was insane, and the experience unbelieveable. We got one of the last wooded campsites beside the venue, and no camp ground was too far. The people were nice and informative. Huge perks were two shower houses at each end of the venue, with free hot showers 24 hours a day. Inside the stages were not too spread out, and was easily managable. The weather was gorgeous, and the music and sound quality were incredible.
Inside the venue the biggest perk was real bathrooms, with real toilets and sinks. There was soap, paper towels, and toilet paper that never ran out. For women, that is camping paradise! Kalidescope clouds entranced me, and i was surrounded by joy and fantastically enthusiastic festival goers. I saw everyone from Widespread Panic, The Black Crowes, String Cheese, and STS9. A thirty minute professional fireworks display Saturday night made my 10,000 Lakes Festival my greatest ever.
In 2012 there was a tie for me for my best festival of the year. Although i went to The Hangout Festival in Alabama, and heard so many fantastic bands including Paul Simon ( who stole the show ); it was far away, much more expensive including accomodations, and I didn’t like seeing all the kids being busted at the gates. So my two highlights of 2012 were both closer, and smaller; entertaining 1,200 people. MANTRABASH @ the High Country Motorcycle Camp in Ferguson, NC, and THE BIG WHAT @ Possum Holler in Prospect Hill, NC. Both with * * * * four stars. Both had outrageous lineups from outside NC such as Dopapod, Consider The Source, Arpetrio, The Werks, and Octopus; as well as all of my favorite hometown heroes like The Mantras, Big Daddy Love, Yo Mamas Big Fat Booty Band, Big Something, Tiny Boxes, The Family, Cindercat, and Chasing Edison, to name only a few.
Both three day festivals were extremely affordable at $60, and both venues are stunning. Possum Holler is truly a magical place, with magnificent wooded camping and a permanent stage, shared with great folks. High Country Motorcycle Camp is nestled in a small glen, surrounded by breath taking mountains with a river running through it. It also has shower houses for a minimal fee, and MantraBash being dog friendly is also a serious perk. With intense scenery to match marvelous music, I look foreward to attending The Big What ( July 4th – 7th 2013 ), and MantraBash ( labor day weekend 2013 ) again this year.
Phenominal music and moonshine love await music lovers in and around Appalachia this year.
E-mail me dates, cost, and locations of the smaller festivals IN YOUR REGION this year, to share the love of Your Regions music and bands in RABBIT’S LITTLE UNIVERSE. A monthly guide to regional festivals in YOUR REGION. Fun doesn’t have to be far.
– Rabbit: 1angeljammer@gmail.com
