Written by: Abigail Amor

Photographer: Grayson Hall

We can talk magic, we can talk strange, we can talk about how this weekend went straight to the brain. Did you see unknown floating entities above these grounds? Well, I’m blaming them for how fast it went by. It may have been an alien abduction, or  I stepped into a black hole, but time and space seemed to have bent, because this was the fastest festival in my life! It is hard to separate the moments of Friday to Saturday. I can still feel the light shining in my soul, a smile is beaming from my face, but my heart is aching as I said goodbye to Groovin’ with the Grove 3. It may be over but I’m already daydreaming of Groovin’ 4. This is the type of magic that is almost overwhelming; how do I mingle with all these new groovers while spending my time with all the returning  favorites? It left me feeling as if the two days passed in a blur of hugs and laughter, smiles and dances, and telling 1,000 people that I love them.

This is by far the best festival I have been to all season.  Together we created a space that was made for us by the wonderful Fletcher’s Grove family. It is amazing to watch the years of experiences come together and hit like the big bang. That is Groovin’ with the Grove 3, a place where universes collide.

From the first note played by BERTH, my feet were moving and the energy was set. You could feel love in the air – there was a wedding moments before the festival started; this set a precedent for the types of emotions that filled the valley. LOVE – is the theme of this year’s festival. Love of music, love of people and love for the experiences that have taken decades to come to fruition. This festival is the epitome of why we do this and how it takes a village to create such amazing moments.

The music was phenomenal, from the opening bands to a surprisingly awesome late night set, when Electric Orange Peel did their own jam but for a moment it was also mashing up with DJ Hoover spinning his breaks on the side. It was so good, it even spun some members of the crowd of into their own perceptions of reality. Let’s just say things got a little weird under that tent.

Saturday’s super jam was on point, it was one of my favorite moments of the weekend. A party full of pickers took the stage including Larry Keel– with his dirty guitar skills, and a dash of fiddle from Libby Eddy of Jacobs Ferry Stragglers as they laid out a crowd favorite “Fixin’ to Die.” The energy was high and the pickin’ was quick. There was smile on every musician’s face, they really were having fun!

Larry Keel

Speaking of super jams, I want to put a highlight on one person- the slut of the festival- my favorite trumpet player Christian Tanzey. He was everywhere, playing with everyone. I LOVE it! He’s so good, has so much fun doing it. He apparently knows everyone, because it seemed like he was on stage with every other band that played. I counted five times he played: M.F.B., (Colby, Drew, Tanzey) “The Kind-a Thieves“, The Settlement, Shady Grove, and Baggers Clan. So, my Warren Haynes award goes to him, he plays well with others. Keep it up Tanzey, you are killing the game.

Fletcher’s Grove nailed it all weekend and WE WANT MORE! They pulled out some new and really fun covers like “Beautiful People” by Marilyn Manson and the crowd went crazy with “Jump Around.” The fans always go wild when Matt Marion breaks out his rap skills. While Mr. Wesley Hager shows us is strange skills as decided to use a bubble gun to play his guitar. Slay those bubbles bro! It is weird, it’s fun, and we love it!

Wesley Hager

I think it is fair to say, we all could have used another set from Fletcher’s Grove or another day in the field, your fans love you, and so do some other creatures that appeared above the stage trying catch Fletcher’s set Saturday night. We all think you’re awesome and we want y’all to play more – maybe we are greedy but when you make a show that fun and sound that good – we can’t help but ask for thirds. I have been following Fletcher’s Grove almost my music loving life; and this weekend was one of the best shows I have ever seen!

Adam Payne, organizer.