Words By Brandon Picard
Photos By Greg Molitor (ReMIND Photography)
Saturday:
We woke up Saturday morning to some light rain. Feeling well refreshed from the great sleeping weather the night before, I was amped to get my Saturday started. Keeping dry in the comforts of our tent, we chatted about our Friday experience and the day to come. The rain let up roughly after 10 AM. and our day had begun. For most of you it will come as a surprise, but before Hoxeyville, I was an Umphrey’s virgin. My Saturday mind couldn’t sway from the fact that on this night I was FINALLY going to see Umphrey's McGee! Hoxeyville people were sharing their many UM stories from years past. Tonight was going to get rowdy!
We started our day with a quick breakfast and shot over to the tent stage for an act recommended to us from our lovely neighbor Cord. The day before, scouting the schedule at our camp, we came across the name “Crazy Richard”. Our neighbor overheard the name and asked “Is that that crazy cat that throws fire and tells jokes for all the kiddies? Check that out!” With that, it was decided that Crazy Richard was going to get our attention. Kids were circled up around a rather scruffy looking individual excitedly blowing his whistle and shouting. The ten minutes that we saw, my friend
and I were cracking up uncontrollably. The kids seemed to be having as much fun as we were! With juggling acts, kid’s stories and adult jokes, Crazy Richard started my Saturday better than I could have imagined.
The day was slightly overcast, perfect for a comfortable afternoon. We set up back in the main stage area and prepared to check out the acts to come. The first set we caught was The Ragbirds. Well, I shouldn’t say set. The first song we caught for the day was from the Ragbirds. Blah. It was the perfect time for a morning stroll through the forest. Before we could get settled in, we were out of our chairs and off to play some disc. Sorry Ragbirds, maybe next year.
Having the disc golf course on site was such an added bonus for Phil and I. being
somewhat avid discers, it was awesome to have an extracurricular activity during the down times. Thank you Setphanai Myers of Disc Golf Michigan for the Solar Glow Disc Experience!
As we finished up another round of golf, I could hear in the distance that the Macpodz and Great American Taxi had switched slots and that Vince Herman and Great American Taxi were due up next. This was one of a few sets that I had been anticipating in the weeks prior to the festival. Vince Herman just seems to make everyone feel right at home when he takes the stage. It’s clear that Vince is one of
the nicest, most well-liked guys on the scene. The Americana/folk sound portrayed by Great American Taxi makes any music lover feel great. Todd Snider came out and helped Vince and the others put on a great show. With the sun shining periodically, this was a good time for me!
Next up, the Macpodz.... If you live in Michigan, you’ve seen these guys (probably more than once). They play EVERYWHERE, EVERYDAY. How they can be in six different places at once is beyond me. Not really though, these guys just like to play music. Their dedication to their “disco bebop” sound is unsurpassed. Keep it up Macpodz; you’ll get some love soon.
We made our way back to camp for some final preparations for the evening. Stocking up on drinks we headed way back over and caught Todd Snider just finishing his set. Greensky Bluegrass was just finishing setting up. Greensky is a band that I have grown to love after first seeing them roughly five years ago in Ann Arbor, Michigan, at a very intimate theatre called The Ark. Every time these guys show their faces around my hometown, I make it a point to turn out. GSBG is one of those bands that performs…with ease….night in and night out. People seem to gravitate to their Michigan-themed bluegrass tunes. With an acceptable combination of jamgrass and traditional bluegrass songs, we will all be hearing from Greensky Bluegrass for many years to come, I hope!
Having yet to experience the disc golf course in the dark, Phil and I made our way back over for some psychedelic Frisbee tossing. The attention to detail throughout the course was remarkable. It was clear that many hours of preparation had gone into creating a great secondary activity for everyone!
The moment I had been anticipating for many weeks had finally arrived! I was going to my first Umphrey’s McGee show and hoped to live to tell about it! The crowd was clearly just as excited as I was. As the first song dropped, I instantly regretted not wearing a diaper as I could have shat myself on the spot. With the combination of moody euphoric lights and destructive shredding, it was clear that I had been missing out on something special. Screams of terror resonated through the crowd as UM tore down Hoxeyville. Having minimal knowledge and exposure to Umphrey’s, I took it for what it was, a musical masterpiece. I was blown away with the arrangement. The lights matched the mood of the entire show. Looking over at my buddy Phil, it was clear that he was just as terrified as I was. This will not be my last UM show, that’s a guarantee!
Saturday at Hoxeyville is a day that I will remember for a long time!
www.hoxeyville.com
Greg’s Photo Gallery (Day 1 & Day 2)
Hoxeyville Day One Coverage
Hoxeyville Day Three Coverage
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