#NCMF Sets On Our Radar: Big Gigantic #originalphotos #SCAMP

ChiIL Live Shows caught a rare mash up at Summer Camp Music Fest this year...   

Click here for our whole photo filled recap of that Saturday.

We got to hear Karl Denson's Tiny Universe with a guest appearance by Dominic Lalli-Saxophone/Producer from Big Gigantic! 

BTW... Lalli holds a Masters Degree from the Manhattan School of Music.

I'm a HUGE fan of saxaphone.   My grandfather played and so did my little sister.  I've also seen Karl Denson a number of times over the years, so I was stoked to hear he'd be back at Summer Camp again with KDTU.   They went on my must see list early on.   It was an extra sweet sax bonus to see him rock the stage with Big Gigantic's Dominic Lalli!

Catch Big Gigantic 8:30-10pm Saturday on The Coast Stage at North Coast Music Fest. 

Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk Interview With ChiIL Live Shows #originalvideointerview #band #funk

New Orleans princes of funk, Ivan and his cousin Ian Neville (sons of Aaron and Art), continue the family tradition as touring musicians with a talented lineup in Dumpstaphunk. It was our great pleasure to score an interview with them at Summer Camp Music Festival 2013, over Memorial Day weekend.

Check out our interview for their account of a harrowing, near death experience the night before, when another driver fell asleep with the cruise control on, careened across the median and came within feet of a head on collision with their van!!

Summer Camp Music Fest 2013 Photo Filled Sunday Recap #SCamp #SCamp13 #SummerCampFest

Pickin' Workship With Allie Kral, 

The Henhouse Prowlers and More

The SCamp Kids Area

Mud Shots

Sunday... Muddy Sunday

ChiILin' in Chillicothe with ChiIL Live Shows:   Sunday of Memorial Day weekend dawned drizzly.   It was the last music filled day of SCamp 2013.   Our encampment of 5 tents of friends got up and made communal egg sandwiches and French press coffee.   Just because you sleep in the woods doesn't mean you can't brunch like royalty.   Here's our gorgeous, camping spot.

The almighty EGG SANDWICH has become a beloved annual tradition we have down to an art.   We scramble enough eggs for everyone, add sharp cheddar and fresh ground garlic salt, add to buttered bread and enjoy.  A big breakfast is key to surviving a multiday music fest with energy intact.

Most of our group went to see yet another Umphrey's McGhee set (I believe they played something like 9 hours total over the course of the 4 day fest.)   I opted for the intimate, warm & dry "church space" Pickin' workshop with Allie Kral, The Henhouse Prowlers and More.   It was a stellar decision.

We've covered Chi-town's own Henhouse Prowlers and Allie for years.   I had a chance to casually chat with Allie after the workshop.   Summer Camp marked her final sets with Cornmeal after a decade with the band.   She'll be sitting in with several San Francisco bands including Hot Buttered Rum, subbing for a new mama fiddle player this summer.   Click here to see where to follow her adventures.   



Allie said Summer Camp Music Fest is always like a reunion or a homecoming, since she gets to sit in with so many friends she doesn't get to play with otherwise.   That was evident during the rockin' workshop. Here a some of our playful, heat signature shots from the SCamp pickin' jams.   There was some serious heat, lots of laughter, and playful jammin' of the best sort!   

If you follow ChiIL Live Show, you know I shoot shoes.   It's fascinating to me to see where performers get grounded & where they connect to the earth.   I love to see what shoes say about a person, and try to match them later.   Many performers go barefoot or use shoes as an extension of their "stage persona" or costume.   Some of my favorite shots from SCamp13 are the muddy shoes of the Pickin' performers!   Check 'em out.   If a picture's worth 1,000 words, they have tales to tell...   How many can you match to the musicians?

 

SCamp Family Style 
After our morning pickin' jam, we made our annual visit to the Kids' Area.   SCamp is family friendly, too, with a rockin' free play area that includes arts, active fun, and awesome staff that returns year after year. 

  

There's even a designated substance free/quiet zone camping area families can choose to stay in.   The past few years I've had press credentials and come out sans kids so I could work the photo pits and cover late night shows.   Before that, though, we brought the kids to SCamp a number of years and they loved it and are clamoring to come back for 2014.

This year they added a bounce house!  

The adults could learn from the kids when it comes to inevitables like the weather.  Mud was a non issue for them, as it just made SCamp into a giant playground.  Their parents just bagged up their feet so they wouldn't be cold and wet and let 'em play.  I was seriously tempted to kick off my shoes and join them and would have if I didn't have a lap top and expensive camera gear to protect.



Mud Shots

We had planned to see an array of excellent bands all day, culminating with Trey Anastasio & Moe, but severe storms were forecast    The grounds were already a swamp and I didn't want to have to pack up in a downpour Monday morning and schlep all my gear out in more severe mud.   The "parking lot" gets marshy, too, and I didn't want to risk getting stuck.   I heard later that many people had to be towed out of the mud Monday at $60 a pop.   Even with 4 wheel drive I didn't want to wait hours behind all the others getting dragged outta the muck.   





It was a hard call since I missed some major favs like Everyone Orchestra, Avett Brothers,  Ragbirds, North Mississippi Allstars, Van Ghost, Taj Mahal Trio, Lettuce, the above mentioned Trey & Moe, This Must Be the Band, and a late night set of Henhouse Prowlers slated to close the fest at 4am.

This Mama came without her young daughter and missed her, so she made her name in glo sticks and took a photo to send her.   I happened by and loved the visual.    I chose to strike camp during a break in the downpours and get on the road, back to my own kiddos, who were missed, too.   It was the best decision I've made in a long time.   The rains came down with a vengeance, hours earlier than forecast and got so severe they cut Trey's sets short and cancelled the rest of the evening's shows including Moe's final set.





It was a wet & wild ride, but SCamp13 was still full of jammin' tunes, amazing mash ups, fun times with friends, exclusive band interviews, fabulous photo ops, and intimate workshops.
   


Check back with ChiIL Live Shows/ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often.   We still have more video band interviews and video footage of the workshops yet to come.

Summer Camp Music Fest 2013 Photo Filled Saturday Recap #SCamp #SCamp13 #SummerCampFest

Check out our full set of Saturday SCamp13 shots above

  ChiILin' in Chillicothe with Victor Wooten (5 time Grammy winner & bass player for Bela Fleck and the Flecktones) and Reed Mathis (bass, vocals for Tea Leaf Green)  

Check back with ChiIL Live Shows & ChiIL Mama like we vote in Chi, IL... early and often.   We have video interviews with Dumpstaphunk, Victor Wooten & Reed Mathis, & Roscoe Bandana along with some live footage from the workshops coming soon.

Reed Mathis, Bonnie Kenaz-Mara (AKA:  ChiIL Mama), & Victor Wooten at Summer Camp Music Festival 2013 (Photo credit Roger Patteson--Jams Plus Media) All other photos (that I'm not in) are by Bonnie Kenaz-Mara for ChiIL Live Shows

SCamp13 Saturday began on a high note... or should I say low note, with a rockin' bass workshop with Artist At Large, Victor Wooten and Reed Mathis. The day before, I got to hear Victor sit in with Keller Williams & Dumpstaphunk!   He was all over SCamp.

After a rockin' improvised bass session, Victor & Reed asked for questions from the audience.   This guy below worried that his hands were too small for him to be a great bass player and asked advice from the pros.   

Their answer?   "Quit using the size of your hands as an excuse and get out there and play!"

I ducked out briefly in the rain to see one of our Chicago favs, Henhouse Prowlers.   Despite the damp drizzle, they had a huge turnout.   Everyone was dancing in the mud, singing along and having a stellar time.   I LOVED the visual of the lady who brought two large Mason jars of hot chicken soup and passed them around to her friends as hand warmers before they shared the soup.   True down home comfort!   It was a stellar way to spend a rainy Saturday.   

I grabbed a quick bite to eat, then ducked back to the church which was warm and dry.   The musicians played with great energy and enthusiasm, obviously enjoying the chance to jam with others they generally don't play with including friends and musicians whose work they admire.   That's truly the genius and magic of music fest mash ups.

Drums & Percussion Workshop With Vinnie Amico (Moe) Randall Moore (Ragbirds) 

by the end of the workshop, regular fest goers & drummers from a number of other bands playing SCamp joined in on a big jam session.

I caught up with 2 members of Roscoe Bandana for an awesome video interview inside the "Roscoe Bandana Van", while the rains streamed down (coming very soon).   We've been covering them for months now.   Check out ChiIL Live Shows past coverage here.  These guys are going places.   Look for them opening for Fun this summer. Finally the rains eased up in time for KDTU at the Sunshine Stage.

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe (guest appearance by Dominic Lalli-Saxophone/Producer from Big Gigantic) 

BTW... Lalli holds a Masters Degree from the Manhattan School of Music

I'm a HUGE fan of saxaphone.   My grandfather played and so did my little sister.  I've also seen Karl Denson a number of times over the years, so I was stoked to hear he'd be back at Summer Camp again with KDTU.   They went on my must see list early on.   It was an extra sweet sax bonus to see him rock the stage with Big Gigantic's Dominic Lalli!

Of course I SCamp for the music, but I also dig the character & characters...

like the chicken hat Scottsman, leopard man and more.   Special shout out to the brave & snarky metal heads, rockers and punks who represent.  I thought it was amusing to see NIN hats, Iron Maiden hoodies and a Guns N Roses Tee at a "hippy" fest.

All of my friends (except two) rode the rail (front row) & stuck it out for 2 sets of Umphrey's McGhee in the cold, heavy rains that came right on the heels of KDTU.   They were prepared with ponchos. 

   

(Molly got a shout out & a signed hat from UM on Friday for lining up to secure her front row spot in the early afternoon)

I must admit, any Umph Love I had was trumped by the thought of my macbook pro & thousands of $$ in camera gear potentially getting destroyed in my backpack.   Those priorities made me head for our camp site and ride out the storm with another weather wimp, some vodka lemonade, candles, glowing solar lantern light, and great conversation, in our communal screened in porch.   

We could still hear the music through the woods until the thunder & rains escalated, then we turned to shuffle play and rocked a lotta the band Morphine, Talking Heads, XTC, and a sweet mix for a stormy night.   The woods were gorgeous and we thoroughly enjoyed hearing, smelling, and watching the storms without getting soaked.