A week ago I embarked upon a new experience and had the time
of my life. It MUST have been the time of my life, because it took me 3 days to
recover! In reality, this one experience created more than one checkmark in the
“done” column of my life. And I might just have to do it again!
That’s right… I attended my first Slip N Slide Festival.
Some of you reading this were there, and I would imagine have been there
before. Others have been to festivals elsewhere… and you’re all thinking, “So
what?” The fact is, this was more than one first for me. It was my first
experience camping at a festival. Yes, I stayed the night. In a tent. Without an air
mattress. (I have since bought an air mattress). I did NOT go down the
slide. I was just really too busy working. You see, another first, this
festival provided my first All-Access Media pass. I was, in a sense, the
official festival photographer.
So what did I do for eighteen hours that day?
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| Ren Edstrand and Matt Fuller work on a tune in the Green Room |
I photographed bands on stage and back stage. There were 6
bands over the course of 14 hours. This took up a good chunk of my time. There
was even a green room for the bands. It was a great place to cool off. The
Belshauses had cleaned up an old corn crib just enough (but not so much that we
didn’t know what it was – that was neato!) and had straw bales with covers for
seats and a table made of a painted pallet. The room was well-decorated and
even had a mirror and a huge cooling fan. One of the cribs had a bathtub full
of ice and bottles of water.
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| Prepping the slide |
I arrived with the first two bands. My plan of action was to
get my tent up quickly and spend the rest of the pre-music time snapping candid
shots of bands loading in and setting up. However, the best laid plans… I had
to run back to town to pick up a band member without a ride. So I had a little less time than I counted on,
but still managed to get my tent in place and catch some shots during the first
sound check.
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| Ryan Harris |
As the first batch of kids made their initial trip down the
slide, The Harris Collection began the first set. Folks set up chairs and
blankets in the shade of trees on the outskirts of the stage and slide areas
and enjoyed the cool blues jams of the Harris Collection while watching the
antics of others as they slipped and slid down the 300 foot slide.
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| Slipping and Sliding inflatables |
The Mississippi Misfits were scheduled to provide music as
other bands were tearing down and setting up, so they gave us a short set while
Rude Punch set up their equipment. The “Front Porch Jam” is a seated set and
fit well with the schedule.
As Rude Punch took the stage, I noticed the crowd was
beginning to grow, and the slide was getting busier, so I took some time to
catch a few more photos of some of the more adventurous sliders. I did this off
and on throughout the afternoon so I could catch a variety of faces coming down
the slide.
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| Rude Punch |
Rude Punch brought the party from blues to reggae and funk…
which seemed right in line with the beachwear and sun and water. The three
piece band kept the mood light and the music flowing with the water.
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| Chillin' in the Green Room with the Mississippi Misfits |
The Harris Collection stowed their gear, donned their
swimwear and hit the slide, while the Mississippi Misfits checked out the
concessions at the top of the hill and then waited in the green room for their
next set.
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| There was plenty of "hooping" it up |
Hula hoopers joined the party, with their flying hoops and fluid
dance moves. It was almost as if they had waited for the reggae music to come
out.
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| The Mississippi Misfits plus One |
Next on stage, the Mississippi Misfits took a full set, and
young guitarist Matt Fuller joined them. At just fourteen, this young man is an
accomplished guitarist, and events like this allow him an opportunity to play
with the older bands. Both the Mississippi Misfits and the Harris Collection
gave him that opportunity this day.
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| The Slide was the place to be |
Meanwhile, the slide now had a long line waiting for their
turn. Did you know they use laundry soap to make the inner tubes and other
floatation devices slippery so they will go down the slide faster? It also
makes the water a little foamy – which really improves the splashy look of some
of my photos!
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| Giving Tree crates - but this isn't even half! |
Back stage the Giving Tree Band had arrived and were loading
in. Their van is really big… as expected for a big band, but when I saw all the
boxes of equipment laid out back stage, I had to wonder if it was like Mary
Poppins’ bag. Where the heck did they fit it all?
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| Sunset over the campground |
During the Giving Tree Band set, I made my way up the hill
to the camping area. The sun was getting low on the horizon by this time and
offered a beautiful view for those who were hanging out in the campground.
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| A lull gave these guys a chance to take a break |
While at the top of the hill this time, I grabbed a bite to
eat. Volunteers worked all day in the heat to provide food and beverage for the
masses of people.
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| The Giving Tree Band |
One thing that makes the Giving Tree Band interesting is the
sheer number of instruments played by its members. Their sound is as diverse as
their instrument choices.
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| View of the stage from the top of the slide |
The Giving Tree Band played a long set – through sunset and
into the dark. As interest in the slide waned, the crowd began to gather in
front of the stage.
It became a bit hectic between sets as all hands were called
upon to assist in moving GTB off and the Dirt Road Rockers onto the stage.
Videos played on a screen next to the stage to entertain the audience during
this time and while sound check took place.
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| What a huge party! |
The Dirt Road Rockers wrapped up the night with two sets of
rock and country covers. The party at the stage kicked into high gear, with a
huge crowd dancing on the lawn. As time moved into the wee hours of the
morning, I packed my gear in the trunk of my car and walked back up the hill
(for the twentieth time…) and prepared for late night activities in the
campground. Folks were up partying into the night, but no real jam session
developed. Calling it a night, I crawled into my tent and let the voices
wandering by lull me off to sleep.
And that, my friends, was how I spent my day at the Slip N
Slide Fest!
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