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I’m on my way to Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Kentucky starting this Saturday. Weekend after next (March 22-25) I’ll be at the Suwannee SpringFest, a wonderful annual musical treat. Here’s the latest info on SpringFest, from the mysterious Iris Blooms:

Dear Festival Folks,

Suwannee Springfest is almost here!  The schedule is posted, we’re packing up and getting ready to make the move from our beach office to the park early next week.   If you don’t have your tickets and you want to get the advance price, you better do it soon – see dates below for advance tickets.  Be sure to read all the way to the end of this message – mixed in with the fun stuff is some important festival information.

We’re really getting excited.  We’ve spoken with lots of the artists who are gearing up for a big time and that translates to great music and fun times onstage and off. Leonard of the Duhks tells me they are all fired up for Springfest, so listen closely wherever you are in the park - there just might be an incredible spontaneous jam happening!  Speaking of the Duhks, be sure and check out their friend Dan Frechette, who will be joining them for Springfest.

Remember the Prom from last Suwannee Springfest?  Well, no grassroots or official prom has been called this year, but you might want to pack your fancy duds just in case the mood strikes. I’ve heard rumors that the Habanero Honeys are getting gussied up, so you might want to join in. In fact, I think I just saw Big Cosmo headed up the stairs with his tux in tow!  It really doesn’t matter what you wear, just as long as YOU are there!

You’ve heard all the terms for the weather the last couple of years –  well we’re dubbing this one “Suwannee SunFest”!  We’ve got a terrific lineup, beautiful weather ordered special delivery, lots of great food and vendors lined up, so all we need now is you.  Bring your family and friends for a very special time.

You may order advance tickets by phone thru this Friday, March 16th at 5PM and online thru Sunday, March 18th.  The gate ticket price will go into effect on Monday, March 19th and you can still order them online thru Tuesday, March 20th.   After the 20th, just get your ticket at the gate – you can pay with cash or credit card.  All ticket orders are now being held for pickup at Will Call at the main festival gate.  You may order tickets online or call 904-249-7990 to order by phone.

Tickets may be purchased with cash in selected North Florida locations (Gainesville, Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, St. Augustine & Tallahassee).  These outlets have a special allotment of tickets to sell for cash only, no service charge at the advance rate, even the week of the festival (unless they run out of tickets – so call first).  For complete Suwannee Springfest Ticket information, including outlet locations, go to https://www.magmusic.com/ticketsforspringfest.htm

Many of you know that Magnolia Music generally opens a temporary gate during the day and evening on Wednesday.  We are now opening the gate at noon on Wednesday and will keep it open all night long Wednesday, Thursday & Friday Nights.  Remember that if you arrive anytime before daylight Thursday Morning, you will be required to pay an additional night of camping to the park.  In the past, it has been a $10 per person fee – however at this time I have not confirmed this fee.  So come on out to Suwannee Springfest and get there when you can!

We’re kicking off Thursday with a great lineup on the Meadow Stage,and on The Music Hall Stage,  the Songwriting Contest Finals followed by a showing of our documentary “Music Farmers”.

The schedule is posted, so check it out! Suwannee Springfest  March 22-25, 2007
Check out the schedule: https://www.magmusic.com/scheduleforspringfest.htm
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park    Live Oak, Florida

Thank you for your time.   We appreciate your support and commit to bringing you quality events that feature great music, a joyful community spirit, healing vibes, and that are just plain fun!

In Harmony,
Iris Blooms (speaking for Beth & Randy)
Magnolia Music & Events, Inc.
www.magmusic.com
904-249-7990

The Music Box has an interview with Mark Karan of Ratdog, who expresses some sentiments I share:

Karan appears visibly frustrated as he tries to explain how devotion to the perceived jam band lifestyle has replaced an understanding of what it was that made The Grateful Dead such an essential outfit in the first place. “One of the things that the Dead really had as one of the originators of the whole ‘jam band’ concept,” he stated, “is that they had really deep roots in American music. What they were drawing on was a hell of a lot deeper than just listening to what their contemporaries were up to and aping it. Out of that, they wrote some interesting songs, and there is this great improvisational jam legacy. But, it’s built from songs of a caliber that we just don’t see much of anymore. That is what’s missing.”

“It’s also that, in our current times, people’s attention spans are really short,” Karan continued. “They don’t want to think about things. They don’t want to take the time to have something really seep into their consciousness — to read a poetic lyric; to search for its meanings and its multiplicity of meanings, and to explore the depth of a story and what its history might be. I’m fascinated by that shit. Frankly, I have talked to a lot of younger people and when I start to talk about this stuff, they kind of glaze over. The audience is more interested in arguing about who’s a nice person or who has better weed.”

Karan blames much of the ennui in the jam band scene on having to do with a lack of imagination on the part of the players themselves and on a failure on the audience’s part to demand musical innovation. The jam band genre, like any form of music, has been busy creating its own clichés. “It’s an enclosed world and frankly a lot of the music leaves me pretty cold,” he agreed. “I like the concept a lot of times more than the realization of it. Playing without any concept or discipline isn’t that valuable. If you just go ‘I’m free to do whatever I want’, that’s fine, but what are you doing? A melody is a good thing sometimes. If you’re Miles Davis or Bill Evans, you could probably play So What for 45 minutes and keep everybody entertained, but not everyone can do that. Truthfully, I run into it even here with this band. I’ll be the first one to say that I’m no Jerry Garcia. I’m Mark Karan. I do what I do, and it’s heavily influenced by my history around this music. In certain tunes, I’ll be inspired to go on and play with inspiration and feel comfortable. In other tunes, if Bobby is used to playing with Jerry and having him stretch out, he’ll go, ‘do more’, and I’ll say, ‘I’ve said what I have to say about this. Done!’”

This is hilarious!

A Dylan-Doctor Seuss mashup! Go to the site and listen to the music.

P.S. The same people who did that site appear to be the folks responsible for this site: Rad Monkey Electric Cowbells