LeisureFest 2023 - Music Report

I wasn't going to do a special post for the bands, but each performance capsule got so long, the original overall post got way too big. So... here's the music review.

Before I begin, last weekend was my father's birthday. After not seeing him nearly as often in his final years as I had before his health started to slip, I find that I miss him at the strangest times. For example, my mother-in-law shared some fresh-from-her-garden tomatoes with me and I was immediately transported to a childhood memory of walking the tomato vines with my father after he arrived home from work, salt shaker in his shirt pocket. Few things as good as a tomato directly from the vine, with a little salt. Miss you, Dad.

Music In-Brief

We did not see all of the bands, and because of how far away we were, we could not hear all of them either. It was an interesting mix of genres, challenging Randy, the sound guy, but he flippin killed it. Randy was the star of the music, independent of every artist, he made everyone, and I do mean everyone, sound very good. The bands below I actually heard, but there were some I missed. Similar to my prior post about this festival, I did not take any pictures, enjoying the space IRL, absent a technological veil between me and my surroundings.

Steel Wool - (Eugene-based) fronted by the prior owners of the property, they had an early Airplane sound. Steel Wool played on Friday night while we were setting up, so we could not hear them as well as some others. What we heard was really good, setting a fairly high bar for the next day.

Jam - some of the artists scheduled to play the next day tossed in for a jam that ran until midnight. I was asked to throw in, but between the road fatigue and lingering anxiety about the variables I mentioned above, I was a bit of a wreck and abstained, hitting the bed instead. Besides, I was part of the opening the next morning.

Sunkicks - (Hillsboro-based) it's not fair to judge Sunkicks, because I play bass for them. The feedback we heard was very positive. Katie's vocals are always amazing, and even though we started playing at 11AM, she nailed it. We were given, and played 2 sets, setting a mellow wake-up tone for over 2 hours. I had to eat afterwards, so I missed Corona (singer/guitar with a clarinet player). Randy said we were the perfect hangover set, gently pulling people from their tents down to the music bowl for a day of fun.

Eve and the Bad Apples - (Eugene-based) solid band with some cool vocals. This was only their second gig, so there will be much growth to see, for sure. I felt the songs where there were many words or syllables close together lent best to Eve's vocal style. There were some songs that were almost rap-like in how the words were pressed together, but you could clearly make out every word, following the story she was sharing. Instrumentally solid with interesting bass twists and slide guitar work mixed into more straight supporting stuff. The drummer was like a clock, keeping time and keeping it simple.

Joe and the Wheel Monkeys - (Hillsboro-based) I play with Joe on Wednesday nights at Pizzario, and because their regular bass player misses shows sometimes, there was a risk that I would have to jump in. Dave arrived during the Eve set, so that was avoided. Joe plays an approachable country / bluegrass / rockabilly blend. Depending on who is joining him onstage (it seems different almost every time), he may have a lead electric guitar, a fiddle, a dobro or a mandolin for solos. This weekend, he had Rose (Boo's sister) on fiddle and Spencer (Sunkicks' guitarist). They were predictably solid.

Sunwell - (Salem, OR-based) These guys were amazing, and the loudest of the weekend. Boo described them as a blend of Perfect Circle and Tool. I would add some Primus just because of how talented the bass player is. The drummer and bass are about as locked a pair as I have had the chance to see; every single hit was together. Very impressive; Boo and I are big fans, so take these next few sentences through that lens. The vocals and lead guitar work was all handled by one player. There were spots where he was trying to do something fairly complex on the guitar while hitting a moving vocal line. I'm not sure a brain can actually to that level of context switching. Of all of the successes Randy had with the sound, the clarity on the lyrics was not there. I don't think it was Randy's to solve and perhaps splitting focus that was negatively impacted vocal clarity. He hit the notes, we just couldn't pick out the words. His solo work, complete with hammer-ons, was fun to watch. Great band.

Boo and I went back to Hapy for some dinner and missed the next band, arriving late for the Raventones.

Raventones - (Eugene?-based) the former landowners took the stage for their other band: just the two of them. TK is an accomplished bassist, but in this new configuration she plays a baritone instead. Her partner, Randy the sound guy, plays drums (and quite well). The baritone allows her to play more guitar-like stuff, with some chords while still focusing on the low-end. TK leads the mood mixing stories and song into a tapestry where you can't really be sure when a song has ended or started.

Alder Street - (Eugene-based) During our sound-check in the morning, Randy mentioned Alder Street as the band to make time for. Mentally noted, Boo and I made sure we were well established on the festival blanket, dog fed and settled, etc. when they started. OMG, these guys are incredible. If you look at their calendar, they are not playing many venues, which is absolutely puzzling. These guys are an absolute MUST SEE. Starting with the mandolin player, his voice is phenomenal, ranging all over the place, and performing with absolutely no filter. His solos are soaring, and when playing against his fiddle player (who was also next-level) some magic happens. They share the stage with an acoustic guitarist who also lead-vocals on songs (and lead guitar's in spots), a stand-up bass player who does not approach it like a blue-grasser (that's a good thing, once you hear him) and a female drummer with a clear sweet voice. We were treated to 2 sets, but crowd fatigue had caught up with me and Boo, it was getting dark and Tuukka needed to be moved away from the crowds as well. So, we headed back to camp. Can't stress enough how much these guys are a must see.

We missed a progressive rock band and the DJ. We were unable to hear either from Hapy, which I found odd since we were able to hear Steel Wool so well the night before. On Sunday morning, there was supposed to be a hangover set, but I think the artists (TK and Randy) overslept. Since they had played twice already, perhaps it was just as well they got the morning off. In the vacuum, some of Joe's Wheel Monkeys played around the bonfire pit.

In summary, Sunkicks were good, Sunwise rock and Alder Street is amazing. IMHO, all 3 are worth finding. Eve and the Rotten Apples are finding their footing, but give it 6 months and they are going to be tearing it up too.

That's it for this time. Thanks, as always, for following along-

LeisureFest 2023 - Road Report

It has been a long time since Boo and I took a road trip for a music festival. Thanks CoViD. Since LeisureFest is a private invite-only event at a private communal-living-space, I will not post on the event itself, save for some comments about some of the bands in another post. I will say, we had a great time, met some wonderful people we now call friends, and look forward to being invited again. I took no pictures, living in the moment instead of through a cell phone. So, there are no pictures to accompany this. Before I start, today is my mom's birthday. Although I know she doesn't surf the internet anymore... Hapy Birthday, Mom. 

Getting Out

LeisureFest is held in the coast mountains west of Eugene. So the drive is very similar to a drive to the Cuthbert Ampitheater until we hit the beltway (route 569) which wends west around the city of Eugene. Prior to leaving our home area, we needed to be in East Portland for an appointment. So, departure day was atypical. First, we hadn't been camping since we moved into NewOldHouse, so we had to find everything. We had never camped with the dog before, so there was additional logistics around packing his crate, his stuff and managing his needs. The band I recently started playing in (Sunkicks) was given the opening slot, so I had bass gear to haul too. Because of unknowns around facilities at the communal-living space, we brought a full 5-gallon water cooler (needed) and a prepared travel-potty (not needed), adding to Hapy's overall haul-weight. Then, because of the appointment, we had to pack the night before, and finish prior to heading to that appointment, for which we ended up late. Once concluded, we headed for the I-205 pretty much when we originally expected. We brought the trailer-hitch platform carrier (we call "the trunk") to help make room for with all the extra things we were bringing; Hapy felt heavy at the throttle.

Getting There

We were pleasantly surprised at how swift the traffic moved on I-205, until it wasn't. Shortly after the Lake Oswego exit, traffic came to a near-stop and crawled through the interchange onto I-5 South and continued until we were past a multi-car wreck just north of Wilsonville. We lost about an hour to that crawl. Once we passed the wreck (no one appeared hurt, the cars were on the shoulder), traffic quickly picked up speed. We took advantage of the Charbonneau rest area to walk the dog and stretch ourselves before returning to the interstate. The rest of the drive was relatively typical. Hapy took the hills more slowly than usual, but his temperature barely registered above 190*F when we did. Once we were south of Albany, and the hills flatten to farmland, the crosswinds presented as they usually do. With the rear antisway bar and the shock-stiffening I did before Hapy's birthday (See Handling the Handling), the winds did not affect us nearly as much as they used to. Of course, blustery winds forced me to be animated behind the wheel, but it was still much improved compared to years earlier. With the extra weight, I found I drove to regulate his temperature again, rather than to meet a particular speed. Basically, I went as fast as I could while keeping the temperature around 190*F.

We arrived at the festival entrance with a little over an hour of workable daylight, and were directed into a spot pretty much the furthest from the stage under a canopy of trees. We were grateful for the killer spot and Hapy remained in the shade all weekend, but close enough to sunny patches to allow for the solar collector for the luxury battery. We did a very modest set up, laying out the recycled plastic mat and the carpets underfoot, placing the lot couch and camping chairs/table and calling it good enough. So, no canopy, nor kitchen, the outdoor lighting was hung on the side of the Riviera poptop to create some visibility, but we did not set-up for hanging out. We intended to be in the music bowl most of our awake time, and ultimately were.

Getting Home

Because our set-up was somewhat sparse and put together less than 40 hours earlier, the tear-down was fast. After letting the dog get a final hour long wrestle with his new best friend Banjo, we climbed in the bus and headed out. It seems like every time we drive north from Eugene on a Sunday the traffic is flat awful. Too many are in a hurry, following each other too closely and generally putting out an agro "I'm late for a meeting" vibe. The drive from the coast range into Eugene was lovely, in contrast. Sure, there were plenty of toy-haulers returning from the beach wanting to get into the valley and on to the interstate, but there was very little pressure. Hapy drives as he does, and the speedsters took advantage of the passing lanes as we reached them. From OR-126 to OR-569 and then on to I-5, we trucked along, with little concern. Again, Hapy's temperatures were staying below 193* even on the hills, and returning to 185* (thermostat opening temp) quickly thereafter.

After our first dramatic traffic slowdown starting well south of and then extending through Albany, we found a detour west of the interstate that ran along the Willamette River, then onto OR 219 into Newburg where we picked up OR 99. This put us on a course for what I have referenced as the temperature test hill where we test Hapy's run-ability. Hapy had a harder time retaining 55mph than he had since I fixed his heat issues, but he did. He did not get too hot, it was just hard to keep pace with all the extra weight. Most of the way up the hill, I realized that I was not really pushing him all that hard either. I chalked that up to personal fatigue. When I pushed it a little he responded, but the temp did not climb much and it returned to normal as soon as we crested the incline. It was not a very good test, but he held pace and didn't get too hot, so I call that a pass.

We got home after about 5-1/2 hours on the road, which is fairly long for a drive from an hour west of Eugene to West Beaverton. It was traffic-related though, and we got home without incident. Tuukka, the dog, slept the entire drive home after spending the weekend making dog-friends with Banjo and Svi. I didn't touch on how having a dog at a music festival changes things, but this has gotten long so I won't go into much detail. There were more than the 2 other dogs and owners, but not all of us were camped at the far end. Down there, where Tuukka, Banjo and Svi were camping, they could off-leash play.  And they did every chance they got for as long as we would let them. There was at least one other dog who was openly hostile and others who were not near us so we really didn't see them.

We had a great time, and hope to be invited again. We understand that the party may be no-dogs-allowed next year. There is a possibility of a neighbor creating a dog-safe space, but it's fairly remote. We may have to weigh the importance of being with our dog against the significance of this party. Not an easy choice. Unless the band is asked to play, I suspect that if the dog can't be there, we may not be either. We'll see.

Thanks, as always, for following along. More next time-

Maui

Brief post today really just to share some pictures from a trip Boo and I just did to Maui. Yeah, it's hard work if you can find it. Seriously, we did not seek this trip. My brother and his wife have a time-share there, and had an empty room. So, for the cost of airfare, we could hang with them in Maui. Of course, we threw in for food and drinks and such, but overall it would have been prohibitive for us to do it any other way. Ultimately, I'm glad we got to see the island. I won't elaborate in a daily digest form, but there were a few things worth noting.

9-August update: In light of the wildfire disaster unfolding in west Maui today, this entire post just feels wrong. I cannot fathom how scary it must be for the residents and guests in and around Lahaina. My heart goes out while I watch the news for signs of improvement. I did not change the post by one word, but please bear in mind as you read it that my trip pre-dated the fires by a few weeks. My tourist perspective seems all the more out of touch now.

New Flash: Maui is Kinda Resorty

Yeah, that's an understatement. Boo and I are more camping / music festivals / hanging out in a Dead show parking lot types. So, being anywhere even remotely catered is a little surreal. My brother rented a minivan so there would be ample room, and picked us up at arrivals with little fanfare. After some time lost at the local stores for supplies, we crossed the island on route 380 for Lahaina and then north to the condos on the oceanfront. We spent a large percentage of the time around these towers, swimming in the ocean, partaking of happy hour, soaking in some sun and then soaking in the hot tub. Yeah, lap of luxury stuff.

Hurricane Calvin

I learned that hurricane season is not purely a Gulf-of-Mexico or Caribbean thing. Hurricane season affects Hawaii too, and while we were there, Tropical Storm (and then Hurricane and then back to Tropical Storm) Calvin passed. Fortunately, it passed a couple hundred miles south of us, but the folks on the east end of the Big Island (Hilo) felt more than just the strong winds and high surf that we did. The day prior to Calvin passing, the winds picked up and the clouds started moving in. On "hurricane day", the sky was darker, there was rain and strong winds. We were safe, as were most folks in Hawaii, so it was a fine day to hunker down with a book and a pot of coffee... and then maybe something stronger.

Ocean Distillery

It took a couple of days for the after-effects (strong wind gusts and occasional rain) to fully subsist. We stayed close to the towers, taking a nearby hike and touring the Banyan tree in downtown Lahaina (which was amazing) but otherwise hitting the beach over those days. We had taste-tour reservation at Ocean Distillery for one of the first full-on nice days after the hurricane passed. We were fortunate to have had our reservation when we did, learning that many folks who were unable to appear for their reservations due to the passing storm had mostly arrived the day prior, completely consuming the parking lot and overrunning the distillery. We walked, we learned and we tried all 3 of their rums, their vodka and their new gin (not London Dry, tho). In the café afterwards, we shared a 2oz pour of their new bourbon-barrel aged rum that seriously tasted like bourbon... until it didn't. I got a bottle of the rum for sharing when we got home. I regret not taking any pictures during or after the tour. The grounds are really beautiful with views all the way to the ocean from their mid-mountain location.

Snorkel Bob

Banyan Court Park

Boo and I had 2 things we hoped to do while in Maui (other than flop for sun and splash in the ocean): take a hike and snorkel. Back before the pandemic, Boo and I went to the big island for my 50th birthday. That time, we got snorkeling gear from "Snorkel Bob's". The Snorkel Bob's franchise spans multiple islands, it seems as they were more prevalent than Starbucks, and in a resort island like Maui, that's saying something. Regardless, we did not get gear from Snorkel Bob's this time. The towers had a little rental hut down by the beach access where you could rent all kinds of gear: snorkeling, paddle boats, kayaks, surf boards, boogie boards, etc. With our stuff, Boo and I headed for a beach further south nicknamed "Airport Beach", Kahekili Beach has some of the best snorkeling access from the sands. Other prime spots need to be reached by boat. Airport Beach has rock formations literally 15 feet from the water's edge where schools of fish are abundant. I had repeated difficulty keeping salt water out of my nose, so my snorkeling experience ended somewhat quickly. Boo, however, was able to get 3 long dives in before she was spent. Similar to the distillery, I was living in the moment and did not capture any pictures.

That's about it. We went to Maui basically on an invite from my brother, and did some stuff there. Now that we are back home, we expect to get back into the kitchen work. Thanks, as always, for following along-