I have to admit that I’m pretty psyched to be able to go to this years Gathering of the Vibes. When I first saw the line-up I knew I wanted to go to there—there being Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where the festival has been located since 2007. The four-day event has camping, great music, and some lucky mothers get to boat their way to the festival. (If you have a boat and see me, let me boat with you.)
The main reason I’d say I’m so excited to go is that I’ve never been. For the last eight years—also 99, 2000—the Gathering has been located about 25 minutes by car from my home in New Haven. For most of the people in Connecticut, the Gathering is that hippie thing, but in those last eight years, it’s clearly grown into something more.
This transformation is most obvious in the lineup. While much of the line-up stays true to their Jam Band past, some of the bands seem like odd choices. This year bands like Weezer and The Gaslight Anthem are playing alongside Max Creek and the String Cheese Incident. Jazz is well represented by the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, and there’s even a Zappa plays Zappa set (for different types of mothers).
But the bill for this year should be Gathering of the Vibes: An Americana Revue. Sets from Gregg Allman, the Tedeschi Trucks Band, Wilco, and not one but two sets from Warren Haynes; the first set his collaboration with Railroad Earth and the second featuring the Seaside Allstars, including George Porter Jr, Branford Marsalis, Jackie Greene, Joe Russo, Marco Benevento & Friends. I’ve had the pleasure to speak with Haynes about his new album Ashes & Dust (interview forthcoming on Pancakes & Whiskey), and he seemed excited about the lineup, and not even because he gets to play twice.
With three weeks until the festival begins, there’s still plenty of time to grab tickets, single day or weekend camping pass for four days of music. You can get them here.
Article: Christopher Gilson
