Mother Magic Continues @Hat

Overheard at the Top Hat: "He looks like Jesus." Where do so many Christians get the notion Jesus was blond?

Equaleyes played too late for this old man at LYME-Fest, and I missed their previous local engagements, but I remember this dude being on stage with the Shook Twins at last year's Love Your Mother. Equaleyes was the first of four bands over two nights to bring the magic of the Love Your Mother Earth Festival indoors at the Top Hat.

Sister Monk brought her "...mystical poetry, transcendental pop and gypsy funk grooves..." to the stage, after Equaleyes, on Wednesday, June 16. She has the most amazing showman on the bass behind her.

While Sister Monk is a new favorite...

Bonnie Paine is a favorite from years ago and far away. Now she's playing the washboard and the djembe in the middle of Elephant Revival. They also describe their music as transcendental, in this case folk.

Bridget Law

Dead Winter Carpenters opened the action on Thursday, June 17, and what a night!

There are more images of both nights on the Flickr archive. Elephant Revival can be seen, along with Sister Monk in the previous post "LYME-Fest Day Two" on this blog and on Flickr.

We could make sure everyone was fed, clothed, housed and had health care, if we weren't spending all our money murdering people around the world, and building weapons to murder more. 

LYME Fest--Day Three

High lighted and starred on my Sunday schedule was Secret Powers with Shmed, one of my local heroes, up front. After doing some of their original material, easily purchased on their CDs, they launched into their famous full-coverage of Abbey Road. This is no simplified to three chord rock anthem version. This has the subtle, complex depth of the original, or as close as you can get live on stage. 

Ryan Farley and John Fleming

I fell in love about 30 times over the weekend at the Love Your Mother Earth Festival, and here are three of my new loves on stage with Broken Valley Road Show. None meet my minimum age requirement, and I think all are spoken for, but, sweet mother of god, they are beautiful, smart, talented and funny. Who could ask for more? See Cash 4 Junkers in the previous post, where Grace fiddles with another band.

Nate Biehl, Angie Biehl, Caroline Keys

A surprise delight was the Anonymous String Association, whose sound side tracked me from a rush to the main stageand pulled me to the Ramble Stage.  

I was out of steam early Sunday, heading back to the Campground Stage to see Clyde drumming with the Dodgy Mountain Men, and making them my final act of the day. 

I can't end my coverage of Day 3, without showing the accordion player above, and another of my beautiful friends below. There are a total of 127 (I think) images in three sets titled by day over on the flickr archive. Soon there will be follow ups of Sister Monk (Day 1) and Elephant Revival (Day 2), when they played the Top Hat this week Equaleyes played too late at LYME, but I caught them at the Hat with Sister Monk. 

LYME Fest--Day Two

Having seen Warsaw Poland Brothers once before at the Top Hat, I made sure to arrive in plenty of time to catch them on the main stage, as they delivered a powerful set.

And did I stick around for Elephant Revival? That is a rhetorical question, as in previous posts I have stated they are one of my all-time favorite bands. Kitchenpoet put down his camera for a spell and pranced in front of the stage as Uncle Sam. The LYME online band guide called their music transcendental folk. The guide also said they were from Moab, Utah, and I thought they were from Nederland, CO. I must remember to ask about that, when they play the Top Hat, Thursday, June 17. Will I be there? Another rhetorical question.

UV Hippo played the Top Hat a few days back, and I stayed to tell them their photos were up, and, as usual, I thought they were terrific. Sweet mother of god, my ego is through the roof these days. 

Day two of Love Your Mother provided music in every direction, and the Valley Stage wasn't the only one I visited. 

The names on the program didn't tell me I would find Ellie Nuno and Micki Singer on the Campground Stage, when I first parked. 

Cash 4 Junkers on the Ramble Stage

This is beyond a harmonica around the neck, while playing a guitar. Trevor Green was on  the main stage, early in the afternoon, playing a kick drum, two didgeridoos and a guitar. 

To see the other members of the trio Bookah and more of the whole festival go to the Flickr archive.

Everywhere I looked, it seemed to be party time. 

I've photographed this dude with SWYL twice at the Top Hat (see previous posts), and here he was on the Ramble Stage with Axshinn Slaxx. 

It was once again past this old man's bed time, but there was something spectacular unfolding at the Dome, and I had to see what. Then the Dome lights dwindled below, as I trudged over the ridge and back to my car.  This post is represented on Flickr as LYME Fest--Day Two. 

Corporations are what...?

If corporations are human, can we execute BP for the murder of an entire eco-system?

LYME Fest--Day One

"You're either on the bus, or you're not."  --Merry Pranksters

Capt'n Trips kept the shuttles running from Missoula to Rock Creek for the Love Your Mother Earth Festival, and a $10 pass granted unlimited access for all three days.

The first sign I saw upon arrival, was not promising, but further down the path things looked better.

Electronic DJs had a beautiful pulpit to operate from, and the sound was scheduled from afternoon until 8am.

My first goal was to catch the Voodoo Horseshoes at the Ramble Stage. Let's see around the bar to back east corner, and what do you know... Here we go baby. This party is about to roll. 

The walk from the campground stage to the main stage and back provided this old man plenty of exercise. The first hike back to the campground was to see my friends, Slowly but Shirley. 

I'm headed for the main stage to check out Sister Monk, when I hear enticing sounds from the Ramble Stage. Who? Humanlab. Never heard of 'em, but definitely worth hearing. Regular readers know I love it, when the music takes an infectious fun turn. 

Sister Monk is on stage, as the sun disappears down the river. Oh boy, more of that fun stuff, I was just talking about, tied to some powerful drumming from this folksy trio. Note: Sister Monk will play the Hat this Wednesday, June 16, and Equaleyes is also on the bill. See you there. 

Molten glass was being shaped late into the night. The next day, a sign warned stoners not to stare at the flame too long. 

It's almost midnight, Miller Creek is on stage, fire jugglers are twirling flame, as Kitchenpoet turns towards home and bed. Much more to follow. Two more days to be reported right here soon, and soon there will be matching sets on the Flickr archive.