Rothbury Recap

I love concerts. I know that is a generic statement, but I make it a priority to attend a few quality shows per year. This past semester, I drowned out the desperate pleas of my bank account and traveled to three of them. There was Kanye West's "Glow in the Dark" tour, Jimmy Buffett (which coincided seamlessly with my 21st birthday), and the country stylings of Keith Urban and my girlfriend. While all of the shows definitely hit the spot, they were pretty much what one would expect. After learning I had the opportunity to attend the Rothbury Music Festival over the holiday weekend, I had a sense that it would be different from any concert I had ever experienced. I was right.

The first annual festival was founded on ideals of the green movement, encouraging sustainability alongside musical expression. The festival's location tied in well with the message - over 200 acres on Rothbury, Michigan's Double JJ Ranch are a far cry from the cola-sponsored stadiums I've become accustomed to. After driving through a field to check in, me and my friend Greg, a graphic design intern at GM, were able to park and gaze out at the sea of camp sites surrounding us.

Whenever I watch retrospective looks at the music of the sixties, I wonder if I would have been a hippie or a total square had I grown up in that era. While I can't say that for sure, the counterculture movement seemed alive and well in Michigan this weekend. Nearly everyone I encountered seemed unique in their own way, yet they were all united for a common reason. Which, of course, leads me to the music.

I caught three different acts over the weekend. The first was Snoop Dog, which was undoubtedly a highlight. Anyone who follows music/pop culture knows that Snoop is a larger than life figure. You might think his persona is just for TV and that he can't really be that outrageous. But indeed my friends, he is. And a heck of a performer. 311 took the stage next and put on a very energetic set. Having only been casually familiar with their music, it was a pleasure to see what all the fuss was about - although I did keep getting distracted flashing back to a Travel Channel special I saw about singer Nick Hexum's private island in the Florida Keys. Jealous, jealous, jealous.

We also caught the Dave Matthews Band on Saturday night. DMB concerts were a staple in high school, yet I had always been exiled to the far corner of a lawn with what seemed to be miles of fanatics between me and the man himself. At Rothbury, this was quite the opposite - I was right up in the center of the action. The band's sprawling three hour set thrilled the crowd and inspired me to call more than a few of my concert buddies of yesteryear during their favorite songs.

Earlier in the day on Saturday, Greg and I had the chance to join the GMnext crew behind the scenes. It was there that we got to meet Kyle Gass from Tenacious D, aka the self-proclaimed greatest band in history. Kyle is traveling with GMnext on their Plug In tour, making stops at the biggest global rock festivals of the summer. Kyle was friendly enough to chat with us lowly interns for quite a bit. He touched on topics ranging from his music, to meeting The Who's Roger Daltrey, to his role in the summer movie "Kung Fu Panda." After talking with Kyle, we were invited on board the GMnext tour bus. As evidenced by the pictures below... not too shabby!

Overall, Rothbury was an excellent way for some 40,000 attendees to ring in the Fourth of July. After some aggressive napping/showering, I feel fully recovered from a long weekend outdoors! So, will they do it again? Much like a sequel to a Hollywood blockbuster, it appears Rothbury 2009 has already been given the green light. Calling all Midwestern music junkies to mark your calendars...