Rib Fest
America—Military Park—Indianapolis, IN 8/31-9/02/12
Labor Day weekend marked the 16th
annual Rib Fest America held at Military Park in the
heart of downtown Indianapolis. Though the weather was
not necessarily cooperative, the talent present as well
as the tantalizing food ensured that regardless of the
rain good times would be had by all.
Local artist and blues powerhouse
Duke Tumato and the Power Trio kicked off the weekend
with the instrumental prowess of indisputable veterans.
Tumato was a great way to start such a feel good weekend
with his comical and slightly mischievous lyrical hits
from the Bob and Tom Show. The melodic mayhem of the
Power Trio got the early comers on their feet and even
hungry passersby could not help but pause for a moment
to appreciate the bluesy rock resonating from the
stage.
As the first act wound down, many
people took the opportunity to explore some of the
delectable choices offered by the nine rib vendors and
countless and diverse merchants carrying anything from
grilled corn to ice cream, including seemingly endless
fried options. Clearly there was something for
everyone including delicious barbeque sauces and pork in
nearly every form you could dream of.
As Eddie Money took the stage there
were noticeably more people present, ready to kick off
their long weekend with some nostalgic rock and good
eats. Eddie delivered a show with the polished, blue
collar rock n roll finesse he has had since the late
70s. His hour and a half set was filled with catchy
hits that practically everyone could sing along with
regardless of age or musical preference. Money opened
with “Baby Hold On” as the crowd took a stroll down
memory lane with this gregarious performer. Eddie Money
and his band kept up the tempo by bringing some of his
favorite hits to an intimate setting with a beautiful
backdrop of the city skyline as the sun began to set.
Money pummeled the crowd with his hook laced classic
rock hits including synth-pop hit “Walk on Water”, “No
Control” and bluesy “Call on Me” which had the ladies
swooning over the soaring guitar solo. Money also
serenaded the group with a cover of the Smokey Robinson
hit “You Really Got a Hold on Me” a lovely little gem
from the evening.
As the end drew near, Eddie Money
played yet another chart topper “Take Me Home Tonight”;
and when Eddie introduced “Two Tickets to Paradise”, the
band launched into the emblematic intro as baby boomers
and youngsters alike crooned to this rock anthem.
Closing the set with “Shakin” a predictable yet
pleasurable closer, Eddie Money, who may have had the
most fun out of everyone there with his onstage antics,
left the crowd in high spirits.
After a brief break between sets to
allow for those present to sample some more of the
festival’s offerings, the ever influential George
Clinton and his 15 piece band Parliament Funkadelic took
stage to let their freak flag fly for the two hour set.
Despite the fact that Dr. Funkenstein’s feathers and
rainbow dreadlocks are no more, the roar from the crowd
as he took stage indicated that he still had the gusto
to get the crowd funked up. George Clinton and
Parliament Funkadelic certainly proved that there ain’t
no party like a P-funk party as they unearthed a lengthy
version of “Atomic Dog” which got all the long-time fans
to put down the ribs and get off their feet and dance.
The loose arrangements allowed
plenty of room for improvisation, and banter and classic
party anthems from the founding father of funk were not
in short supply. “Give up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off
the Sucker)”, yet another highlight, had all the ladies
in the crowd singing along. George Clinton and his
formidable army, the Parliament Funkadelic, were a
perfect way to end a great evening of diverse beats and
delicious eats and I could not wait to come back for
more of both the following day.
Saturday rolled around and I felt
as though I already had my proverbial plate full from
the previous day. However, despite the cloudy weather, I
was ready to see what treats and eats the day had in
store, and boy was it an enthralling day of diverse
sounds.
Though I missed the day’s opening
act Upshot, the Infamous Stringdusters were a perfect
way to start the day as they seamlessly moved through
their set of infectious jamgrass ditties. Despite the
loss of Chris Elderidge, Andy Falco and Chris Pandolfi
have taken progressive bluegrass to another level. In
the words of bass player, Travis Book: “we are more than
just bluegrass, not quite country, always progressive
and energetic.” Although the band is fairly new to the
scene, members have played with legends like Earl
Scruggs, Drew Emmitt, and Dolly Parton, to name a few.
Each of the members is a jack of all trades, as Falco
can often be found playing guitar alongside Joss Stone,
Hall is a recipient of countless awards for his
astonishing skills on the dobro, and Pandolfi has
studied at Berkley School of Music. The Stringdusters
also host their own music festival “The Festy
Experience” in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The band is
not afraid to stand their ground as they continue to
cross genres of music and establish their own sound:
High Country. “High Country is like taking bluegrass,
add some foot stomping with a twist of a psychedelic
sounds to make for a memorable night.”
With the break in music I decided
to take a walk around the grounds to see what
festivities were going on. There were definitely more
people present than the previous day as people filed in
to grab a late lunch. I was excited to catch a blind
BBQ taste test between the Indianapolis Police
Department and the Fire Department. Smelling the unique
undertones from the various cooking methods used was
enough to make one’s mouth water.
Next one of Indy’s very own premier
touring acts came back home for this year’s Ribfest and
took the crowd by storm. This five piece jazz/funk band
was formed in 2004 by identical twin brothers, Adam and
Seth Catron, and is one of the Midwest’s fastest growing
jam bands. As the Twin Cats took stage they had no
problem getting the crowd to fuse with their
electrifying funkadelic sound. The fans filled the VIP
area for an hour and half and danced their
you-know–what’s off. It was as if the Cats were released
from a cage and were going to get revenge by funking up
your face. Saxophone/electric flute player Nick Gerlach
let loose on sax in a memorable jam “Face.” Phil Geyer
added a twist with his talented keyboarding skills. The
band likes to refer to their style as Face Funk, and if
you have never heard Face Funk then I highly recommend
that you experience an evening with the Twin Cats; I
guarantee you will be sold on this electrified jazzy
funk!
Next up was a pleasant surprise,
The Werks. Though I have seen these guys a few times, I
never fully appreciated them until this weekend.
Despite the fact that the weather had taken an obvious
turn for the worst, their fanbase seemed unaffected as
they danced and partied with the band regardless of the
torrential downpour. The clouds cleared and there was a
break in the rain as I experienced this genuinely
crafted live musical experience. The guys opened with
the upbeat vintage psychedelic sounding “Moetry in
Potion”. The Werks definitely play off the energy of
the crowd—and there was plenty to go around as the boys
moved into “Sweet Content” seguing organically into
“Carry Me Back home” and back to finish “Sweet
Content.” These guys have so many influences and
channel the best aspects from each while putting their
own definitive and oh so unique twist on it. I began to
understand why everyone was dancing despite the glum
weather: it was because it is impossible not to
dance to the electro-dance beats. A definite highlight
was “For Today”, a song that takes the listener in so
many different directions they may leave your head
spinning; and the closing hit “Duck Farm”, a funky drum
and bass heavy tune filled with a plethora of jams. This
Ohio based band balances perfectly improvational jams
with more structured ones. The Werks played a high
energy set to warm the souls of those who braved the
rain.
The clouds cleared for the next
act, and the five-headed behemoth of booty shaking known
as Dumpstaphunk took the stage. As the band got started
with “Britknee” it was apparent that rhythm section
differentiates these guys by establishing its thick and
swampy sound. Funk is in these guys’ DNA as the band
with its two bass players, three guitar players, a
keyboardist and a drummer have a lineage connected to
the Neville Brothers and the Meters. As they
strode through another favorite “Everyone Want Some” it
was obvious that the chemistry not only between the
members of the band but between the band and the crowd
was completely electric. Those who were present were
handsomely rewarded with a killer one-two punch of a
funkified cover of David Bowie’s “Fame” that segued
smoothly into Dumpstaphunk’s signature song “Put it in
the Dumpsta”.
That combination enthralled the
crowd as many were clearing out seats to make more room
for dancing in front of the stage. The extra space was
needed as the guys moved onto “Meanwhile” and closed the
show with “Water”, which was all too appropriate given
the monsoon that had passed through just before the
set. Dumpstaphunk brought a little New Orleans up to
the ribfest with their funk-infused fun filled set.
These guys really know how to get the crowd involved in
songs which sound like they could be playing off the
balconies of the French Quarter, and the excitement of
the set lingered in the air as the final act of the
night took stage.
Finally moe. took stage just after
the sun had set and the drinks had begun to flow.
Though moe. is constantly either in the studio or on
tour, they are still always eager to take on new musical
terrain; their set was a treasure trove of classics, new
tunes and unexpected jammy detours. It was a glorious
affair that left the crowd enlightened by the band’s
improvisational prowess. They opened with “Crab Eyes”
and with the first familiar licks the crowd was set in
motion and chanted along with all of the booms and the
bangs. Next, the guys moved to a well-known feel good
“Nebraska” and though the song doesn’t allow for too
many improv jams, it is always a crowd pleaser.
A new song “Pueblo” followed as
bassist Rob Derhak laid down a funky foundation, echoed
in a dark guitar riff under a psychedelic slide guitar.
“Pueblo” has fit nicely into setlists as a launchpad for
intricate jamming and creative segues. Moe. then
transitioned into “Timmy Tucker”, a classic which feels
as though one is slipping on a comfortable pair of shoes
every time I hear it—comfortable and pleasurable. Next
came a lengthy jam kindly reminding the fans why we love
these guys, as they took the crowd through an elaborate
“Head”>”Time Ed” > “Head”. This combination perfectly
illustrated just how unfathomable these guys are with
their exploratory jams and seamless transitions. Moe.
then took stage for an encore filled with two fan
favorites “Captain America” and fast paced “Seat of my
Pants” both of which showed the band’s roots in classic
rock and big guitars while allowing plenty of time for
the band’s improvisational spirit to shine.
As Military Park cleared out for
the evening, I couldn’t help but marvel at the amazing
music and delicious food that had filled my weekend. The
funk filled sets of Dumpstaphunk, the improv jams of moe.
and the Werks, and the nostalgia of George Clinton and
Eddie Money ensured for a memorable weekend.
Written By: Kelly Burns and Mark
Loveless
Edited By: Rosemary A.W. Roberts,
www.jamsplus.com
Photos By: Keith Griner
