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Wanee Music Festival ~ Live Oak, FL ~ 04/19-21/2012
The Spirit of the Suwannee was alive
and bright as 15,000 joyous folks came together for Wanee
Festival 2012. Even with a dreary weather forecast, a
lively excitement permeated the music park, from the concert
grounds to the scattered onsite campgrounds. This
year, with Furthur set to play full sets both Friday and
Saturday, the atmosphere was reminiscent of the Grateful
Dead era. Tie-dyed tapestries with terrapins were
draped between trees, and colorful Steal Your Face flags
flew proud above the crowd. Though Chinese
astrologists will tell you 2012 is the Year of the Dragon,
here in America it’s also the Year of the Peach, with The
Allman Brothers Band celebrating their 40th
anniversary. The Wanee 2012 audience was poised with
excitement for the double dose of ABB that would be doled
out Friday and Saturday night on the fittingly named Peach
Stage.
We arrived Thursday just in time to see
Ray Manzarek and Roy Rogers. If you grew up listening
to and loving The Doors like I did, the chance to see Ray
was a golden opportunity; his solo keyboard instrumental
version of “Crystal Ship” was a dream manifest, and the
closing “Riders on the Storm” got the whole band in on the
legacy action. Next on the wooded amphitheatre
Mushroom Stage was Devon Allman’s Honey Tribe, a time to
revel in rock with guitarist Devon and bassist George Potsos
struttin’ and strumming around Gabriel Strange’s drumming.
The need to protect camera equipment drove us out with a
heavy downpour of rain, but I heard Hot Tuna’s electric set
was extra-hot.
Friday brought sunshine to the debut
of the Peach Stage, a massive stage overlooking a huge open
field. Bobby Lee Rodgers Trio literally Woke Up Wanee
with an early feel-good vibe. Bruce Hornsby
& The Noisemakers made a joyfully melodic noise, paying
tribute to the recent passing of Levon Helm with “The Night
They Drove Old Dixie Down”, and playing a fantastic set.
We moved on to the Mushroom Stage for our first taste of
Matt Schofield, a British guitarist with a badass case of
the blues, definitely worth a listen. Back at the
Peach, the legendary blues king Buddy Guy gave us both grace
and grit, the power of his guitar penetrating
all present, captivating the crowd with his shining soul and
dynamic performance. The Mushroom housed an uplifting
showcase of rhythm when the Mickey Hart Band came out to
play, with Mickey’s masterful percussion driving the
intensity and Dave Schools’ (Widespread Panic) bass solid
and strong.
As midday sun bathed the Peach Stage,
Tedeschi Trucks Band brought soothing beauty; Susan and
Derek have a lovely interaction with their guitars, and the
band has a full rich soundscape. The concert field was
packed with happy hippies as Furthur took the stage; from
the first notes of “Not Fade Away” to the last notes of
“Touch of Grey”, the crowd was entranced. Ivan
Neville's Dumpstaphunk hit the Mushroom Stage, channeling
George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, with a voyage
through their greatest hits. When evening closed in
with a blanket of stars The Allman Brothers Band brought
their smooth Southern-drenched psychedelia and mesmerized
us. On the stage-size backdrop a colorful display of
melting images provided a feast for the eyes, while the band
played beloved classics to please the ears.
Complementing the mid-set moving tributes to Levon Helm
were guest appearances by Kofi Burbridge (TTB), Bob Weir,
Susan Tedeschi, Danny Louis (Gov’t Mule), and others;
hearing “It Makes No Difference” and “The Weight” brought
the full impact of Levon’s loss to light, may he rest in
peace.
The Saturday skies were far less
favorable than Friday; ponchos and umbrellas were out in
full force, as a large thunderstorm system was scheduled to
move in. The rain stayed hidden while Trigger Hippy
put on quite a show at the Peach, with Joan Osborne sounding
soulful, flanked by a pair of great
guitars. We caught some Leftover Salmon at the
Mushroom, and all were hopeful that the high-octane
bluegrass would make the stormclouds dance off into the
distance. Alas, it was not to be. Back at the
Peach, Gov’t Mule unleashed the beginnings of what was sure
to be a smoldering set, but during “The Shape I’m In” the
rain became so heavy that the band was forced to abandon the
stage, and folks did what they could to find shelter from
the storm, which lasted nearly three long hours.
Suddenly, it was near time for Furthur’s second show, and
mercifully the rain slowed to a drizzle, allowing Phil Lesh,
Bob Weir, and the band to bring us that wonderfully
transportive music they play so well. Both of their
shows were grand, but the Saturday set really blew me away.
It may have been the grateful feelings that grew when every
song seemed to cause the sky to clear a little more; it may
have been the magic of songs that flowed continually into
each other; perhaps it was the second-song “China Cat
Sunflower” that didn’t complete its “I Know You Rider” until
the last song of the set. Whatever it was, it totally
captivated me, and looking at the faces surrounding me, I
was not the only one who felt it.
Spirits were soaring as The Allman Brothers Band came out
with the beautiful “Jessica” to start their second show.
Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes truly carry on the dueling
guitar legacy of ABB, and Gregg Allman sounds fantastic as
always. Jaimoe and Butch Trucks continue to pound out
the rhythms to great effect, Oteil Burbridge brings smooth
funk on his bass, and Marc Quinones’ percussion adds another
layer of depth. A special treat came during the Dr.
John cover “Walk On Guilded Splinters” when Luther Dickinson
(North Mississippi Allstars) joined Derek and Warren, and a
triple slide-guitar show ensued to the delight of all.
Later on, Mobile, AL got quite a nod when Jimmy Hall (Wet
Willie) brought his harmonica to the party for “She Caught
the Katy”, “Statesboro Blues”, and “Smokestack Lightning”.
After the phenomenal ABB set ended near the midnight hour,
North Mississippi Allstars closed down Wanee 2012 at the
Mushroom Stage. Luther and Cody Dickinson rocked hard,
with Pierre Wells filling in for Chris Chew on bass, and
Roosevelt Collier (The Lee Boys) playing his lap steel on a
support board that allowed him to stand and deliver.
Thus concluded our first adventure at Wanee Music Festival;
and based on this 2012 experience, laden with delicious
Southern delight, I would gladly return and ask for more.
We wish The Allman Brothers Band a happy 40th
anniversary, and are so grateful they continue to grace us
with their talents and music; and thanks to all the people,
from the bands to the fans, who made Wanee 2012 such a
pleasure.
MORE PHOTOS HERE
&
HERE
Review by: Rosemary A.W.
Roberts
Photos by: Clayton Roberts
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