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Wanee Music Festival ~ April
18th-20th, 2013 ~ Spirit of Suwannee
Music Park ~ Live Oak, FL
Under
the Spanish Moss blowing in the wind at Spirit of Suwannee
Music Park, Wanee Music Festival 2013 was
held, and it was totally amazing. Some of the Nation’s if
not World’s best acts graced several thousand excited fans
on one incredible music journey. Things would actually get
started off with a pre-fest party for early arrivers on
Wednesday that got the Spirit going. Some of the bands that
played were Cope, Beebs & Her Moneymakers, and
New Orleans own Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk who
performed a very special Meters set on the Engine Barn
Stage. Wanee Music Festival was on their funkin’ rockin’
way, and gettin’ in gear for 3 days of Solid Music.
Thursday
(4/18), things would get off to a start on the Mushroom
Stage around 1 pm with Oli Brown, Monophonics, Bobby Lee
Rodgers, Voice of the Wetlands Allstars in that order
through the day into the early evening. Royal Southern
Brotherhood featuring Devon Allman would take the
stage next in the late evening and into the start of the
night, one incredible band (Southern Rockin’ Funk) to see
play. Devon is the son of Gregg Allman from the
Allman Brothers Band; Gregg would come out that evening to
play a few tunes including “One Way Out”. RSB also has
Cyril Neville(percussion, vocals) of the Neville
Brothers from New Orleans, along with Yonrico Scott
on drums, Charlie Wooton on Bass, and Mike Zito
on guitar. Up next would be Hot Tuna Electric
featuring Jorma Kaukonen (guitar) and Jack Casady
(Bass) who are legendary, known for Jefferson Airplane and
Hot Tuna. Since then they have added a couple of other
members, Barry Mitterhoff (multi-instrumentalist) and
Skoota Warner (Drums), and their show Thursday night
was one for the record books and to remember. Taking the
stage next would be The Greyboy Allstars featuring
founding member Karl Denson on saxophone. Greyboy Allstars
(Robert Walters, Elgin Park, Chris Stillwell, Aaron
Redfield) just released their new album Inland
Emperor on that Tuesday (4/16) and graced the crowd
with some new tunes off of it into the classics such as
“Happy Friends”, because Wanee is definitely a Happy place
and things were still just getting started. Friday and
Saturday were to come and the Peach Stage would take off and
get to rockin’, as well as the thousands of fans coming from
all parts of the world.
Friday
was here and the population had grown, and the Peach Stage
was about to take off with some of the most incredibly
amazing music for the rest of the weekend. Music would
intertwine throughout the Mushroom stage and the Peach stage
for the rest of the festival along with a couple shows at
the lake and a traveling stage as well. Things got started
off in the right way on Friday morning around 11 am with
Flannel Church featuring Duane Trucks, founding
member and drummer (as well as the brother of Derek
Trucks). The Revivalists from New Orleans would
follow bringing some energetic sounds to get the crowd
going; they are definitely a band worth seeing. In between
these two amazing shows the Peach stage got started off with
Bobby Lee Rodgers and following would be
Blackberry Smoke. Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band would be
up next on the Mushroom stage bringing in some jazzy bluesy
funky sounds. Jaimoe is known as one of the best drummers,
as well as a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band.
Robert Randolph with his sacred steel would get things
going next on the Peach Stage with some Rockin’ Bluesy
Gospel sounds. Last time Jams Plus Media caught up with
Robert Randolph was at Telluride Blues and Brews Fest in
Telluride, CO of September 2012. Les Claypool was on
tap next at the Mushroom Stage for Les Claypool’s Duo De
Twang which was probably one of the most interesting
shows because of the styles of music that come from Claypool
and a Bass. Claypool, decked out like a cowboy, would
entertain the crowd with a Steel Bass Guitar and with a
story about a guy named Jerry. Gov’t Mule was up
next and it would be a memorable set for fans for sure.
Lead by Warren Haynes on guitar, Gov’t Mule would
cover Neil Young’s, “Cortez the Killer” with John Bell,
Dave Schools, JoJo Hermann, and Jimmy Herring of
Widespread Panic, who would take the stage next
following the Gov’t Mule show. North Mississippi
Allstars, with guest appearance by Oteil Burbridge,
would play next on the Mushroom Stage. Also joining them on
stage would be Lightnin’ Malcolm on guitar who is on
tour with them this spring. When NMA was over, people
either went to their campsite or came over for Widespread
Panic who were about to take the Peach Stage, with
weather on the people’s minds as clouds moved in and the
wind picked up. Widespread Panic opened their first of two
night shows with “Ain’t Life Grand”, which was an excellent
choice to play. During the show the weather came in, and
since the lightning and thunder stayed away, the show played
on through, making the fans glisten in the lights that were
shimmering all over the crowd. Towards the end of their set
Warren Haynes joined the stage and sat in on “Jesus
Left Chicago”, which was definitely a treat followed by
“Maggot Brain”, which Warren and Danny Louis joined
in on to finish out the set. Boombox would get things
going on the Mushroom Stage and their fans and new fans
coming from the WSP show were getting ready for the
Allman Brothers Band to take stage. The Allman Brothers
would take the Peach Stage next and open up their first
night of two shows with “Hot ‘Lanta”. Other highlights of
the Allman Brothers show would include Blind Faith’s “Can’t
Find My Way Home” (Mind-blowing!) featuring
John Bell on Vocals and Artimus Pyle (Lynyrd
Skynyrd) on Drums; “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed”
with Jimmy Herring on Guitar (Awesome!) and “One
Way Out” with Luther Dickinson on
guitar (NMA), Cody Dickinson on drums (NMA), and
Artimus Pyle on tambourine. It was definitely one show
to remember for sure, and I will never forget it. Steel
Pulse would close things out on the Mushroom Stage that
late night in the rain with some incredible reggae and dub
sounds that filled the campgrounds.
Saturday
the day would start off at the SOS Music Hall where they
were serving up some breakfast, warming up the souls as
Albert Simpson played for them. The Yeti Trio
would get things started off on the Mushroom Stage while
Bobby Lee Rogers would once again grace the Peach Stage
with his cosmic rockin’ sounds. On Tap next would be the
Lee Boys lead by Roosevelt Collier on sacred
steel and would have a lil’ church service on a Saturday and
bring the sun out. The sun started coming out of the clouds
soon and Leon Russell would take stage who would get
the crowd going during “Rollin' in My Sweet Baby's Arms”.
Russell himself was inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of
Fame in 2011. The Dirty Dozen Brass Band would get
the party started next on the Mushroom Stage, New Orleans
style. Michael Franti would be up next on the Peach
Stage and get the crowd a-jumping that came to the show. It
was one of the most energetic shows next to the Revivalists
that weekend. Maceo Parker, a legend in his own
right and famous for the J.B.s as part of James Brown’s
band, would take the Mushroom Stage. With their sharp
dressed out suits and funky style it was definitely on top
for some old school funk. Speaking of old school funk and
R&B as well, Tower of Power would take the stage next
after Maceo Parker. In between on the Peach Stage,
Tedeschi Trucks Band would let us watch one of the best
duos on guitar there is. Derek Trucks and his wife
Susan Tedeschi have been playing guitar together for
years, their melodies are like a story of their lifetime
spent together. Widespread Panic would take the
stage next for an ass kickin’ last time, to play their
second show at Wanee Festival for 2013. They would open
their set with “Imitation Leather Shoes” and
would stay continuously strong through the show which
included Van Morrison’s “I’ve Been Working” with Artimus
Pyle on drums, Derek Trucks on guitar, and
Susan Tedeschi on guitar/vocals. Following they would
bust out “Going Out West” where Derek Trucks would continue
to sit in. Closing out Widespread Panic’s set of Wanee 2013
would be “Fishwater” leaving the crowd wanting more.
Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad would take the Mushroom
Stage and infiltrate some dub sounds through the forest
while waiting for the Allman Brothers Band to bring
the Peach Stage to a close for Wanee 2013. They would begin
the night throwing out a gem by playing Jimi Hendrix’s
“1983…A Merman I Should Turn To Be” that was followed by an
incredible “Mountain Jam”. It was once again another show
for the record books and one to remember. Galactic &
Friends would close out Wanee 2013 with some incredible
funky sounds from New Orleans on the Mushroom Stage with
numerous guest sit-ins (Revivalists/Skerik/etc.) throughout
the show. This would bring Wanee 2013 to a close and have
fans looking forward to next year when Wanee 2014 will play
once again. If you have never been to Wanee Music
Festival, it is highly recommended amongst all festivals
that play throughout the world, every year at the Spirit of
Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL.
FULL
PHOTO GALLERY
HERE
Photos
By: Tarver Shelton
Written
By: Tarver Shelton
Edited
By: Rosemary A.W. Roberts |
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