JBO Reviews MOEDOWN 14

Review by Hilary Clarkson

Photos by Jay Blakesberg

I wait every year for Festival season. I have been around to see the entire scene from the beginning. From the days of camping At Grateful Dead Shows to The Horde Tour which took bands like Phish and Widespread Panic on there first national tours. I Spent 13 years doing west coast festivals from Mountain Aire to Hog Farm.  I feel strongly that moe.down is the epitome of what Jamband Festivaling  is and was meant to be. 

2013 was the perfect storm for an Epic event. The Weather in Turin NY was the best I have seen for moe.down…This being my 5th.

More then almost any band, moe.’s fans are a family. It is a feeling like no other to love a band and have all the members alive and Thriving after 23 years.  It felt like a family reunion with 6 sets of MOE.

The vending was full of fair trade family owned shops and the food vendors were healthy and not over priced.  The Porto potties were clean and stocked with toilet paper all weekend.

moe.down ran like a top. All the bands were on time and the sound was great, the children’s village was buzzing with activity, arrival was a breeze, th parking and camping were flat and on grass and the tent city was comfortable and welcoming.

After setting up camp I walked the 2 minutes on flat ground to the Main Stage to see moe.  The energy was amazing…like kids on Christmas who wait all year for Santa the crowd danced and sang together and moe.down 14 was Underway. 

Following the 2 sets of moe. I walked about 200 yards to see Steve Kimock band.  Steve has his Son John Morgan Kimock playing drums which defiantly added to the family vibe.  Bernie Worell blew my mind as usual and the female singer was so into it the crowed loved her! They played into the early morning hours. After Kimock I was wiped so I took the minute flat walk back to my tent and went to sleep. I can’t stress enough how nice it was to be camped so close to the Stages.

Saturday was one of those mornings you dream of for an August Festival. It was cool with a nice breeze… Perfect for sleeping. 

The music started at noon. It was really nice the way the good vendors and picnic tables were set up around the Small stage.  We ate breakfast, drank coffee and listened to 2 sets of Conehead Budda. 

Karl Densons Tiny Universe was next on the Main Stage. He was great as usual. It was an early slot for him but it was nice to see him and his band in the light of day.  It was a busy weekend for a lot of these bands some playing 3 Festivals. RAQ was another late night band that played Sunday in the middle of the afternoon.  Oh and Mike Dillon, I had never seen him. The energy was so high and they were so good! Vinny sat in and it was for sure a major highlight of the weekend.

Stanly Jordan; wow he was unbelievable. When he sat in with MOE Sunday night it was mind altering. The crowd was so a part of the jams. MOE seems to have a great time having people sit in With them and  it really shows.

To sum things up, there is nothing quite like moe. Down weather you’re a die hard moe.head or just looking for a beautiful weekend escape. See you next year moe.