[Words by Nathaniel Lutes | Photos by Joe Noel, Ashley Downing & Chris Monaghan]
The first annual Phases of the Moon Music and Arts Festival was certainly one for the books. The severe lack of preparation for the huge number of people descending upon Danville, IL for the weekend, coupled with heavy rains in the days leading up to the fest, resulted in the definition of clusterfuck at the entrance gates. I had the opportunity to ask festival goers all weekend long what their wait times were and many people reported wait times of 12 to 20 hours. I couldn’t help feeling a little guilty as my camping mate and I breezed right on through the gates at 10am on Thursday, and found a dry spot to camp fairly easily with almost no assistance or direction from festival staff.
Despite the lack of organization, it was clear the promoters were trying to do everything in their power to rectify the destroyed camping areas and music grounds. Helicopters hovered low over swampy fields to literally blow-dry the ground, perhaps acting as more of a display of “look how much money we’re spending trying to make this right” than a practical solution. Local contractors worked seemingly round-the-clock to lay tons and tons of mulch in the muddy concert areas, as it would’ve been impossible to stand, let alone dance. Due to the major setbacks abound, the concert areas didn’t open until about two hours past the scheduled time and all the artist’s sets were pushed back. Surprisingly as people starting finally trickling in attitudes were still positive, perhaps from the sheer relief people were feeling upon entry.
The first major act of the weekend that I caught was Galactic whose powerhouse funk set featured the amazing Maggie Koerner on vocals on a number of songs. What was disappointing however was the organ being used on stage, as I began to notice the keyboard player very visibly frustrated with the instrument he was playing. When I started to listen more carefully, I could hear the organ wavering in and out of tune, making it hard for me to ignore it the rest of the set. Stanton Moore and company played on like pros though and didn’t let the technical mishaps stop the funk. This wouldn’t be the last time that B3 organ would attempt to sabotage a band’s set that weekend…
Thursday night was my first real String Cheese Incident experience, which I definitely enjoyed, but still didn’t draw me in that much. I must admit that I was far more impressed earlier in the evening by Danville locals The James Jones Trio. This power-trio blues outfit stopped me in my tracks on my walk by to camp and kept me there for the rest of their set. Frontman James Jones ripped and shredded through solos with as much ferocity as Jake Cinninger with the attitude and power of Warren Haynes. A rock-solid rhythm section made this potent trio one of my most surprising and memorable sets of the weekend. Who knew that white boys from central Illinois could play the blues this well? The sheer power of what I’d heard drove me straight to the merch booth to buy their CD (disappointingly no where near the caliber of the live show).
Soulive’s late night set was certainly a heater, which was absolutely necessary as temperatures dropped into the low 40’s overnight. The main highlight for me from this set was the Beatles cover “Eleanor Rigby,” featuring a jazzy drum n’ bass arrangement that breathed new energy into a familiar song.
Friday started off right with Dumpstaphunk throwing it down on the New Moon stage. I was particularly excited for this set because it was my first opportunity to see new drummer Alvin Ford Jr. in action. He certainly didn’t disappoint one bit. The funk was being laid on as thick as ever, but once again that out-of-tune organ reared it’s ugly head just as it had during Galactic’s set on the same stage the night before. However, Ivan Neville quickly realized what was happening and handled it like a true professional by simply switching to a different keyboard and making it work for the rest of the set. At one particularly funky moment in the show he actually used the wildly wavering organ to his advantage to create an effect that made folks in the crowd make the “stank face.” Well played Ivan, well played.
Friday night presented another opportunity for me to give String Cheese a chance, but I must admit, I left about a third of the way through the set. It was cold, I wanted to save my energy for the remainder of the weekend, and we could hear everything on the Full Moon Stage pretty clearly from our campsite (I’m an Umphrey’s guy, what can I say?). Sadly, an unintended consequence of heading back to camp, I ended up sleeping through Monophonics and Kung Fu. Big mistake. I was going to have to make up for it the next day.
The first set that I caught on Saturday was Nicki Bluhm and the Gramblers, hailing all the way from California with their roots-y brand of rock and soul. Nicki’s voice was incredible, but I was particularly impressed with guitarist Deren Ney who displayed an array of chops ranging from country twang licks to full shred. I was glad to have the opportunity to hear the band in its full form, as I had only been familiar with their viral YouTube ‘Van Sessions.’ Definitely don’t miss an opportunity to see them live next time they’re in town.
My favorite set of the day, and most memorable perhaps the whole weekend arrived in the form of Leftover Salmon. This band had been on my radar for a long time, but I never really listened intently. With Salmon recently having added some fresh faces to the lineup, most notably drummer Alwyn Robinson and Little Feat keyboardist Bill Payne, I was about to truly understand the meaning of “poly-ethnic Cajun slamgrass.” My favorite song of the set was the title track from their most recent release Aquatic Hitchhiker that featured banjoist Andy Thorn. This version featured an expanded jam where each band member took an extended solo, ending with newcomer Alwyn Robinson showing every bit of his chops while still remaining locked in the groove. This band is sure to go to new heights with such a laser-focused energy and newer members making huge contributions. I already can’t wait for my next Salmon show and the release of their upcoming album High Country arriving November 28th.
The rest of the day was chock-full of phenomenal sets. Karl Denson, Tedeschi Trucks Band and Widespread Panic all delivered on levels that one would expect. Karl Denson’s set featured a cover of Cold War Kid’s “Hang Me Up to Dry” that got the entire crowd moving. One of the most powerful moments during Tedeschi Trucks’ set was when Susan was left alone of stage with her acoustic and delivered an absolutely heartwrenching soulful rendition of “Shelter” dedicated to their good friend the late Brian Farmer, longtime guitar tech to Warren Haynes. The listeners could feel an otherworldly presence inside the music and it was very clear what impact the loss had left. Widespread Panic was certainly a wild ride, but I took the opportunity to explore some of the installations scattered throughout the concert grounds. It was like a psychedelic playground at night and it became apparent that Phases of the Moon was a true music AND arts festival, both sides being represented equally. As I wandered the grounds, I happened to stop by the live painting area where Alex and Allyson Grey were working on special pieces for the festival. It was such an incredible experience to just stumble upon such legendary artists during Panic’s set. The Sanctuary was something special too, where festival-goers could retreat to get in touch with all things mind, body and spirit with classes and seminars taking place all weekend long.
Another pleasant surprise from the weekend was Steady Flow hailing from Peoria, IL. Right off the bat, I couldn’t help but think “Lettuce Jr.” because the bassist looked and dressed just like Eric “Jesus” Coomes, and their music sounded much within the same vein. But these kids (they all looked under legal drinking age) just completely destroyed the Town Square Stage. It didn’t take long for the crowd leaving Panic to congregate around these young musicians as they delivered one of the most high-energy sets I had yet to witness that weekend. Definitely keep an eye out for these up-and-comers, as I’m sure they’ll only get better with age and experience.
Musical favorites on Sunday included Robert Randolph & the Family Band, followed directly by Gov’t Mule. Randolph and Haynes are two of my favorite guitarists in the scene, so hearing their sets back to back was something special for me. Mule’s set was highlighted by a ridiculous cover of Zeppelin’s classic “No Quarter” as Warren ripped it to shreds the only way he can.
All in all, I have to give the Phases staff and production teams props even with all of the lack of cohesion in the beginning and all the setbacks to overcome. The promoters faced challenges that festivals still struggle to deal with even in their 10th year, so it must have been especially difficult on their maiden voyage. I’m certain that as the years go on this event will only get better and better. I already look forward to returning next year to this true “Fall Festival.”
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FULL PHOTO GALLERY FROM —> JOE NOEL
FULL PHOTO GALLERY FROM —> ASHLEY DOWNING
FULL PHOTO GALLERY FROM —> CHRIS MONAGHAN
