Jimmy’s
Mother Earth Day Festival
by Jimmy Cummings
May is the time we celebrate this big
planet we call home and Jimmy’s 2011 Mother Earth Day Festival promised to be a
great way to lift our voices in appreciation for Mother Earth. And with a
line-up that featured acts from around the Miami Valley, even the threat of
rain could not dampen the spirits of those in attendance. Once again Jimmy
Hamden put together an array of music that was sure to satisfy. The bands
scheduled to perform were: Blue Moon Soup, Kris Hanson, Romeo Champagne, Magic
Jackson, The John Mullins Band, Tony Herdman, and the Phish tribute band Oh
Kee Pa.
The
festivities started around 2:00 when Jimmy took the stage to welcome campers,
vendors and the bands to the show. First on the stage were the bluegrass
melodies of Blue Moon Soup from Yellow Springs, Ohio. The band took the stage
and wasted no time getting the crowd going, setting the stage for a great
evening of music. Influenced by the likes of Jerry Garcia, David Grissman, and
the Yonder Mountain String Band, the band: Ben Clonch (Guitar, Vocals), Robbie
Marion (Fiddle, Vocals), and Jon Bauman (Bass, Vocals) have etch out a sound
all their own. Being the opening act for a festival can be a daunting task for
some bands. With all the commotion of campers arriving and putting the final
touches on the lighting for the evening there can be many distractions. However the guys from Blue moon Soup were
focused on the task at hand (getting the party started). They did just that with
tunes like Stealin
and one of my favorite tunes, Southbound. These guys are great
musicians and they know how to get your feet moving. They were also kind enough
to provide campers with music between acts in a separate stage they set-up not
far from the main stage.
 
Next to perform was Kris Hanson from Dayton,
Ohio. Kris took the stage, (barefoot and guitar strapped to his back) and
opened his set with Rain and offered a great mix that included a melody of Make
Love to You/See You at the Show/Shakedown Street, (my favorite Dead song). For
a solo act, Kris is able to create a tremendous sound. He is able to simulate
the sound of a full band; playing the guitar, bass, and keyboards. Kris did
have some help on a few tunes; Tracy Sax Lakes brought his talents and his
saxophone to the stage. Perhaps the crowd’s favorite was Kris’s cover of Pink
Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall. Kris gave a great encore that consisted of Scarlet
Begonias and the Dead’s version of Fire on the Mountain. Kris is an amazing
musician and his “one man band” performance was incredible.
 
The
audience was pumped as Jimmy announced the next band, Romeo Champagne. Also
from the Gem City, Romeo Champagne brought their brand of rock/jazz/funk fusion
to the campgrounds and things began to heat up, even as the temperatures began
to fall. The band, Chris Coalt (Guitar/Vocals), Josh Johnson (Drums/Vocals),
Danny "Taxi-Sax" Sauers (Sax/Vocals), and Andrew Scorti (Bass/Vocals)
have tremendous chemistry that resonates with the audience. First up was a song
called Toad in the Box followed by Check out Mind and Chevy. At one point Robby
Marion from Blue Moon Soup and Rob Brockman the drummer for Oh Kee Pah sat in
with the band that added even more fire power. Influenced by a variety of
music, (Rock, Jazz, Funk, and Reggae), the band has forged a sound that is
unique and all Romeo Champagne. The tight vocals and spot on timing of the band
make for a very enjoyable set of great music. They finished their set with
Rattlesnake, Lil Pocket Hercules, and a song called Boogie City that almost
brought down the shelter.
 
Another
of Dayton’s finest was on tap next; Magic Jackson took the stage with their
usual swagger and furry. You could feel the energy as the band took control of
the stage, and take control they did! Nathan and the guys took the stage and
party was in full throttle. The band line-up was a little different this time
around with the addition of John Gentry Jr. (Guitar/Vocals), and Rob Brockman
(Drums/vocals). They join Mike McKewen (Bass/Vocals), Nathan Lewis (Guitar//Vocals)
to make Magic Jackson an even stronger force than ever before.
The band
blasted out my favorite Magic Jackson song, My Name Is Money as well as the
rocking tunes, Stage Freight and Psychobabble; they even invited Danny Sauers
from Romeo Champagne to set in. The night also included some new material, one
of which featured a more laid back sound called Do You Right. By the end of the
set, the crowd was a little subdued, (perhaps in anticipation to the rain that
was coming, and it was coming). Before their encore Jimmy stepped up on stage
and strongly encouraged the audience to show the band the love they just showed
them. The place lit up like a Christmas tree and you could feel the vibe as
they finished their night as strong as they started, giving the crowd a great
show like always.
 
The John
Mullins Band was next to the stage. The crowd was primed and ready, even as
the rain began to pour. Mullins, (formally of ekoostik hookah) is a fan
favorite and it showed. The rain was relentless but the shelter was full as the
band took the stage. John put together a great band for the festival; Sam
Collis (bass), Chris Connor (guitar), Steve Frye (Drums), Nate Hollman
(Keyboards), and Mullins on (Guitar/Vocals). The campground exploded when the
band broke out favorites like Washboard Annie, and Bats in the Belfry. One of
the highlights for me was when John showed his love of Pink Floyd and played
Pigs from Floyd’s Animals album. The rain was pounding and the light show,
provided by Chad McCarty from High Voltage Stage Lighting was amazing, adding
to the ambiance. John seemed to be relaxed and the rest of the band followed
suit, offering the audience a great experience. The band came out for their
encore and played their version of the song Viper. By the end of the set it was
clear why the John Mullins Band is a festival favorite.
 
Following
the John Mullins Band was Tony Herdman from Dayton. Some acts may have been
intimidated playing after a performance like Mullins and his band put on, they
were impressive. But Tony confidently took the stage and fed off the energy of
the crowd; he opened his set with the Bob Marley’s Redemption Song and smoothly
transitioned into the crowd favorite Burn One Down. Tony then invited
saxophonist Tracy Lakes to the stage for a couple of tunes. The chemistry
between the two was evident, as they rocked the campgrounds. Tony then summoned
guitarist Keith Cost and performed the Who’s hit Behind Blue Eyes. Tony then
got help from Dino Dimitroleus and Rob Brockman of the Tony Red Band and Oh Kee
Pah. In addition to being a great
musician, Tony is one of the nicest guys I have ever met. Tony cranked out a
memorable performance and was poised to announce the final band of the night,
Oh Kee Pah, the Phish tribute band.
 
There are
many “tribute” bands out there these days, but very few great ones that are
actually good enough to pay a true “tribute” to the original band; Oh Kee Pah
is one of those great bands. Tony Herdman warned the audience that they would
not believe the talent that we were about to witness, and he was right. Oh Kee
Pah is from Dayton and consist of band mates; Jeremy Armstrong (Guitar, Vocals),
Rob Brockman (Drums, Vocals), Dino Dimitroleus (Bass, Vocals), Nathan
Springhart- (Keyboards, Vocals). The band was the talk of the festival all day,
as everyone was waiting in anticipation of what Dino and Rob, (of the group The
Maji) had in store. I can see why, these guys took the stage with musicianship
that you expect to hear from national and global bands, but rarely do. Every
song seemed to be precise and spot-on Phish. I overheard a friend of mine say,
“they sound as much like Phish as Phish does”. Now that’s the ultimate
compliment for a “tribute” band. No one wanted the music to end when Oh Kee Pah
finished their set around 4am, but what a way to end a GREAT day of music.
 
One of
the most interesting things about the entire weekend was how much camaraderie
there was between the all the members of the bands and even the campers. You
hear all the time about the huge egos of some musicians, but you didn’t see
that here. All these guys came to the campgrounds for one reason, for the love
of the music. In fact, everyone in attendance that day was the same way; we
were all there to have a good time with friends and listen to some great music.
As always, Jimmy provided a great atmosphere and a terrific line-up. Thanks to
all the people who made this event possible including Chubby and Kim Howard who
videoed the entire day of music. Most of all, thanks to Jimmy Hamden and his
wife for organizing an amazing festival. Can’t wait for next year!
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