Sierra Nevada World Music Festival @ Boonville

[Drunk Monk]

Inna dancehall 'til 3:30. JAH Shaka ruled. Scratch & Don Carlos never played but are promised for tomorrow - breakfast with Scratch. Supposed to be sunny today. Still in tent wishing I could sleep more but the sound systems are runnin and I gotta pee.

[Drunk Monk]

Scratch is allegedly in Hayfork (big grower town) so breakfast is dubious. But we got Don Carlos on our village stage for dinner which was very pleasant. 

Had a grand brewery tour then a bored meeting then a patient, and now the sun is setting. Really hope to get out for some booth insoections

[Drunk Monk]

Dancehall 2 done. Rory from stone love. Rocked in the middle.

Toots was heartbreaking.

A friend just tried to sell me organic Ganga fruity pebbles. That made me happy

[Drunk Monk]

Fuck Petaluma traffic

[Drunk Monk]

So the SNWMF DOOMtale begins at the end, then goes back to the beginning, then ends in the middle.  

On Sunday, a lovely warm day, dm made the blast away to scurry home for a father's day date with his daughter, who made lasagna (from frozen, but she managed to turn the oven on, which is a major feat) and tickets for Finding Dory (dm misses seeing movies with her as now she always goes with her teenage friends, not boring old dad).  Dm slept in to 9 or so, got some nice breaky at JAH Med, and put his head back together from the night before.  All of a sudden it was noon and dm realized he hadn't really shopped at all, hadn't really explored the massive booth-age of cool hippie crap, so he dashed through to see it all and ended up buying some new steal your face metal stickers for his ride.  He packed quickly and was off at 1:30.  It was hard to leave - one of the emts went diving that morning and brought back some fresh abalone which was being prepared by JM's wonderful cook.  He did the same last year and it was incredibly delicious.  dm doesn't get abs anymore - too damn expensive.  It's been years since he had any, broken only by last years treat.  But they wouldn't be ready until dinner so dm could only watch a little of the extensive prep, and go. The ride home usually takes about 3.5 hours.  There was traffic from Cloverdale to Daly City.  In Petaluma, dm was just stopped, stopped in a stand still, for what seems like eons.  Talk about frustrating.  Babylon welcomes dm back with a major buzz kill.  It took 5.5 hours, making poor dm late for the movie (fortunately the next showing was available, and dm paid, even though it was dm's cub's treat - she doesn't work yet and doesn't have a lot of money).  But that ride, oh man, dm was shaking with road rage.  And in the end, dm never knew why all the traffic.  There was some construction in petaluma but beyond that, there was no other interference.  

Dm had traffic on the way in too.  SNWMF was bookended with traffic.  He left a little after noon, after his landlord's property manager had givne the A-ok for the annual fire alarm inspection, and figured on arriving around 4:20 as is tradition, but didn't quite make it until 5.  This year, JM camping was moved from a beloved bone yard (nicknamed 'yaard' - issa jamaican t'ing) to under a corrugated-steel roof next to sheep stables.  The space was flat asphalt, shared with security, with power and water, next to the showers.  It was cramped and noisy, and the lights were suspicious because they were grow lights, but it rained and all were thankful.  It didn't rain hard, but it was constant, and under the corrugated steel, it sounded a lot harder.  It wasn't too cold, but it was wet.  Put a damper on thursday and friday.  Not many patients.  Most of the time was spent going back and forth between main med and the new yet-to-be-nicknamed camping area.  the cmo doc and dm have been locked in a single malt duel for years, and now, dm's sidekick puga entered in the game with another bottle, and the self-care supe, a master brewer from lagunitas with a skilled palette for alcohol joined.  after the first round, it was clear that the order of presentation was off, so another round was had, and these were full shots each in tall shot glasses, but given the rainy, misty wet weather 'like the highlands' quipped dm, the single malts went well.  Dm got wicked drunk hiccups after, comically so, much to everyone's amusement, as he stumbled off to sleep.  

The next morn was uneventful.  Friday's rain and mist kept everything low key and the place looked empty.  In the evening, dm took the crew out to see Lee 'Scratch' Perry, the dub master that mixed many of the early great reggae albums and an old fav of dm's.  But the rain was so bad, he cancelled.  It wasn't cold, but the rain was steady and the field was maybe a 5th full.   Don Carlos, who was supposed to follow him on the main stage, cancelled too.  Carlos wound up playing on the small stage right next to JM during dinner the next day, and that was lovely, but Scratch never played at all.  It sucked.  But it was funny because there was this nooB JNK that had just been instructed on the 'magnet principle' where patients just drop near the JNK because the force is so strong in them, and sure enough, some dude had a syncopal episode right next to the Krew.  he was fine, just fell out due to excess and exhaustion, and his timing couldn't have been more perfect as the magnet principle was just discussed moments earlier.  So Dm led his stalwart JNK into their favotire SNWMF place - the dancehall.  dm skanked there until 3:30am - JAH shaka ruled for a while, but only in the middle of his set. The early part was fumbling and the latter part just went on and on.  But it was fun.  Dm managed to sleep in on Saturday morn, until he finally had to get up and pee.  

Next time - Saturday - the party day!

[Drunk Monk]

Tara graduates next Thursday so I'll make that lonely ride to boomville Friday morn. I'll jet back Sunday again for Father's Day. Last in first out - the Grateful Dead crew way. I'd rather be at Monterey 50 but I hold a seat on the advisory bored at JAH Med and there's some obligation with that.

My work is so behind. I'm going to have to work overtime mon-wed to take Thur-fri off. And I'll probably have to skip Man @ Arms ep 2 until later.

[Drunk Monk]

Sun is shining. Weather is sweet.

Best camping set up ever - a new field under some old walnut trees. My tent is by my car which is right by the exit - perfect for tomorrow's exodus.

JNK came together well. They are following me about a bit too closely though. Energy was high last night. Today may be a scorcher. Looking forward.

[Drunk Monk]

I am home - Dad day festivities begin after a short respite. I got on the road after 7, had no traffic, got brunch in half moon bay, and was home well before noon.

The heat never hit. Instead the weather was perfect - sunny with a cool breeze. We had no significant calls on my watch beyond a domestic dispute which got a security guy and a JNK bit. I don't wanna jinx tonight. The JNK came together with a strong showing of force.

JAH Med was great although the food provided was firemen food - lots of meat and high carb. The cook, bless her, always makes something veg, but the carb thing I didn't foresee. Nevertheless I got by without buying additional food. In fact, I didn't buy a thing.

Friday was spent inserting and reconnecting so I didn't catch too much of the show. The Skints were ok - U.K. Ska. Chronix & Gentleman were same as they ever are. - I was not impressed. The dancehall - comanhe high power, had some good riddems and massive bass, but they clung to their riddems too long - I spent all my skankin moves well before any riddem was near done. 

But Saturday brought the FIYAH!

[Drunk Monk]

I've been rather meh about music lately.  After losing Jingles after RotR, reggae lost a lot of appeal.  Barely felt it at Cali Roots.  And Dead & Co was such a let down.  But Saturday rekindled mi Fiyah for di reggae.

Aw shoot - got to head to my chiro appt.  More later...

[Drunk Monk]

NST & the Soul Sauce - Korean reggae. I was front of stage.  It was gloriously hot and I was ready.  The band was cool - I could hear the Asian influence and they had great guitarist, plus an electric violin.  It was soft jazz reggae.  I tried to hold out for a dancer they had who was dressed in traditional Korean attire, but I got distracted and wandered off.  Or maybe I got hungry.  

Macka B - an old UK fav because he raps about his veganism.  He's still quick and does the ol' Pato Banton schtick of out-rappin his drummer.  Very righteous lyrics.  He also has a song about arugula, about mangos and about cucumbers (or as they say in patois 'koo-kum-BAH).  Very funny, entertaining and upright.  Still got it.

DJ Spleece, my friend from the Cruz, spun at the main stage between the killa Bs.  It was amusing to check in with him.

Anthony B - when we were in JA, his song Fire Pon Rome was banned (funny - didn't think of Greg's Rome trip and this until just now). It was banned for political criticism. Consequently, they played it everywhere - very rogue.  The selectors would look around for cops, drop it at max volume, everyone would go nuts, and then, when it was over, everyone acted like nothing happened.  I never saw rebel music like that before and it forever endeared me to that song.  He delivered a solid set.  Still got it.

Talking Dreads - my fav act of all.  Thanks for the heads up on dis 'ere scorcha, tg.  Loved them.  The lead singer is from the Tom Tom Club and their reggae reinterpretations were spot on - old skool riddems and ska.  Still Waiting - a classic cocaine song - morphed into a perfect pot song.  And they did Janis' Take a Little Piece of my Heart, and the Dead's Shakedown Street.  I will buy their CD when it's ready.  Would've bought it right then and there, which I only do when a band really gets me moving.  Next time they come through the Cruz, I'm there.  

Keith & Tex - two old skool crooners doing rock steady and ska with style and panache.  Still got it.

Capleton - only caught a bit of his set but that was satisfying.  Still got it.  

Lee 'Scratch' Perry inna dancehall - very stony, too stony actually for the late night.  I had to step out because it was making me sleepy.  But he's still got it too.

It was a great day of reggae, much more enjoyable than I was expecting.  It renewed my faith in Rasta by delivering some ecstatic moments, which is all I'm there for anyway really.  Haven't had that in a while, at least not like that.  It was just what I needed because I was souring on the scene.  I'm still reluctant to do much this summer as it's my last with Tara, but at least it delivered.

[cranefly]

Always lots of abbrevs in your music reviews.  My confidence grows that I'm grokking ever more of them.

For instance, I finally figured out that "morph" is short for "morphine" in the following:

"Still Waiting - a classic cocaine song - morphed into a perfect pot song."

[Drunk Monk]

[Drunk Monk]

For once, SNWMF doesn't cross Father's Day, but I feel obligated to bug out early Sunday anyway, so I have some recovery time before work Monday.  I'm rather behind on work and cannot afford any days off.  Plus I'm rather miffed at JM.  The kerfuffle over RotR this year bugged the crap out of me, and frankly, I've lost a lot of patience for their silliness.  Nevertheless, I feel cheated by Cali Roots this year, so I'm craving some mischief to a reggae soundtrack.

The plan is to leave Thursday around noon and hopefully arrive around 4:20. Tara has her wisdom teeth pulled that day and I must telecommute in the morning, plus there's a retirement dinner that night for some of the old time JM leaders.  I'm driving solo again.  Hopefully the tire pressure light is a false alarm and Tara didn't drain the battery significantly enough to cause any lasting damage.  Hopefully...

[Drunk Monk]

Tara is home from her wisdom teeth extraction.  She did it without being put under and is doing quite well.  That might change when the local anesthesia wears off in a few hours. 

I'm packed and prepping myself for another solo drive - about 4 hours up the coast.  I'm strangely non-plussed about SNWMF this year.  I'm embarrassed that I'm packing so much gear for only 4 days (pondering living out of my backpack for 2.5 weeks in Europe).  I'm looking forward to seeing old friends, Taurus Riley, Mighty Diamonds, Cocoa Tea, and of course, the mighty mighty dancehall.  There's a retirement dinner for some senior JAH Med folks tonight at 5, so I'll leave earlier, hoping to arrive prior to 4:20 so I can set up and be settled by dinner.  

Strangely, I'm bummed I'm missing some work.  This weekend is the graduation ceremony for Jon Chang and a few other 10 year disciples of Dr. Yang.  I was there for their baisee (discipleship ceremony) and hoped to be there for their graduation.  Gigi is going to take photos.  Hopefully one of the disciples will write it up for us.  Dr. Yang's retreat center near RotR - way too far for me to get to though.  I'm looking at bailing Sunday before lunch because I want to be home. I just want to be at my bungalow, enjoying Cruz life.  

I should be able to access the forum since I could last year.

[Greg]

We await your tales....