Magic Happens, Behind the Pines; life at a small festival.
Midday sunlight beams down from a crystal blue sky onto the green fields of northern Indiana. Lake Michigan calmly splashes against the beach as workers cut short the toils of the workday to head for a special spot in the farmlands near Chesterton. Tonight is going to be magic; six local bands will be performing on a stage built into a pole barn at Behind the Pines, the homestead of Kerry and Carrie Lakin.
The venue is small by any scale; four acres constitute the entire property where attendees will sing, dance, eat, and sleep over the next two nights. Merchants set up canopies to serve as ad-hoc vendor stalls, the obligatory port-a-pots are installed, and the Just Cheesin' food truck stakes its territory. Dan Schmitt, a local artist, oversees the setup of his colorful and insightful displays to captivate the imagination of all. The venue is set for another year.
On Friday afternoon, the first guests appear. A long gravel road leads back behind long stretches of corn and bean fields to a card table set in the shade of a maple tree. Most of the people coming are known to the event; others are listed on a notepad. The owners’ daughter has prepared gift bags for everyone, an endearing touch that adds a sense of how inviting a small festival can be. We are all invited to come and enjoy music and camaraderie as true guests of real people. This is their home, and they are going all out to make sure we all have a great time.
I ask the owners what made them decide to open their home to such an event. Carrie states she had to. All of the wonderful things she has experienced with the young people who make up Janky Limo, the festival’s namesake, compelled her to take action and create something to showcase their talent. She has cleared the event with family and neighbors and keeps a close eye out to ensure the revelry doesn’t overflow the boundaries. Signs on the property clearly spell out the property limits.
The first band takes the stage at 6 PM. The event, after all, is planned to accommodate the working people looking forward to blowing off a little steam. Janky Limo hits the stage with straightforward rock mixed with tunes from the Grateful Dead, which make up the bread and butter of most of the groups. Ed Strudas, the leader of Janky Limo, is enthralled by the festival. “It’s humbling to have a festival with our name on it,” he states as the gravity sets in; this is his band’s festival. During the initial set titled Janky Limo and Friends, members of other local bands are called to the stage to add their take on fan-favorite songs. Lance Stevens of Stoned Cookies jumps into position as percussionist, Darren Grigsby adds his soulful guitar licks, and Marcus Safirt of Stealin' the Farm belts out an unbelievable version of "Whipping Post." This is the formula of success used throughout the weekend. Band members join in to play a few numbers and give the bands an opportunity to play more expanded selections.
The first night officially closes with Chester Brown, the veteran band of the weekend. These bands are very active, and Friday night is the only time they have. Tomorrow night they will be playing at a local tavern, but they had to get to this event to show support and help work up the fans. Fan-favorite "Bus Stop Betty" gets the crowd dancing as the night wears on.
But the music doesn’t stop. After the lights go out, a fire is built up out on the property, and fans gather to tell stories and mingle. Members of Janky Limo, Chester Brown, and the Stoned Cookies emerge for an impromptu set by firelight. Ed starts "Scarlet Begonias," but has lost the words. He calls for Marcus Safirt to come help out. Marcus melts our minds with a soulful rendition of the iconic Dead song. Did Ed really not remember the words? Doubtful, but the chance to work with an amazing artist and friend makes it all worthwhile. The fire stretches into the night, and the tunes go on until the wee hours; nobody notices time spent with friends.
Saturday morning, and Ed is at it again, emceeing the Lim-olympics, a series of games designed to get everybody laughing and having a great time before another full day of music.
The first band on Saturday is new, yet not so much. New Groove is fronted by members of the Janky crew, Eric and Jessica Norman. They are thrilled to be kicking off day two and bring the heat with Whitney Houston and Tina Turner covers. I ask why they put in the long hours. Jessica replies simply, “It’s an obsession.”
Next up is another relatively new band, The Erly from Niles, MI. The band is on fire with tracks from a new album. New band, new album, and suddenly a host of new fans. This is how all bands start, and that fact is not lost on the crowd. This might be the next radio sensation or next year’s hot concert ticket. After all, Billy Strings came out of Michigan just a few years ago.
Local Ska Band Skirt takes the reins to keep the party going into the dinner hour. I caught up with Nate Miller (bass) and Ben Morrissey (sax) at breakfast to ask how they feel about the small festival. They both agree the larger festivals have more to offer, but lose the intimacy of the smaller venue. The band sizzles with fast-paced songs rapid-fired into the audience. Later, Nate relates that it is nice to have other musicians he knows and trusts to join the band. He takes advantage of a friendly bass player to free him up to take on trumpet duties, which add even more punch to round out the set.
As the day's activities shift into evening mode, Fresh Hops takes the stage. The four-piece ensemble from Griffith, IN, is a fan favorite, playing local bars and appearing at festivals like Summer Camp in Chillicothe. Frontman Stephen Jude’s violin sends sparks through the crowd with perennial hits like "When the Fire Hit the Farm" and "Wolf Pack," where the fans are encouraged to howl along with the band.
Fresh Hops ends their show, but Stephen remains on stage and begins playing softly as staff members and friends bring flowers to the stage. This weekend holds another surprise for everyone: a wedding is going to take place. Sherry and Glenn have included all of us in their special day, and the crowd gives back double the love to the happy couple. Musicians, merchants, and everyone in attendance stop and admire the ceremony. As the newlyweds finish their first dance, the crowd surges forward, spurred on by Mike "Duces" calling for a “group hug.” We all surround and embrace the couple, wishing them years of good fortune.
The night winds up with a final set from Janky Limo. They take back the stage and provide the perfect soundtrack to close out the event. Small festival maybe, but the magic and memories are larger than life.
