Greensky Bluegrass has had an incredible summer so far.  The Kalamazoo, MI-based ‘newgrass’ quintet tours nationally and were recently featured at the Rockygrass Festival in Lyons, CO, on the main stage at the legendary Grey Fox Festival in upstate New York and performed in front of an audience of thousands at the All Good Festival in West Virginia.

There’s something homey feeling about the idea of a man sitting out on his porch as the sun sets, plucking away at his guitar as he moves forward and back in a rocking chair. And it was just that image and sensation that Langhorne Slim brought to the stage, rocking chair and all, as he sang his songs of love lost and love found to an audience more than eager to share in his musical story telling.

Until I arrived at this year’s Gathering of The Vibes Festival in Bridgeport, CT, I didn’t know I was looking for something. Until I left, I didn’t realize that I had found it. The following is a recounting of that journey. Along the way masters in the field of musical entertainment will appear. All were influential, some more than others. But as you read this recounting of GOTV 2010, remember that this is one man’s quest.

Antibalas is set to have their modern day afrobeat classic, Who Is This America?, reissued by Ropeadope on August 17. While it's common for influential recordings to receive reissue treatment decades later or around specific anniversaries, Ropeadope has made the decision to bring back the Brooklyn-based collective's 2004 album just six years from its initial release for one primary reason: "The questions and powerful social statements on the record are as relevant today as they were in 2004.

Before I even begin to describe the Disco Biscuit madness that has been transpiring lately, I would like to qualify the title of this article. The word renaissance means rebirth.

The dusty road leads to an unseen location. Clouds of dirt and earthy grime pass through the air. As the dust settles and the road becomes steeper, Horning’s Hideout comes into view. “Happy Horning’s,” comes a chipper voice from my right.  My window is rolled down and I turn to see a girl standing on the side of the road. She wears a neon-green shirt that reads “Volunteer”.

“Where should I park?” I ask her.

“Just keep driving,” she says with a devious smile. “You’ll find the way.”

I grinned and waved and continued down the rocky hill.

With just four weeks until Colorado’s third annual Mile High Music Festival, today festival organizers announce the weekend’s performance schedule. Unveiled with the schedule is Mile High Music Festival’s brand new Beta Beach. Booked in partnership with Denver’s world-renowned Beta Night Club, the already diverse festival expands its musical terrain by now hosting an impressive list of Denver’s most cutting-edge DJs and electronic music including Second Sun, Halo and Hipp E, and Dragon.

British singer-songwriter Bobby Long returns to the road this summer for a combination of solo acoustic shows and a series of dates at which he will be backed by a band for the first time since arriving on American shores just over a year ago.  Long, who has been working on his recording debut album backed by studio musicians, has been anxious to bring this new dynamic to his live appearances and is looking forward to giving his hauntingly personal songs added depth and dimension.

The fifteenth annual Gathering of the Vibes will begin next Thursday, July 29, at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT.