In the beginning of June of every year, most musicians and music lovers know that the greatest festival of all time takes place in that small town in Tennessee called Manchester that has become famous for this unique and prodigious extravaganza. This was my fifth time out of its six year existence that I have made the pilgrimage to this Mecca for music. It is never without struggle, conflict, or a challenge that one achieves complete bliss or fulfillment.

I would like to apologize to the kid who passed out before my mosh pit neighbors' feet at the sound of my scream. It was at that point in the early morning, somewhere between midnight and dawn, when the thick voodoo pierced my soul sacrificing my voice to the hottest, heaviest, dirtiest jam I have witnessed in my short thirty years on this planet. The victim can take solace in the fact that four nights later my voice has yet to return. Yet he was hardly the only person whose knees buckled at the sounds emanating from the stage.

The Northwest's premier acoustic music festival returns for its sixth year to beautiful Horning's Hideout in North Plains, Oregon, on August 24-26.  The event boasts three days of nearly all-acoustic music, culminating each night with main stage performances from musical hosts Yonder Mountain String Band, this year joined by special guest fiddler Darol Anger (David Grisman Quintet, Psychograss).

The buzz from the excited crowd anticipating two of the jam band's scene's most up and coming bands was fresh and impulsive. These are bands that have mostly broken through by their tediousness in touring and their successful musical appearances at major festivals such as Bonnaroo and Wakarusa.

The official launch of Page's tour was here in Philadelphia at the World Café Live about a month earlier than this show, and it was broadcasted live for WXPN. I played hooky from work that day to review that show, and on this night I expected many of the same songs from the new self-titled album.

RAQ came back to North by Northwest in Philadelphia on Cinco de Mayo after a terrific show in Virginia where die hard fans boarded a bus to follow them north to this Philly show. The momentum of RAQ is building, but they really seem to enjoy playing at this small almost secret venue tucked in a unique corner of the city. And after seeing them twice here, I don't blame them.

The drum circle on Sunday morning at Wakarusa remains one of my favorite events of the festival. The energy there is just unbelievable and joyous.

Saturday

John Butler Trio