The Catskill Chronicle

Truck is Kid-Friendly! – Leni Santoro photos.

By Jason Dole

Family-Friendly Fest Brings Tunes, Folks, and Fun to the Catskills

I just rolled down from Truck and boy, are my wheels tired. Waka-waka…

Seriously though, I am kind of tired following a weekend of music up in Big Indian, NY. I’m also kind of revved up. My limbs are sore, but my soul is soaring. My batteries are drained, but my ears are full of song.

The bands came from across the "pond" and brought their families, too.

It was Truck America, the stateside incarnation of the same Truck that’s been rocking the Oxfordshire area of England for more than a dozen years. The combination of tasteful curation (courtesy of musical brothers Robin and Joe Bennett, their friends and family) fair weather, and a fantastic location (The Full Moon Resort, whose friendly staff deserve a hearty thanks) made for a magical, musical, transcendent weekend. By Sunday, it was hard to keep rocking, but it was even harder to go home.

I know, I know. You say, “C’mon Jason, that’s what it’s like at any festival worth going to,” and you’re right… in one sense. On the other hand, you have no idea. None. I was there, and I barely have an idea that I can articulate. I’ve been to shows before that have blown my mind. This one blew my mind and then brought it back, changed.

Gary Louris & Robin Bennett Play Jayhawks Tunes.

Truck America was like the Olympics of indie rock, if the real Olympics were more about cooperation than competition. Everyone was on the same team. Sure, at any festival you sometimes see guests sitting in with different bands. But at Truck, it’s almost a requirement. Any performance that wasn’t a solo act stood a good chance of becoming a supergroup ensemble. It was common to see members of two, three, four or more bands joining each other on stage.

So it’s not surprising that, after the scheduled acts and the “Big Star” tribute were over on Sunday night, Truck America coasted into a campfire sing-along for the remaining artists and friends. But really, that’s all it ever was. One big sing-along waiting to happen. A weekend full of music in the Catskills. As people joked all weekend, we were really “trucking lucky” to be there, it made you say “what the truck?” and it was all pretty “un-be-truckin-lievable.” (Geez, I’m truckered out from all the puns…)

I’ve got plenty of reviews, anecdotes, and interviews to share from Truck America. For now, here’s a day-by-day rundown of the festival. (Note: due to prior obligations, I didn’t arrive until 11 p.m. on Friday. If something amazing happened before then, it’s not on the list.)

FRIDAY

Festival Invocation: Tim Easton sings his “Festival Song.” Despite his insistence that it’s a better festival closer, hearing it on Friday night really sets the mood. It has this reason why we run off to music festivals of all sizes: “From Tennessee to Yasgur’s Farm… when we all come together / feels like the world’s going to be alright…”

Moment of Transcendence: Willy Mason closes a set of rather stark, down-to-earth songs with the yearning “Oxygen.” It’s devastatingly beautiful moment. Really chokes me up.

Quote of the Night: “Prepare yourselves for a wonderful time,” says Tim Easton. “We’re so f—ing lucky.”

Quote of the Night, pt. 2: “There’s a bar here, there’s a bar over there, and we’ve got pizza on the way if you’re hungry,” – Joe Bennett, who when not playing bass, guitar, violin, or trumpet, could always be found playing Consummate Host.

Out-There Act: Friday night closers, Diet Kong. Of course, I’m only assuming. I had to Truck it out of there after Hopewell, but with a name like Diet Kong, you know he/she/it/they were totally out there.

SATURDAY

Quirkmasters supreme - The Silent League.

Invocation for Saturday:

I arrive late in the 3 p.m. hour, in time to see New Jersey band Roadside Graves spill out of the main stage with acoustic instruments in tow. They finish their set with a sing-along on the lawn. Welcome to Truck, Day 2!

Out-There Act: John Kameel Farah, a classically trained Canadian keyboardist who plays a mix of jazz, progressive, and eastern-influenced piano over drum & bass beats. It’s both ponderous and cool.

Out-There Act, Runners-up: The quirkmasters supreme known as The Silent League. They can’t choose between spacey soundscapes, Theremin-y 70s synth rock, or straight-ahead pop rock. That’s okay. They just play it all.

Moment of Transcendence: Mercury Rev and their Orchestral Safari cover George Harrison’s “Isn’t it a Pity,” somehow topping “Opus 40.” I am once more left stricken by tears.

Moment of Transcendence, Runner-Up: Friends join Gary Louris to help wrap up his solo acoustic set with three Jayhawks tunes, including “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” and “Blue.” Too perfect.

Hopewell in the Roadhouse on Saturday night.

Quote of the Day:

“Everywhere we go, I have to explain The Catskills to people,” says Jonathan Donahue of Kingston-based Mercury Rev. “I don’t have to do that here.”

Rockingest Moment: Sometime around 2 a.m., Hopewell blows the roof off the Roadhouse. Sometime between “Preamble” and “The Island,” my brain explodes, leaving my empty skull to rattle along with the music. Don’t worry. I didn’t need that brain anyway.

Quote of the Day, pt. 2: “This set is dedicated to waking up my mom, who’s over in room six.” – Hopewell’s Jason Russo

SUNDAY

Moment of Transcendence: Common Prayer joined onstage by the mother of the Russo clan, then the ensemble of family and friends closes with “Everything and More.” All of Truck America gets choked up.

Out-There Act: The artist known as Y rocks the Roadhouse in a “Slippery When Wet” tank top and leopard print PJ bottoms.

Out-There Act, Runners-up: Ira McIntosh helps John deVries of Agitpop wrap up one of the most punk-oriented sets of the fest with a bit of amped-up mandolin.

Quote of the Day: “We are Atlantic / Pacific, and we are in f—ing heaven,” says the fellow from Atlantic/Pacific, cutting of the word “heaven” as he realizes he just dropped the f-bomb in front of some very young attendees. After a moment of self-chastisement (and lots of laughs from the adults in the house) he corrects himself: “We are in heaven, little children. Earmuffs!”

Quote of the Day, pt. 2: “Don’t forget Y!” –Mr. Y, at the end of his set.

Rockingest Moment: The White Rabbits lay out an unrelenting set of rhythms, demanding every last bit of energy from the dozen or so festival goers who dared to dance through their set.

Least Rocking Moment: Ida’s entire set: a cool collection of mellow vibes blown along by harmonium and cello. A sweet set of tunes rustling in the breeze.

Festival Benediction: Was it the closer of the Big Star set, “Ballad of El Goodo” or the ensemble rendition of “The Weight” that followed? Or was it Tim Easton’s Sunday Night version of his Festival Song that came next? Or was it the 10-minute version of the Doobie Brother’s “Black Water” sung by a sparkler-wielding mob lead by Here We Go Magic on the porch of the Roadhouse? Or did it come at 3 a.m. when Tim Easton led the campfire sing-along in a version of Dylan’s “Million Dollar Bash” cleverly re-worded to honor Truck America? Take your pick. I can’t decide.

To view more photos or to purchase prints from the Truck America Festival visit the Chronicle on Zenfolio.