WOW. what a great two days but I'm exhausted. I'm sure anyone who worked *or* attended both days will agree, and I didn't even make it back for the second day until almost noon. Most of the staff was there at 8:30 both days and didn't get out until after 11 both nights, not including those who worked for many days before the event, and those that are still there cleaning up, tearing down, and sorting everything out. SO I really can't complain, as I think a good time was had by all folks associated with the event.
Highlight (possibly of my life, let alone v-fest
) was playing bongos with Peter, Bjorn and "Nino" the drummer who is filling in for John on this short leg of their American tour. It was surreal to walk onto a stage and look out at a sea of people, all with smiling faces ready to hear the current PB&J big hit/favorite... and to then sit center stage and play along on the bongos. One of those moments that you wish you could re-live over and over and over.
Everyone asked how I got to do it... Well, my roomate "Fluffy" a long time 930 veteran, is tour managing/assisting on this American leg, and Filip, also a 930 employee and former bandmate of mine, is doing monitor sound for them on this tour. They called ahead and told me that they've had different people jumping in on "Young Folks" on Bongos, and different female vocalists doing the verse exchanges (although we couldn't find someone for this show, unfortunately, as on Saturday, aside from Amy Winehouse, there weren't many other female vocalists running around in the artist compound that could jump in). ...So Fluffy asked me if I wanted to play the bongos with them at V-Fest. ...To which I replied: "Who do I have to kill to be able to do so?"
Low lights? How could there be after that?? ha! ..but honestly, if I had to think about it, I think that doing it in early August is a bad idea. Many folks that I talked to agreed that for the first weekend in August, alot of people in this area go on vacation, and also, you know that you are going to have one of two things on the first weekend in August; Thunderstorms (which we narrowly avoided with only a little bit of rain at the end) and/or extremely hot/humid conditions. Doing it in September like last year, I think, would be better overall.
Oh yeah, and get Pearl Jam there next year, Seth. I'll duet with Eddie Vedder, and we can get you on drums
...then life will be complete.
I hope everyone had at least half as much fun as I did at the Virgin Festival this year, if you did, I'm sure we'll see you next year!!
