Gearing up for All Good 2008

By Samantha Spector

It’s the All Good Music Festival’s twelfth birthday this year and it’s business as usual for the people over at Walther Productions. As in years past, All Good will boast a kick-ass lineup at one of the most beautiful venues in the U.S. (That's Michael Franti’s description, not mine).

So let’s celebrate. For the weekend of July 11-13, the sleepy West Virginia countryside will be transformed into a thriving, churning, throbbing mass of energy as 17,000 music fans invade Marvin’s Mountaintop to worship our favorite jamrock deities.
The buzz on All Good is that it’s the best festival for jam fans to congregate, and for once the media has it right. All Good is what Bonnaroo used to be before Superfly let it become corporate and turned it into an over-hyped pop fest.

Let’s start with the headliners. Widespread Panic are apparently back together and share the boldface type with Phil Lesh and Friends. It’s anyone’s guess as to who Phil will bring onstage for his set. I have my heart set on cameos by Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks, each of whom are at the festival with their own bands (Gov’t Mule and Trucks’ and Susan Tedeschi’s Soul Stew revival). If you have followed my festival writings , you are already well aware of my Gov’t Mule fixation--if Warren Haynes and Susan Tedeschi sing together, I might just lose it. Hearing their voices resonate throughout the mountains is sure to be something special (I’m listening to Tedeschi’s version of “Angel From Montgomery” and getting goosebumps as I write this.)

Keller Williams returns this year with the WMDs and Mr. Michael Franti will rock us once again with Spearhead. Last year, Franti hit the Rope-A-Dope stage for an acoustic set before rocking the main stage with the rest of the band--four hours of Franti in one day kept us smiling for weeks later. I was lucky enough to run into Franti at the Nocturnals set the next day- the man is magnetic, onstage and off.

Moving on. Medeski Martin and Wood will channel their manic grooves while we bake in the sunshine (hopefully this year we’ll stay high and dry). I’ve been told not to miss Railroad Earth and will definitely be in the audience for Tea Leaf Green, who nearly blew the roof off the barn at Mountain Jam last year.

I opted to sit out for The Bridge last year. Big mistake. Thankfully, I somehow managed to get my hands on the set and it has been in constant play on the iPod since. Here’s hoping the boys bust out “Brother Don’t” during the show.

I expect some rocking late night sets from Pnuma Trio and RAQ, always look forward to seeing Hot Buttered Rum and can’t wait to check out Bonerama, The Wood Brothers and Bassnectar for the first time. All Good is the kind of festival that will rock you into the early morning and keep you at peace for months to come. You’ll come for the lineup, be amazed at the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains and come back the following year because the experience of being that isolated and enthralled is something that is hard to put into words.

I’m ready to hit the “Country Road” running. See you on the mountain!