The All Good Music Festival

The approach of summer brings good cheer and fun festivals to our mountain playground in West Virginia. While many West Virginia festivals seem to highlight older traditions of music, craft, and folklore, other festivals reach outside the state to bring in some of the best live contemporary music around.

So perhaps it is most appropriate that Michael Franti and Speahead are just one of the high-quality bands featured at West Virginia’s own All Good Festival. This is the 11th year of this music festival and camp out, July 13-15, 2007, on Marvin’s Mountaintop in Masontown, West Virginia.

Many of Michael Franti and Spearhead’s songs are socially relevant in a way that just could never work with the extra-white Peter, Paul, and Mary. Think, We Shall Overcome, as done by George Clinton and the Parliament Funakadelics. The first Spearhead song I ever heard was from the Spearhead album Home that came out in 1994 called, There’s a Hole in the Bucket. There is a traditional American folk song of the same title, but this version was about a black man on his weekly chores, contemplating what to do with his loose change. The song is a powerful mix of old music metaphors that ask deep questions about how best we can help ourselves and our fellow man. And did I mention that the song Rocks the House? The chorus, “There’s a hole in the bucket, Glory to God”, gives a repetitive and throbbing beat that makes you get out of your seat and dance.

So who else will be rocking Marvin’s Mountaintop? The impressive lineup includes: Bob Weir and Ratdog, Leftover Salmon, Keller Williams, Les Claypool, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Drive By Truckers, [OMG! These guys are awesome! Think contemporary Lynyrd Skynyrd.], STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9), Steel Pulse, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, Sam Bush, The Slip, Perpetual Groove, AOD, PBS…the list goes on and on. The styles of music included in the list range from Jam Band, to Reggae, to Bluegrass, to Funk…there is a band for all tastes at All Good.

Here’s some advice for you city dwellers who want to come to the All Good Festival. Don’t be freaked out by the fact that there is no address to Marvin’s Mountaintop. Much of West Virginia is not addressed and it’s not a big deal. Bring a map, follow the directions. If you get lost, the good thing is that West Virginians are some of the friendliest and most helpful folks you will ever meet.

Bring dry clothes. It is often damp it our beautiful hills, and it can get cold at night. Also, you will be dancing. Bring several changes of clothes. Be prepared to drive through some of the most beautiful countryside you have ever seen. Be prepared and challenged to think about West Virginia as a groovy, hip place where old hippies meet up with new, young hippies who have gone beyond tie-dye but also believe in good music, dancing, and fellowship as core values that nourish us and our communities.

All Good also offers a work exchange program for young people who perhaps cannot afford the ticket. It offers the opportunity for young people to see how a concert works and breeds future concert goers, music lovers, and festival creators.

And as if you needed more to feel good about, there is also a simultaneous Food Drive sponsored by the Conscious Alliance and All Good Music Festival. To quote the website, “All patrons that donate 10 non-perishable food items will receive a free limited-edition poster by artist, Robert Marx.” There’s an even-better-poster offer if you bring 20 items. (I was amused to see that “Ramen Noodles will not be accepted.” They also encourage the donation of healthful, low-sodium and organic products. All food items go to the St. Ursula’s Food Pantry of Morgantown.

Clearly, this is a festival giving back to its community. It really is All Good. ;-) Check out the All Good Festival website here.

Newsflash: Rolling Stone Magazine and Paste Magazine both have good buzz about All Good!

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