Headstash

Highlights, Reviews, Surprises and Pictures From Sonic Bloom 2012

Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

Read our daily coverage from the first three days of Sonic Bloom:
Day 1 - Bonobo, The Malah, DYNOHUNTER
Day 2 - Papadosio, Jantsen, Minnesota, Random Rab, Karsh Kale
Day 3 - Tipper and Android Jones, Emancipator, Michal Menert

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As the summer of 2012 begins to shape up to be a successful and memorable one, we always seem to focus on the bigger, more elaborate festivals such as Coachella, Summer Camp, Ultra, Wakarusa and Electric Forest while only a fraction of us “lucky” ones have the opportunity to scope out boutique festivals such as Sonic Bloom.

Set within the intimate grounds of Georgetown, Colorado, Sonic Bloom promised four full days of music, art and a strong sense of community. In its sixth year, this festival has evolved and moved locations multiple times in its history, now settling in Shadows Ranch for a second consecutive year.

Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

While the other venues were beautiful in their own way, Shadows Ranch truly embraces the vibe of this festival. Organizers went above and beyond when it came to creating the perfect ambiance and making each festival attendee feel like they were cared about.

After we got settled into a campsite that was close to the Rocky Mountain Hydroponics Dome, it was time to venture out and discover as much as possible about the land 2,600 people would call home for the weekend. Almost immediately, we stumbled upon numerous amazing nooks, crannies, art instillations and vendors that truly blew our minds.

While Sonic Bloom took care of lighting nearly every visible tree and bush with rainbow colors that came to life in the evening, individuals and groups brought their own special items to set out for the public to see. In particular, there were dream catchers hanging from many of the trees decorated with an array of feathers and fur.

There were also many visible rock piles that grew in number over the entire weekend. The way that people so carefully stacked them on delicate angles truly was amazing.

Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

Another piece that must be mentioned is Patricia Malero’s, “Shiva,” an imitation of a full-sized, mirrored woman who sat leisurely in the grass. “Shiva,” has graced Burning Man as well as other gatherings.

 “This sculpture represents the idea that the attitudes that mold our thoughts are reflected into our daily existence,” she said on Sonic Bloom’s website. “Visit her and embrace any contemplations with tranquility.”

 Between Thursday and Sunday, more and more public pieces of art appeared as attendees became inspired to create. Sonic Bloom strongly encouraged and evoked this mood.

Though Bonobo closed things out near 1:00 a.m., those that were thirsty for more either retreated to their campsite to bump individual speakers or hit up the Silent Frisco.

Usually Silent Disco experiences cost money, but this one was free of charge all weekend. Each night MOPO, Mancub, Matt Haze and The Sonic Bloom All-Stars raged the FM-transmitted waves while a few crowd members danced with wireless headsets until the wee hours of the morning.

Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

While some cool air from the night still hung around on Friday morning, the sun was quickly on the rise. With Shadows Ranch situated in a valley, we learned fast that hot meant hot and cold meant cold. Clamoring for shade at least until the first acts around 3:00 p.m., the sun beat down hard and kept energy low for a good part of the afternoon.

Saturday arrived with much anticipation and an early wake-up again with the tents quickly filling with sun and warmth. Ready to do some more exploring, we found an adult-like jungle gym that was built out of very strong piping and could hold several people on it at once. Climbing upon it and latching the back of my knees around a pole was invigorating – just like when you’re a kid.

With the blood rush to the head, it was time to conquer the slack line. This nearly one inch by one centimeter strap was pulled tightly between two trees about 30 feet apart. You had to designate your own spotter before climbing atop the line, but once up there, it was nothing but adrenaline cheering you on to get from one tree to the other.

These are the kinds of free, open activities Sonic Bloom prepared to keep all of the attendees entertained and excited – and they certainly did a good job at that.

Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

As Sunday evening settled in, the characters of the weekend emerged. There were multiple people dressed in the most elaborate of costumes, creating a fun, circus-like environment. Many individuals on stilts had costume changes from animals, to tall trees to glittery-clown like outfits.

Sunday’s cloud cover gave Sonic Bloom the heat break everyone so desperately needed. Having the opportunity to sleep in longer allowed for some energy recharge. Emerging closer to 10:00 a.m., the weather was just lovely and it was time to hit the river.

A vast water channel ran through the entire festival grounds, calling to many individuals throughout the weekend. Sunday was a perfect day to hop into a swimsuit and pop into the cool water, rinsing off dirty feet and cooling sunburned skin.

The day opened with the jam band sounds of Greenhouse Lounge oozing into our ears. A nice break from strict electronic beats, Greenhouse was just what a lazy Sunday afternoon ordered.

One would think that staying up for nearly 80+ hours in four days would seem like an extremely long time, but no. . . . it goes by in the blink of an eye.

So as the tents were torn down, gemstones were put away, art was packed up and stages were disassembled, a bit of somberness fell over everyone. The magical weekend had come to an end, yet its memories of laughter and fun will live on forever.

Rumor has it that Sonic Bloom will be expanding to 5,000+ attendees next year while the boundaries of Shadows Ranch will open up as well. It will be interesting to see how the festival continues to grow and attract more yearly followers. It’s certainly a one-of-a-kind experience – we’re already anticipating what’s in store for 2013!

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Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

Weather

The weather throughout the weekend was pristine. With highs in the low 80s during the day, festivalgoers were able to be out and about, giving the earlier acts good-sized crowds thanks to the ample shade.

Evenings got a little chilly, dipping down into the low 50s and high 40s, which had many breaking out light jackets and forming cuddle puddles as they were serenaded long into the evening.

Sunday was mostly cloudy and breezy – providing the perfect conditions for some much-needed rest after raging until sunrise for three straight days.

Five Highlights

Two Servings of Tipper and Android Jones. Saturday evening’s set proved to be one of the more psychedelic audio-visual performances witnessed to date. Android Jones spinning his projection mapped visual alchemy and Tipper pushing out his signature alien marshmallow womp combined to create a surreal world where each built altars unto themselves before simultaneously dissolving them – only to rapidly rebuild and begin the cycle once again.

Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

Sunday evening’s downtempo set, while altogether different from the first, was equally as majestic. To see a producer switch gears so seamlessly is amazing in and of itself, but to do it with such an understanding of what the audience is feeling is even more wonderful to witness.

Zilla. Featuring festival curator Jamie Janover on hammered-dulcimer, Michael Travis on the kit and Aaron Holstein aka ViBeSquaD on bass, this act is a must see for any fan of live, organic and inspiring tunes.

Zilla encompasses everything that is Sonic Bloom, providing both dubby low-end and uplifting melodies. These seasoned musicians have a great amount of fun playing together and it is readily evident on stage – resonating to those in the audience as well.

Bringing in the new day with Random Rab. Random Rab has become somewhat of a given when it comes to sunrise sets these days, and for good reason. His mellow, warm beats coupled with his soothing voice form the quintessential combination for a sun salutation. His infectious smile spreads to all who dance along. Taking in a new day with Rab alongside best friends was a portrait of bliss.

Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

Papadosio. Festival stalwarts and road warriors, Papadosio are the real deal. If first impressions are everything then Papadosio certainly made many long-term fans with their Friday evening performance on the Bloom Stage.

Reminiscent at times of STS9 and at others of Umphrey’s McGee, Papadosio easily transcends genre definition. Being one of the few actual bands on the lineup certainly helped. Their live jamtronica – that actually jammed – provides hope for the scene in a time where MIDI controllers and computers are rapidly replacing live instrumentation.

Akara with Ilya Goldberg on violin. Akara, the classically composed electronic symphony created by producer/composer Joshua Penman, made their Sonic Bloom debut right before Random Rab in the Hydro Dome.

Vocalist Femke Weidema entranced the crowd with her otherworldly tales, sung across the veil of reality while Emancipator violinist Ilya Goldberg joined the duo on the strings. The group’s inspired performance left many with tears in their eyes – a tribute to the beauty and presence of this up-and-coming act.

One Lowlight

Scarcity of food options. The food vendor options at Sonic Bloom were perhaps the one thing that could be improved. There were four vendors – a Thai barbecue, a cheese steak stand that appeared to have the ability to fry anything imaginable including Milky Ways and Oreos, a food truck serving Vegan hot dogs and an organic coffee, tea and hot chocolate vendor.

Granted, there was some variety and the food was not inedible, but a wider array of healthy options would have been appreciated.

Three Surprises

Incredible production. For a smaller scale festival like Sonic Bloom, the audio and visual production was phenomenal. Both the Main Stage and the secondary Hydro Dome had fantastic sound all weekend. LEDs adorned both stages and fantastic VJs were featured throughout the weekend.

Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

There were art installations galore on the grounds, keeping the vibes high and creativity flowing. A litany of live painters, dancers, fire spinners and aerial artists entertained our eyes throughout the festival.

Karsh Kale and Janover improvisational set. After a computer malfunction caused a delay in Jamie Janover and Karsh Kale’s set on the Bloom Stage, Janover announced that he and the renowned tabla player would be performing an unrehearsed, on-the-fly set. What ensued was an hour and a half demonstration of musical prowess, as Janover and Kale utilized both the instruments of the ancients and the technology of the future to make our bodies move and hearts open.

DYNOHUNTER. This young Colorado group will not remain largely unknown for long. When live production, keys and drums combine with saxophone, the result is one that is certain to get the dance floor moving. DYNOHUNTER was the first act to take the stage at Sonic Bloom and kicked the festival off in proper style. Expect big things from these guys in the near future.

Atmosphere

The vibes were perhaps the best I’ve ever experienced at a festival. Security worked diligently to make certain that folks were enjoying themselves in a safe, responsible manner. The Jamcare Medical crew – a group of volunteers that take care of ragers who decide to party a little too hard – were on site and did a great job all weekend. Next time you are at a festival and see a Jamcare team, thank them.

There was no outside alcohol allowed, however the festival did a great job of providing quality beverages at reasonable prices. Plastic souvenir cups were used and although you had to pay an additional $2.00 for them with your first drink purchase, it heavily reduced waste and provided for a nice token to remember the fest by for years to come.

All in all, Sonic Bloom accomplished what Jamie Janover, Scott Morrill and all the workers and volunteers sought to create – a space for community, to share, dance, live and love together.

Photo Credit: Tabor Bonde

 

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What did you think of Sonic Bloom 2012? Let us know in the comments below . . .