 | | Two million dollars later, Sherwood Forest was bigger and better than anything Rothbury had seen or created before. With a wider area, more trails and more art installations, the forest was a living, breathing piece of the festival. |
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 | | I didn't get the memo to bring my own hammock, but a lot of other people did, and thank goodness for the Electric Forest staff for setting up some extras. Everywhere you turned was a hammock and someone zzz'd out loving life up in the trees. I was jealous, but was lucky enough to have someone let me use theirs for a quick 20-minute nap. If there was one survival tip for Electric Forest 2012 it would be bring a hammock. |
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 | | Shining into the darkness and reflecting off the trees, a Beetlejuice-like decoration helped illuminate the dark, extensive Sherwood Forest. The light patterns were often changed and routines switched to help keep the viewer visually stimulated. You cant put this place into words and a video is only a tease - so how do you recreate a story to make someone else a believer? You don't. It's just that fucking crazy up in the forest. |
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 | | The funk was in the air and Galactic was the one to cut the cheese. My favorite funky jam band, and this show the reminded me why. With some soulful and luscious vocals on tap, the band played some old songs for the die-hard fans. 'Bittersweet' was a killer with long breakdowns and compelling vocals. |
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 | | My first time seeing this band and wow, have I been missing out. Adam Deitch is a mad man on the drums. His kick drum is bass-y enough to give any DJ a run for his money. You can hear the production and musical knowledge in the arrangements. Lots of respect for that, and the crowd gave homage while getting their swagger on in the field. |
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 | | One of the hottest shows of the weekend. Big Gigantic has grown from a small, Boulder, CO beat machine to a large and in charge headlining act. With the organic side of live drums and saxophone, Big G really knows how to please both the new-school wompers and old-school heads. The band shows respect to die-hard fans who see them often and always have fresh mixes and material for the show. They also brought back the boxes for their stage set-up that they debuted at the Rothbury 2009. |
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 | | Battling the same set time as Bassnectar, attendees had to decide who to miss or how to see both. Both shows were equally as packed, with completely different crowds and vibes. Bassnectar is the pro behind this electro revolution, and it was a hard decision to make for many, but everyone seemed happy with where they ended up. |
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 | | Something is always shaking on Shakedown Street in the plains of Rothbury, MI. This year's hot commodity was silver wraps and gemstones. The crystal game is being hustled hard right now and I couldn't be happier about it. Although some may be a bit too flashy, it's part of the art of our subculture and many of these pieces are expertly made and just plain beautiful. This case was full of heavy-hitter artist like Ben Claus and Soul Pieces. |
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 | | Pretty Lights' show was one of the most anticipated of the weekend, so I got there early to get a good spot in the front. With the crowd vibrating and going nuts and earplugs in hand, I went into the trenches and prepared for the onslaught of bass. |
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 | | Nothing starts a Sunday out better then a 14-person bluegrass jam. Members of Railroad Earth, The Infamous Stringdusters and Greensky Bluegrass joined hosts String Cheese Incident for a massive hoedown. As the band passed solos onto the next person, the dust lifted in the field and the fun began. There was square dancing on my left and spirit figures on my right. I knew then we were in the right place - a place where all genres of music exist and where multi-generations of the culture come to share a common love. |
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 | | Starting and ending the festival in traditional String Cheese Incident fashion with side-projects, The Emmitt-Nershi Band led off with some soulful bluegrass jams. They are a group built for people to dance and smile to - and everyone did just that. Even with the gloomy skies above, nothing could bring us down. |
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 | | High-traffic congestion after shows led for cattle call noises and delays to the next show. But during a show, the forest was semi-empty and ready for anyone to take a trip on through. After the first two days of rain, some interesting puddles appeared throughout the property, and it was always funny to see what sort of activities would be going on in there. Mud wrestling or body paint - it's all fair game in Sherwood Forest. |
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 | | Rain delays, lighting, hail, flooding - Mother Nature did work on Electric Forest. Regardless, Lotus toughed it out and started about an hour and a half later than planned. They played hard despite having to be in Denver the next day for their Red Rocks show. This amazing set crept into the woods as the Sherwood people lurked in the darkness to keep out of the rain. |
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 | | By far the coolest and most original drum solo I have seen in a while. Galactic's drummer Stanton Moore improvised a song on a snare drum, floor tom, cowbell and electric guitar under one microphone. Using his sticks to play the guitar and having Ben Ellman tweaking the wah pedal, the jam was groovy as much as it was shocking. It was pretty long and built up. One hell of a way to end a show. |
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 | | Production value is always a large part of what you're paying for at a Cheese show. And damn was it worth it this time. The racecar driver balloon was huge. This picture still doesn't do it justice. No matter where it was in the crowd, you could see it, and always felt like it was over top of you. |
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 | | The only remedy for 90 degrees with no shade is a little bit of funk. Instrumental jams flooded the hot-ass field as the crowd filled in for Lettuce's set. The band played like they have been together for decades. Such natural chemistry that allows everyone to play a large role in the big picture. |
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 | | Hunter in the house. These 15-foot tall puppets were a lot of fun to see stumbling around the outer rim of the shows. Free entertainment is always a plus, and when it's long, lanky figures, its even better. |
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 | | Kraz showed up a few minutes tardy to the Lettuce set only to jump right in and show everyone that nothing is going to hold him back. His guitar tone is instantly recognizable, and the catchy riffs he plays are enough to make your face go funky. |
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 | | As I stuffed tissues into my ear, the explosions of light had the crowd roaring louder then the music. It's impressive that the eardrums are not blown on the die-hard fans up front. The light towers he used made every spot in the house and good spot. Pretty Lights sure does have pretty lights. |
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 | | Sunday's starters kept it mellow and classic for the true fans that made it out early to see them. It was a wonderful change of pace after seeing so much electronic music the night before. Railroad Earth played a small three-song set in the Media Tent pre-show, warming themselves up for their long main stage set. |
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Festival Files 
