Gathering of the vibes Music Festival
                July 30 - August 2               

If you’re a fan of bluesy, improvisational rock and roll, then Gathering of the Vibes is the festival for you. Originally started in 1996 as a festival for Grateful Dead fans to come and celebrate the life of Jerry Garcia, Gathering of the Vibes has evolved into an annual affair that cherishes music of all genres. It’s a very friendly community of music lovers and I would definitely recommend checking it out.
 
This year, Vibes is four days long, from July 30 – August 2 and will take place in Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT. The lineup really is excellent. They got some very talented acts this year and I’m sure more will add on as we approach the festival dates. And one of the best parts is that it’s only $225 for a weekend ticket. That’s a little under $60 per day for four days of music and adventure. Not bad at all.

Lineup:

Wilco, The String Cheese Incident, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Weezer, Gregg Allman, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Billy & The Kids, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, The Gaslight Anthem, The Word, Zappa Plays Zappa, Dark Star Orchestra Featuring Melvin Seals , Greensky Bluegrass, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Deep Banana Blackout, Kung Fu, Twiddle, Jaimoe's Jasssz Band, Strangefolk, Turkuaz, The Nth Power, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Moon Hooch, The Primate Fiasco, David Gans, World Peace Flag Ceremony
 

My Top 10:

1. Tedeschi Trucks Band – (Obviously), they’re such a talented act and I personally can’t believe I still haven’t seen them live yet.

2. Gregg Allman – The Allman Brothers Band just broke up for good so it’s great to see him still performing. I’m sure he’ll bring out special guests like Derek Trucks and Warren Haynes as well.

3. Wilco – These guys are very, very good.

4. Dark Star Orchestra – Grateful Dead cover band that is so unbelievably accurate and never disappoints.

5. Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – What a voice she has! And an excellent band too.

6. Preservation Hall Jazz Band – This brilliant jazz band will blow you away.

7. Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals – Harper has been a household name for around 20 years. I’m sure his set will be fantastic.

8. Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band – Another former member of the Allman Brothers Band will surely put on a fun show.

9. Deep Banana Blackout – These guys have a pretty cool name.

10. Kung Fu – So do these guys.
 
Honorable Mention: Zappa Plays Zappa will put on a great show.

By David Cooper