Gemini Fest II

Blue Mountain Productions, Inc. held its second annual Gemini Fest event on Friday, June 20 and Saturday, June 21 of 2008. I spoke with Donna Cassell about Friday night’s turnout. Donna said that Friday was much better than anticipated. Donna has been working this event for the past three years and estimated that 100 cars came through Friday night. She said that she expected another 200 to 250 cars to arrive on Saturday.

I arrived on site at 10 AM on Saturday and found the site busy with preparations for the day's events. Vendors were setting up their equipment. The first band was preparing the stage for their upcoming set. And, Friday night’s campers were slowly waking up. From the sounds of the conversations overheard, Friday night's activities and socializing lasted until the early morning hours on Saturday.

The thing that stood out the most as I walked around the grounds was the number of campers. And in sharp contrast to most other camping events, the vast majority of these campers were in tents. Tents of all sizes were set up; from small pup tents to large family size ones.

I noted a few trees missing this year due to a tornado that passed through the park a little over one month ago. The stage looked as good as always, even though the tornado had leveled the roof down to the stage flooring. A crane was brought in to facilitate repairs to the stage prior to Gemini Fest II.  A small tree still hung, bent and broken, slightly touching the rear apex of the roof.

The first band, Joe Washrag, got under way a little behind schedule at 11:30 AM. They played an awesome Blues set and were a delight to the crowed. Approximately 40 people gathered in front of the stage. Others were content to hang out in their camp site, chat with friends and listen from there. The large open expanse of the festival grounds is deceptive to tallying the numbers in attendance. The site could easily support 2,500 to 3,000 attendees and all would have an excellent view of the stage, due to the natural terracing of the land.

Another thing that really stood out about this event was the family friendliness. Sure there was a can cozy here and there and a few plastic cups in use, but also noted were plenty of young children running and playing. Most of them were actively enjoying spending their time with mom or dad. And, no where did I see anyone giving a crossed look at the kid’s activities. We have covered multiple events here at Blue Mountain and I can say that this seems to be the norm of all of their events. Next year, I foresee bringing my family with me to camp out and enjoy the festival while I cover the activities taking place.

I inquired with Carol Gonzalez concerning noise levels at the residences that border the property. She said that the neighbors enjoy having a little music in the air from time to time. According to Carol, all neighbors did say that they had to be outside in order to hear the music. Carol also said that each neighbor has always received an open invite to attend, free of charge, in appreciation for their tolerance of any sounds that may make their way to the neighbor’s houses.

The second band, Alliens, originally out of Key West, Florida, took the stage at 2:00 PM with a unique alternative sound. Bongos, keyboards, trombone, trumpet, drums, saxophone, guitar and vocals combined to form a sound similar to reggae with a hint of swing. Yes, it is confusing to describe but superb for listening.

The audience continued to shuffle around, following the shade. Clouds and a light breeze helped to keep the sun at bay. To say the least, it was a nice afternoon.

The third band, The Seed, took the stage at 4:45 PM. With their Urban Reggae style of music, they were a hit with the crowd. As the day progressed, the number of dancers was on a steady increase. Frisbee and hula hoops started to catch on with some of the audience while the band was playing.

Band number four, Sol Creech Band, took the stage shortly after 7 PM and treated the crowd to a blues - reggae - funk theme. By 8:00 PM a light rain had set in with just enough moisture to send a few of the people running for shelter. By 9:00 PM the rain was out of the park and the audience area began returning to pre rain conditions. The bonfire was lit and we waited for the evenings final performance.

The fifth and final band of the festival, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, played what they termed relentless roots reggae. Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad is from Rochester, NY. It was easy to hear why this band was chosen to close the festival. Their style of reggae gave the audience a great finale with which to remember Gemini Fest II.

This was truly a great event and everyone had a great weekend. If you did not get out to Gemini Fest II, then look for its return in June 2009. Bring your tent, camping gear and entire family. Everyone will have a great time. Also, mark your calendars now for Blue Mountain Bluegrass Festival II coming on October 3 & 4, 2008.
 
The photo gallery for this event has been posted: Set 1 - Set 2 - Set 3 - Set 4 - Set 5