March’s Mammoth festival at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.

           Kicking off the festival season, the Sixth Annual Langerado featured four days and nights of an extraordinary line-up at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation.  Taking place from March 6^th to the 9^th, the 50,000 acres of picturesque landscape just south of Lake Okeechobee is expected to be the massive event’s new home.  The joyous gala featured almost 25,000 attendees a day to revel in 85 bands on five stages, including some of the industry’s biggest names, ranging from the jam-band scene to bluegrass, reggae and rap.  Langerado carried an amazing vibe through top-notch sets by megastars like the Beastie Boys and R.E.M.  

          After a short drive on I-75, I spent hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic in the thirteen mile stretch leading to the camp ground’s gates.  A fallen power line on Saturday afternoon didn’t help those making the commute either.  I personally hadn’t seen such a traffic “jam” since I was stuck on the highway for Phish’s New Year millennium celebration.  Inside the Indian Reservation, all ages from every corner of the continent socialized.  Waiting to ride a giant ferris wheel, I exchanged war stories with smiling concert-goers from Toronto, Kansas City and Houston.  The weather included a mixture of cool breezes ranging from the 40s to the 80s under big blue skies of puffy clouds.  With a bit of rainfall, our automobiles ended up the dirtiest most of us have ever seen them.    

          Langerado kicked off on Thursday night with Primus’ Les Claypool and his flamenco-like bass strumming.  During the thunderous set, a naked guy was apparently having a bad trip in the crowd.  The concertgoer soul began having a seizure before paramedics hog-tied and restrained the poor soul.  As Perpetual Groove mixed their dub into the wee hours of Friday, the long haired hippies of Dark Star Orchestra delivered a Grateful Dead medley with “Truckin’” and “Sugar Magnolia.”  While the first evening was clear and picturesque, I slept through a severe thunder storm the next night and woke up underwater in my cheap tent.  On Saturday night, I had to buy gloves and rolled myself up in numerous blankets like a cannoli.  Half the time my phone worked, but the device never successfully accessed the internet.  Sizable booths were stocked with everything from tie-dyes and comfy shoes to Ecuadorian purses, paraphernalia and bags of ice.  Surprisingly, the food was top-notch, despite the high prices.  I spent my hard-earned money on everything from Chinese to chicken teriyaki in a pineapple, iced mocha lattes and strawberry smoothies.  And hats off to the new technology utilized by the Porto-Potties.  They actually smelled nice.  The showers weren’t too bad either, even if the hot water cut out every 3 minutes.  And of course, pets, weapons, fireworks and glass of any kind were strictly prohibited from the affair.  

           Headlining Friday night on the main Everglades Stage, the Beastie Boys meshed rare and radio favorites for 90 minutes.  25 years ago, who would’ve believed that the three sarcastic punks from downtown Manhattan would dominate jam-band line-ups?  While their sound is as fresh as ever, the pop stars certainly have aged since their 1986 debut on MTV.  Mike Diamond, a.k.a. Mike D, sported a respectable sized afro of curls, despite being 41-years-old.  The father of two was pimpin’ in a blue and white retro sweater over a yellow collared shirt, a thin shiny blue necktie and beige slacks.  The artist must’ve been sweating when he slid over to the drums.  40-year-old guitarist Adam “Ad-Rock” Horovitz was dressed in short hair covered by a fedora hat, a yellow top over an undershirt and jeans.  Meanwhile, 42-year-old Adam Yauch, or MCA, flaunted gray hair, a short-sleeved striped button-down, jeans and a guitar of his own.  The band sported transparent equipment, such as a drum-kit, keyboards and speakers, while another gentleman to the side quickly painting graffiti-like artwork on a 6 x 6 canvas.   

          The undisputed highlight of this year’s fiesta, as well as one of my career, was listening to the disco calls of 1989’s “Shake Your Rump.”  The fellas then presented “Remote Control” for “all the people who traveled a long way to get here,” according to vocalist and drummer Mike D.  He announced “Good morning, time to go to work,” and they delivered “Time for Livin.’”  I was glowing from my school days’ classics, such as “Sabotage,” “So What’cha Want” and License to Ill’s “Rhymin & Stealin.”  Unfortunately, there was no motorized inflatable penis to be seen, like on their shows in 1986.  We were ecstatic as we moved our bodies and screamed out many of the familiar lyrics.  The Beastie Boys also recreated “Sure Shot,” “Root Down” and “Intergalactic.”  Meshing punk and hip-hop, they shared material from their early rap to new jazzy instrumentals off of last summer’s poor-selling The Mix-Up.  Regardless of their latest sales figures, or married lifestyles, the Beastie Boys still got funky at Langerado.      

          Earlier in the day, the School of Rock Allstars were phenomenal.  Two boys in their early teens shredded to both originals and covers on their guitars.  A 15-year-old girl ripped on her drum set, while two other little ladies took turns behind the microphone.  It’s funny to see kids wearing nose-rings along with braces.  And I will never forget when the talented youngsters recreated the fine intro and solos of Van Halen’s sexually suggestive “Hot for Teacher.”  The School of Rock out of Philadelphia teaches juveniles how to turn it all into an actual career.  With a newly opened institute in Coral Springs, more franchises are expected soon in Boca Raton and Pembroke Pines.  Since music teacher Paul Green kicked off the program in 1998, the business has grown nationwide, and even inspired the 2003 gonzo comedy of the same name with Jack Black.  The punk rockers 311 asked “Who’s got the herb” before answering themselves, “Langerado.”  A couple hours later, the Roots’ jazzy instrumentation from Philadelphia blew me away.  Most notably, Damon “Tuba Gooding Jr.” Bryson paraded around with his enormous horn known as a sousaphone.  Drummer Ahmir Thompson flaunted a king-sized afro, while Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter rapped his complex and politically aware content.  Swarms of spectators appreciated G Love and Special Sauce’s mellow poetry, and the Wailers relived many of the Legend’s classics, including “I Shot the Sherriff,” “One Love” and “Three Little Birds.”  Miami’s local heroes, the Spam Allstars blended improvisational digital elements with Latin and hip hop.  Prancing on the grass, we all felt the bass in our stomachs.   

        Saturday night’s main event was none other than the originators of indie.  Athens’ own R.E.M. played down here for the first time in a dozen years.  “Children of Langerado, come to me,” shouted out the bald-headed front man, Michael Stipe.  He made a blunt political statement with his bright green t-shirt reading “Obama” over a black and white long sleeved top.  During R.E.M.’s 90-minute set, guitarist Peter Buck led the band deep into their catalogue.  We heard familiar hits from the previous two decades, like “Fall On Me,” “The One I Love,”  “Orange Crush,” “Losing My Religion” and “Drive.”  Absolutely every alternative fan was screaming and clapping throughout R.E.M.’s two encores entailing the upbeat “Supernatural Superserious” and “I’m Gonna” off of Accelerate, their fourteenth studio album which just came out on April Fool’s Day.  Stipe wound down the presentation with “Man on the Moon,” and announced “We are R.E.M. and this is what we do.  Thank you for joining us.  Kiss the person next to you, ‘cause I can’t… We love you and good night.” 

            Rap with reggae roots was heard from the Hasidic Jew, Matisyahu.  The young man formerly known as Matthew Miller was backed by a full band of musicians.  Dressed in all black with an army looking green cap, Matisyahu had us all dancing as he preached in vivid search lights and glowing clouds of smoke.  An impressive Ben Folds and Arrested Development were seen, along with fabulous guitar screeching from Raq.  Sunday’s headliners included two full sets of the Dead’s bassist with his new ensemble, Phil Lesh & Friends.  And we soaked up both Gov’t Mule and Blind Melon, who got their name from blind bluesman Blind Lemon Jefferson.  The outfit regrouped two years ago with vocalist Travis Warren after the death of Shannon Hoon in 1995.  All in all, the Seminole territory provided an ideal atmosphere for Langerado: tens of thousands of peaceful music lovers experiencing talented performances to last a lifetime.

Posted at: Mar 15, 2008