A cool fest this weekend for north/central FL or south GA

[Brian Krashpad]

A cool fest: UPDATED W/PIX & COMMENTARY

One of my bands (Hoyt & the HotHeads) is playing the "Boo Fest," an annual Halloween-time party going all the way back to the late 70's, here in north central Florida this weekend. It's out in the sticks on a lake and canal, on private land in the area between Gainesville and Jax.

Info, driving directions, band schedules, etc., are all here:

http://scheckite.net

It's only $20 for the weekend, or $10/day. Kids under 17 free! Bands play Friday and Saturday nights, with laser shows. There's "primitive camping:" (portapotties, a dishwashing area, and a dumpster). There's no running drinking water (though a local restaurant is providing free coffee all weekend!), and no electricity for campsites, so bring what you need.

This is a good time-- I'd stay all weekend if I didn't have a family that's uninterested. Here's a shot of my band playing the Boo in 2005:

My band is playing Saturday night at 8 pm.

 

[Spudman]

That sure sounds like a lot of fun.

In regards to the photo...where are the people?

 

[Brian Krashpad]

That sure sounds like a lot of fun.

In regards to the photo...where are the people?

Haha, trying to save their hearing! There were probably between 100 and 200 people there, all over the property. Just behind where that photo was taken, behind the sound desk, is a big big bonfire, and most of the people gather around the bonfire and watch the bands from a ways away.

Here's a shot of some of the people in the middle area between the stage and the sound desk (bonfire is behind sound desk):

Here's the bonfire, the main one behind the sound desk:

Some just sit at the their campsites, or go around from campsite to campsite, you can certainly hear the music all over the property. :AOK:

Here's a typical campsite group during the day:

Night time visiting:

As you can see, a lot of middle-aged hippy/alternative types. It's almost like a big family reunion.

With beer and psychedelics.

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Man that looks fun! I love outdoor fests. Wish I could go!

 

[Spudman]

Ya, that looks like a real good time.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Here's the bonfire, the main one behind the sound desk:

Hey, that's not your amp being thrown onto the fire there, is it??

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Man that looks fun! I love outdoor fests. Wish I could go!

The weather this time of year in north central Florida is perfect too. Up into the high 70's/low 80's F days, in the 50's-60's F overnight. Current forecast for Saturday is 76 daytime, 49 at night.

Here's a pic from the 2006 one (which I missed, 2005 was the first one I went to) that shows the crowd near the stage area a little better:

More peeps, the cute girl on the left with the drink about to get snatched is my friend Rebekah, who was the hostess at the party the HotHeads played a couple weeks ago:

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Hey, that's not your amp being thrown onto the fire there, is it??

I always wondered what became of that 1x15 cab!

I always figured it somehow ended up in the lake.

A lot of the people at Boo are in various states of altered reality.

Gotta love private property and inviting all the neighbors.

 

[Spudman]

What is that big white thing over the crowd with the metal frame?

 

[Brian Krashpad]

What is that big white thing over the crowd with the metal frame?

Screen for the lasers! There's a "theme" every year. When we played two years ago it was:

 

[Tone2TheBone]

That should be fun. Bring back new pics.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

That should be fun. Bring back new pics.

Oh definitely! I'm turning 50 next year-- one never knows how many Boos one might have left in 'em!

:AOK:

 

[just strum]

I always wondered where the Dead Heads ended up. Looks like this might be one of the locations.

 

[duhvoodooman]

I always wondered where the Dead Heads ended up. Looks like this might be one of the locations.

Nah, not enough tie-dyed clothing in evidence....

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Nah, not enough tie-dyed clothing in evidence....

Haha, and without smell-avision, you can't tell that the patchouli content is thankfully fairly low as well.

It attracts a pretty wide range of people, all just looking for a good time where nobody gets hurt or hurts anybody else.

I will probably lose all my punk points for attending/playing.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

I ended up going both nights! The first night I took my son Jack. We brought our tent and slept in it after staying up until midnight watching bands. At one point, we were sitting near the bonfire watching bands and he said "You know what, I bet no other parents of anyone at my school would take their kids to something like this!"

I said that not only was he right, but that that made him the coolest kid in his school!

When we woke up on Saturday morning, we played catch with a softball for a little while, struck the tent, and I brought him back to Gainesville. I watched the Gators destroy Vandy (that's college footbal for you non-US peeps) on TV Saturday afternoon, and went back to play Saturday night.

The set went pretty well. We went on second and were a little rushed and had to cut a couple numbers, and Hoyt had a circuit breaker in his amp blow (after he reset it it was fine) but other than that, no probs. I think we were well received, there was certainly a lot of hooting and hollering and applause.

We played as a four-piece with me on bass (our bassist couldn't make it, so I switched over to my original slot in the band when we formed as a four-piece). After our set I was walking around the place out in the crowd and heard someone say "Hey, that's that bass player," which still sounds odd to me, even though I've played bass in bands for some 17 years now, off and on. To keep things simple I just slept in the van rather than taking the tent and setting it up all over again.

Anyhow, I had a great time both nights and saw lots of people I only get to see while out and about, which I don't do very ofen any more except when I gig. The first night was really cool to have Jack there to share it with.

Will add a few more details and a batch of pics, which for some reason turned out even more craptastic than usual, very dark and grainy for the most part, except for a couple pics I took of Jack, and of Jack and I.

As usual your comments on my poseritude are encouraged (though it doesn't really show in these photos), and all questions gladly answered.

Here's Jack:

Here's us:

Here's one of the other bands that played, my friends in Big Oil. The Flying V used to be mine but I traded it to the other guitarist in their band (the one playing his LP Special DC in the pic) for one of his Rics, and he subsequently sold it to his bandmate seen playing it here:

 

[Spudman]

That sounds like such a good time Brian. Glad that it was fun for you especially with your boy along. We'll be looking forward to all the pictures too.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Here's "Pol Parsley," Gainesville's own "Thai Elvis!"

Yes, Thai.

You haven't lived till you've heard an Elvis impersonator mixing a faux-Southern accent with his own Thai accent!

 

[t_ross33]

Sounds like an awesome weekend BK! Great pix of you and the Jackster too! Jack Krash... that kid has RAWKSTAR written all over him ude: Watch out ladies!

A+ on being a cool Dad too. My bandmates and I have kids all around that same age and they very begrudgingly admit to thinking having "rockstar" Dads is cool - but they'll never admit to liking our old-fogy music :rotflmao:

When I was a kid, my Dad used to do the local country music festival weekends and I have great memories of the time spent with friends and family, as well as some of my first live gigs. :AOK: :beer:

Trev

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Looks like a lot of fun! Esp. since you got to camp over with your son. I know that will be a life long memory for both of you. :AOK: ancake

 

[Adrian30]

Wish I can be there, Brian. Music and camping all in one package, can't beat that! But maybe some other time.

Have fun and bring us some pics.

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Thanks guys! This coming weekend is his Cub Scout camping up at Hannah Park in Jacksonville (Florida), this year his sister asked if she could come along so I'll have TWO of them to watch out for all weekend-- and Mrs. K is staying home, so pray for me!

Here's our drummer in silhouette:

Thank heaven for white basses:

 

[Brian Krashpad]

Bump.

Scanning the crowd: