Dominion Riverrock
5/17-19/2013
written by George Dickerson
Dominion Riverrock; oh what a fun filled weekend. This locally produced free family festival put on down by the river front has a little something for everyone. As we come down the hill to the Tredegar ironworks we can’t help but notice the crowd surrounding the slack line, where folks from as far as Brazil came to prove they have the stuff it takes. Bouncing belly flops and back flips were the norm of day for this event. There were even lines on the side for you to try it out, but I quickly found I didn’t make the cut! Laying there in the grass laughing I look up to see a young lady dangling by her feet on the bouldering wall. Does the fun ever stop?
As we then proceed across the canal onto Brown’s Island, kayaks and paddle boards galore filled the canal for anyone young and old to try their hand at them, and music began to fill the air. As we approach the stage there is a huge freestyle bike track. These kids are bold and brave doing their aerial tricks. We stand there amazed at the talent until we hear the crowd erupt as Soulive comes on the stage. Eric Krasno and the boys just tear it up as Richmond’s own DJ Williams comes out to join them in an awesome rendition of “Eleanor Rigby” into “Third Stone from the Sun”. DJ stays out for a couple more songs as they wrap up the set w/ the Shady Horns joining in. Wow what a night and it isn’t even over yet. We wander around some more during the set break checking out the vendors and more of the bikers practicing up for the competition in the morning. After getting a tasty taco for dinner we make it back to the stage as Lettuce begins to meander onto the stage. The crowd can barely contain its excitement as the funk begins to roll. Nigel Hall comes out to lead the band into “I Feel Like Bustin’ Loose” into “Makin’ My Way Back Home,” which of course works the crowd into a frenzy. Only then to invite DJ out to jam w/ them again to crank out a smoking rendition of “Move On Up.” DJ goes off on a sweet solo! What a night and it is only Friday! If you ever get the chance to catch Soulive and Lettuce’s Royal Family Ball do yourself a favor and don’t miss it.
Saturday morning I came down for the early morning yoga session; what a way to wake up the body. As I make my way back across the Canal to go pick up the girls and get breakfast I notice folks much more well balanced than I doing yoga moves on paddle boards in the canal We made it back just in time to hear The Trongone Band kicking it on stage as the Ultimate Air dogs were showing their stuff. Boy could those dogs jump. While waiting for the next band to come on we made it over for the Bouldering Speed Semifinals. It’s just amazing what these people can do on a rock wall. We then turn around just in time to see the finals on the slackline.
(Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE0LNB2Jr3k)
After another tasty dinner watching the sunset over the river, Anders Osborne takes the stage to get the crowd pumping! Then once again Richmond’s own DJ Williams joins him on stage for the last few songs. They start off w/ an electrifying “Stoned, Drunk and Naked,” and then close out the set with a smoking rendition of “On The Road To Charlie Parker.” They leave us wanting more but that feeling soon changes to anticipation of Toots and the Mayhals taking the stage. When he does come out the crowd goes nuts. In no time at all we are all hopping. Kids are crowd surfing. Everybody is having a good ole time. Toots goes into his version of country roads the crowd is singing along. DJ Williams and Anders had joined him on stage, when the evening came to unfortunately sad ending as some fool in the crowd threw a liquor bottle at the stage and hit Toots in the head. He regretted having to end the show early to go to the hospital. I’ve been to hundreds of shows over the year and never seen anything like this. I I have heard that Toots saw the guy back stage and asked him why, and his response was “Because I love your music so much.” It is such a shame for such a nice festival to be tarnished by one person’s stupidity. However on Sunday everything was back on track. William Walter took the stage and kept us entertained as the events rolled into the final rounds of competition. The hip hop sounds of the Photosynthesizers wrapped up another beautiful weekend on the James in Downtown Richmond. I really can’t wait for next year to see what tricks they pull out of their hat for the Nation’s premiere outdoor sports and music festival.
