Clownin’ Around Pinky’s Farm
Pink Moon Festival 2013 Review
written by Becca “Boo” Cranwell
photos by Peter Monti of Bacon Media
https://www.facebook.com/baconmedia
The trip to Rock Camp, West Virginia, is a short, but beautiful drive from Southwest Virginia. Winding through the colossal mountains of West Virginia inspires both awe and comfort; these ancient and rocky giants are a down-home girl’s oldest and truest friends. Blasting tunes through the radio and thanking the universe for the opportunity to attend yet another festival, my excitement bubbles and shines like a sunbeam.
Finally reaching the bumpy dirt road that leads into Pinky’s Farm, I can’t contain myself anymore and start bouncing hysterically in my car seat. A group of equally shining faces greets me at the entrance, instructing me where to park and camp.
The camping accommodations at Pink Moon are sparse—this festival is for mountain folk who know how to rough it. No showers, no electricity, probable sunburn during the day, and frigid temperatures at night. However, with that in mind—what you do get—is a weekend of freedom, fantastic music, and goofing off with your friends, which in my opinion, is exactly what festivarians everywhere are looking for.
Pink Moon 5 begins Thursday September 12 for the wooks, but work-laden patrons steadily filter in Friday and Saturday as well. Arriving Friday evening, The Shack Band is setting up. Never a disappointment, the Richmond, VA musicians immediately jump into smooth funk-rock with delightful jazz highlights from saxophone and flutist Josh Crowley, who nonchalantly sews a discreet Eleanor Rigby sax tease into one of the Shack Band’s cosmic jam stints. Later, Galaxy Dynamite entrances us with inter-dimensional tunes until Rumpke Mountain Boys take the main stage. Rumpke brings the hootin’, hollerin’, and stompin’ wild boys to the forefront of the main stage. To our delight, Rumpke blesses Pink Moon 5 with not one, but two incredible displays of bluegrass Friday evening.
The beauty of Pink Moon is the variety of music offered—your brain shuffles from rock, to jazz-fusion, to bluegrass, and plenty of electronic djs. Saturday is host to a number of incredibly talented groups: Yankee Dixie, The Mad Anthony’s, Threesound, The Golden Guns, and Funk Punch. One of my newest interests from Richmond, VA: The Northerners. The group’s lead vocalist, Ally Khoury, brings an emotional richness to their myriad of blues songs. My ears were more than perked throughout their set. If you have a chance to see The Northerners—don’t pass it up.
A short walk between the main and second stage, patrons are treated to Urth, The Former Champions, Sol, Kings of Belmont, Big Something, Octopus, Plaeground and Arodynamics Saturday night. Peering at the schedule, we are surprised to hear Casey Cranford crooning away on his sax as Big Something, takes the stage (they aren’t scheduled until 11 p.m. and it’s only 10 p.m.). Big Something powers through at least four high-energy songs, as the crowd dances wildly and joyfully. Just as soon as they start—Big Something stops abruptly—sending dancers into a state of bewildered confusion. “Well, that was our sound-check—we’ll see you guys at 11—thanks for getting down,” Nick MacDaniels announces playfully. Staring at each other wide-eyed, befuddled, and slightly disappointed, we laugh at the stunned expressions surrounding us. Oh, Big Something…you got us!
We saunter over to the second stage and groove with the Kings of Belmont until Big Something returns to finish their set. Reaching well below 50 degrees Saturday night, most people are dancing like maniacs to stay warm, which opens the gate for everyone in the vicinity to be completely and utterly ridiculous. Thank you Seth and Jessica Abramson, as well as the rest of the Pink Moon crew, for creating an environment where everyone is free to be totally, absurdly, and unbelievably wacky—in good company.
Sunday’s glowing sunrise spills over the mountainside as music finally ceases. Exhausted and frigid listeners trudge back to their tents for a few hours sleep. Not long after a quick nap, music drifts over the trees alerting everyone that the fun is beginning…yet again. Sunday hosts feel-good music from The Kind, who meet all your Grateful Dead needs, down home southern rock from Grass Monkey, and many more including EOTO’s late night set. Unfortunately, like many other patrons who had to work Monday morning, I missed the EOTO set but friends who stayed said it was phenomenal.
Thank you Rock Camp Productions, Seth and Jessica Abramson for another Pink Moon to remember. Another big thank you to the sound and light crews who made sure sound was crisp and clear and the visuals were psychedelically riveting.
