At The Werk Out, fans are treated to three nights of the host band’s classic fusing of psychedelic effects, shredding guitar, screaming classic rock organ, funk slap bass, and synthesizers over modern dance beats. Their latest CD aptly titled The Werks is available as a complimentary stream online and digital download for a pay-what-you-want download at http://thewerks.bandcamp.com.
Building success upon success, The Werk Out Festival will cap off a great summer that will have seen The Werks perform at the Hang Out Festival, Wakarusa, Camp Bisco, Electric Forest (formerly Rothury), Summer Camp, Dark Star Jubilee and the All Good Festival (also at Legend Valley).
Formerly known as Buckeye Lake Music Center, the sprawling festival grounds of Legend Valley have played host to some of Ohio’s most memorable live performances of the past five decades including half a dozen Grateful Dead concerts as well as tour stops from Lollapalooza, AC/DC, WOMAD, The Allman Brothers Band, and numerous other large events.
Tickets are available now for $80 (2 day pass), $100 (3 day pass) and $179 for VIP packages which include Early Bird, Official VIP-Access Laminate, VIP only Showers, VIP only Bathrooms, VIP only concert viewing area & more. The link for ticket purchase is http://valley.inticketing.com/events/303420
With a fanatical following and ever-progressive, ever-positive sound and message, it’s no wonder that The Werks created an annual celebration that is all their own. This year will be the fourth Werkout Music and Arts Festival to be held in their home state of Ohio, and we expect this year will hold a record number of attendees.
Originally held at Zane Shawnee Caverns in Bellefontaine, OH, the festival recently moved to Legend Valley concert venue in Thornville, OH as of last year in 2012. Besides bringing a huge local Ohio following of dedicated fans, friends, and family, The Werkout attracts ticket-buyers from all over the country (including us West Virginians, but also those from Kentucky, Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina, Maryland…the list goes on and on). The festival always boasts an impressive lineup designed and customized for The Werks fans, many artists being handpicked by Rob Chafin himself, the band’s drummer and often business-minded member. They have hosted big names such as Dark Star Orchestra, The Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Rusted Root, Papadosio, Lotus, Johnny Neel, The New Mastersounds, and more. Artists making frequent appearances on their lineup each year include ZOOGMA, Blue Moon Soup, EOTO, The Everyone Orchestra, and Jahman Brahman. Besides live jam bands, folk rock, and jamtronica, The Werkout also hosts late-night electronic and dubstep tents for those who like to rage until early morning hours.
While most festivals have “Music and Arts Festival” in their title, The Werkout truly showcases the “arts” portion of their name. Last year in 2013 artists had pedestals at assorted heights so that all 20+ live artists were visible to the right of the stage. Watching the creation of a painting before your eyes, shaped and curved by vibrations of the music, is a magical moment adding to the experience of the festival. The Werkout also features art installations and performance art. Last year there was a huge troupe of LED hoopers and also fire performances. Besides artful fire poi and fire hooping, there was a fire-spurting dance floor that appeared to our surprise last year! “Wait until you see what we’ve got in store,” Rob told us in 2012, as he showed us around the incomplete festival structure Wednesday night. He surely had some secrets up his sleeve, as they seem to every year, unable to resist treating and delighting their fans. Another nice touch to the colorful nature of the weekend is the costume theme nights, as if we needed a reason to dress up anyway!
Each year is marked not by the extra frills that they bring to the occasion, but by The Werks’ multiple performances. Their rabid fan base is almost insatiable when it comes to their live improvisational jams, and the guys are not one to disappoint. Whether it’s Rob’s heart stopping drum solos, Chris Houser’s tummy-tickling guitar riffs, Dino Dimitrouleas’s groovin’ bass, or Norman Dimotrouleas’s wild, passionate tinkling of the keys, something about their performances always leaves you craving more. It’s always tough to be content with their hour and a half long sets we often see at shows, so The Werkout is a nice binge to tie us over for a while. Their performances are often enhanced with sit-ins from other bands and The Everyone Orchestra is always a collaboration of epic proportions. Band members from artists all over the lineup join together, and directed by Matt Butler, create unforgettable magic.
This year The Werkout Music and Arts Festival will once again be taking place at Legend Valley in Ohio on the dates of September 12-15. This prime weekend is not crowded by any other major festival and is an excellent way to close out the summer. At Appalachian Jamwich, our festival tours start as early as April but we are looking forward to our big hurrah at Werkout all summer long.
