Sunrise Day Two at Quail Ridge Lake in Aldie, VA
Day 2 was upon us. The sun was up bright and early and so was the Wookie Post crew that morning. We had set up the Grassroots vending station and got our Bloody Mary’s. Yoga was taking place at the main stage, breakfast burritos were being served at concessions, the birds were chirping and people were getting their early morning swim in at the lake all while music was being set up.
The second day of festivals always seems to be a big shopping day for campers. Shakedown was popping early. Everyone was trying to get their shopping in before the music. Unfortunately, the music schedule had to be rearranged because of the ordeal from the previous night. There was also no hard copy of the schedule so it was tough to decipher who was playing and who was suppose to come on next. The festival wanted to have the “louder” more electronic acts perform during the day and save acoustic sets for later that night as to not disturb the neighbors across the lake.
Shakedown Street
Yea it was kind of confusing but it was for the good of the festival. This was only Cosmic Campout’s second year in existence and being shut down on the second day of the second year is not a good look. No one really complained though. Everyone accepted the situation and the party raged on.
Unfortunately we did not get a chance to cover every act on the second day of the festival but we can tell you about some of our favorite acts that we did get a chance to catch.
First up on out list is Galaxy Dynamite, good friends of Wookie Post, this was actually the first time I got to catch a live show. Not to disappoint, this three piece psychedelic trance rock band brings groovy electro dance beats straight from outer space right to your inner ear. Originating in the 757, Norfolk, VA Galaxy Dynamite started in 2010 and hasn’t looked back yet. Baker Cunningham – Guitar, Synth, brings the soothing melodies that will melt even the headiest wook in the crowd. Sam Wolffe – Bass, utilizes a progressive driving lead bass-line that seamlessly merges the guitar and drums as one. And then there’s Michael Mahgerefteh – Drums, this psycho is ill with the skills with drum sticks in his hands. King of the throne, Mike brings an unbelievable energy to the stage and it shows in the music. Catch Galaxy Dynamite on tour this summer. We will be seeing them again at Pasture Palooza and Under the Stars Festival. Here’s the full set list from Cosmic Campout:
Nothing Says Beach Like a Highway, Action Jackson > Hero Status, Stargazing, Snake in the Grass, Something With Apples, Timezones, Moment of Impact > Rocket Smash, Hide and Sneek
Sam Wolffe – Bass Guitar, Galaxy Dynamite
Next on our list is Moogatu, a Wookie Post favorite. Head over to our Artist Spotlight Series and check out our interview with them. If you haven’t heard of Moogatu yet, you must not be reading Wookie Post. This five piece band features two dueling lead guitars that bring a unique sound that can only be recognized as Moogatu. Progressive and funky, heavy and harmonious, this band is making a name for themselves, etching their sound into the brains of who ever is willing to listen. Catch them this weekend (June 29th) at Lunar Bay Festival and late night at Family Roots Festival. Here’s the full set list from Cosmic Campout:
Try Again* > Nothing Too Fancy* > Appreciation, Mary > Dance Party > Bonafide Lovin’, Better Batter > Helium Pt. 2, Better Company
* unfinished
Brian Raughbacker (Left) and Chris Lee (Right) duel lead guitar, Moogatu
Switching gears, The Archives took the stage. They grabbed our attention as awesome reggae bands tend to do. This old school style roots rock band is comprised of an all star cast that consists of vocalists Ras Puma, the charismatic singer on Thievery Corporation’s Culture of Fear, Lenny Kurlou (S.T.O.R.M.), Mateo Monk (Sankofa Blackstar) plays guitar, flute and melodica, Burke (Moja Nya, Eek- A-Mouse, Gregory Isaacs) is on keyboards, Leslie “Black Seed” James Jr. (Culture, Eek-A-Mouse) dummer, and bass player Justin “Relentless” Parrott (Claudius Linton). Not to be confused, The Archives play totally original songs that have a “really deep roots” feel. Their mission is to contribute to the evolution of reggae in the 21st century. “Same tree, new leaves.” If you have a chance to check these guys out we highly recommend you go see them perform. Check to see if they come around your town on their tour schedule. Also listen to their music free on soundcloud.
Consider the Source was another head turner for us here at Wookie Post. It was the first time we were exposed to Consider the Source and as our good friend, Chris Lee, over at Moogatu put it, “They have to warn people before they just get up there and start shredding metal solo’s!” No doubt Consider the Source had kicked it up a notch. The three piece band from non other than the Big Apple, New York, New York is composed of Gabriel Marin- Guitars, John Ferrara- Bass, and Jeff Mann – Drums and Percussion. CTS’s style spans over a plethora of genres from metal to psychedelic jam and everything in-between. According to their facebook however, they dub themselves “Sci-fi Middle Easter Fusion” definitely a one of a kind genre. CTS formed in 2004 and have been touring ever since, from California all the way to Israel. You can catch Consider the Source this weekend (June 28) in Rockingham, VT at the Rocking Hill Music Festival and (June 29) at Kittenfest Music Festival in Augusta, NJ. You can listen to their music for free on their website.
Gabriel Marin – Guitar, Consider the Source
Finally to end our list is Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. Another Wookie Post favorite, theses guys have also been featured in our Artist Spotlight Series. The last big act for the night, Pigeons’ set was actually push forward to accommodate for the noise complaint the night before. We had a couple friends trying to make it that night after work but unfortunately, they didn’t arrive until after Pigeons had finished. Started in 2007 Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and stormed onto the scene in funk-a-delic style. The highly anticipated set did not disappoint. As the sun began to dissipate and the night grew darker, Pigeons threw down an awesome version of their take on the Ghostbuster’s Theme Song. Everyone was talking about that for the rest of the night. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will be at Pasture Palooza this weeekend (June 29), check out their tour dates for more information on up coming shows. You can download live set on their website and also check them out on soundcloud.
Day two was in the books and we awoke on day three, tired and exhausted. The clouds had rolled in and were threatening to rain. We thought it was best to break down camp early that morning in anticipation of a storm. Many other campers had the same idea and slowly the festival began to die down. Day three music started around noon and was suppose to continue til 6pm. We left Cosmic Campout with Mateo Monk playing in the background.
Ben Carrey – Bass Guitar, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong
All in all the weekend was just plain fun. Great music, great weather, and great people make for one spectacular time. We hope to attend the next Cosmic Campout and we hope they can continue to hold it at the lovely Quail Ridge Lake. We apologize if your act did not get mentioned in this article. If you have any questions feel free to email us at wookiepost.com@gmail.com or message us on Facebook or Twitter.
wookiepost 