First a quick reminder from the good people at Leeway...

The Home Grown Music Network and Jambands.com are proud to present a Phish aftershow party for your taste buds:

Those Bastards _The Ominous Seapods_
appearing at LEGENDS LOUNGE, Las Vegas, NV
October 30 & 31st - approx. 1 hr post Phish

We are especially psyched to offer you shuttle buses from Thomas and Mack Arena to Legends and then from Legends to the Strip. To hop on the bus, pick it up after the Phish show in the 'Taxi Pick-up' area.

Tickets are still available for both nights (Halloween is going fast) and can be ordered by credit card by calling the Home Grown Music Network at 1(800)6LEEWAY.

Since this is a LOUNGE, you must be 21 or older to enter.....sorry about this but roolz are roolz.

There will be a TON of FREE STUFF (including CDs, stickers, Jam Bands books and a few surprises) by raffle, trivia contests and costume contest (on 10/31).

The Seapods will be playing 2 full sets so be prepared to be out til the sun comes up.....it's Vegas, baybee!!!!!!!

See ya at the show!

And now on to the article...

Written by: Matt Reiter <mreiter@labyrinth.net>
Edited by: Marcie Vogel (taz@earth.nowhere.net)

The Autumn Equinox Festival
Wilmer's Park- Brandywine, MD
September 25th & 27th, 1998

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh, Festi-vaaaaal!!!" lead singer of Leftover Salmon's Vince Herman howled at the crowd on the first night of the third annual Autumn Equinox Festival at Wilmer's Park in Brandywine, MD. I couldn't have said it any better, myself. It was a festival of sounds, a circus of faces, and a small village all rolled into one big weekend with lots of sun and star-cluster nights. The first thing that I noted was the wonderfully generous musical offerings that Tim Walther had in store for us. Headliner's Leftover Salmon and John Scofield were just a few of the amazing bands that I got to see; many for the first time.

When I had arrived, we had just missed Smokin' Grass which was the only upsetting event of the night. My girlfriend and I set up camp and headed straight into banjo country (although we had just left West Virginia) with the Burlington blue-grass outfit the Gordon Stone Band. I was eager to strike up a little sweat so I got a little groove going and enjoyed. It reminded me of a Fleck-like sound, but without all of the "cosmic" tinges. Gordon Stone achieves, on the ground, what Bela Fleck tries to reach for in space. After Gordon, The Recipe from Morgantown, WV brought up many a spirit. This band has come a long way since their days in Morgantown where I happened to have watched them move up the musical ladder higher than any other band in recent years. For me, it was amazing to see the 5,000+ going wild for them; it seemed like they are giving the people what they want and making sure smiles were a' plenty. Gordon Stone even got on the wagon for the classic "Moonlight, Midnight." and watched the hay bales fly.

The Recipe finished up when the air got crispy and wafts of green herbs danced across the many heads in front of the stage. Festival time was officially declared as Leftover Salmon rolled up and rolled into a phatty set of music. I can't really say much about Leftover without saying anything that hasn't been said about them before. I can tell you that they were simply magnificent. The evening was glowing with sweat and smoke that was brought on by furious musicianship and energetic rompings and ramblings through cities and mountains. Lead singer Herman was a Salmon on land, flipping and gyrating with an uncontrolled passion for his words and music. There were only a few slow standards, which acted as a timely break for my legs. The pumping and pattering continually raged beyond the slow stuff making for a great set; a set that required a whole lot of audience energy and lots of quicksteppin' and all out boogiein'. This was my virgin Leftover concert (beyond booties) and it was all that it was cracked up to be: an awesome musical experience.

After a night of puffing, chatting, and staring at the stars with my girlfriend, I awoke to the sounds and stylings of Keller Williams. What a wonderful way to wake up and start the day. Williams is an amazing solo act. Using slaps, pops, and slams on the acoustic guitar, he gives off a serious vibe of intense, yet soothing melodies. With his comical lyrics and rootsy style, Williams makes up for the lack of a back up band. The most unique musical element that was present was the use of his lips (and only his lips) to create a very convincing horns; both sax and trumpet. I have never seen anyone incorporate that kind of originality to the standard acoustic songs. Keller Williams is a must see!

Following Williams, Orange Whip and Foxtrot Zulu kept the early vibe going as people began to shuffle around the grounds some more. The Disco Biscuits took stage and told some stories and played some songs, which is simply what they do best (without over examining it). Lake Trout and Jah Works were the next two bands from the D.C. area on stage. They played to an ever increasing crowd that continually filed in as the sun began to fade in the distance. Lake Trout kept the jazz vibe of the day going and Jah Works added an arousing reggae sound, which was a departure from the rest of the days acts.

When night fell, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe began to tear it up. The horn section blew up and went all out. The keys, bass, drums, and guitar worked on the groove and worked on it hard. By the time they were finished, I began to take stock of personal energy in order to be able to maintain the whole night through. Tiny Universe left me a bit winded. Luckily, Charlie Hunter was up next and allowed for less intense dancing, not that it wasn't amazing but it was more mellow. Charlie worked out the rhythms and leads on his seven string while the soft drums and cosmic vibraphone mingled in the background. The man is a seriously astonishing guitarist making use of every finger on his ample hands. Swirling and slithering, Hunter's guitar is capable of doing unearthly acts, elevating music to another level.

With darkness as a permanent fixture, legends both new and old took over the stage and surrendered their music to the many ears eagerly awaiting the night's headliners. Jazz-Guitar guru John Scofield, former James Brown drummer Clyde Stubblefield, modern jazz phenoms John Medeski and Chris Wood formed the groove that would echo throughout the rest of the night. Playing a few songs from Scofield's A Go-Go, as well as some expansive impromptu numbers, these four musicians pushed at each song and sometimes attained musical zen. This is something that just any ordinary band cannot easily reach. It takes musical minds such as these, to create the perfect musical experience. Medeski flailed and flipped on the organ, constantly feeling his way around the songs. Wood seduced the bass and rhythm making it his own. Scofield contorted his face to feel what his fingers were expressing, and Stubblefield just kicked it (no pun intended). I felt privileged to see these great musicians working their magic before my eyes. They presented the perfect ending to a weekend of wondrous music and sounds.

That is really what the festival was about; it was a collaboration of many bands, musicians, and minds. Each band played an integral part in achieving the complete musical experience. Kudos to Tim Walther and Walther Productions for playing a conductor of sorts in assembling a line-up of musicians that was not only diverse, but fit together to form one of the best festivals the East Coast has to offer. Keep your eye out for future events at Wilmer's Park and Walther Production events. If you're interested in any of the band's CDs, call The Home Grown Music Netowrk at 1(800)6LEEWAY and they'll send you a free catalog. If this festival is any indication of the abundance of great music currently being made, festivals in the future will undoubtably be great.