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SweetWater 420 Fest makes Dad Rock cool again Find everyone from actual dads to sorority girls enjoying the music DANIELLA BOIK Staff Reporter
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his past weekend, Atlanta hosted it’s 15th annual SweetWater 420 Fest – otherwise known as the mother of all jam band festivals. Every cultural group who loves and appreciates 20-minute-long guitar solos gathered in Centennial Olympic Park this past weekend to jam. Through the tornado warnings, the temperature dropping to almost 30 degrees and pouring rain, everyone of all different backgrounds still came together dancing like there’s no tomorrow. Leaflovers, fraternity brothers, deadheads and boho babes alike embraced their love for dad rock this weekend, which just like the resurgence of film cameras and vinyl is coming back because nostalgia just feels so good.
THE HIPSTER INDIE MILLENNIAL CHIC
Twenty-year-old Valerie Sue Pablo may look like she’s dressed up for Coachella in her boho top and tribal pants for an Insta worthy picture, but she says she knows her jam bands better than the next guy. Up against the railing with her marijuana-inspired earrings, Pablo anxiously waited for Everyone Orchestra to perform on the Sweetwater Stage. “This is the best thing you’ll ever see hands down,” Pablo said. “Every time they play it’s with different people from other groups, like guys from Jane’s Addiction and Umphrey’s McGee are playing, but other times they’ve played with guys from Gov’t Mule or String Cheese.” With a mandolin player, saxophonist, keyboardist, drummer and a conductor sporting a shimmery purple tux with a matching top hat, Everyone Orchestra made standing out in the freezing rain worthwhile. “They use different instruments everytime and the whole thing is improvised,” Pablo said. “They never know what they’re going to play and it’s awesome everytime. Nobody else does something like this, I mean the conductor just warmed up the audience by doing freestyle and butterfly strokes.”
THE PSYCHEDELIC STEREOTYPE
With his John Lennon glasses on, a drug rug and a rainbow tapestry used as a rain jacket, Sebastian Lara was ready to be taken into a trance by Big Something and Rebelution. “I got my lighter, and I’m ready to celebrate the holiday,” he said. With Rebelution taking the Sweetwater Stage with little peaks of sunlight after the storm, the park felt like a summer beach concert as they played Lazy Afternoon and the crowd swayed back n’ forth. “These guys can really play reggae, I mean the saxophone
dude killed it, and he even did it barefoot,” he said. “You wouldn’t even expect it though with the singer being a white guy named Eric.”
THE FRAT BOY
Cousins Scott and Greg Hoffman and their posse of Clemson brothers, all decked out in orange and white ponchos, are the frat boys of SweetWater 420 Fest. “Man this is nothing but good fun, a time to kick back and relax and drink Mango Kush and 420 strain beer,” Hoffman said. With a few of his brothers dozing off into the sounds of Cory Henry & The Funk Apostles and their eyes bloodshot from celebrating the holiday, Hoffman spoke on his passion for dad rock music. “New music sucks,” Hoffman said. “Pop music and all that stuff on the radio, it’s not like this.” “Jam band music is the coolest,” he said. “When they just guitar solo for 10 minutes straight it gives you such a moment of freeness and after that moment, the band brings you right back into the song and it’s f------ amazing!” As for the award for best performance so far, the guys all agreed Joe Russo’s Almost Dead was “pretty sweet dude.” “If someone’s got plans tonight other than seeing Widespread Panic they’re crazy,” Hoffman said.
THE REAL DAD WHO ROCKS
It’s pretty easy to spot the real Deadheads even from miles away, and with swarms of them all throughout the park in their new balance shoes, vintage baseball caps and real Grateful Dead concert tees, Glen and his son were the perfect father and son duo of dads who rock. “Nothing will ever compare to the Allman Brothers,” he said. “But the Avett Brothers were so impressive and Billy Strings was phenomenal.” With their third time listening to live music at SweetWater 420 Fest, the father-son duo agreed that the younger generation is bringing in a new surge of dad rock music. “Everything goes in cycles, everything comes back,” Glen said. “The young people are really resurging real music, and it’s so heartwarming because it’s just getting bigger and bigger.” As for the sudden rise in ‘60s influenced jam band music, it’s simple: nostalgia feels good. “These newer bands like Moon Taxi that are playing tonight are pretty talented guys,” he said. “They already have a great name for themselves.” As for the award for the band with the best Grateful Dead spirit, local Atlanta band Frankly Scarlet, who’s a Grateful Dead cover band, wins in their opinion. “They played the 420 after-party show at Smith’s Olde Bar and after an already incredible night of music they were just the cherry on top,” he said.
Atlanta residents and local beer enthusiasts showed up for SweetWater’s annual 420 Fest. Artists Eric Rachmany and Chris Royal performed.
PHOTOS BY DANIELLA BOIK | THE SIGNAL