The joy of local music is directly linked to the concept of accessibility, and every year, the JAM plays host to a local music festival called Over Easy Fest that delivers on entertainment and accessibility.
Via: GainesvilleScene
It’s about artists making music and you being a part of their creative process. It’s about cutting FLEXENBAUM in line at the bathroom and only realizing it after they play their set. It’s about the friends you make while standing around the bonfire and the fact that the guy who was next door finishing his sleeve at the tattoo parlor just dropped by for a beer and some tunes. It’s about seeing your ex-boyfriend and for five minutes you guys can be cordial and smile at each other cause you’re there to “just dance.”
Staying true to the spirit of The JAM and the vision behind Over Easy Fest, the festival offers a variety of artists both musical and otherwise to engage your senses. The music varied between tropical house, Jersey club, rock and roll and electronic funk. The wide variety keeps Over Easy interesting and appealing to a wide range of tastes.
While James Earnest Risberg, a first time attendee, described the event as “hipsters on molly,” the affability and easygoing nature of the crowd, whether drug-induced or not, was undeniable. Due to my lack of preparedness, my quest for gum amongst the crowd led me to meet some of the nicest “hipsters” I’ve ever met.
Via: Sound Cloud
Loyal fans, local music enthusiasts and those wishing to say goodbye to the JAM, a favorite venue that has since closed its doors, were the core of the crowd. Scattered throughout was the awkward couple probably on their first date, the hardcore music enthusiasts who were there for the atmosphere and of course the plethora of vendors. Although, after cornering Max Christensen, Les Voss’ roommate who had an insider eye to putting Over Easy on, “this night had a lot of competition,” and turnout was not quite what they had expected. He claims that the audience was sizably different from last festival.
Despite the disappointment in turn out, there was no denying that the festival offered a much-needed platform for the local talent of Gainesville. Between the art pieces made entirely of individually cut pieces of construction paper from Marc Paper Scissors, the food truck Pelican Bros and the glassblower Jonathan making gorgeous pieces for $15 and a beer, the turnout of the Gainesville art scene was stellar.
Via: Pinterest
My friends, however, were hardly bothered by the lack of crowd. They made themselves at home around the bonfire and enjoyed the “chill vibes.” The festival-goers who stumbled through the door might have come by because Karma Cream’s scene was a little too bland, Mother’s was too crowded, their tattoo just got finished or maybe because their frat brothers got lost downtown. But, despite the reason for coming, when I looked around the crowd at midnight, it was obvious that they stayed for the music. Whether they knew who was playing the set or not, the dancing never stopped. According to Alex Moskov, the whole event was “plur as fuck.”
Hopefully, Over Easy Fest will set the precedent Gainesville needs for revolutionizing the local music scene. It might be able to help mend the divide between local, more low-key music scenes and the molly-popping crowds rushing to Level nightclub.
Feature photo courtesy of: The Jam Gainesville
