After a weekend of non-stop getting the funk down, the attendees of Bear Creek 2014 return to their everyday lives with frostbitten bodies and a deep craving for more.
Nostalgia for the eclectic string of mind-boggling performances, homemade breakfast burritos and late night jams around the campfire set in as soon as one stepped out of the scenic Suwannee campgrounds. Until next November rolls around, the only thing we can do now is reminisce about the truly mesmerizing experience that is Bear Creek.
The sheer magnitude of the festival alone was intoxicating. This year’s installment brought beloved musical heavyweights such as Umphrey’s Mcgee, Soulive and Lettuce to jam out again and again throughout the weekend. The true gift, however, was the copious amount of collaborations between like-minded artists that blended a variety of genres into electrifying performances in the picturesque forest setting.
Via: Alexandria Clark
11-year-old artist at large Brandon Niederauer, nicknamed “Taz,” stole the hearts of Suwannee with his astonishing guitar skills and a presence well beyond his years. He shared the stage with multiple artists throughout the weekend, including The Main Squeeze, The New Mastersounds and Catfish Alliance. The euphoric vibe intensified every time the young guitar prodigy emerged, and funk devotees everywhere joined in chanting “Taz! Taz! Taz!”
The all-encompassing campgrounds of Live Oak, Fla. became home to a well-rounded blend of funk-loving creatures that came together to participate in the annual four day adventure. There are no handshakes when meeting someone new at Bear Creek, only a warm embrace and an eager welcome to the family. From friendly vendors to easy-going artists and generous campsite neighbors, the sense of community at Bear Creek is incomparable.
Bear Creek’s eighth chapter began on Thursday, Nov. 13 with a pre-party that raised a ruckus like no other, beginning with Freddy’s Finest and closing out the night with The Main Squeeze. Los Angeles-based Orgone took over the Ampitheater Stage at midnight and unleashed a seamless fusion of heavy funk, ’70s jazz beats and electrifying soul onto the spellbound crowd gathered under the canopy of Spanish moss. The eight-member ensemble had everyone swaying in unison as lead vocalist Niki Crawford serenaded our souls and brought our bodies into a full-blown boogie.
Via: Alexandria Clark
The sun set on the Purple Hat Stage Friday evening and the beats of the funky Kansas-based duo The Floozies brought the beautiful people of Suwannee down with it. The concoction of hip-hop, dub, electronica and true funk created the perfect transition into the exhilarating nighttime Suwannee vibe that we all know and love. Totems soared over beanie-covered heads as the crowd grooved to “Assthem (Ass Anthem, Duh),” a funktastic trap remix to Queen’s “Fat Bottom Girls” hit. The frosty weather was not an issue during this performance, as it was impossible to keep any body part from moving with the beat.
The DC’s Forest Stage was illuminated Saturday night by the enrapturing guitar explosions from Earphunk. The NOLA-based prog-funk quintet took the crowd on a soul-riveting journey, boogying down to classic jam band strums one moment and then coming together to chant “I won’t work no nine to five!” with Khris Royal and Jonathan Lloyd the next moment. Their invigorating cadence was integrated with the talents of George Porter Jr. during a sublime cover of Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like an Eagle.”
Via: Alexandria Clark
NOLA-based Dumpstaphunk dared exhausted funk fanatics to hop out of their toasty Ampitheater Stage hammocks on Sunday night and surrender any and all leftover energy to the sensationally soulful performance. The quintet brought Taz and drummer Nikki Glaspie of The Nth Power onto the stage during a monumental cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Black Dog” that had everyone harnessing their inner rock and roll. Dumpstaphunk’s sonic live sound was unified by artist-at-large, vocalist and trumpeter Jennifer Hartswick during their classic hit “Put It In The Dumpsta.”
Bear Creek is Suwannee’s classic fall-based festival and the unanimous favorite of the Park’s veterans. Take a stroll, either with a friend or by yourself, through the campgrounds. You are guaranteed to find yourself in the midst of something spectacular. Whether it’s a friendly face smiling at you behind quick-spinning fire, an art installation that stamps your dollar with political puns, or a group of artists jamming out in front of their favorite vegan burrito stand, the atmosphere of Bear Creek will never cease to amaze you.
Featured photo courtesy of: Alexandria Clark
