Concert Sutra Camping Out At High Sierra

Concert Sutra Camping Out At High Sierra

by terri sapp

Photographs by Leah Yetter

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

Al Howard

click photos for photo gallery

            From the time I got on the plane in Atlanta, Georgia (even through the extended overnight Vegas layover…thanks America West for the hotel, cab, hot bath, bed, and breakfast), to the time I saw my girls in the family filled Reno Airport, my stomach was in knots with anticipation (and motion sickness) for the good times about to ensue.  As we made our way to the campsite, we could automatically feel the tension melting off of our stress filled shoulders.

            High Sierra Music Festival in Quincy, California (this year on July 1-4, 2004) at the Plumas-Sierra County Fairgrounds is the most laidback camping/music festival I had ever attended.  The Northeast California mountain air must really work as an opiate to all that enter.  First thing Thursday evening upon arrival, the first order of business was to catch Tea Leaf Green.  However, much to our dismay, our time limits kept us creating our campsite, since our delays at the airport.  Sorry Plateface…The beauty of High Sierra Music Festival is that we were camping right in front of the Grandstand Stage on the artists row, so we could hear everything from the Grandstand.  So, we got to hear a good deal of Tea Leaf Green, anyway. Continue reading

The Concert Sutra Loving Snake Oil Medicine Show & Ras Alan

The Concert Sutra Loving Snake Oil Medicine Show & Ras Alan

by terri sapp

Photographs by Leah Yetter

© Concert Sutra, All Rights Reserved

Carolyn and George Pond

click photos for band website

            Just after the turning over of the new year, I heard a rumor that a really cool bluegrasstafarian group, Snake Oil Medicine Show, would be opening a show at the Georgia Theatre.  I had heard mention of SOMS from close friends before.  Having to work on Fridays, and not living in Athens usually prevents me from making the Georgia Theatre before the second act comes on.  However, having heard of the good time that is a Medicine Show, and also finding out that there would be a bonafide reggae master in the house, Ras Alan, I knew immediately that I would do whatever it took to make it for the WHOLE show from the first second!!!

            From the beginning, there was reggae music playing over-head, which was the perfect vibe to get the crowd ready for what was to come.  Having never heard one note from either the Snake Oil Medicine Show or Ras Alan, I did not know what I was in for.  Before the show started, I went over to check out the merchandise table and check out what they were all about, and much to my surprise, there were band members AND Mr. Alan setting up and waiting to go on stage.  I couldn’t help but be drawn to want to say hello to who I found out to be Ras Alan, basically, just because of the positive vibration that exudes from him and the dreadlocks that have, over many years, grown all the way down his back!  Continue reading