EFF was incredible. The venue is just so amazing. It is the best in the midwest. Better than Summercamp. Better than Bonnaroo. And there's really no other competition in the area.
Before I get into my experience, here is the lineup if anyone wants to see it for comparison of what I saw vs. missed:
http://www.electricforestfestival.com/lineup/schedule
The music was amazing. Thursday night I just made it in to see all of Michal Menert at the end of the night. We caught a peek of Excision which looked intense but didn't see much. One video of Excision:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whUh2NyMPFE
It was so awesome though, Menert walked into the indoor venue upstairs right by me and I pat him on the shoulder (he had all his DJ gear loaded in his backpack lol) and was like "What's up Mike" and he's like "Hey man." Fuck yea it was awesome and I was sober too, except for the weed and xanax and energy drink.
Video of Menert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TnCa271ado
Then Friday and Saturday were back to back the best Friday & Saturday of festival music I have been to yet.
Friday was String Cheese (not my fav but good jam) --> Vibesquad (better than I expected, mostly hiphop DJ) --> Tiesto (only watched about 20 minutes but it was better than I expected) --> Emancipator FOREST SET (they played on Thursday before Menert and I saw the very end, and wanted more and got it, they are good a DJ plus violinist) --> Then fucking around in the forest high on psychedelics --> More fucking around
WAIT DID I FORGET SHERWOOD FOREST?!? This is why you go to Rothbury, MI!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWHAgBQu7yc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr6a7KwjeU0
--> Cirque du Womp (Ok they were a bit of a let down too much dub for me) --> Then to top off my night was Lance Herbstrong.
Lance Herbstrong was amazing, playing in an awesome venue with incredible stereo. They played for forever and I had to take a breather an hour in because his guitar was so intense. Check out the youtube vids for this one, it was seriously sick:
Video from outside the venue, it's right by a lake... this was Friday night before lots of people came in, the next night the entire outside of the venue was packed as this place was the closer spot each night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_Wbc7SztyQ
Video from the inside, the volume isn't loud enough to do this justice. This guy's guitar is INSANE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXMnv3FXkPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Ii9DLp2kc --> At 1:16 you can see one "set" of the speakers on the wall, they produced some of the cleanest sound I've ever heard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdtFqBvmDzg --> This is the same song as the outdoor video just by comparison, I was in the front row 3 to the right of the stage, I'm in the shots but can't pick myself out really.
Ok enough Herbstrong, the vids aren't loud enough anyways. Plus they don't have a vid of their Beatles "Come Together" cover... on to Saturday:
Start again String Cheese (ok but not as good as they were at Roth 09) --> Paper Diamond (ok but not as good as he was when I saw him last fall) --> Big Gigantic (saw just a bit, pretty good but couldn't stay long) -->
Bassnectar: Best set I have seen him play yet, out of 6 shows I have seen now.
Look at the intro in this amazing clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjK1Ib9MKFk
This was the right side of the stage, I was way on the left further back away from the madness. I found a sick spot at a hammock where I could lean back on the hammock like a slingshot rock and stand and watch the entire set, letting my shroomd and MDMAd out back muscle rest (Friday was 6-APB in the forest until my tongue hurt followed by a pinky swipe of 5-Meo-MiPT to send me into Candy Land).
ANYONE can SEE THE ENTIRE SET ON YOUTUBE:
Start video 1/7:
-->
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XkfQMUYjgc <--
Seriously this is some sick fucking shit folks. I've got an audio rip that is remastered if anyone wants it. =O
Oh and check the MI Force!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nw1K2iZAgZ4
Keep in mind too they didn't even use the real main stage that they used at Rothbury 08 and 09 (search String Cheese Rothbury 09 to see it). They changed the venue layout entirely because of the smaller size, and if it comes back in 2012 with more headliners expect bigger stages all around.
Ok back to the journey, after Bassnectar's sick set where he even played an old school track (Dubuasca!!!) which he NEVER DOES. --> Two Fresh (they were fucking sick! I need to see them again, soon.) --> fucking around in the forest or something -->
Archnemesis (!!! Incredible, in the same venue as Lance Herbstrong. Off the charts sound, first time seeing them live. I was expecting a lot and got even more.) --> 12th Planet (Ok here things got shiesty in the small venue with all the people I had to get outta there only a few tracks in because it was sooo packed.)
Check the 12th Planet vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiFEpaYf1EM
It doesn't do justice, it was too packed, the only downside of the night. I got out before I was infested with sweat (not my sweat). Ehh, but I was happy with calling it a night anyways. And I skipped the last day to go home because I'm weak. Yeah I missed the Pretty Lights forest set and his main set. Whatever, I've already seen like 6 PL shows anyways and his stuff is getting old. ;-P
Anyways I didn't even set foot in the venue until the sun went down each night. I probably missed some good daytime shit but I end up doing a lot at camp during the day. I didn't sleep Friday night either, which is a requisite for a good time at a festival. All night of music into the next night of music without sleep. I love it.
Just go to EFF before you kill yourself for not going to EFF.
retty sure you have to agree a head of time.
