day 2: peace, love and michael franti pt. 1

all apologies for the delay on this one- i wanted to wait until i had some pics to throw up...

anyway, i woke up yesterday and thought to myself: two sets of Franti? in one day? amazing.

and it was. After running into Michael during the Nocturnals, i was even more excited to see him get on the ropeadope stage and do a solo set before getting on the big stage later today. Les Claypool was on the main stage at the same time as the Franti solo which resulted in about fifty people in the crowd when he picked up his guitar.


Franti has that kind of energy, that element that some performers don't have and definitely cannot fake. it's charisma and it's genuine- Franti truly believes in everything he sings, talks, writes and films. the set included acoustic versions of "Yell Fire!" and "Yes I Will." all the guys from Spearhead were there- Dave gave us a preview of the guitar solos that were to come later in the night, Manas was there, holding down the beat and busting out the congos for "To the East, To the West," and, as per usual, Mr. Carl Young held his bass with authority and did what he does best- gave us the lines to dance to while looking as cool as Shaft himself.



Before ending the show with a heartwrenching "Everything's Changed But My Name," Franti lept into the crowd (as he often is wont to do) to dance and frolic on the mountain with my fellow worshippers and i.

i think all of us walked down that mountain with a secret smile on our faces and a little more of a spring in our steps.

(thanks to Robert Massie for the photos)