Frendly Gathering 2014
All Words And Photos By Morgan Laurie-Day
We started by making lists. Lists of what we would need. Tent, sleeping bags, extra clothes, flashlights. Then I made my own list. Camera, batteries, charger, monopod. Before I knew it the day was here. Frendly Gathering 2014. Three days near the end of June in lower Vermont, (Timber Ridge to be precise) around 3000 people get together to listen to music, relax and just have fun. Maybe take a hula hoop class or do early morning yoga in the former two chair lift building (aka Jenke Barn.)
This was the third year of Frendly Gathering and it was my first festival ever. I got out of work around 7pm Thursday night and headed down state with my partner in crime Rachael. We made it to the box office right around 9:30 and caught the last bus into camp for the night. We set up shop on the slopes and started making Frends pretty quickly.
The music had died down by the time we got all our gear set up so we relaxed and wondered. Visiting with old friends and new. I took the time to walk around and get the lay of the land. I met some of the vendors working the event like The Skinny Pancake, TOMGIRL Juice Co. and Deep River Chips.
Music continued late into the night. After a few hours of wondering and running into frends old and new I settled down for the night. Morning came early like it always does. The first music of the day was found on top of the mountain. A frendly crowd wandered up the hill to watch Twiddle kick off the day with an electric set played in the grass.
The day wore on into evening. As the sun went down on Friday Deer Tick took the Main Stage. The Providence, RI band set the tone as the light up hula hoops and fire spinners started up in a small area next to the stage.
After several more hours of stage wandering, listening to Twiddle (VT), Kung Fu (CT), Quiet Lion (VT) and Delta Spirit (CA/NY), I ended the night listening to DJ Disco Phantom spin in the Jenke Barn. There was an impressive list of bands spread out from Thursday to Sunday morning, but what I enjoyed most was seeing local Vermont bands out of their Burlington element. Quiet Lion played a great set in the Jenke Barn on Friday night and Kat Wright and The Indomitable Soul Band lit up the Main Stage on Saturday.
Saturday started off with Twiddle playing at The Pond at the base of the Mountain. The crowd packed in tight around the stage while a more laid back crowd swam in the pond and sun bathed on its edges.
The day pressed on and saw more great acts from across the country. Tallgrass Getdown, Lake Street Dive, LYNX, Dopapod, Lotus and Moon Hooch and more. The party didn't stop until about 4:30 am. Just in time to take a short nap and rise with the sun. A friend roused me from my nap minutes before the sun peaked up over the horizon. It was a beautiful ending to the weekend. Being at the Gathering felt like being on another planet (in a good way.) The people, the music, the lights. I can't wait till next year.
Check out more images in the photo gallery.