Guest Blog: Volunteer for the Tickets, Stay for the Magic

March 18, 2019 by David Dean 2 Comments

Written by Guest Blogger: Taari Coleman, longtime Shakori Hills GrassRoots Volunteer

The first time you volunteer for the festival it will likely be for the ticket. And no one faults you for that, it’s the same reason most of us did.

You’ll sign up to do set up, or work in the kid’s tent, or in one of the food booths and as you scroll through the application you’ll be casually thrown by how many ways you can offer your time, how many ways you can make a difference.

Because it’s your first time, when you arrive at the Festival Grounds, you might be a bit nervous. And no one faults you for that either. Most are nervous when faced with meeting new people and potentially embarking on a new task. But the nerves quickly fade as you realize that everyone around you is exactly where they want to be, and very happy to be there.

And then you’re put to work. You’re painting faces, scooping ice cream, directing drivers to parking spaces, checking wristbands, or riding around with the trash and recycling crew. And everyone is excited to see you, even if they’ve just met you a half hour ago. Maybe you weren’t aware that the spirit of Shakori exists not only in each individual person, but in the very ground itself, in the effort put in to make this thing happen and make it good, in the way people smile and cheer as they pull slowly up the gravel driveway, but you know that now, because you helped pull it off and you feel it the way you can feel the beginnings of rain on your skin.

So the first time you volunteer it’ll probably be for the ticket; but the second time you volunteer for the festival, it’ll be because you know that the magic is real and you want to be a part of that.

Click here to volunteer.

A Conversation With Ellis Dyson of Ellis Dyson & The Shambles

March 16, 2019 by David Dean Leave a Comment

Ellis Dyson & The Shambles are a rowdy bunch of swinging jazz cats harkening a sound of the past. They don’t just “try” to play like old-time jazz musicians—they create new material in a language in which few are currently fluent. Ellis Dyson & The Shambles live and breathe jazz styles many have abandoned. Swing, traditional New Orleans jazz, ragtime, old-time, gypsy jazz and other styles ring as real as if penned during the Prohibition Era in a shotgun shack on Frenchmen St.

They are preserving a nearly lost form of American music and bringing past into the present with a sound so authentic it will make you think you’ve stepped back in time. GrassRoots had a chat with Ellis Dyson & the Shambles’ banjo player and frontman, Ellis Dyson, where he talked about his in-depth exploration of sounds from the past and how he hopes to preserve them.

Dyson started listening to swing and old-time music and playing old-time banjo when he was 18. Once he started on the path, he went “down a rabbit hole,” devouring 19th and early 20th-century music. That voracity has never left Dyson, and he remains a serious student of old-time sounds. According to Dyson, “A lot of what I try to do is musicology. I try to keep a clear mind about where the music we are playing comes from and who created it. I want to preserve those traditions, but still exist in the modern realm of music.”

Roscoe Holcomb was the old-time banjo player that started it all for Dyson. Holcomb was a coal miner from the mountains of Kentucky who is known for his falsetto voice and his unique style of banjo playing. Dyson dove into old recordings and learned Holcomb’s repertoire, but was also led to old-time jazz via Louis Armstrong.

“My ear evolved, I started understanding the music more, and I started exploring more,” said Dyson. “There is so much old-time jazz, and I am trying to get to as much of it as I can. It never ends, and I have to accept that I can’t listen to it all.” It sounds like Dyson is trying to get it all in his ear, anyway, and that effort shines through his music. “A lot of the music I play is basic and direct at heart,” explained Dyson. “It’s the nuance of it I have had to work most on. The hardest part for me has been making these innately simple songs really swing. The more I listen to the greats, the more I understand how to do that.”

About six years ago, when Dyson felt he was getting better as a musician, he sought out other musicians playing in the styles he was pursuing. Slowly and surely, members of The Shambles stumbled in from the UNC-Chapel Hill Music Department. “Danny Abrahams and I were the first two,” shared Dyson. “We would rehearse in Kenan Music building on campus, and we were right there in the thick of it. There is a great jazz program at Carolina. Neither Danny nor I were majoring in music while in school, but Danny was minoring in it, and he was involved in all the jazz groups at school. I got lucky falling in with all these great musicians who had a much deeper understanding of music than I did.”

Dyson may have started this journey as a listener and a novice player, but he has evolved into a confident bandleader who can make a dance floor shimmy, sweat, and sin. His dedication to his craft and study of American music history, mostly through intense listening, has not only moved crowds but inspired listeners to dig deeper into these nearly long lost musical styles. “I hope the music pushes listeners to explore as I do,” revealed Dyson. “Of course, I want them to buy a ticket and see us again, and buy our CD, but ultimately I want to preserve these traditional forms of music. This is music that was built here in our country in a time when there was tremendous adversity. It shouldn’t just die out. It’s not fair to the music or the people who created it. It’s damn good music.”

You can join Ellis Dyson & The Shambles on their mission to preserve early forms of American music at the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance in our Dance Tent on Friday, May 3rd. Ellis Dyson & The Shambles are also involved in our Roots in the Schools program, which you can learn more about here.

BUY TICKETS FOR SHAKORI GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL OF MUSIC & DANCE HERE

LEARN MORE ABOUT ELLIS DYSON & THE SHAMBLES HERE

Photos by Kendall Atwater

SPRING 2019 – FULL LINEUP ANNOUNCEMENT

February 20, 2019 by David Dean 8 Comments

We are excited to announce the full lineup of performers for Spring 2019!

Our line-up is always carefully crafted to showcase national, regional, and local acts that span multiple genres. This spring Lukas Nelson and Promise of The Real will headline with their rocking Americana and country roots in what promises to be electrifying performance. We welcome back the West African and funk sounds of Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba and our bluegrass buddies Driftwood. Local rock favorites Arson Daily almost burned down the Grove Stage last year with their high energy set so you know we had to get them back.

We have partnered with Music Maker Relief Foundation to present a special Blues Revue featuring Cool John Ferguson, Pat “Mother Blues” Cohen, and Harvey Dalton Arnold. Fans of the Squirrel Nut Zippers and old-time Swing will not want to miss Ellis Dyson and The Shambles featuring special guest Katharine Whalen.

From the Meadow Stage to the Dance Tent, and everywhere in-between, each of the 50 + performers has been thoughtfully curated to create the perfect soundtrack to your Shakori Hills GrassRoots experience.

4-Day Passes, youth tickets, and camping spots are on sale now!

Early Bird ticket rates end Thursday, February 28.

Day passes go on sale Friday, March 1.

Purchase tickets online here!

Visit these fine locally-owned businesses starting March 1 to get 4-Day or Single Day Passes:

Townsend Bertram & Co, Carrboro, NC
Circle City Books, Pittsboro, NC
The Regulator Bookshop, Durham, NC
Redix Store, Wilmington and Wrightsville
All Schoolkids Records locations

FULL LIST OF PERFORMERS

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real, Donna The Buffalo, Turkuaz, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, Zach Deputy, Preston Frank, Driftwood, Kat Wright, Sophistafunk, Megan Jean and the KFB

Travers Brothership, Otto Von Schirach, Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba, The Tan and Sober Gentlemen, Young Bull, Ellis Dyson & The Shambles w/ Katharine Whalen, West End Blend, Gaslight Tinkers, Bella’s Bartok, The Broadcast

Niito, DJ Rang & Brevan Hampden, Ecstatic Dance Music Maker Blues Revue featuring Cool John Ferguson, Pat ‘Mother Blues’ Cohen and Harvey Dalton Arnold, Maj Deeka, The Oblations w/ Dino Horns, The Materials, Sirius B, RK III, Victoria Victoria, jphono1, Bulltown Strutters, Honey Magpie, James Davy, Chris Frisina, Local Flora, Laura Boswell

Creative Music Performance, Casey’s Laugh & Learn, Compost Theatre, Tanglewood Puppets, The Holland Brothers, Strung Together, Big Wonderful Variety Show, Wyld Fern

Shakori is Family

February 17, 2019 by David Dean 2 Comments

The Shakori Hills family lost one of our most beloved members on Saturday, February 16.

James Olin Oden has been a festival regular for the past ten years. He first came as a fan and quickly got involved as a performer and even as a staff member for a short time.

His uniquely uplifting musical sound, a blend of his Irish and American roots, wisdom of all manner of subjects, and love of the GrassRoots family will be missed dearly.

Details of a memorial being planned for the Spring 2019 festival will be announced once they have been finalized.

In the meantime, we felt James’ words and music were the best way to honor the man. Below, enjoy a piece he wrote for the Spring 2018 program followed by some clips we thought helped capture his spirit.

slán leat, James

Shakori is Family

Originally printed in the Spring 2018 Festival Program.

written by James Olin Oden

When I first came to Shakori 10 years ago, I really had no idea what I was getting into. I knew that I was going to a music festival and there would be campfires, with lots of musicians, music lovers and artists all over the grounds. Well, in between all the fun and camaraderie, what I found was family.

We’re a peculiar family to be sure. Made of all kinds of different camps, many with names like Camp Sparkle, No Hope (and Know Hope), Rivendale, Frabjous, and Wayward Way to just name a few. There’s no rule that this should be; it just happens in a Grassroots kind of way. Each camp has its own peculiarities and proclivities, and we intermingle quite a bit, cross pollinating ideas and moments of utter silliness. Also, the camp decorations are something to behold. In Fall one of my favorites is the Festivarians site, where they have I think a 100 or so jack-o-lanterns hung in a grove.

The fires at each camp have always been a very central thing. We gather round and conversations flow freely as does music. Sometimes in the wee hours of the morning we just sit and stare and breathe together. Not that we can’t do a Shakori without fire (we just did; it was hard, but we did it, together!), but they have always proven to be a central part of the event. Amongst the fires, rocks and trees of Shakori we live freely enjoying one another’s self-expression and our corporate expression as a group. We learn hard lessons about living with each other and allowing each other to breathe freely within the group. This is not to say there are no boundaries, we just work really hard to uphold the real boundaries and allow freedom wherever we possibly can. Because of this, we have all grown as one big Shakori family.

Every family has a vision, and at Shakori you see the music and dance flowing from the camps like many vibrant streams down to the stages forming a great river of music and dance. We gather at the stages forming a unity of both musicians and dancers flowing as one big pool of united humanity. It’s really amazing to observe. There are, also, workshops covering all kinds of things musical and cultural. Even these ultimately stem from the camps. Over the years I’ve seen many a person young and immature in their art (whether it be music, dance or those other media (-;) become strong leaders and find their way to stages and workshops. It’s a beautiful thing seeing your family grow.

None of this could happen without the staff, and they are a beautiful and integral part of this family we call Shakori. There is the board of directors that set the vision, the staff that handle the operations and booking, the rangers that look out for everyone’s safety, and the security that is there to ensure everyone has a good time. They all work in unison to make sure the festival keeps going. Add to that all the volunteers that put in so much hard work to make this thing come together (tents don’t raise themselves). It really is much like someone preparing a beautiful feast for all their friends. Great hospitality requires a great amount of work, and they do all this work selflessly for one big happy Shakori family.

So please do enjoy your time here. The land and the people of Shakori greet you with open arms.

Welcome to the family!

James Olin Oden Videos

James performs “Friend of the Devil” and “Uncle John’s Band” with his longtime playing partner Joey Arcuri on the Meadow Stage at the Fall 2013 festival.

Here James performs “Dance Right Out of My Grave”, a song he wrote about a performance by Driftwood, another Shakori Hills GrassRoots regular. This clip is from the DooDad Farm, our Greensboro friends down the road.

James would narrate a video of his arrival at Shakori Hills GrassRoots every year. His Spring 2016 video has the added bonus of his album “Deeper Dance” as the soundtrack and a glimpse into his horticulture knowledge.

’Twas the Night Before Shakori

October 3, 2018 by Sarah Cullen

’Twas the night before Shakori, when all through the ‘ground
Not a performer was playing, not even a sound;
The Ticket Booth was stocked by volunteers with care,
In hopes that all our Shakori friends soon would be there;
The Early Campers were snuggled all warm in their tent;
While dreaming of music and a weekend well spent.

The stages were set, the Dance Tent was ready;
How is it here? Shakori Season already?
And up in Middle Earth and down in Creekside;
Both children and adults all sit starry-eyed;
And all through the festival and all through the air;
You could feel GrassRoots coming, we’re practically there!

The moonlight was shining on all of Peace Park;
The night before it shares it’s magic in the dark;
And the banners are dancing, and the trees they are shining;
Leave all complaints on the road – It’s Shakori! No whining!
So pack up the campers, fill the coolers with beer;
We finally made it, Shakori is here!

The Grove Stage will be rocking, the Meadow enchanting;
After all the building and painting and planting;
All of us here at Shakori, we have waited since last fall;
We welcome you back – oldies, newbies, and all;
Take it all in, all the sound, smell, and sight;
‘Happy Shakori to all, and to all a good night!’

by: Sarah Cullen, Spring 2018

What to Bring and Not to Bring

September 30, 2018 by David Dean 3 Comments

Whether you are a first-timer or an experienced Shakorian we ask that you review what to bring and what not to bring to Shakori Hills. Make sure to pick up a program at the Ticket Booth for more information that will help you enjoy your time visiting.

Please “Leave No Trace” and haul out what you bring in especially couches, blankets, and camping chairs.

WHAT TO BRING

– Sunscreen
– Bug spray
– A hat
– Sunglasses
– Rain boots (we have been known to get some rain)
– Camping supplies, including a tent, mat, sleeping bag, and tarp
– A flashlight and extra batteries
– Trash bags
– Toothpaste & toothbrush
– Reusable water bottle (deep-well water is available for free)
– Snacks
– Blanket or camping chair
– A towel, soap, and shampoo (outdoor hot water showers are available)
– A smile!
– If you forget anything the Country Store carries most everything you need and is open throughout the festival. (located across the road from the Coffee Barn)

WHAT NOT TO BRING

– Firearms
– Weapons of any kind, including axes, machetes, and hatchets
– Drugs
– Cell service is spotty (at best) on the farm. Don’t bring any expectation to make phone calls. Take a picture or shoot video, but don’t worry about uploading it to social media until you get home as you will only become frustrated. Just unplug!
– Couches
– A bad attitude
– Outside firewood (plenty on the grounds and you can buy more at the Country Store)
– Amplified radios or music
– Generators (only RVs)
– Pets (service dogs allowed only if they are for the service of the human they are with)
– No motorized scooters or golf carts. Persons with mobility needs should email shakorihillsaccess@gmail.com in advance.
– Bikes must have lights on the front and back and be on at night.
– No fire spinning, except in the performers’ safety circle
– No driving around after dark
– No unapproved vending

CAMPERS

Place camping sticker on your tent pole. Tent Camping Stickers are good for tents, canopies, and tarps up to 10×10. Every tent, canopy, and tarp must have a tent sticker for each 10×10 space. Tarps covering tents for rain protection do not need a separate sticker. Tents, canopies, and tarps larger than 10×10 must have two stickers.

Vehicle / RV Campers must have a 4-Day Festival Pass PLUS a Vehicle or RV Camping Pass displayed on the windshield of the vehicle that is camping.

Vehicle, RV, and Tent Camping are in designated areas only and on a first-come, first-served basis.

Camping tickets can be purchased at the Ticket Booth or in advance here.

LOST & FOUND

Located at the Ticket Booth.

Coffee Barn Damaged by Storm

August 10, 2018 by David Dean 5 Comments

The Shakori Hills Community Arts Center is saddened to announce that the Coffee Barn was severely damaged by storms on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. The 175-year-old willow oak that stood beside the Coffee Barn was toppled by high winds and the barn took a direct hit. No injuries occured and power to the property was restored by emergency crews from Duke Energy.

Even if you have only visited Shakori Hills once, you know this tree as a centerpiece of the property and a gathering place for generations. The tree weighs roughly 50 tons and we are still assessing the full extent of the damage.

“First and foremost, we are thankful no one was hurt. Our street team was holding a weekly meeting in the main house so we were able to address the issue promptly,” said Carol Woodell, President of the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center.

Woodell continued, “It is still too early to tell if the Coffee Barn is a total loss. We are assessing the damage with the proper authorities and will make a determination as to the future of the structure based on their feedback.”

In the meantime, the nonprofit organization is asking community members who would like to support in the cleanup effort to donate via the organization’s home page www.shakorihills.org.

The site will host four upcoming festivals expected to draw thousands, including: The Big What? Aug. 16 – 18; Hoppin’ John Old-Time and Bluegrass Fiddlers’ Convention, Sept. 13 – 15; Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance, Oct. 4 – 7; REI’s Outessa Fest, Oct. 20.

“We do not expect this to interrupt our upcoming festivals and are working to remove debris and secure the barn for the safety of all our visitors,“ Woodell said.

She continued, “We are truly humbled by the outpouring of love and support by our Chatham County citizens and those beyond. Many of us consider Shakori Hills our home away from home and embrace the spirit of community our beautiful 72-acre site provides.”

The statuesque trees on the property remind us to slow down and look up for a moment in this busy world. Each old oak has its own twisted limbs and characteristics that project its elegance. We are saddened to see such a beautiful piece of Shakori Hills fall, but we hope to re-purpose much of it for others to enjoy for years to come.

We will release more details as they become available.

Road to Shakori Fall 2018

August 3, 2018 by David Dean Leave a Comment

As we near the start of school and cool weather days are on the horizon, it is time to hop on your favorite mode of transportation and set the controls to the heart of Shakori.

The Road to Shakori, a partnership with Foothills Brewing, is a series of shows at venues in North and South Carolina highlighting bands that carry the ethos of Shakori. Most of the featured acts are playing, or have played, the Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance. The fall Shakori Hills festival is happening Oct. 4 – 7 in Pittsboro, NC and there are nine Road to Shakori shows in the months leading up to the event.

At each of the nine shows we will be registering to win a 4-Day festival pass and Foothills Brewing will have specials on tap. Other freebies will be available, too, so make sure to stop by our table at the venue and talk to our street team about how you can get involved.

The 2018 series will include the first Road to Shakori stops in Asheville, Wilmington, and Charleston, as well as a Bluegrass Showcase at The Pour House in Raleigh during the World of Bluegrass weekend.

Check out the full list of shows below and mark your calendars to join us! Visit shakorihillsgrassroots.org/roadtoshakori for more details.

Recycling and Compost Details for Spring 2018

May 3, 2018 by David Dean Leave a Comment

Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance is committed to producing events that are environmentally sound and Leave No Trace. Please remember that if you pack it in, you need to pack it out.

All food, paper and official food vendors’ utensils can be composted. Please take a moment to sort your waste and avoid contaminating the compost.

Free well water is available throughout the camp and you are encouraged to bring your own bottle.

For a chance to win a 4-Day Festival Pass and other prizes, bring your sorted garbage and recycling to the Recycling / Trash Field between 11:00 am – 3:00 p.m. Friday – Sunday.

More details are found in the Festival Program that are free at the Ticket Booth (while supplies last).

Download a PDF of the Festival Map.

My First Journey to the Farm

April 25, 2018 by Sarah Cullen

For families and friends who have been coming to Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance for years, this post will hopefully resonate with the feelings you have to come to know and love. For those who have not ever visited the special magic that is found on these 80 rolling acres, I hope this post will give you some insight on what it is like being a part of this festival for the first time and encourage you to join us this spring.

I have lived in Raleigh for the past seven years, and as I started my journey to ‘The Farm’ for the first time, I found myself leaving the busy, loud, bustling place I have grown to love for the quiet, beautiful, serene countryside of Pittsboro, North Carolina. I immediately felt myself relax, and that quick calm was only just the beginning of a weekend that was going to forever change what I thought a music festival was.

As you turn down the long gravel drive into Shakori Hills, passing the wooden sign gently welcoming you back, you are immediately greeted by smiling faces leading you to Parking, Camping, and Tickets. As someone who had never been, this was all very overwhelming. I had come on to help work the festival in August, but had never seen the land with this many people, all so excited to be back ‘home’. I was invigorated by everything – the striped Dance Tent, the lights that seemed to dance in every tree, the smells coming from the Coffee Barn, the hand-painted signs welcoming and guiding. I was barely parked before I jumped out of my car, camera in tow, and started making my way around the land.

Starting by The Garden, I walked back through the campsite full of people all catching up on what their ‘neighbors’ had been up to since the last festival. Babies being passed around and kissed. Beers being toasted and cheered. Music pouring from every campsite and trail. It was all so beautiful and comforting, but the true magic started when the sun set over the Grove Stage.

With the rising stars came the true enchantment of Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance. People brought their lights and dancing shoes (or lack thereof) and the party began. That easiness I felt while driving out to The Farm only grew with every beautiful shared moment I experienced while the festival days and nights continued.

That magic, those special moments of community and love all set to the soundtrack of incredible music, is what Shakori Hills is all about. It is what keeps people, including myself, coming back every spring and fall and spring again.

As the festival quickly approaches again, I find myself driving down that same driveway that first welcomed me to this place. Like the tire tracks down it made by artists, families, and friends you fall into a groove the moment you are on the land. A groove that feels natural and authentic. One that is easy to slip into and feel its significance. A groove that molds to you and welcomes you back again.

See you in the groove soon.

Love & Peace-

Sarah Cullen