{"id":23080,"date":"2022-06-06T05:30:12","date_gmt":"2022-06-06T09:30:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/?p=23080"},"modified":"2022-06-02T12:58:47","modified_gmt":"2022-06-02T16:58:47","slug":"cold-mountain-music-festival-returns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.musoscribe.com\/index.php\/2022\/06\/06\/cold-mountain-music-festival-returns\/","title":{"rendered":"Cold Mountain Music Festival Returns"},"content":{"rendered":"

An edited version of this feature appeared in Mountain Xpress<\/em> ahead of the festival which took place last weekend, June 4<\/span>.<\/p>\n

Unplugged Nature is a Feature, Not a Bug<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The Covid-19 has taken the lives of nearly a million Americans. And two-plus years of a pandemic have exacted a toll even upon those who survive. Extended periods without human interaction have put strain on our emotional and psychological well-being. During the pandemic, many relied even more upon online resources to stay tethered to loved ones, friends and the greater community. Now, presumably with the worst behind us, live music is returning. After a two-year absence, the Cold Mountain Music Festival featured a full day of music from regional and national artists. And the festival\u2019s unplugged nature \u2013 no wi-fi, no cell service \u2013 encourages community; it\u2019s an opportunity to for folks to get reacquainted and make up for lost time. The Cold Mountain Music Festival happened on Saturday, June 4 at Lake Logan.<\/p>\n

The festival began in 2017 as a fundraising project to support the ministries of Lake Logan, including its retreat center, Camp Henry and its outdoor school, says Lauri SoJourner, Lake Logan\u2019s executive director. For the event\u2019s second and third years, programming expanded to two days. The Covid-19 forced the cancellation of the festival in 2020 and 2021; it returns now as a single-day event.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe made less money with a two-day festival because of the added expenses,\u201d SoJourner explains. \u201cSince it\u2019s a fundraiser for our programs, a two-day festival didn\u2019t make sense.\u201d But the lineup packs a full weekend\u2019s worth of entertainment into eight-plus hours. And for attendees who camp at Lake Logan the night before, SoJourner promises special live music events \u201cwith a local flavor\u201d for them as well.<\/p>\n

SoJourner notes that there\u2019s no cell phone service at Lake Logan. \u201cAnd we don\u2019t have great internet, either,\u201d she says with a chuckle. But she emphasizes that those realities are really an advantage. \u201cAt Cold Mountain Music Festival: people are looking at each other and looking at the musicians, because they don’t have phones in their faces,\u201d she says. \u201cIt’s a strength of the festival that people really immerse themselves in the experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s festival featured five top-line acts: headliner Hiss Golden Messenger<\/a> and Chatham Rabbits<\/a> (both from North Carolina); Futurebirds from Athens, Georgia; Dublin roots band I Draw Slow, and from the San Francisco Bay Area, The Mother Hips<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Mother Hips<\/b>
\nFounded more than three decades ago in Chico, California, The Mother Hips have charted a varied musical path; the band\u2019s ten studio albums explore folk, rock, psychedelia, jam and other styles. A popular fixture on the festival circuit in the westernmost states, The Mother Hips are comparatively unknown in the southeast. But guitarist Greg Loiacono says that the group won\u2019t radically alter its approach when meeting a Western North Carolina crowd.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t know that we will do too much differently,\u201d Loiacono says. \u201cWe may be inclined to go with a really strong set of our favorites to play, songs that seem to be more widely received.\u201d The set is likely to include at least a few numbers from Glowing Lantern<\/i>, the band\u2019s latest record released last December.<\/p>\n

Like many groups, The Mother Hips took advantage of pandemic-imposed time away form the stage to focus on the making of the new, self-produced album. \u201cWe have typically used an outside producer or co-producer,\u201d Loiacono says. \u201cAnd that has worked well. But having the time and space to work closely together not only on the writing but on the sonic landscape was really wonderful. I think that helped create an evolved sound that was different from all of our other albums.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that album\u2019s release and a followup already completed, The Mother Hips have once again turned their attention to live performance. \u201cAlong with every other touring musician, venue and promoter, we have gotten used to the idea that things could shut down at any moment,\u201d Loaicono admits. \u201cBut it has felt really good getting back [onstage].\u201d And the band is intrigued by the festival’s slightly-off-the-grid approach: \u201cPlaying in a ‘dead zone’ sounds fantastic,\u201d says the guitarist. \u201cThese days it seems like a special treat when humans gather in areas where they are unable to use their smart phones.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chatham Rabbits<\/b>
\nWife-and-husband duo Sarah and Austin McCombie lead the Chatham Rabbits, a bluegrass\/Americana group based in rural Chatham County, 40 miles southeast of Greensboro. Their tuneful, rootsy approach is showcased on the band\u2019s latest release, If<\/i> You See Me Riding By<\/i>, scheduled for release one day before the McCombies appear at the Cold Mountain Music Festival backed by a full band.<\/p>\n

Chatham Rabbits have seen their profile raised even before the new record \u2013 their fourth \u2013 hit the record store shelves. In May, a limited television series premiered on PBS: On the Road with Chatham Rabbits<\/i> documents the couple\u2019s shared lives, filled with lots of touring, farming and songwriting.<\/p>\n

Sarah McCombie says that while she and Austin started out each composing songs on their own, they\u2019ve developed into a songwriting partnership. \u201cWe’re like, \u2018Okay, we’re in this together, so we\u2019ve got to work<\/i> together. We’ve got to strengthen these songs and sharpen them using each others\u2019 skills,\u2019\u201d she says.<\/p>\n

While the couple worked on their farm last summer, they decided to build an open-air barn where they could eventually host concerts. \u201cWe started out [allowing] 50 people at a time,\u201d says Sarah. \u201cBut it ended up being so popular that by the end of the summer, we had 150 people out to our house each Sunday.\u201d They hope to host additional installments of their Barn Concerts at the Burrow Project during period when they\u2019re off the road.<\/p>\n

Sarah McCombie says that the festival’s \u201ccondensed\u201d lineup really appeals to her and Austin. \u201cThey keep it very ‘curated,’\u201d she says. \u201cAnd that’s exciting. Plus, the fact that it’s family-friendly is a huge perk for us. And it\u2019s going to be really nice to unplug, not look at my phone or worry about anything else for the whole day.\u201d<\/p>\n

A day away from technology<\/b>
\n\u201cThe atmosphere here is pretty awesome,\u201d raves Lauri SoJourner. She concedes that some might be \u201ctaken aback\u201d by Lake Logan\u2019s lack of electronic connectivity, but emphasizes that \u201cthe opportunity for music and recreation is a great plus. There\u2019s a great family focus, with activities for everybody.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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