The Magic, The Monsoon and The Mud...The Story...Hillside 2009-Sunday

Sunday was a day I had been looking forward to since saying goodbye to a rainbow framed Hillside festival this time last year. An annual family pilgrimage for the last 6 years and celebrating 25 years on Guelph's idyllic island conservation on the Northern fringes of the city only last year, Hillside is a one-of-a-kind in Ontario. Providing the perfect blend of setting (save for the causeway, located on an island in the Grand River), good ethnic food (served on reusable volunteer washed plates), good local micro-brews (served in the legendary buy it-you take it-bring it back next year Hillside mug), great workshops (everything from copper jewelery making and karate meditation to Thai massage and one entitled "Getting the Sex You Want"-wonder the girl to guy breakdown at this one:-):-) ), great family area (my 8 year would be happy here the entire day making helicopters, homemade bread, tie dye and watching kid performers shake it on their mini stage). With all these elements carefully orchestrated, one would think take a rest, but no, Hillside's hundreds of volunteers and organizers also provide an environmental initiative unmatched, admired and in recent years created a pass it forward mandate, training other festival organizers to emulate their framework of free bottle-less water, green workshops, the aforementioned reusable plates and an aboriginal resting place with sacred fire right at its heart. The only thing that trumps this vested effort is the organizer's ability to bring together the best, brightest and most interesting musical artists from across Canada, with a sprinkling of international acts. The quality and list of past and present performers worth mentioning is much too long to show favoritism, with "The Island" hosting 1000's of bands past and present creating legendary jams, magic moments and memories never to be forgotten.

This year's festival was one of intense moments from the body trancing sounds of Xavier Rudd's didgeridoo to legendary "Universal Soldier" for Aboriginal rights, Buffy Sainte Marie, from the soothing ladder climbing Great Lake Swimmers to the all out feeding frenzy orgasm of The Woodchoppers Association and Friends. Our outing was limited to one day this year-Sunday-due to previous obigations and a trip my wife and son undertook to Newfoundland the week prior.
Upon arrival, I knew this was going to be a Hillside to remember, (they all are, really), with a long line of cars waiting to get in. Unheard of at Hillside, and a micro-mini version of the 21 hour jam on the interstate for Bonnaroo 2003, the reason was the regular parking lots had become non-four wheel car deathtraps from previous rains and the volunteers where scrambling to make alternate arrangements to get the 5000 plus happily parked in a place where they could happily get out at day end. After being asked advice from a stressed arrivee wanting to see his friend perform in less than 45 minutes, I thought just park it, forget the formalities, pull over and park it and go, go, go. Within 5 minutes it seems my advice rubbed off and the entire jam was almost entirely non-existent, with a mass parkfest underway and in Hillside style, no overbearing parking attendant blew his top. Hey, who knows, maybe they appreciated the idea, giving them time to recoup:-)
My first view of the festival grounds was one of a fondness I feel for no other music event in Ontario, save for the close knit, anything goes, non-family oriented Come Together Fest near Durham-the yang to Hillside's yin. I felt the community spirit immediately with the friendly welcoming smiles, open expressions and group hugs. We had indeed arrived again and the energy was hitting me smack on. The only difference this year was the field of dancing free spirits, intensely thriving to The Woodchoppers, half submerged friends cooling in the Grand River and children running and playing in a fit of laughter was back dropped by a large storm cloud approaching due West. Black as night, it didn't look good and it and the sudden breeze solidified it wasn't passing us by. The interim MCs comment "it isn't going to rain" was met by a retaliatory impressive shot of fork lighting and a tongue in cheek "sorry Jesus..I wasn't questioning you" and shortly thereafter an order to stay away from the main stage and all metal as the tarp team quickly hid all the electricals and equipment.
When the storm hit on Sunday, it hit hard and with no mercy, and even though I had taken cover under the mini tarp at the main stage the peak gusts and driving moisture soaked me top to bottom down my entire backside as I nestled my $3000.00 of equipment in the seemingly only quasi dry area. Chairs and signs went flying and the "H" in the Hillside marquee almost comically foreshadowed the aftermath, leaving a somewhat less welcoming "Illside" on the crest over the Grand River for a short period. The usually idyllic trance like walkabout turned into a pit of mud and woodchips and those with not enough foresight to bring the funky styled rubber boots soon shed the flip flops and sandles for bare feet.
Being through the best of the mudfests in the past, from the legendary Woodstock 94 as seen here in Green Day footage:

Watched a literal river of mud roll down the mountain at "Mountain Jam" in 2007 and spent a full 24 hours in, literally in:-) the mud at Bonnaroo 2004, where the pump trucks couldn't even properly access the port-a-potties. Here's a quick look, minus the smell:

Mud and music was something I have been seemingly intimate with and when standing in the ankle deep muck at Sunday's Hillside I reminisced about these past times and a smile came over my face. One reason for this was that I now figured I was batting about .700 for rain a one point, or another during my festival career, but the real reason I had to smile was the ability to appreciate the situation that a substantial storm puts events like these in. A study in resiliency, a short story in making the best of what is given, and an appreciation in the mandate that the show must go on. All involved accomplished this on all levels and the sun that hit the beach area and main stage late day shone a light upon their efforts appreciated by all of us who know, love and live for the experience that is the Hillside Music Festival. Take a bow and see you next year:-)


Waving bye...feet first:-)