Welcome to the Kingdom!
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"The Northeast Kingdom Music Festival Film" is finally here. This vibrant concert film/rockumentary produced and directed by Chris Pepino and True Form Pictures includes three years of highlights from the intimate Vermont music and arts festival (2004-2006). Performers include: Gogol Bordello, Cyro Baptista, Hieroglyphics, The Devil Makes Three, Toubab Krewe, and Oteil Burbridge & the Peacemakers. The film carries you on a colorful journey through a seamless weekend at the festival and features fan interviews, coverage of festival activities and events, behind the scenes footage, and 21 eclectic performances that took NEKMF audiences by storm year after year. This movie is now available on DVD home video and can be purchased at the merchandise tent at this year's NEKMF or online by clicking below (official release date August 1, 2007).
This is the official 2007 lineup:
Bands
- Fishbone
- The Coup (with Live Band)
- Sister Carol
- Forro in the Dark
- Shtreiml
- Anais Mitchell
- The Devil Makes Three
- The Real Live Show
- The Hip Hop Re-Education Project
- Green Mountain Grass
- Mad Tea Party
- Cassettes Won't Listen
- The Toughcats
- Sputnik (featuring Anais Mitchell)
- The Steepwater Band
- Made In Iron
- The Low Anthem
- Kundalinii Express
Other Attractions
Festival News
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, AUGUST 1 & 2, 2008
Will be the dates for the 6th Annual Northeast Kingdom Music Festival. Lineup and ticket announcements will be made sometime in May - in the meantime, check back here for occasional updates.
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD - "YOU'LL NEVER KNOW UNTIL YOU GO" IS OUR MANTRA, SO PLEASE HELP TELL LIKE-MINDED FOLKS THAT IT IS WORTH THEIR WHILE TO PLAN FOR THIS YEAR AND MAKE N.E.K. FEST '08 OUR BEST ATTENDED EVER!
Feel free to send your suggestions to info@NEKMF.com, and thanks again!
Musically Yours:
The Northeast Kingdom Music Festival
WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
A festival fan sent me a message that I should try to convey what N.E.K. fest is all about to newbies coming to the site. So, here's my best shot!
Pshhht! (sound of PBR being cracked)
The Northeast Kingdom Music Festival is a grassroots, independent, non-corporate sponsored, family-friendly by day and off the hook party by night festival featuring Roots and Rythym oriented music in eclectic categories. Held on the beautiful and pastoral private Chilly Ranch in East Albany, Vermont, the festival takes place the first full weekend in August annually.
"An intimate festival of epic proportions", the N.E.K. fest captures the dynamic and diverse sounds of larger festivals, without the crowds, lines, far-away campsites and zonked out teenagers of other larger festivals. Our crowd knows how to party and party smart, and many who have been turned off of the festival scene are pleasantly surprised when they show up at the Chilly Ranch that we still do it like it used to be and should be done. Consciousness is expected and our multi-generational audience delivers.
We generally eschew booking the "Jam-Bands" that many festivals tend to book in favor of a diverse musical lineup that is dynamic and danceable. We tend to feature many of the "best bands you've never heard of", and each year our attendees discover new amazing acts that they've never seen before. Every year you'll find some hip-hop, bluegrass, funk, reggae, folk, rock, traditional, and various other types of music featured on our two stages. In addition, theater acts, a fire sculpture burning, giant puppets, and various other types of performance are featured as well. The festival traditionally starts Friday afternoon and goes until the wee hours of Saturday night. Many attendees go down the road to catch The Bread and Puppet Sunday afternoon show upon leaving the festival, or hit one of the many local swimming holes to just relax or bask in the glow of a wonderful weekend experience.
Many a relationship has been formed, and marriages and babies have been concieved during this magical weekend. There is truly a vibe of love and unity in the air, and the relaxed, safe atmosphere contributes to ensuring all in attendance have a good time. We are proud to have many children running around during the day, yet having the night bring on one of the best parties anywhere. This concept goes along with our philosophy that family and a party need not be seperated, as so unfortunately often they are in our overly P.C. society. We provide free 100% pure deep well water, parking and camping included in the low ticket price ($65 average for the weekend), ensuring accesability to the average person, as opposed to the $100-$200+ price tags of most festivals, thus ensuring that a bunch of rich college kids do not comprise the majority of our audience. We don't skimp on production, however, so you can be assured of a top-notch, over the top concert experience.
So, for those that have not experienced it, we hope the above narrative can enlighten you to the experience you can expect if attending The Northeast Kingdom Music Festival. The experience, however, can truly not be put into words, and to really feel the joy, jubilance and exhilaration of the festival, you'll simply have to take the plunge and attend with yourself, or better yet with family or friends (a group which will be greatly expanded by the end of the weekend). As we like to say "You'll Never Know Until Ya' Go!"
So, hope that helps and hope to see you all on Aug. 3&4 at The Chilly Ranch in East Albany, Vermont!
Watch the trailer for the N.E.K. fest movie by TrueForm Pictures!
"The NEKMF Film" was recently featured on a radio show at Cal State University in San Bernardino, CA. The program hosted a discussion about the film and included several recordings of live performances from the last three years at the festival. To stream or download the show, access the links below.
Stream the Show | Download the Show