Would a Rothbury of a different name sound as sweet? Well, we’re about to find out…

On June 30, West Michigan will welcome the Electric Forest Festival to the Double JJ Ranch for another 4 days and nights of music. Very few details have been confirmed thus far, but here’s what I know:

June 30-July 3, 2011.
Double JJ Ranch, Rothbury, MI
Confirmed by a post on their Facebook page, The String Cheese Incident will be there.

The complete website will be unveiled on February 28th, along with an inital lineup.

http://www.facebook.com/ElectricForest?sk=info

A new event popped up today, already “Like”d by multiple electronic music festivals…

Oh, and Madison House.

Oh, and the String Cheese Incident.

Not that that means anything. At least, not yet…

(seriously. I don’t know if it means anything. maybe someone does know, but it’s not me. I continue to just sit here and speculate because I have a blog and you read it. sorry.)

***UPDATE 2/14/2011***

This is indeed a festival to be held at the Double JJ Ranch in Rothbury, MI.

Dates are June 30 – July 3, 2011.

Line-up coming 2 weeks from today.

When it’s made of Cheese, of course.

Alright, I will admit that my riddle basically made no sense. I would credit my almost-3-year old, but he doesn’t know what Rothbury is. So really, the blame is on me. But let’s move on, shall we? In my mind, almost every bit of rumor, hearsay, and potential evidence is pointing to the lack of a formal Rothbury in 2011. But it is also pointing to a musical festival happening at the Double JJ Ranch this summer.

Behold! Cheesebury! Or Cheesefest! Or String Cheese Incident and their friends from Madison House get together and play music in a sweet Michigan forest setting. Here’s what I know… or think I know. (more…)

I heard from a guy that knows this lady who has a sister that works with someone “in the know” that says that Rothbury 2011 is for sure happening. For sure.

Ah, yes.

Isn’t that how rumors get started? (more…)

Just when we had all come to terms with the postponement of Rothbury. Just when we had made other plans. Just when we had finished our fourth listen to the new Justin Bieber Keller Williams disc… someone goes and does something like… well, I’m not really sure what they’re doing. But whatever it is, they’re doing it right next door to the Double JJ Ranch, home of what will (in 2011) be Rothbury again soon.

Welcome the Lucky Lake Live Michigan Homegrown Festival to the ranks of Minor League Summer Music Festivals (I have a whole baseball analogy here, but I will spare you). Promising 35 hours of music over 3 days and 2 stages, complete with camping and a DJ tent. Or at least that’s what their pretty splash page says on their website. An official announcement is coming today (Tuesday 5/11) and we may actually learn more. Some folks over at Infobury (as well as Rothfest.net) claim to have seen a temporary version of the website go up – with $130 ticket prices, and at least 2 bands listed (Justino and Dead Silent Orchestra), but that has since been removed.

In my opinion, to have any hope of success they’re going to need to bring a pretty strong lineup. On the same August weekend (8/20-8/22) just down the road is the Hoxeyville Festival, being headlined by Keller Williams, Karl Denson, and The New Deal. Only $89 for the weekend, too. Not bad for the Minors.

Anyone going to these? Anyone know more? Since it’s not Rothbury, does anyone care?

Update: I totally blew it with the link to Rothfest.net – as pointed out in the comments below However, they are both good reads if you’re interested in some thoughts about what’s behind the Lucky Lake Live festival…

Update: Lucky Lake has posted it’s lineup. Lots of local Michigan/Midwest talent… but it also looks like a harder/modern rock kind of lineup. In my eyes, they’re looking for a totally different fan than you would see at Rothbury, but I guess music is in the ear of the beholder, right?

So we’re now months past the announcement that the Rothbury Festival was going to take a year off, bypassing any offering in 2010. The statement presented by Madison House and AEG claimed that touring and recording schedules by various artists made it impossible to “assemble the cutting edge roster that everyone has come to expect from ROTHBURY”. My plan was to say nothing – to simply let it be and put the blogging on hiatus until late 2010, when the 2011 news and rumors would inevitably begin cropping up.

But I just can’t do it. Every week I see more signs that the official statement was official horsecrap (sorry, I know this is a blog, and I could probably use harsher language here, but I wouldn’t mind seeing the term “horsecrap” re-enter the vernacular… feel free to make your own substitutions). (more…)

A friend of mine came across this article recently. Basically, Grant Township (home of the Rothbury Festival) is considering a new ordinance that is meant to affect all types of large gatherings in the township, but contains language that seems to target Rothbury. The section that reads “amplified sound systems would need to be turned off by 1 a.m.” seems to be getting folks worried across the Rothbury community. Could that mean the end of Rothbury Late Night acts?

In the end, I doubt it. The late night acts are often more anticipated than the daily headliners for many festival goers. As much as Rothbury continuously tries to separate itself from other festivals, I doubt the organizers would be interested in losing the late night acts in favor of being different. Plus, there is another part to that statement above – it says “unless approved by the township board”. I would be surprised if Festival organizers did not ask the board for permission, and I would be equally surprised if the board didn’t grant them an exception. But then, I thought Phish was gonna show at last year’s festival… so I’ve been wrong before.

Anyway, feel free to weigh in. Would you still go to Rothbury if they had to shut off the music at 1am?

I imagine it’s almost time to start talking about the 2010 lineup. Should be here before we know it. We can talk rumors in a future entry, because they are certainly starting to fly. Or swim. But why take it any furthur? Roger wilco. Over and out.

Don’t worry, Rothbury is staying put in good ole’… well… Rothbury. However, my favorite “new discovery” band from the 2009 Fest – Four Finger Five – made an appearance on WOOD TV8′s eightWest this morning. As you’ll hear, they seem to have a John Mayer vibe, but with a little more funk and edginess to them. 4F5 tore it up for an “early morning” slot at Rothbury, and managed to pull about 1,500 out of bed a little earlier than any of them may have wanted. With Rothbury 2010 still a few too many months away, you’ll have to settle for these tunes instead. Have a look at Four Finger Five’s performances on eightWest (plus, with clip number one, you get a bonus interview with the producer of their new record)… “Might Decline” and “Know Your Face”.

And hey, more people are jumping on the 4th of July weekend speculation that we posted weeks ago, so start clearing your schedules.

I know I know, there’s snow on the ground, and the Sherwood Forest probably looks more like a Winter Wonderland right now. But if you’re reading this blog, then you’re likely a fan of the Rothbury Festival. And if you’re a fan of the Rothbury Festival, you’re likely chomping at the bit for a little info (any info) about the 2010 Festival.

Well, a quick look at the Double JJ Ranch website may give you that nugget you’re looking for. Interested in booking a summer getaway at Double JJ? Checking out the waterpark? Playing some golf? There are plenty of rooms available for that mid-summer’s adventure… except if you want to book a room between June 28th and July 10th. Anyone have any ideas as to what kind of event could make use of every single room and campsite at the resort over the course of the July 4th holiday weekend? Yeah, that’s what I was thinking, too.

The Double JJ would not confirm the dates for the Festival, but did say that the span between 6/28 and 7/10 is being held as they wait for official confirmation on the Rothbury dates.

I also called Madison House to see if they had any thoughts on the 2010 Festival, but have not received a call back.

Obviously, nothing is official until you see it at the Rothbury Festival website. I, however, am already planning to be wandering through the forest, enjoying a portabello mushroom quesadilla, and passing around the massive red ball this 4th of July…

Now, I am by no means a good interviewer. I try to be conversational. I try to be funny, nay, entertaining. I mostly fall flat. And the last question isn’t meant to be dickish, it is meant to be funny – it’s a widely accepted fact that Guster doesn’t jam, but my pseudo-humorous barb falls flat. Anyway, here’s the interview: