Summer music festival season is in full swing. The tickets have been bought, the portable toilet packed, and the weekend has been cleared. But, what about the kids? Enter in the Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival on July 11-12 at Roaring Camp Meadows in Felton.
While the adults enjoy two days of all-star live music, featuring Santa Cruz favorites, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Angelique Kidjo, Brett Dennen and Yonder Mountain String Band, the kids can take part in an assortment of fun activities hosted by the Tara Redwood School.
The Festival will also feature a wide variety of locally made products, healthy food, craft beers, local wines and spirits to enjoy in the picturesque park-like setting.
Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival Music Lineup:
Saturday, July 11:
Michael Franti & Spearhead – Recognized as a pioneering force in using music for social activism, in the mid-1980s, Michael Franti formed Spearhead, a group that blends hip-hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock.
Angelique Kidjo – The Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter and activist from Benin is noted for her diverse musical influences and creative music videos. British broadcaster, BBC, included Kidjo in its list of the African continent’s 50 most iconic figures.
Nicki Bluhm & The Gramblers – Nicki plays vintage-tinged, rock ‘n’ roll, country soul. A sound that is at once new and familiar.
Keith Greeninger – Singer-songwriter, Keith Greeninger, performs powerful melodic compositions with engaging guitar rhythms and husky, heart-wrenching vocals. His crafted tunes and powerful presence have earned him the top songwriting awards at Telluride Blue Grass Festival, The Kerrville Folk Festival and The Napa Valley Folk Festival.
Sprit of 76 with Melvin Seals – Probably best known for his long friendship and musical partnership with cultural icon and guitarist, Jerry Garcia. Melvin spun his B-3 magic with the Jerry Garcia Band for 18 years and in doing so helped pioneer and define what has now become “Jam Band Music.”
Sunday, July 12:
Yonder Mountain String Band – For nearly 17 years, Yonder Mountain String Band has redefined bluegrass music, expanding the traditional acoustic genre beyond its previously established boundaries by steadily pushing the envelope into the realms of rock ‘n’ roll and improvisation.
Brett Dennen – Singer-songwriter, Brett Dennen, first drew attention in 2004 with the single, “Desert Sunrise.” His fragile, high-pitched vocals make him sound at times like a cross between Tracy Chapman and Neil Young.
Keller Williams Grateful Grass with Michael Kang & Keith Moseley – A rotating lineup of musicians and collaborators deliver anything-but-traditional bluegrass versions of Grateful Dead favorites.
Tim Flannery & Lunatic Fringe – One of the enduring hard men of professional sports, Tim Flannery has logged 34 of his 55 years, in the world of professional baseball. He is also a prolific and talented songwriter.
The Golden Gate Wingmen – Premiering to a sold-out audience last year at a club in San Rafael, fans can expect a mixture of psychedelic rock, blues, funk, jazz, and a little bit of everything in between.
Info: Santa Cruz Mountain Sol Festival, July 11-12, Roaring Camp Meadows. Tickets: $65 single day/$115 both days. Children under 10 are free. Top photo: Yonder Mountain String Band
