Eight years ago, fans from all across the country gathered at Big Cypress Seminole Reservation to see the epic jamband Phish play its 1999-2000 NYE concert. This year many of the same fans returned to Big Cypress for the four-day Langerado Music Festival. Luckily for music-loving students like myself, this year’s festival landed during our spring break.
The Langerado festival, held March 6-9, is an annual event that unites musical groups of all genres. Headlining acts this year included R.E.M, The Beastie Boys, The Roots, 311 and Phil Lesh. The past five years the festival has been held at Markham Park in Sunrise, but this year the venue was moved to Big Cypress in the heart of the Everglades to accommodate the growing crowd. A general admission ticket cost somewhere in the area of $200, and included a four-day pass and camping accommodations.
Known for its hippie-loving reputation, the festival grounds alone looked like a psychedelic carnival. Each night a brightly colored ferris wheel was lit up and glowed intensely in the glassy pupils of festival-goers. Scattered amongst the five different stages were various merchant booths where hippie vendors tried to sling everything from organic hemp skirts to magical crystals. One guy even approached me and said, “I promise man, this crystals got heady powers.” Really? No thanks.
Musical highlights of the festival included the Disco Biscuits late-night set on Saturday, where a renegade group of fans set off fireworks in the back of the crowd while others tossed glow sticks through the air in a state of pure ecstasy. The Roots also delivered a spectacular performance with their soulful cover of “Machine Gun” by Jimi Hendrix. The Beastie Boys also surprised the crowd by playing not only some of their most popular hits, but also some new jammed-out instrumental pieces.
My favorite performance of the festival had to be the very disturbing Les Claypool. If you haven’t heard of Les Claypool, then imagine the kid that you used to peg with dodge balls all the time in middle school gym class. He has learned how to play bass and he hasn’t forgotten about you.
During the middle of the set, the skinny young man standing next to me collapsed at my feet to the muddy ground. “He’s got no pulse!” someone yelled out. I assume he wasn’t a doctor because after a minute the man got up on his own two feet and began dancing again to Les Claypool as if nothing had happened.
The festival itself was not just about the music, but also about the people. There was a communal aura of good feelings that you can only find at a festival – the feeling that you can do whatever you want. For some that meant venturing into the area of excess, but for others it meant relaxing in a calm and peaceful environment that was miles away from the stresses of everyday life.
If there was any negative aspect of the festival it was the chaotic weather. It ranged from thunderstorms and tornado warnings, to simmering heat in the day and a frigid 40-degree cold at night. Nevertheless, festival-goers held their spirits high and made the four days worthwhile. I would recommend that anyone who enjoys going to concerts take a trip out to the Everglades next March and see the festival for yourself.
