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Brad Dring [Lead Singer of Rapture Ruckus]
starting up the ultimate dance party…
that got shut down when they [who are “they” anyway?] reported the floor boards were breaking with all the fans
jumping. Hello? If they write “Dance Party” on the schedule,
don’t they expect the fans to….um…dance?!? No joke.
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Last summer, the night before we began our annual drive across the country to visit a National Park or two, hubby made a U-turn in our agenda and added a four day musical festival at the start of our vacation. In Wilmar, Minnesota. It was on the way, he reasoned. And it was, sort of. When I looked at the line-up of performing artists, I agreed that we didn’t need to spend an entire two weeks in nature alone. We could have an outdoor music experience for four days and then move onto our hiking, biking, and kayaking activities.
But I was nervous about one detail. The crowds. What if I lost one of my princesses in a mosh pit. What if one of my nephews got lost coming back from the port-a-potties? What if there were so many fans, we’d be stuck way in the back, unable to see the stage?
Turns out, each festival has a tradition when it comes to seating. And depending on your fervor for front row seats, you actually have some say in your viewing spot, on a daily basis. In Wilmar, during Sonshine Festival, these folks are hardcore. There’s a line at each entry point of the main gate that draws fans as early as 5:00AM each morning. Even though no one is allowed in until about 8:30AM. Each sleepy-eyed die hard fan carries with him or her a tarp. And when the gates open, everyone starts running. No joke. To claim their spot on the lawn. Each with their own theory on the closest, highest, most comfortable plot of earth. Once you find your spot, you spread out your tarp and for the rest of that day’s concerts, which run all day, no one can steal your spot.
Feeling the competitive nature in me tickled, I wake up Friday morning at 5:30AM and bike over in the mud and rain from our campsite with the tarp under my arm and a chair on my back to claim our spot. I arrive too late. One guy already sits in the front. He is the only one. I have to accept second place. I swallow defeat and open up my camp chair after parking my bike off to the side. Should I talk to my contender or keep on my game face? Because even though he is ahead of me in line, I might be able to run faster and surpass him when the gun sounds.
“Good morning,” man in goofy looking visor with spiky hair sticking out on top says.
Okay I’ll be nice. “Good morning, where ya from?”
He lifts his hat to shake hands and I nearly faint. His hair comes off too. Ha! It’s one of those trick hats that make bald guys look like they have hair. I’m laughing out loud now. He got me good.
Find out that he’s from around town and every year for the last six years or so, his claim to fame is to be first in line. Everyone has their trophies. This is his. Glad I didn’t mess it up and wake up before my alarm clock.
As the sky darkens around us, more fans trickle into line, all sharing their breakfast spoils, a hodgepodge of granola bars, nutter butters, juice boxes and cookies. Before seven o’clock hits, the sky opens up and a downpour happens. Right on top of us. But no one leaves, save one girl who realizes she cannot run in mud with her flip flops. We are all laughing at our insane desire to claim our spots, rain or shine. Rain it is.
Hubby strolls by around that time with an umbrella. He was worried. I have my raincoat on. So I’m soaked. But only from the hips down. Since all the kids are still sleeping, hubs decides to stay and carry the tarp when the gate keeper screams, “Time!”
And around 8:30AM, it’s still raining, and when the ropes drop, the Olympics of muddy running begins. I let hubby do the running. I jog carefully, not far behind. I don’t want to fall face first into mud. It is so muddy now. And I’m watching from behind and everyone is nuts. This must be what it’s like on Black Friday, but with a whole lot of mud. Some guy actually slips and falls. Hubby jumps over him. Seriously. And we get our “spot.” That we never really use. Because you can only claim in the areas where people are assigned to sit during the show. And we’re not the sitting type when it comes to music. Ultimately, for four days, we stand right in front, right up at the stage, with three crates for our kids to stand on, and we enjoy a week of little sleep but amazing music by Tenth Avenue North, Switchfoot, Toby Mac, Lecrae and Francesca Battistelli to name a few of our favorites.
But the coolest thing about these festivals is that a ton of up and coming bands perform and you get two earfuls of new music. And the band that we discover last summer that we fall in love with is Rapture Ruckus from New Zealand. All I remember is the lead singer wears neon green high tops as he jumps and dances with serious energy all over that stage, all while singing and rapping remarkably well. And the sound: music to my ears!!
So when hubby and I decide to check out a closer venue this year and attend Soulfest in Gunstock, New Hampshire, the band we look forward to hearing and seeing again is Rapture Ruckus. And they’re playing twice! And after my fortunate spontaneous two minute interview with Plumb, all I can think about all Friday is how will I get an interview with RR? I have to at least try.
Come back next week to find out what happens… And how a bunch of rowdy fans lead to my first long interview with of my favorite musicians!! Brad Dring of Rapture Ruckus, up close and personal on InSearchofWaterfalls.com on MONDAY!
I’ll leave you with one of their songs as a preview. If you haven’t heard of these guys, you have to check them out! After all, New Zealand is where Lord of the Rings was filmed. These guys have seen the Orks. And they’re alive to sing about it. Not really. But they can rock it out! 🙂
“The Air that I Breathe”
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Not sure if people wake up before God or not to get front row 🙂
We would always get there in the afternoon and still got fairly good seats, although not right up front.
Ichthus Festival!?! Sounds fun! Is it as cut-throat for best seats. We didn’t bother waking up early at all for Soulfest. Just strolled in when we felt like it and walked to our secret front row seats. If I told you exactly where they were, I’d have to … 😉
-Raj
Gotta love camping and music festivals. You all should travel south to Kentucky next year for the Ichthus Festival. Great fun.