Transformational music and art festivals have been a rapidly expanding phenomena in the United States, especially on the West Coast. Burning Man is the prime example, but other greats such as Lightning in a Bottle or Earthdance serve as inspiration for three-day music and art festivals inviting everyone to join in the creation of a living, breathing, artistic community.
“It’s a transformational music and arts festival, and it’s part of the intentional village experience that is emerging on the West Coast,” said Lucidity marketing manager Spencer Weiner. “It’s like a 21st century version of Woodstock, but more lucid.”
The festival employs the theme of lucidity in welcoming festival goers to make their dreams awaken into reality through art. Through body art, spontaneous creation, performance art, or any other form, the overriding philosophy unites the entire festival into one work of art.
“It’s kind of a tribal family,” Weiner said. “We are introducing a new way to collectively gather.”
A huge focus of the festival is on being waste free and self-sufficient. None of the vendors will be using single-use plastic bottles, plates, or utensils, Weiner explained, and festival goers are asked to be as self-sustainable and eco-friendly as well.
“As an example, our event guide or festival map is printed on a bandana,” Weiner said. “Here we are personally taking the responsibility to not print 4,000 disposable maps; for a little more, we are making something that people can actually use.”
The festival will also feature a full art gallery, interactive art installations, and many types of multimedia and visual performances. Many of the installations are by artists who build at Burning Man and other festivals. Artists like Gregg Fleishman and Darren Minke will be constructing large structures for festival goers to enjoy and even climb on.
“The art is always interactive,” Weiner said. “Typically we have multiple artists who are working on pieces during the festival, inspired by what is going on around them.”
The musical aspect to Lucidity is huge. Scores of artists will be contributing various forms of live and electronic music, and there will be several stages operating simultaneously, with one stage reserved for live music only. Many international instrumentalists and singers will be performing music from across the world.
“Our audience is very eclectic and open to hearing different things,” Weiner said. “We have Sufi music, Brazilian music, music from Peru—but we do have a lot of danceable music for sure.”
A lot of musical artists at Lucidity won’t be jamming instruments other than computer consoles. Electronic music has been a large part of the festival from its inception. Due to a sound curfew at night, the festival will also offer two “silent discos,” which feature a DJ running music through a console that wirelessly pumps the music into Bluetooth headphones.
“It’s great; you can check out this Bluetooth headphone, and you walk into this large dance, and all you can really hear is heavy breathing until you put headphones on,” Weiner said.
Plenty of American contemporary bands and solo instrumentalists or singer songwriters will be filling the three-day docket. Artists such as Poor Man’s Poison, Shane Alexander, Danyavaad and the Shimmy Sisters, and the Rainbow Girls are examples of live acts set to grace the Lucidity stage. More artists are listed on the festival’s website, lucidityfestival.com.
“We program what we like, something that will move your body and create those shared experiences,” Weiner said. “Rainbow Girls are a good example of someone we won’t be able to book in a few years.”
Many contemporary bands, such as Rainbow Girls and others at Lucidity, present a mashup of many different genres, often including American folk, rock, and blues while including flavors from Indian music, or even Eastern European “Gypsy” and jazz music.
“It’s definitely fun music; it’s all music that inspires you, uplifts you in a way,” Weiner said. “It’s a large offering of young and emerging talent along with the more senior performers in the festival circuit.”
Always an open mic
Lucia’s Wine Co. offers an open mic featuring wine, poetry, and live music on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the tasting room, 126 East Clark Ave., Orcutt. More info: 332-3080.
Addamo gets down
The Addamo Tasting Room and Bistro present “Wine Down Wednesdays” featuring live music on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Addamo Tasting Room and Bistro, located at 400 E. Clark, Old Orcutt. Free. More info: 937-6400 or Bethany@addamovineyards.com.
The cello man
Solo artist CelloJoe will be presenting a live concert on April 14 at 5 p.m. at Full of Life Flatbread, 225 West Bell St., Los Alamos. More info: 344-4400, fulloflifefoods.com, or cellojoe.com.
From Mars with love
O’Sullivan’s Pub is host to a concert featuring Shell Corporation on April 16 starting at 8 p.m. at 633 E. Main St., Santa Maria. More info: 925-0658 or osullivanspub.net.
Maverick music
The Maverick Saloon offers live entertainment, including live country by The Little/Big Band on April 12 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. “Concert on the Deck” is April 13 at 3 p.m. The Coastal Kings perform live on April 13 at 8:45 p.m., followed by “Late Night with guest DJs” at 11:30 p.m. at the saloon, 3687 Sagunto St., Santa Ynez. More info: 686-4785 or mavericksyv@aol.com.
Contact Arts Editor Joe Payne at jpayne@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 11-18, 2013.