The Farm: A Music Lover's Paradise by Grav Weldon

The Farm: A Music Lover's Paradise by Grav Weldon 

 

 

​I recently had the opportunity to attend Hillberry III at the Farm, Deadhead Production's home festival site.  It had been over a year since last time I had been to the Farm, and I was surprised by how things had grown.  Their is more space for camping and a general store where all those things inevitably forgotten can be purchased.  One of my favorite new features is a sacred space, called the Nest, designed by the Jake Clayborn, who also designed the stone maze at Terra Studios (a worthwhile side trip when attending festivals at the Farm.)  Deadhead Productions has expanded the shrine to Jerry Garcia to include a small stage.  They do late night shows on that stage, so if you are a light sleeper, you might want to avoid camping on Shrine Hill.  However, even if you camp in the far reaches of the Farm you still can enjoy those late night jam sessions.

 

​This brings us to the real reason the Farm is a music lover's paradise: acoustics.  While the vibe and free range music fan philosophy of any Deadhead Production show are what make these festivals my favorites on the circuit, the incredible acoustics of the Farm really take these shows to the next level.  Not only can you hear music clear as a bell from every corner of the property when it is being played from main stage, but also from the much smaller and far less amped stage at the top of Shrine Hill.  I actually ran an experiment in the wee hours one night and was pleased to find I could understand every word as far away as I could go from both stages.  After shooting my first three songs, I found there was nothing sweeter than chilling in the Nest with a cold one and listening to one a band  under a big full moon.  Phunkberry, Highberry, and Hillberry will all be held at the Farm next year.  If you are a music fan and have not attended these festivals, do yourself a favor and give one of them a try in 2017.  If you are a musician, consider reaching out to the guys at Deadhead Productionsto play at one of these festivals.  The natural acoustics of the land make the Farm one of the most incredible venues you will likely ever play.