The Freio Music Podcast
Episode 013 - Snug Boy
FMP 013 – Snug Boy
TMRW.TDay ~ The Vibe
Photo (above) by Corey Hamilton
TMRW.TDAY is a unique gathering of mindful reggae lovers. The cultural fest has a touch of house, a toe-pinch of white sand beach, a mouthful of flavorful fruits, a breeze filled with tropic scents, and island lifestyle for the retreat of a lifetime, and plenty of reggae to sooth your soul.
As an American who had never been to Jamaica before, it took a few days to reset my urgent internal clock, from a rapid walk to a soulful stride, more closely matching the graceful rhythm of the waves.
With early morning 8am, (yes this was ‘crack of the dawn early’ or the coffee shop is still closed early), Meditation the day started with a gentle stretch of the body and mind. The venue was a 5-minute walk from where I stayed, so just an easy stroll on the beach and I was on “festival grounds”. The meditation on the beach was enhanced with some live instrumentation for stress elevation.
The Irie Soul Beach Wellness Program has a plentiful schedule of meditation (starting at 8am) and various yoga classes throughout the day. Clear-minded people flow off the mat and into the mingling area. Friendships created from the chance occurrences at Chances on the Beach.
With fruit drinks, a full bar and some local food, everyone is well nourished and in a good mood.
The pace of ‘island time’ is a phenomenon not unique to Jamaica.
The tides map the hours of most businesses and the music fills the void.
The event schedules tended to begin at least 30 minutes late, which made it easy to be early.
The live headlining acts command control of the 11pm-2am time frame.
Fun Fact:
The newly enacted Jamaican law requires a permit to host events at night and promoters must obey the Noise Abatement Act. “… permission is given to have an event up to 12 midnight during the week and 2:00 a.m. on weekends… These laws are to protect the patrons that are coming to your events. Organizers must take into consideration the safety and security of the patrons. We (JCF) want the patrons to be safe,” – Head of the JCF’s Corporate Communications Unit (CCU), Superintendent Stephanie Lindsay (Jamaican Government).
Naturally, music pushes the limits.
Tmrw.Tday is run on island time and is designed for relaxation. With built in “just chill mon” times from 9am-4pm followed by a drum circle session from 4pm-7pm, one is never rushed. Plenty of time for livin, chillin, and being. A dive into the tropical jungle. A dip into the calm ocean. A soak on the white-sand beach.
The pace of the island is ⅔’s time, a slow wandering stroll’s beat.
The energy of the island comes from the sun during the day and from the people at night.
Looking back on the festival…
Tmrw.Tday was simple yet diverse. Easy to navigate yet spread out. The variety of venues and attendees made the whole thing a pleasant experience. We are excited for what the future of this Culture Festival has in the works. First-year festivals are by definition an experiment, a new test and there are many unknowns to be worked out along the way. With the first year
Don’t worry, we covered the music from Tmrw.Tday as well! Music from Jamaica and Tmrw.Tday Festival
Impressions from the Jamaican Culture:
[quote] A morning went a little something like this:
I stroll to the beachside restaurant. Get out my pen, notebook, & order:
“A Jamrock omelet, coffee & water, please”
“Ya mon”
“Thank you”
The rain yields for the time being to a cloudy haze that blends the ocean’s horizon into the sky.
The temperature is ripe.
The humidity is lively.
The pulse of the island is coming into light.
From the crickets of the night to the dancing paintings and carvings on the wall, music runs through them all.
The soulful melodies spill forth, almost involuntarily, from the locals.
Is everyone a natural vocalist?
[/quote]
The small businesses thrive in Jamaica and the markets are vibrant with people and goods. One person employment can be seen from the seven-mile beach.
One beach hustler’s day
A man carries coconuts, straws, and a hatchet. “Coconuts…” he says, as he walks along the beach trying to make eye contact with any and all tourists. He takes 5-7 steps. “Coconuts…” he repeats, as he is now 1o-15 feet further down the beach. He knows the limitation of his voice’s range and he is competing, after all, with other people and the ocean. Again 5-7 steps. Finally, “Coconut Mon….” for the last 1/3 of his vocal cadence. The three-part vocal loop seems to serve as advertising, a pace setter, a marching beat, and reassurance that he is actually getting somewhere on the 7-mile beach. If you are sitting on the beach you will probably hear the loop twice as he passes. What is that rule 7 for advertising again? Oh ya, that people buy after they hear about your product several times. When business is good, a quick walk inland and a new harvest can be acquired. When the sun gets low the day is done.
Each step is one closer to a new sale. “Co-conut”… “Coco-nut”… “Coconut Mon”…
“There are around 500 beach hustlers” – Paul (beach hustler)
There is an ever-changing flow of people, tourists, and travelers who soak up the island tropical sun.
Friendly entrepreneurs selling a story with their product or service. Friendly people so jolly that a word is worth it.
The smooth trotting pink-hatted horse riding salesman, slowly making his moves. Everyone is hustling their products and services
Later that day, the pink-hatted beach horse salesman scored a lady tourist for the ride of a life. He washes the young rider with vocal melodies and song. With gentle guidance and a quick step, the man leads the lady and horse along the water’s edge. (The legend himself can be seen in background of the picture – see left)
Creativity in approach, service, products & storytelling is on full display. Rude guests foil high hopes.
Clearly, the Jamaican culture benefits from tourism, festivals, the cross-cultural exchange of ideas. Jamaica continues to attract creative minded people to the lush jungles and white sand beaches, to enjoy a brief visit to paradise.
We covered the music from Tmrw.Tday as well! Read and take a listen here: Music from Jamaica and Tmrw.Tday Festival
Jamaica Tmrw.Tday – Lineup and Schedule
Jamaica’s TMRW.TDAY Cultural Festival Is Here!
If I need to convince you that a festival in Jamaica filled with Reggae, Yoga, and Beach-Parties is worth your time, this is probably not for you. However, if you are the adventurous type who is ready to sink your feet into new beaches, dip your body and soul into the oceans of reggae and invert yourself into yoga postures, this is for you! To learn more, keep reading….
Tmrw.Tday Culture Festival – Negril, Jamaica – Taking place on the glistening beaches of Negril, Jamaica this May 17-23, Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest forays onto the international festival landscape, with the aim of enlightening those who will voyage into paradise. Inspiring attendees to embark on a weeklong journey into consciousness, conviction and energy work across the grounds of one of the world’s most coveted travel locations. Tmrw.Tday curates an intimate, blissful destination festival experience bound by alluring music, delicious food, captivating activities and miles of pure, pristine coastline pulsating with positive island vibes.
Designated environments at Irie Soul Beach, headquarters for Tmrw.Tday, will host an array of beachside entertainment, wellness activations and delectable culinary feasts, spearheaded by some of the most distinguished innovators in the world. Featuring headlining musical acts Protoje & The Indiggnation Live In Concert, Wolf + Lamb,Toddla T and the festival’s official Reggae Ambassador Chris Blackwell, Tmrw.Tday has mastered an eclectic fusion of local and international talent, celebrating Caribbean heritage and global sounds alike.The Reggae Revival Concert and Crew Love Beach Party Showcase are among top festivity highlights, in addition to nightly sunset Drum Circles at Irie Soul Beach featuring Sam Maher & Acro Buddhas plus intimate Dub & Reggae Lounges to showcase Jamaica’s most talented and respected artists. Among those artists joining the beachside party include: Gabre Selassie, Yaadcore, Nick Monaco, David Marston, Teflon Zinc Fence, and Echomatik.
Daytime activations will offer a series of wellness programs led by world-renowned instructors. Various practices of yoga, fitness classes, health & medicinal healing workshops, guided meditations and conscious lifestyle speakers will guide attendees through a transformative experience found nowhere else within the festival realm. Championed by international wellness ambassador and superfoods evangelist David Wolfe, self-care teacher, motivational speaker and Irie Soul Program Co-Director Gillian B. and conscious lifestyle coach, meditation guide and founder of Irie Soul Stacy Chang-Christoforou, Tmrw.Tday’s wellness offerings will provide a diverse selection of educational activities to cleanse the body, detoxify the mind, and heal the spirit.
Andrew Christoforou, Managing Partner of Tmrw. Tday, elaborates: “The most unique part about Tmrw.Tday culture fest is that its ultimate goal is to have people go within to better themselves and find true happiness…The planet is at a very critical stage and we believe that you must take care of yourself first before you take action to better the world.”
An island that is known for an explosion of flair and flavours, Tmrw.Tday will take foodies on a culinary quest through Jamaica’s famous food scene – a flavorful blend of influences from Spain, Britain, East India, West Africa, Portugal, China, France, and The Netherlands. Adventurous spirits can feast on tantalising traditional fare while celebrating the importance of sustainable agriculture and organic eating. Led by cuisine curator Ras Iyah V Ital, the inaugural gastronomy program boasts the 7-Mile Organic Food Festival, Farm To Table & Experiential Dinner Series, Hot Sauce Competition, and will incorporate both vegetarian and vegan offerings prepared by internationally-acclaimed chefs such as 16-year old motivational speaker, youth health activist and vegan chef Haile Thomas.
Tmrw.Tday’s beachfront paradise will also host a variety of pop-ups and extra curricular activities, including the pioneering 7 Miles of Green, Marley Coffee Beach Café with Premium Blue Mountain Coffee, Organic Juice Bar, massage & spa offerings, essential oil treatments, Arts & Crafts exhibit and, of course, endless amounts of beachside activities.
Encompassing music, wellness, gastronomy, and adventure, Tmrw.Tday presents an impressive, fully immersive schedule designed for self-discovery, and encouraging above all things a chance to find inner peace and purpose. Creating a mindful and loving community built on values that challenge the current political, economic and environmental state across the globe, attendees will encounter an oasis of unique daily offerings designed to help achieve a more conscious lifestyle.A better TMRW starts TDAY.
Full Schedule Below or Visit the Website
A special thanks to the 2017 Sponsors for their support – Jamaica Tourist Board, Jamaica Experiences & Red Stripe
Plan your journey to a better Tmrw.Tday – Tickets for the weeklong experience are on sale now!
Stay Connected: Tmrw.Tday
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Tmrw.Tday’s Philosophy
In recent years, our hearts have become heavy, so too has our planet. The earth continues to nourish us as best she can, but instead, we abuse her through pollution, hate and entitlement. Now is the time to strip it all back and discover how you can help. The inaugural Tmrw.Tday Culture Fest aims to tackle some of the existential challenges humankind faces by stripping back materialism and focusing on core values such as mindfulness, through its unique wellness, gastronomy and music programming. A movement for change, attendees will embark on a weeklong personal journey of consciousness, conviction and growth. Free yourself from society’s intolerance through yoga practice, music, dance, mindful eating, sustainable cooking, art, nature and alternative therapies.
See you there!
World’s Finest
The Domino Room-February 17th, 2017
Last Friday at the Domino Room in downtown Bend, Oregon, we were able to catch Leftover Salmon’s opener, World’s Finest. Featuring an electric banjo, saxophone, and vintage guitar, they had a rustic and organic vibe. Blending elements of ska, bluegrass and reggae, they were able to touch on several familiar sounds while adding their own character and a bit of a twist.
Juggling genres and different styles, it was obvious the group drew inspiration from assorted backgrounds. There were many moments of feel-good-bluegrass easily associated with Portland and The Pacific Northwest. Both upbeat and rock influenced it reminded me of groups like Fruition. Other times they would tone things down and switch over to reggae and ska. Some highlights included “Rub-a-dub” reggae and well timed breakdowns to group acapellas. With flexible musicianship, they were able to showcase a few covers as well. My favorite was their funky-bluegrass cover of “Pick Up the Pieces” by Average White Band. The nostalgia of the song, accompanied with their provocative saxophone, was a great way to close out the set.
Full of fun energy and a feel good vibe, World’s Finest had very personable crowd interaction and seemed to thoroughly enjoy their time on the stage.
Check out the links below for music and more on the World’s Finest!
Countdown: 7 Days – Arise Music Festival 2015
Its official, there are only 7 days left to buy your tickets to Arise Music Festival without missing a beat! If you are like us, you are trying to squeeze in as much entertainment into your summer as your wallet can buy and your boss will allow, listen up. Ticket prices increase August 1st, so act now and buy your tickets here. To find out more info about who is playing, the daily schedule and driving directions: click here. If you have already attended the festival in past years please leave your impressions of the festival below in the comments. A quick festival check list for you is below. Add any items we may have missed in the comments below.
When:
August 7-9th. (Early camping for 3day pass holders starts the 6th at 4pm.
What to bring:
Water bottle
Camping equipment: sleeping bag & tent (or a snuggly friend)
Artistic clothes, instruments, structures, face paint, and
Hat & sunscreen
Warm and cold clothes (day and night).
*If you plan for bad weather you will have a blast regardless what nature throws at you; so bring that rain coat!
Food, Money, and Snacks
Friends
A positive attitude, a large lasting smile and a camera for those special moments.
Arise Music Festival is truly one of a kind. In the state of Colorado, there has never been a comparable event. Arise will take place again at the extraordinarily beautiful and welcoming Sunrise Ranch, just outside of Loveland, Colorado. The location is spectacular and the festival has improved every year since its inception. With new amenities, artists, and attractions this year is poised to be the best Arise Festival yet. Colorado’s flourishing artistic community will be present and your arrival will be icing on the cake. We hope to see you there!
For more information, keep on reading ~ . . .
The 2015 installment of theARISE Music Festival is set to kick off on August 7-9 at the scenic Sunrise Ranch in Loveland, CO.
The three-day camping event will feature headlining performances with Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, The Polish Ambassador, Emanicpator Ensemble, Joe Russo’s Almost Dead, Ozomatli, Trevor Hall, Rising Appalachia alongside over 100 live performances across 6 stages.
The ARISE Music Festival first came to life at the picturesque Sunrise Ranch just west of the town of Loveland, CO in the summer of 2013 — bringing forth a full-bodied, innovative festival experience with a tangible uplifting vibe. While the two main stages and the electronic zone will always be the ARISE Festival’s primary attractions, the 3-day gathering is also filled with yoga classes, health-oriented workshops, celebrity and environmentally active presenters, along with a children’s village and parades each day.
Much more than just a concert experience, ARISE offers an array of interactivedaytime activities, camping opportunities and a vending village that showcases a bohemian-style specialty coffee shop with a full espresso bar, unique craft vendors, delicious organic and natural food vendors and trucks, and unique goods from around the world.
At every twist and turn, ARISE offers a visual feast for the eyes and an experience for the senses. As roving puppeteers, stilt walkers, large-scale art installations and live painters dot the valley, it is clear that the annual ARISE Festival devotes as much energy into showcasing varied art forms as it does it’s main attraction…live music. 
Taking a peek under the proverbial hood of the festival one might find that ARISE Festival’s mechanics are grounded in conscious environmental ethics. Located on an organic farm with over 100 acres of festival grounds, ARISE puts a considerable amount of effort into greening up the “leave no trace” event by implementing high standards of sustainability practices and environmental stewardship. Local event service provider ZERO HERO empowers attendees with the knowledge and systems needed to easily recycle and compost and divert waste. The event also prides itself in providing FREE drinking water to festival attendees, choosing not to allow the sale of water in plastic bottles, and encouraging festival-goers to bring their refillable water bottles. ARISE has also aligned with Fort Collins-based non-profit Trees Water & People to plant a tree for every ticket sold.
For music fans interested in sustainable gardening techniques, The Polish Ambassador will host a Permaculture Action Day at Sunrise Ranch on Thursday, August 6th. The Action Day includes earth-based, hands-on projects and educational techniques in the study of permaculture design. For those who want to dive deeper, The Polish Ambassador also be hosting an Intensive Permaculture Course in the 3 days leading up to the festival at Sunrise Ranch. The course is a comprehensive program that will take students through the permaculture design process; touching on soils, water, forest gardening, appropriate technology, and several other aspects of whole systems design. With a focus on catalyzing social transformation, intensive attendees will learn techniques for regenerating ecology, as well as explore community building through action-oriented organizing. The Intensive Permaculture Course will only be available to 30 preregistered guests and will be an additional cost for participants. (Details for the Action Day can be found here).
Perhaps one of things that makes ARISE stand out from most of the other festivals in Colorado’s vibrant music scene is a commitment to book distinct artists covering diverse musical genres that brings a richly well-rounded approach to live entertainment. Day and night, festival goers can enjoy over 100 live bands at any of the six stages or just take in the pristine views from one of the onsite bars or beer gardens.
2015 highlights include daily playshop sessions with featured artists along with a rousing discussion on engagement in social issues with Alex Ebert (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) and Josh Fox (award winning writer/director of HBO’s Gasland documentary films).
The festival will run from August 7-9 at Sunrise Ranch in Loveland CO, just over an hour from Denver, 45 minutes from Boulder and less that 25 minutes from Fort Collins, in the Colorado Foothills. A full range of upgrade options including VIP passes, Early Camping, Car Camping and Day Passes are available on the event website.
It is also worth noting that ARISE Music Festival is a family friendly event, with free tickets for children 12 and under and half priced Youth Tickets for 13-17 year olds.For the full music line-up and schedule, and to purchase tickets check out www.AriseFestival.com.
Arise 2014 Video
Official FreioMusic Arise Festival 2014 Video
Arise Festival 2014 in Loveland, Colorado. Freio Music’s talented team captures the cultural gathering with energy with style. Arise Festival features artists from across the musical spectrum. Share it. Enjoy it. See you next year!
Credits:
Produced by Freio Music
Directed by Joe Morahan & Daniel “Buddy” Thomas
DP by Daniel “Buddy” Thomas
Editing by Daniel “Buddy” Thomas
Time-Lapse Photography by
Melissa Harrison, Isaiah ‘Scott’ Brown, & Michael Morahan
Music by
Polish Ambassador
Arise Festival 2014 in Photos
Arise 2014
The 2nd Annual Arise Music Festival:
By the time the gates were finally open, the energy began to pick up. With the people came art, laughter, color and flavor. As the camping area began to fill up it was clear that this year was much larger than last. The same beautiful location shared by thousands of new attendees. With ‘dualing stages’, two stages set up right next to each other intended to minimize musical downtime, the music continued and the crowd stayed close. The electronic stage, Souls Rising, had a stacked lineup of talented young and established acts. The energy by Souls Rising stage kept a steady group of dancing bass faces content. While the Souls Rising stage was considerably smaller than the other two main musical stages, it was the destination for many festival goers and it delivered. The stage and surrounding area was decorated ornately from the lasers beaming around the ground to the CDs hanging reflectively from the trees.
Photo taken by Molly ‘Mojo’ Buckiewicz
This year’s attendance appeared to be at least double, possibly triple, the previous year’s attendance. The festival was prepared and there was ample water, food, and portable toilets. The vender village was one of a kind with an array of smells coming from the food stands, and an array of colors coming from the vender stands. Artists are now migrating to Arise festival from all over the USA, contributing to its colorful diversity. Arise is Colorado’s best and most diverse music festival.
Once again SunRise Ranch played the role of the gracious host and one can only hope that they received the support and recognition they deserve for sharing the incredible valley to all of us who attend. With out the support of SunRise Ranch this event would not be possible in its current form. The artists also deserve a huge shoutout for making the experience what it was, and sharing ideas, thoughts, and emotions through their sound and visions. Equally the fan, the festival goer, the music lover, the ‘escape the 9-5 artist’, anyone who attended a festival, deserves a huge thank you. With out listeners how could music work? It is you who make this possible and for that all of us here at FreioMusic, Thank You!