Old Settler's Music Festival

April 2009

For the last 22 years, around the third weekend in April, one of the best outdoor music festivals in Texas is held just south of Austin. Old Settler's Music Festival is four days of excellent music held in a fantastic setting between Driftwood and Dripping Springs, Texas. This is the third Old Settler's that we have attended and each year is seems to get better and more fun.

Each year we attend a number of multi-day Texas outdoor music festivals and here are just a few reasons why Old Settler's is one of our favorites:

• Beautiful Setting - Old Settler's is held at the Salt Lick Pavilion along the banks of Onion Creek in the gently rolling hills just south of Austin. The main stage is held in an open field with trees as a back drop and the creek running along one side. The Bluebonnet Stage is set under the trees in a grassy area bordered by a knoll on one side and Onion Creek on the other. It doesn't get much better than stretching out in the grass under the trees listening to some fantastic music!

• Close By Camping - about 3 blocks from Salt Lick Pavilion is Camp Ben McCulloch which during Old Settler's is packed to near capacity with festival campers. Camping is first come first serve, sites are not designated, and water and electricity hook-ups are randomly scattered throughout the campground and hard to get unless you get there on a Tuesday. Tenters will find plenty of space under the trees and along the banks of Onion Creek. Everything from huge 40' motorhomes to 1930's vintage trailers are parked randomly throughout the campground. It's a short walk or drive to the festival area, but it's a lot easier and much more fun to take the shuttle buses and interact with the campers to and from the festival.
• Fun, Friendly, Music Lovers - Old Settler's attracts an older group of fans that are serious about music. As such you won't find a lot of gabbing while the music is going on - fans are here to listen to the music. Socializing and partying goes on in the campground and away from the music. Everybody is extremely friendly and you get a sense of family when you attend this event.
• Family Friendly - kids are welcome at Old Settler's and there are several things for the kids to do if they aren't interested in the music. The little ones will enjoy the sand pile or swing sets and all kids will have fun with the hula hoops, face painting, bean bag toss, petting zoo, and miniature pony rides. It's refreshing to see multiple generations of kids, parents, and grandparents sharing and enjoying the music together. The campground is active with kids of all ages riding bikes, tossing frisbees or baseballs, swinging and sliding in the playground, trying a hula hoop for the first time, or just enjoying the music.
• Flash Back To The Old Hippie Days - we lived in San Francisco in the 60's and 70's and as such we: attended multiple folk festivals with music from Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, Joan Baez, Peter, Paul, and Mary, and more folk singers; wore and loved tie-die shirts; painted my 1948 Dodge panel truck with flowers and peace signs; did some of the other unmentionable things that you wouldn't want to tell you kids to do; and spent time in San Francisco's Height Ashbury. Old Settler's is a pleasant flash back to some of those fun and very memorable days. At Old Settler's, you'll find lots of tie-die shirts, flowing hippy skirts, hula hoops, free-form hippie dancing, occasional whiffs of marijuana, camping units from the past (VW campers, buses painted with peace signs and flowers, teepee tents, etc.), and lots of fun, friendly free spirits. When you attend old settlers, it feels like you are a part of a huge family of music lovers and free spirits.

• Fantastic Music - if all of the above is not enough to get you to Old Settler's, then 4 days with over 30 talented bands and musicians playing a wide variety of music, should get you excited about attending next year. The music doesn't get much better and more importantly you'll find a very diverse mixture of everything from country and Cajun to bluegrass and blues and bagpipes to bongos and flutes to fiddles. One minute you are stunned with soothing beautiful folk ballads and the next moment you're hit with vivacious, lively, foot stomping, gotta-get-up-and-dance tunes. If you don't like the group on the main stage, then head to the Bluebonnet Stage or to the music and workshops in the Salt Lick Pavilion. Most of the time you'll have to make some hard choices on which stage to spend time at - we got a lot of exercise floating from stage to stage trying to catch as many of the bands and musicians as possible. Here's a little tip for you - bring extra lawn chairs and set them up at each stage. We did that but I still ended up laying in the grass, under the trees, sipping a cold beer, looking up at the millions of stars, and listening to some fabulous musicians - it just doesn't get much better than that!

The Old Settler's lineup is excellent and includes musicians from coast to coast as well as some Canadians and Brits - the variety is unbelievable. What also makes Old Settler's fun is listening to musicians that we have never seen or heard of - it makes it harder to sing along but very enjoyable none the less. How can you not like bands with names like: The Flying $ Bunkhouse Band, The Fire Ants, Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women, Flounders Without Eyes, Slim Richey's Jitterbug Vipers, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and Vince Herman & Great American Taxi!

Some of our favorites from this year included:

• Robert Earl Keen - an engaging and distinctive songwriter and legendary Texas troubadour
• Hayes Carl - described as "he evokes Townes Van Zandt lyrically, Guy Clark emotionally, Steve Earle stylistically, and Ray Wylie Hubbard spiritually"
• BoDeans - one of the premier American roots rock bands with a sound based on heartfelt lyrics, passionate harmonies, and ringing guitars
• The Gourds - "whether you think of The Gourds as non-sequitur loving n'er-do-wells or post modern lyrical geniuses, their mandala like musical vignettes and gulps of down-home authenticity can not be denied" - I don't know what that means, but I sure enjoyed their music and what a hoot to watch
• Fred Eaglesmith - you love him or you can't stand him and we love his mix of of passionate, funny and moving music; ridiculously funny comedy (tears were rolling down my cheeks!) and sense of humor; and poignant observations
• Ray Wylie Hubbard - the elder statesman of the Texas music scene and a talented song writer of depth and originality with classics like "Up Against the Wall, Redneck Mother," "Snake Farm," and "Screw You, We're From Texas" - you got to love him with songs like that

Some of the others that we really enjoyed included: the country rock of Stonehoney, The Gibson Brothers bluegrass tunes; the variety of sounds (island to country to reggae) from Great American Taxi; the gorgeous powerful soprano voice of Betts; the soulful harmonies and virtuosi instrumentation from the vivacious and fun (ok, and very cute) Lovell Sisters; and the explosive bluegrass, gypsy swing, folk, funk, reggae, and jazz played by Green Mountain Grass.

Part of the festival is dedicated to encouraging a new generation of Americana Roots musicians. Various workshops, one of which was taught by the legendary Ray Wylie Hubbard, are intended to enhance skills. And the Youth Talent Competition allows young musicians to showcase their talents.

The campground is a mini festival in and of itself. The music kicks off on Thursday (four to midnight) on the campground stage which is in the center of Camp Ben McCulloch. In addition to music at the campground stage on Friday morning until noon and Sunday from 10 to 5, Friday and Saturday morning at 10 you can attend the Yoga session to loosen up the muscles, relax the mind, and get you ready for another fantastic day of music. During all hours of the day and night, the campground is awash with laughter, plenty of partying, the hunger busting smells of a variety of BBQ cooking on grills of all shapes and sizes, and the pickin' and singin' from multiple campfires. In fact, it's a blast to wander through the campground, stopping at multiple campsites to listen to groups of musicians (including some of the featured musicians) picking and playing around a campfire, under the trees or along the creek, or next to a table of food and booze. You'll hear some unbelievably talented singers and musicians. Music and partying in the campground goes on all day and into the wee hours of the morning. The campground is also a flashback to the old hippie days of the '60's with VW bus campers, buses painted with flowers and peace signs, plenty of tie-die stuff, the sweet odor of those funny cigarettes, and lots of good times with friends and family.

If for some strange reason, you get up early or get bored with the music, Old Settler's is close to Wimberly and Dripping Springs - two quaint small towns with shops, restaurants, and more. If you like to golf, there is a driving range nearby and Grey Wolf Golf Course is just 15 minutes away. In addition, within 20 minutes there are a couple great Texas Wineries.

You can bring you lawn chairs and blankets into the festival but no drinks or food. There are a few vendors, including the famous Salt Lick BBQ selling food and drinks. Fat Tire and a couple other beer breweries sell cold beer and wine.

If you like music of all types, then this is a must attend festival. Add it to your 2010 calendar - see you there!