Suwannee Spring Reunion “25: High Vibration / High Impact

Welcome back festivarians to the Wranglers’ ten-year anniversary tour as we continue to sashay through the Florida spring festival season at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park with the 7th annual Suwannee Spring Reunion March 20-23, 2025. This is Johnny Sixpack’s JamKamp and the House of the Cracked Rib. Headliners Sam Bush, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna the Buffalo, Kitchen Dwellers, Peter Rowan Walls of Time Band with Don Grant Reggaebilly, Larry Keel’s Electric Lady Land, Jim Lauderdale, The Ain’t Sisters, The Nikki Talley Band, The Grass is Dead and so much more filled the coffers with hits of the tightest ilk while the Suwannee forest did what it always did and took care of the heavy lifting. Don’t look now but you’ve found yourself back to Suwannee Spring Reunion “25: High Vibration / High Impact.

sashay (v) – to walk in an ostentatious yet casual manner, typically with exaggerated movements of the hips and shoulders.

They came with purpose, three “gentlemen” poets who without drive or design would be sitting in the depths of the shadows, fraternity style. This was something altogether different. If you build it, they will come. Even without Big Betty the template proved effective, once again in creating a small space where magik is want to happen. Good job Tommy Lazarus. Back from the dead. Anything helps. And Ka’aoli the diplomat. With friends like these, who needs enigmas?

You have found yourself deeper into your forest. This is the maze inside the maze and the game within the game. It’s just life but at this level, everything is more than it seems. Somewhere hidden is the key that unlocks all doors. There’s two jokers in every deck and you must be this tall to ride this ride. This is March in the sunshine state and the parade of the ouroboros has continued to bear fruit as the procession’s promise to travel Florida without the use of interstates plays out in beautiful detail. The slower pace, the moss covered backroads, less cops and hideaway surprises. This was a page out of Tamiami’s book in a season when everything reminded Lucy of him. No one loved Florida more than he, from the moss-covered backroads to it’s whelk covered beaches. Wherever he went he was sashaying. After months in the high country winter, her clothes were suited for this climate as it remained the medicine to cure all ailments.

Ka’aoli knew from experience that a monster pile of firewood was the main ingredient for the party they were trying to build and it was far easier than being talented or even clever. The consigliere forked out the pretty penny for lumber in a county where recently, half the trees had been knocked down. Same as it ever was, this is the potluck. The bi-annual celebration where both the Hatfields and the McCoys come to frolic in the forest together. The fire would need to burn long into the night. After all, this is Live Oak.

Payasita and an invite to Clown Town. Lucy didn’t know if the little girl clown was the downest to clown but she was definitely downer than most. Always willing to learn from professionals. Lucy wasn’t certified by measure but she was easily influenced as soon as Payasita planted a clown nose on her beak. She was a crying on the inside clown in a band of  “curious” Winnie the Poohs.

They banged a gong a couple weeks earlier at Amp Jam and it had been a special return to the park. Tuesday of this week one could look around the kamp party and realize that Spring Reunion was going to be a remarkably “heady” endeavor. The roster was filled with attendees of an unusually colorful palette and this cast of characters would come with their own set of motivations and direction. Oh the humanity!

The sun shines on every dog’s butt once. The Counselor was in the right when he pushed for the high vibration, low impact this year. After last year’s debacle they had been judged and found wanting. With scant amounts of control and focus, this year was the right sauce, and in this scene, with it’s love and protection, stirred a contagion of the highest impact. Where the magic happens. Where the rubber meets the road. Not in the dark, behind rows of tapestries. Welcome to Johnny Sixpack’s, home of the smoked-cracked rib and right on the street, with the people. In the Suwannee dirt, where everything comes from. You are the super spreader event. The jam on the jelly roll.

Welcome to Jamkamp. Abandon hope all ye who enter here. Your only hope is, come morning, you’re left with at least one kidney. They’d learned everything they could from Waffle, Sunshine, Scotty Smiles and Space Dog and this year the Hobo Kamp was raised by the crisis unit. Tommy Lazarus, Ka’aoli of the Cracked Rib and Lucy Loo. From Easy Ed Broyles they learned to keep the guitars warmed up. Dance monkey dance. From Pedro’s wisdom, they put the fire out by the street. This game is chess, not checkers. This crowd was getting better at creating and wiping away their footprint at the Suwannee. Certainly not bad work if you can get it. Find out how to get paid for doing what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. What did Blanco sing? “We’re gonna do it even if it doesn’t pay.” Thanks to the pickers from Fireside Collective and Glass Camels for joining the circle. Thanks to Rooster for sliding in with the Lionel Richie three-shot. It doesn’t pay to well, but the campfire jams at Suwannee Spring Reunion are best version of something.

Somewhere along the way, Capt. Dominique Michelle noted the nearly sacred timing that was beginning to occur at random. Lucienda figured it was happening everywhere and a result of a higher level of spiritual planning. Completely by accident, but at the same time, cultivated and practiced. They didn’t even recognize they were holding the key ring, opening all the doors. Step inside, we’ve been waiting for you.

They came from the high country as well. The 828 sent their best and brightest, men who claimed towers for a living, scraping their knuckles on the very heavens. Pirate of the Sea? More like fruitcake of the Sea. Was Wizard’s Lord of the Rings rag a map of Watauga County, North Carolina. You absolutely cannot make this stuff up. Somewhere along the way they had exchanged key cards; the Fruitcake of the Sea was now a Debris Monitor and Lucienda was an Energy Advisor?

Varying dimensions and more. Lucy was surrounded by people who claimed to be able to see different dimensions and beings from those dimensions. Lucy, an admitted simpleton knew she was grounded, literally to the dirt of this dimension and was unable to see others. The hard truth was that Lucy was busy enough dealing with this plateau of reality and at the end of the day, was busy trying to figure out this circus and these monkeys. This firmament here was more than enough for her simple reptilian brain.

A Pirate’s Life. When it came to boots on the ground, the administrative crisis team earned their money. What’s a Kamp to do with grease balls? The wooks were either working or paying their way while the “respectful”folks were the ones trying to slide. Be careful the long arm of the hook. They had the Ween flag, the Kenny Chesney and all manner betwixt and between. As usual, Kamp Happiness went home with none as they had been pilfered and pillaged by their own fleet as they had done to them the day before. It had always been an uncomfortable alliance, but after they cleaned the entire camp of jolly’s they and ate eat other like rats in a barrel. Frightening. Unpleasant. Predictable fun. Colorful were the stories of men who passed through dangerous waters, unaware they were being hunted. This is how we learn. As he walked by the Fallout Shelter about nine in the morning he noticed his Jolly Roger hanging over Lucy’s Kamp. He barked, “That’s my flag! My wife bought me that flag. It’s very special. Someone stole it this morning.” Lucy chirped back, “Yes sir, that was me. It was about five-thirty this morning. A real stealth mission with a small team. Thanks for making it so easy.” As Lucy turned to get the flag down for the gentleman she quickly turned, “Before we go any further. Full disclosure sir. We have slopped paint all over your flag and tagged it. Pedro accidentally wrote Amp Jam. Just don’t want you to freak out anymore when you see it.” Or the Ween fan; “I don’t have to steal it back, it’s mine!” I’m not sure that math checks out sir. Just be careful, we are reasonably respectful but we are not the only pirates in this forest.

Barbarella’s brown chili went down well with Bobby’s tequila and bag of beers. Did Dylan really restring his own doghouse bass with twine? How does Shakes lose a tank and come back with the same bass? Strange bedfellows to be sure. Don’t threaten me with a good time. Whether it was Sgt. Sargent playing Lowell George or Steve Click opening with “Lawyers, Guns and Money”, the proof is in the pudding and the truth remains, this is our pickin’ festival. The family jam is the butter on the biscuit. It’s the four am push that goes all the way to the next morning. When it’s real good and everyone is in the pocket…don’t touch that dial. Just ride it out baby. There will be ample time for sleep when you’re dead. Even Tommy Lazarus complained about the six am set but, as always, he was just fooling. He knew that’s exactly where he wanted his festival dollar to go.

It was Sticky Finger Nick’s dirty thirty birthday and yes, the question was how that thug ever made it past twenty-seven. Some mysteries are best left unsolved. The Krewe le Confusion had harvested some of the bivouac material and built a replica of a mainsail that filled with wind, and along with the jolly Rogers, burst forth in a vision of Spanish galleon majesty on the hunt for booty. There was no way that woman was his real mother. She was way too classy. A mix up in the hospital perhaps?

Her Spaceness was hoping to be baker acted as soon as possible, that way she would be back in 72 hours with time left to enjoy the show. Lessons learned from Scottie Smiles years ago. She remembered a page out of his book, just tape her to a tree and hang bells around her to keep away the crazies. No sarcasm, he pleaded. It was not going to help in the long run. Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?

Gnome on the Range. Who knew? Ticks are attracted to forest gnomes so it is behooven to you to have a few around. They end up covered with ticks and Lyme disease, thus slippery face. Sorry Gnomita, Bell’s Paulsey is no excuse for bad behavior. There’s no place like gnome when you’re comfortably gnome. Not to mistaken for an elf, the gnome apparently found a semi-crusted dinosaur footprint in Luke Sidewalker’s retention pond. Great gravy, one sees plenty of strange and unusual science in these woods. Be wary not to collect too many gnomes. One or two is perfect. Any more than that and they can be a real handful, especially if they think they’re being clever, which is usually.

It rings for thee, not me. It was a whose who of the best and the brightest. Trinket and all her sass was there. K$ was there. Blanco led the music circle while blowing flames of moonshine. The Gravedigger split the Cialis and the engineer came away with the Mississippi blue-ribbon, most improved award. He selflessly strung up the camouflage bivouac before proceeding to purge his tequila completely on the Oldsmowagon’s front tire. For what was thought to be his curtain call he lifted his frame completely off the ground and slung himself, sideways through Tommy Lazarus’ screened in kitchen, crushing both table and prep station. After that low water mark, he did somehow manage to pull himself together and advance with little or no drama. He even managed to score some tail which seemed unfathomable at the time. Thank you Lightnin’ Steve for the Lost Lands ground score. The rest of the bivowak ended up with Capt. Delsin and the Suwannee River Pirate thugs.

The family jam boasted the talents of Leonard the Broken Banjist, Ka,aoli and the ten-year plan, Rooster, the Cock of the Walk, Blancito, Gravedigger and more. Patrick lead the sunrise session as the Suwannee faithful watched another day break over the forest. Please remember that posting videos of KH is strictly forboden.

When exactly did Sean get the keys to the castle and the house divided golf cart? Nothing’s free in this world. Enjoy that Jamaican dry rub my friend. And speaking of the higher vibration, I hope Grandpa Jack had a good time at Spring Reunion. Promises had been made. After the low vibration of last year, Lucienda had given assurances to the Ain’t Sisters that this year they would make an effort to remember this was a family bluegrass festival and not a completely different animal. There would be no amplification of any sort (except for the spitting gnome). They donated the megaphone to Camp Wet Noodle out by the Farm Field. Thanks to Rick for rigging the megaphone with some type of lawn mower battery. The boys are back in town. Tommy Lazarus had brand new teeth. Ladies, the line forms to the right. Richard donated a hooka to the KH smoking room. Thanks to all of the premier premium card holders for supporting the beautiful people. It’s the key that opens all doors and with great power comes great responsibility.

Suwannee River Pirates. A big takeaway this festival was sailors realizing they were in unsafe waters. It’s good when reasonable adults can come together and parlay in good faith. But mind you, we are not the only pirates in these woods. There are other clans in the River Pirate family and they are not so respectful. They are the other, separated by disrespect and hair mites. The hard truths remain; when they steal your flag from us, you are no longer dealing with us, you have a new problem, wheeling and dealing with uncultured swine. If you love your Ween jolly, keep it close, ever so close. There is no stoppin’ what can’t be stopped. At some point the truth reared its ugly head in the realization that most of the kamps stealing flags back and forth were members of the same family. It really makes it tough for an outsider who doesn’t know what’s going on.                           This is how we learn.

Beware the wenches. These are loose alliances, writ the faintest pencil. At some point, we eat our own. In one rare case, The Pirate of the Sea woke up to a madman slurping rum from his belly button. Just lie back and let it happen and you’re welcome.

VIP goes to Ka,aoli. The Consigliere. The Counselor. Only break one law at a time and don’t be quick to call parents when life goes sideways. Lies through omission. The five year plan even bore fruit as his accordion stylings didn’t end up with him being taped upside down to a turkey oak. What you call rachet he pronounces rachay. High Vibration. Low Impact

Visit the Spring Reunion website and like their social media sites on Facebook. Check out the basement pulp of our Wook Wranglers line of state of the art social media outlets. The world is yours. Thank you to the staff, the park, the procurers of other camps, the loose nuts and bolts and mostly the underbelly of Kamp Happiness that continue to help provide a open place for all to congregate and unspool. Even gnomes. Although honestly, you let a few gnomes move in and well…you get it. Gnomification.

They spent Monday night with the bourgeoisie on river road, not far from Kendall and Kendall. They spent Tuesday down the street in some cracker house that belonged to the first governor or Florida. You can’t write this stuff. Believe what you want. You think we publish, higgly-piggly all that’s fit to print? Heckfire no, if we recounted half the stuff that gets caught in the net we’d be shut down like a bad daycare. Loose lips sink ships and those are the stories of a bygone era. It’s the straight and narrow from here on out.

Now they were headed out. naturally with Whorehay, with a bee-line to Steph’s house and then it was due south, along with side B of Jimmy Buffett’s Son of a Sailor. He was headed to the mouth of the rat and Pedro and Senor Rivera in Delray. It’s still spring in Florida with a top speed of three-quarter time. Plan A was still in effect.

Keep up with the Wranglers as we dangle lightly until Resonate Suwannee in May and then forward into a summer of festival slop, including FloydFest, Mountain Music Festival and more. Believe what you want. Down to clown? Thanks again for everything. Spring Reunion remains the acorn that becomes the oak. It’s where the journey begins and ultimately where it all ends up. Music lives here.                    Namaste y’all.