11th Annual ALL GOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL announces 2007 lineup

2007-03-14

MASONTOWN, WV (March 13, 2007) – Walther Productions is bringing the All Good Music Festival into its second decade by embracing its roots and remaining true to the core fans who have made this one of the East Coast’s longest-running and most popular camping and music events.

The 11th Annual ALL GOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL is celebrating the diversity and loyalty of the improvisational music scene with its most extensive and intensive lineup to date. The mid-Atlantic’s premier camping event will be held July 13-15 at Marvin’s Mountaintop in Masontown, WV, the 675-acre, panoramic setting adjacent to Morgantown that enters its fifth consecutive year as the festival’s home.

Bob Weir & RatDog, moe., Keller Williams, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Les Claypool, Dark Star Orchestra, Yonder Mountain String Band, Sound Tribe Sector 9 – all consistent leading attractions on the scene since All Good’s birth – join Lotus, Tea Leaf Green, Ozric Tentacles, Perpetual Groove, AOD (Assembly of Dust), PBS (Porter-Batiste-Stoltz), Soldiers of Jah Army, New Monsoon, Will Hoge, West Indian Girl and Lovewhip as the first wave of acts announced for the 11th Annual ALL GOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL.

“We’ve put together a potent lineup with no weak links,” says promoter Tim Walther, who founded the festival in 1997. “And who better to anchor this roster than the acts that have been the essence of this scene for as long as we’ve been around.”

The East Coast’s mid-summer live music highlight has become a certified monster of a musical gathering that Billboard says is “unlike many large festivals.” Capacity crowds of over 15,000 fans gather annually for three full days and nights of live music set against the landscape of the majestic and magnificent natural wonder and grandeur of Marvin’s Mountaintop.

ALL GOOD’s 2007 music lineup has a wide-ranging, phenomenal groove that unites jam, bluegrass, southern rock, New Orleans funk, electronica, prog rock, reggae, indie, soul, singer-songwriters and more for the soundtrack to a peacefully spirited vibe that has remained an ALL GOOD constant since 1997. And as always, musical highlights are bountiful. This year, Bob Weir & RatDog make their Walther Productions debut in a newly energized formation when they lead a roster filled with artists who have certainly been influenced by Weir’s first band, the Grateful Dead. moe., an All Good favorite, returns to host an unprecedented two full sets, including a late-night all-star jam with many surprise guests. Politically charged rock hip-hop combo Michael Franti & Spearhead arrive in the midst of selling out much of the nation’s biggest showcase clubs with rhythms and melody fueled by their recent trip to war-torn Iraq. British psychedelic improve legends Ozric Tentacles mark their 25th anniversary by reuniting their original lineup, while dub-influenced breakbeat psychedelics Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) also promise a refreshing All Good debut. Three-fourths of the New Orleans legends the funky Meters come together as PBS (Porter-Batiste-Stoltz), while AOD (Assembly of Dust) reconvenes atop the mountain for the first time as radio chart-leaders. Hometown heroes Soldiers of Jah Army (SOJA) are rewarded with an All Good slot for packing some of the most prestigious regional concert rooms, while Lovewhip finally gets to show why they were last year’s SonicBids contest winner. Two more unknown, unsigned and up-and-coming artists will be discovered and showcased through SonicBids (www.sonicbids.com) this summer.

Indeed, the All Good is a full blown extravaganza, complete with top quality production, state of the art sound and lights, an authentic variety of food and craft vendors, art and sculpture, a kid’s area, family camping, interactive artisan workshops, microbrews and, new to the festival, an “Even Better” VIP ticket option. Music fans can always rely on enjoying 40 hours of original music, all centrally located with no overlapping sets.

“Bad attitudes are not accepted,” says Walther. “The intention has always been to create a safe environment where fans, friends and family can enjoy the music and each other — to experience an all good festival with all good music, all good vibes and all good times. People show up expecting everything to be all good, and as its own living entity… it always is.”

The ALL GOOD FESTIVAL is the flagship event of Maryland-based Walther Productions, and its growth has paralleled the growth of the concert company. Last year, more roads were added and more fields were cleared to accommodate the large crowds in the manner to which they’ve become accustomed. And people were amazed to discover that the congestion problems that plague most festivals of this size have been effectively eliminated. Variety, originality and creativity are plentiful; hard-nose rules and regulations are not. By treating patrons with an uncommon level of respect like one big family, they’re bound at ALL GOOD by a common celebratory love of music, and a sense of excitement coupled with the grandeur of the great outdoors, setting a prevailing tone of inherent tranquility and camaraderie.

Marvin’s Mountaintop, with its glorious natural backdrop, has proven to be a wonderful destination for ALL GOOD patrons since the festival settled here in 2003. Marvin’s Mountaintop boasts magnificent surroundings overlooking the West Virginia mountains and Cheat River. They echo the relaxed spirit and gentle atmosphere of the ALL GOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL. Marvin’s Mountaintop is a lovely, safe environment where family and friends gather to enjoy the great outdoors while listening to the music, with a wide range of outdoor activities for children and adults. ALL GOOD always is about offering feel-good music to “all good” people and giving them an entirely positive weekend experience brimming with the strength of optimism and community spirit.

The list of artists confirmed to play the 11th Annual ALL GOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL to date:

Bob Weir & RatDog
moe. (+ additional All Good All-Star Jam hosted by moe.)
Keller Williams
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Les Claypool
Dark Star Orchestra
Yonder Mountain String Band
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) (performing late night set)
Lotus
Tea Leaf Green
Ozric Tentacles
Perpetual Groove
AOD (Assembly of Dust)
PBS (Porter-Batiste-Stoltz)
Soldiers of Jah Army (SOJA)
New Monsoon
Will Hoge
West Indian Girl
Lovewhip

…plus many more TBA

More bands, guest musicians, and festival activities are to be announced in the coming weeks.

Early-Bird Tickets are just $89 and will be offered for a limited time only, while supplies last through www.allgood.musictoday.com and www.jambasetickets.com or charge by phone by calling 1-800-594-TIXX. Buy early and save over $55 on the gate price.

For complete information, visit the official ALL GOOD web site at: www.allgoodfestival.com

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