Summer Camp Music Festival

Summer Camp Music Festival is the camp at Three Sisters Park, in Chillicothe, Illinois, about 20 miles north of Peoria. Jay Goldberg Events & Entertainment produces it, also written Jay Goldberg Events and Entertainment. Ian Goldberg founded it in 2001. moe. has headlined since that first time. Umphrey's McGee came in during 2003, when the weekend became Memorial Day. In 2010 the local paper called it the tenth annual, and Jam Productions Ltd. presented it too. In May 2023 Ian wrote of twenty-three years of memories. Both counts fit a start in 2001.

The first time gathered about 1,000 people. One note speaks of 11 bands. The 2010 paper speaks of more than 20, on two stages and over two days. Both counts stand. By 2010 there were more than 10,000 people, with more than 55 bands on five stages, a children's camp and camping in the park. A three-day ticket with simple camping was 120 dollars. On 16 May 2023 Ian announced a pause after that run. The park would still get a redefined camp from 2024, presented by Summer Camp. One note printed the weekend as 26, 27 and 28 May. The person who camped those days also walked Thursday the 25th. Both dates stand.

Ryan Storm camped the whole weekend for the first time. The ground stayed clean and the bands came out on time. On Thursday the 25th, in the VIP room, Joel Cummins, Kyle Hollingsworth and Jason Hann played together for the first time. Hollingsworth almost did not get into the park. They opened with Turtle Shoes, by Herbie Hancock and Bobby McFerrin, piano and electric piano at once. They went on with In The Kitchen, also written In the Kitchen, and with Let's Go Outside, by String Cheese Incident, on a Moog Voyager. They closed with Reelin' in the Years. The full room stood up. On Friday the 26th Umphrey's McGee played Pure Saturation, Draconian and Puppet String. Kanika Moore sang What's Love Got To Do With It, by Tina Turner. On the Sunshine stage, Goose stretched Echo of a Rose, Thatch and Hungersite.

On Saturday the 27th, at one, Melt took the Starshine stage. Veronica Stewart-Frommer sang. Fade Into You went into the instrumental Duh Duh. Eric Gabriel led the keys and handed them to Marlo Shankweiler. Andres Valbuena and Lucas Saur closed the tune. Jake Brownstein, of Eggy, sat in on Inside. The other three from Eggy sang The Best, also for Tina Turner. In the VIP room, Everyone Orchestra, led by Matt Butler, made up pieces about lava lamps, snacks and the photographer Jay Blakesberg. On the stage were Vinnie Amico, Al Schnier, Joel Cummins, Marlo, Veronica, Alana Rocklin and Adam Fox. Cory Wong, on Moonshine, did 75 minutes of instrumentals, without his touring singer. Smooth Move opened and closed a sandwich with Lee in the middle. Kevin Gastonguay let the synthesizer go. He closed with Meditation. Les Claypool's Fearless Flying Frog Brigade played Animals, by Pink Floyd, from start to finish. moe. passed through West L.A. Fadeaway.

At night, on Moonshine, the bill read moe. and Umphrey's McGee. They opened with Moth, with Brendan Bayliss on guitar beside moe. Meat, which is not the Phish song, arrived with Jake Cinninger and Joel Cummins. Ryan got there on foot in the middle of Meat: Jake Cinninger, Chuck Garvey and Al Schnier were out front, with the rest of moe. In The Kitchen carried Al Schnier. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed, also written In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed, joined moe. with Bayliss and Andy Farag. moe. started Rebubula and Umphrey's closed it, with the band change mid-song. The Silent Type carried Chuck Garvey and Nate Wilson. They closed the stretch with Crosseyed and Painless, also written Crosseyed & Painless, with (Don't Fear) The Reaper, also written Don't Fear The Reaper, and with We're An American Band. On the giant cowbell, Rob Derhak hit with a mallet, and another note says it was an oversized drum stick. Both stand. Ben Atkind, of Goose, and Mike Dillon joined the cowbell. Kris Myers sang the close. At midnight, 90 minutes of Umphrey's remained. They opened and closed that stretch with All in Time, also written All In Time. Joel Cummins went back to the Moog Voyager. Papadosio went on late at the Campfire stage, with no single title.

On Sunday the 28th Willie Nelson took Moonshine for an hour, at 90, with his son Lukas Nelson beside him. Willie's previous time in that park was in 2009. It's Hard To Be Humble sounded. As he left he threw his hat. Lukas later sat in with moe. on Mexico. Umphrey's closed the festival and invited moe. for the encore: Don't You (Forget About Me), by Simple Minds, from 1985. Bayliss said that the first time he arrived he sat down to eat and the people from moe. sat beside him and talked to him like any other person. That made him feel legitimate. Meat is not Moth. Thursday the 25th is not Friday the 26th. The 11 bands of the start are not the more than 20.