Campout

Color war by day, low end by night. The Dirtybird family does the rare thing of making a festival feel like a backyard.

Redwood trees framing the main stage at dusk, fairy lights strung between trunks

The river was close enough that you could hear it between records. Cooks Valley is tucked into the Northern California redwoods and the whole setting works against everything a festival is supposed to be — no cell service, no VIP, no bottle service. Just the trees and the bassline.

Tents spread across the campground, mountains visible behind

Close-up of the stage structure woven between the redwood trunks

We played in the late afternoon slot when the golden hour was hitting the clearing at exactly the right angle. The crowd came from the swimming hole and they were loose, happy, exactly right. We went with the warmest, most analog cuts — the bossa stuff, the deep soul edits, things that sound like summer.

Sun coming through the redwoods at a low angle, dancers silhouetted

There's something about festivals where people sleep on-site. They're committed. They came to be changed, even just a little. That changes what you play for them.

Late night shot of the stage, crowd gathered close, forest behind

Filed under: reasons to keep doing this.