Gathering of the Vibes Just Weeks Away

Summer's officially upon us. And that means it's time to head to the beach, to soak in the warm air, to embrace relaxation.

And for what's now become a staple in Fairfield County, summer's a time to celebrate live music and the arts.

On July 21, the four-day . This year marks the 16th celebration of the annual festival.

Festival promoter Ken Hays, who lives in Weston, recently expressed his enthusiasm of how things are shaping up as the Vibes approaches.

“I feel that the Vibes 2011 is falling together beautifully,” Hays said. “Based on ticket sales to date as compared to last year, if this trend continues, camping will sell out in advance.” Hays said VIP tickets are “selling very well now” and those tickets are likely to sell out in advance as well.

Even if camping passes sell out, Hays said, “we have plenty of room for people to come to Seaside Park for the day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.”

Hays said there’s a new offer at the Vibes this year for Connecticut residents.

“If you’re a Connecticut resident and you show up at the gates on Sunday and show your photo ID indicating you’re a Connecticut resident, tickets are $20 at the gate,” Hays said. “We’re encouraging folks to come down with the kids.”

All in all, Hays is happy with the feedback he’s heard thus far.

“We’re thrilled with the responses that we’ve had so far and it’s really encouraging to see so many Connecticut residents and families that are planning to join us at the Vibes this summer,” he said.

The music

The Gathering of the Vibes was founded to celebrate the life of legendary Grateful Dead guitarist and singer Jerry Garcia, who passed away in 1995. Hays has said in the past that he aims to assemble an eclectic assortment of musicians at the festival, as Garcia was a fan of all types of music.

So who's there to see at the festival this year?

Headlining this year's festival is Furthur, a band championed by former Grateful Dead members bassist Phil Lesh and rhyhtm guitarist Bob Weir. Other notable acts include Jane's Addiction, moe., the Levon Helm Band, Toots & The Maytals and Elvis Costello & The Imposters. To see a full list of bands, click here.

Each year, Hays also makes sure to add the musical spice of Connecticut-based bands to the festival's lineup. Patch recently spoke to two such bands: The McLovins and Kung Fu.

The McLovins

The McLovins — a teenaged trio comprised of drummer and vocalist Jake Huffman, bassist Jason Ott and guitarist Jeff Howard, of Gransby, Simsbury and Canton — will take the main stage at the Vibes on Saturday, July 23.

“We’re kind of like an improvisational rock group,” Huffman said. “We have a lot of influences from jazz to rock to eletronica to indie music. We have our own sound and kind of branch off into everything.”

The McLovins, in a way, are products of the digital age. The band posted a video on YouTube of themselves covering Phish’s complex “You Enjoy Myself.” Phish “phans” — as they’re known — discovered their rendition, and word spread across a popular band message board.

What happened next, as they say, is history.

“It was crazy,” Huffman said. “We had tons of YouTube comments. It plunged us into the Internet being our source of advertising and how we get our name out there.”

Huffman said the band has a couple of tricks up its collective sleeve for the Vibes.

“People should expect to be surprised,” he said. “We’re planning a really, really good show. People will kind of understand who we are after this gig.”

Huffman and Ott will have graduated from high school by the time the Vibes rolls around, but Howard will not yet have.

“We’re staying close and local, so we’ll keep playing together,” he said.

Kung Fu           

New Haven-based Kung Fu, according to guitarist Tim Palmieri, is a “funk-fusion band.”

“We do improvise, but we don’t go on for super-extended jams,” Palmieri said. “Everything is funky — harmonically or tempo-wise. It’s a little complex, but it’s high energy music.”

Kung Fu is a five-piece band, featuring Palmieri, keyboardist Todd Stoops, bassist Dave Livolsi, saxophonist Rob Somerville and drummer Adrian Tramantano.

“There’s a funk-jazz aspect to the group,” Palmieri said. “The majority of what we play is instrumental, and we play more originals than covers. But no matter what, people are dancing. It’s definitely groove-oriented. It’s highbrow-dance-party-funk.”

Palmieri said the band's excited to perform at the Vibes on Friday, July 22.

“Vibes is going to be off the hook, weather permitting,” Palmieri said. “Last year, the weather was outstanding. It was like a dream festival. It was beautiful.”

Kung Fu's debut CD will be ready in time for the Vibes, Palmieri said. The band's having a record release party on Thursday, June 30 at Daniel Street in Milford. Doors open at 8 p.m., with music starting at 9 p.m. Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the door, and advanced tickets are recommended. Tickets can be purchased online here.

For more information on the Gathering of the Vibes, visit the festival's website.