This upcoming weekend I will, along with many friends, be heading to the beautiful Nelson Ledges Quarry Park in Garrettsville, Ohio. This is the return of the much loved and bragged about Summerdance gathering. Amongst my group of friends the excitement is very high for this weekend.

One quick aside, many of my readers come from my racing roots, and they too know of Nelson Ledges, but likely are familiar with the Road Course. It is legendary in its own right, being one of the fastest road courses in North America. The Quarry Park is just up the road from the race track and is a beautiful swimming hole, camp ground, and outdoor stage. I cut my racing teeth by gaining my SCCA racing license at the Road Course, and similarly, I cut my music teeth by visiting the Quarry Park. If you have been to one but not the other, you are truly missing out.

Summerdance has returned to it roots with Lotus headlining the event again. The event is three nights, taking adavantage of the Labor Day weekend it spans this coming Friday to Monday. Lotus will play four sets total, two on Friday and two on Saturday. My readers know my fondness for Lotus, but is what is not likely apparent is Lotus’ fondness for the Ledges. They have played there for years and as a result carry a very loyal following into the quarry. This says many things about the gathering, the most important of which is that good vibes almost always reign supreme. Lotus fans turn up in droves, and that means that music fans are turning up in droves. Write that down on a 3 by 5 index card because its a recipe for a good time!

One thing to note is that Lotus is currently in build up to the release of their newest album “Monks.” Most notably, the new album is Hip Hop based and certainly steers the band in a new direction. Rather than pontificate, here is YouTube video for one the new songs.

 

 

What will this mean for Summerdance? There is a good chance we will get to hear some new tunes from Lotus. I personally can not wait. I like the above track, so much so that I per-ordered the album. You can check that out by heading over to the Lotus website.

In addition to Lotus, there is a huge number of really awesome artists playing at Summerdance. Beard-o-Bees, a Lotus spin off will be playing. Grimace Federation, Zoogma, Manhattan Project, Broccoli Samurai, all excellent acts will hit the stage. Finally, a personal favorite of mine, Orchard Lounge will be on stage Friday just before the Lotus sets. If you aren’t familiar with their laid back DJ style, I suggest you give them a listen. That’s why I provided a YouTube link below. I will warn you though, the link is just a brief take on what is a long and virtuous history. It is on this note that I leave you, have fun and be safe this Labor Day weekend no matter where you are!