Peace Fest is nine years old this year. It’s been through many manifestations, with all kinds of tangles along the way, but at its root, Like the Occupy movements currently catching fire around the globe, it’s an exercise in community-building, non-violent political advocacy, non-hierarchical and consensus-based decision making, elucidation of our current political problems, and scheming toward solutions.

I hope you can join the good folks there. They’re likely still looking for volunteers, and might even have room for more bands, speakers and vendors.

Get in touch with them on Facebook.

Circle up!

Well, the dream is ours so lets begin a short story about 4 folks like us: Everyone, Someone, Anyone and No-one

Like all projects, there are some important tasks to do. Everyone was really busy and was sure that Someone had more time to do most of these tasks, but Someone thought Anyone could do them.

However Anyone couldn’t do them, and so unless Anyone made Someone realize that Someone was the best person to do those jobs, Everyone ended up allocating the jobs to No-one.

We are ALL one and each of us are the best at something that everyone else needs on this up coming 11/11/11 as a gathering of individuals entertaining themselves in the name of peace on a very unique day in a very unique place. Not a festival or party since our goal is to gather as brothers and sisters in unity as a dis-organization in harmonic irony relative to what folks normally expect. Peaceful anarchy!

How can anarchy be peaceful? An honest attempt to allow everyone the ability to be themselves and pitch in as the leader of their own kind intentions for the benefit of all who enter this experiment in peace. We blur the lines between entertainers and those being entertained by separating the barriers normally created at a “festival” where folks come with expectations to get their money’s worth. No formal stages or MC’s yet there will instead be a circle in the center where musicians , poets or performers can express themselves.

Too quiet? well we expect to provide some amplification but not pointing at a crowd! Instead the circle will have an UN-plugged jam session like feel where those who need to plug in will have monitors pointing inward such that those playing can hear themselves but the gear that broadcasts outward from the circle will be basic ad just load enough that folks can just gather closer. No sound balance on purpose! Yeah this is what ya might hear when you are in your living room with you and your buddies on a Sunday afternoon having fun with sound. Imagine a guitar amp pointing North, the bass amp pointing East, the vocals pointing south ad the keyboard’s amp pointing to the west with a drum kit in the middle!

Sound insane? Well to top it off there is no formal schedule! You or you and who ever joins ya can sign up with a open jam plan…Wanna do an alternative thing, likewise in the circle. Folks hear too much Bass? well scoot over to the North…Insane ain’t it??? A harmony experiment that defies the normal devices enacted at a festival with folks “in charge”. On 11/11/11-13 in San Jhan our aim is simply to focalize chaos and see what happens when we do it with kindness. Sure if ya got a great idea, lets try it out!

Wanna vend? Guess what!? As long as you ain’t selling weapons or harming anything, go for it! Just bring your gear that ya need to do it because nobody is in charge of money here. You will need a light source like a candle or other. Plus if you don’t dig tables, just lay out a sheet or rug. If your stuff has a good vibe, folks will love it!

Trade, sell, give…it’s all good, but remember tat you are in charge of the dream you bring here. Wanna sell food? We only ask that in the name of Peace, for just this one day to minumise food made from critters. About booze… John, the elder who owns the land will have it for y’all who like a cold one.

Camping? Yep, there will be a wide spot far from any sound that might disturb peaceful sleep and besides, we are focalizing a low tech sound that encourages folks to gather in closer to tune into the vibrations so it’s fair to say that your sleep will be undisturbed….Now what about parking…well if you wanna vend ad will use the wheels to do that or say, sleep in it, then we’ll find space one would reckon. The rest of the traffic may be parked off site yet nearby such that a short hike will get ya there ad perhaps we’ll eve find a shuttle. One might say perhaps since this whole gathering is about You.

Got something to contribute? Welcome! I know some folks are providing food for anyone willing to enjoy it minus cash! …Cash…hmmm…well there will be some costs to everything so if ya come, you might see somebody walking around asking for donations. You don’t have to but if you do, it’s just what ya fel like giving. Remember, it’s folks we want to gather, not money.