Indecision had wrapped up the side stage for the day, and after their set the masses migrated towards the main stage.

Thus it was indeed possible to see all of the bands at the festival, except of course for the Emerging Artists stage pumping away in the campgrounds all day long. Their happy groove was back in action as they ripped through old classics such as 'Humanoid Boogie' and new tunes including 'Little Black Cat' before tearing through the audience with their expansive jamming on 'Bible Salesman.' Unlike many other festivals, where upon arrival and a cursory glance at the schedule fans realize conflicting stage schedules necessitate some tough choices, the MidX festival staggered the bands to all but eliminate overlaps. Despite performing only intermittently in past years they've been taking a more active role again lately, having also appeared at the Bonnaroo festival earlier in the summer. Formed in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1984, they were a jamband before anyone knew what a jamband was. Indecision was next up on the side stage.

Back on tour again after a few years off the road, they kicked right back into high gear, bursting into longtime favorite 'Rain' as well as the title track to their album 'Welcome to My Party.' Drummer Jim Donovan also hosted a drum jam the next afternoon where dozens of audience members got to slam along in call-and-response and improv settings. The groovy sounds of Plaid Iguana Project and the wailing guitar soul of Moonshine Still inspired an influx of fans, as afternoon slowly drifted towards evening, and Rusted Root prepared to take the stage. The sound quality on the side stage was equally impressive, with the soundman working overtime to maintain the level of quality despite the vast differences in instrumentation and philosophies of the various bands coming through. Being able to watch the bands from a shaded spot was a nice touch, even in the pleasant mid-70s weather the Allegheny Mountains had welcomed us with. Ubiquitone followed, digging their psychedelic roots into the Grandstand, otherwise known as the MidX side stage, with songs including 'Coming for You' and 'Good Road.' Dancers had plenty of space in the open area up front, while those seeking to escape the sun could relax in the covered bleachers. The sound quality was crisp and clear all weekend, with nothing but green trees and mountain valleys to absorb the tones. The main stage area featured plenty of space to spread out, with food and other vendors lined up against the back. Mood Cultivation Project had the honor of opening the festival on Friday afternoon, pumping their blend of southern rock through the massive PA system. The campgrounds also hosted the Emerging Artists stage, where younger bands such as the McCloskey Brothers and Gomachi got to play based on votes tallied at the Mid-Atlantic website. The campsites were just a short walk away from the music and featured several beer and water stands sprinkled throughout. They brought this experience to bear in creating a festival packed to the brim with great music in a setting which proved comfortable for all in attendance. While this was the inaugural edition of the Mid-Atlantic Music Experience, the organizers at Gamelan Productions have been running the renowned BerkFest in Massachusetts for six years now. They say an army travels on its stomach, and this jamband junta of argonauts and audiophiles had plenty of ammunition for their travels. Of course the traditional festival fare was also available, but alongside Bearly Edible and the Irie Kitchen were the hot-fudge phantasms of Trudy's Dairy World and the carnivorous creations of Swanky Franky's. Thus it was possible, were one to have the predilection, to walk mere steps outside The New Deal's latenight set at 3 in the morning, sit yourself down on a barstool at Doug's Food Palace, and order up an obscene amount of delicious delectables. But it's a different feeling entirely when a festival inhabits a pre-assembled site, in this case the local fairgrounds of a tiny West Virginia town. It's always impressive to watch a concert site appear in the middle of nowhere, built from the dust of a family farm or carved into a clearing in the woods. From the opening notes of Mood Cultivation Project to the final encore of Widespread Panic, fans were treated to an amazing weekend of phenomenal performances, air-tight grooves, and beautiful sunny skies. Three days of fun in the sun came off without a hitch as 35 bands tore up the four stages at MidX. Would you like some gravy with your Disco Biscuits? The watchword for the weekend was 'infrastructure' as the 1st Annual Mid-Atlantic Music Experience came to the State Fair Event Center in Lewisburg, West Virginia.

Disco biscuit gravy mix