Concert Review: HippieFest 2007 at Wolf Trap

by Rick Landers.

On July 30, 2007, Wolf Trap, America's National Park for the Performing Arts located in Vienna, Virginia, was a land of more than a thousand faces when hit makers from the ‘60s and ‘70s arrived in top form at this year’s sold-out HippieFest 2007. The venue was packed by a multi-generation crowd that included a fair share of boomers.

There wasn’t a single act to draw the crowd. All of the groups in their own right were worthy of grabbin’ a fair share of fans. The solid lineup included the Zombies, Mitch Ryder, Badfinger with Joey Molland, The Turtles, Country Joe McDonald, Felix Cavaliere's Rascals and Mountain.

Wolf Trap set the stage with an authentic looking light show and long banners hanging in technicolored flower power. The outdoor theater was the perfect spot for people who wanted to share a blanket, wine coolers and munchies. And as hot as it was the, crowd stuck around ‘til the end when Leslie West unleashed some monster guitar licks during his still-powerful “Mississippi Queen”.

As much as the crowd wanted the acts to cover more of their songs, each had an allotted amount of time to wail away before they hustled off-stage for the next group.

Joey Molland, one of the remaining original members of Badfinger, was in great form singing “Day After Day”, “Baby Blue” and other songs from his days with the Beatles’ Apple label that ended with a standing ovation from the crowd. We met Molland backstage after his set and he was upbeat and a real delight when we talked about guitars, the technicalities of pickups and the “good old days”. He also called out to Leslie West who asked if I played guitar and with that he and I walked over where he showed me his sparkling Dean Custom.

Mitch Ryder took the stage with the house band that featured Godfrey Townsend, a superb guitarist who kept the tunes true to the originals but later showed that he could cut some licks with any top player around. You’d expect Ryder’s voice to be waning after all the years screaming out his Detroit city blues. Not a chance. Mitch plowed through “Devil With the Blue Dress” and “Good Golly Miss Molly” with the same vigor as on his “Break Out” album. And the guy still looks cool bangin’ a tambourine dressed in black, dark shades and baseball cap.

Country Joe McDonald mc'd the Festival, but still managed to stir the crowd when he hollered "Give me an F?" The crowd laughed but willingly obliged with a resounding "F!", followed by Joe's "What's that spell?"and in unison the crowd responded until the end of that stirring ritual. McDonald then rolled into his inimitable "I Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag (Next Stop Vietnam)" that's still a hoot to sing and as relevant today as it was at Woodstock in '69.

The Zombies hit the stage with "I Love You" and later the Wolf Trap crowd sang along to “She’s Not There”, "Time of the Season" and "Tell Her No" with the house standing and cheering at the end when they played Argent's "Hold Your Head Up".

Felix Cavaliere and the Rascals moved on stage with chart busters like “It’s a Beautiful Morning” that kept the crowd pumped before The Turtles wowed them with yet another string of classic rock hits that included “Eleanor” and “So Happy Together”, with the latter moving the full house to its feet and singing along.

Mountain's Leslie West walked on stage like a grizzly and just hammered an old Bob Dylan tune giving it a weight and presence that set everyone back on their heels. West’s formidable guitar work still devastates. He and his wrecking crew cranked out heavy licks on Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” before striking his signature riff for “Mississipi Queen” that shook the rafters.

HippieFest is a real live band of gypsies moving from city to city and filling the graying crowd with songs from their youth and introducing younger ticket holders with a feast of the songs that made the good old days worth remembering.

Photo Gallery

Related Link
Wolf Trap Performing Arts Center

---