Celebrating its fifteenth year of festival making, Pickathon 2013 set out to create a truly unique and one of a kind musical experience, offering a whimsical journey accentuated by an eclectic array of artists.
The party began on Thursday, the day before the official start date, where festival goers willing to shell out a few extra bucks were allowed early entrance onto the farm in order to take first dibs at the best campsites. Attendees hiked through the scenic forest along dozens of meandering and mingling trails, setting up camp just off the path or deep within the wooded brush, with many campers hitting the sack early to make an early start.
Friday through Sunday offered nearly fifty different bands across seven different stages. By far, the most scenic stage was the Woods Stage, constructed entirely out of mossy tree branches and surrounded by hay stacks for seating, offering up musical acts ranging from the folky Cactus Blossoms all the way to the ethereal styling of Breathe Owl Breathe.
Most of the action happened on the two neighboring main stages, the Mountainview stage and the Fir Meadows stage, alternating between performances and setting up, allowing for near constant musical entertainment. The Fir Meadows stage featured high energy performances from the likes of The Lone Bellowe and The Felice Brothers, whose folky influences mixed with classical rock stylings enticed the nearly two-thousand person crowd to get on their feet and dance along.
The Mountainview stage featured the largest musical draws of the festival in Andrew Bird, Feist and the Divine Fits. Andrew Bird occupied the stage with his soothing, intricate instrumentals and poetic lyrics, captivating all in attendance. The Divine Fits and Feist both headlined the stage on Saturday and Sunday nights respectively, creating a high energy environment along with stellar lighting effects, a definite highlight for any in attendance.
Pickathon 2013 turned out to be everything and more that it was hyped up to be, and while the trip to Portland may deter some, the diverse musical ensembles and magical environment should be enough to entice fans and newcomers alike for years to come.
