Thousands of One - SoulForce CD
Mattea recently viewed the film at the Nashville Film Festival and was
moved by the scenes of environmental destruction wrought in her native West
Virginia by the coal mining technique called "mountain top removal". Says
Mattea, "You must see this to believe it. I am saddened that we've
'progressed' to a point where we think this is an acceptable practice. Michael
O'Connell's film gives voice to those that have no multi-million dollar PR
firm to tell their story. The visuals are gut-wrenching--there are no
words to describe the devastation."The film recently won the 2008 Reel Current Award from
former Vice-President Al Gore, this year's Nobel Peace Prize Winner and the
subject of the Academy Award-winning documentary "AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH". The
award was presented to O'Connell at the 2008 Nashville Film Festival, where
the film was shown to a capacity crowd.
In addition to that prestigious honor, the film has also won First Prize at the Charlotte Film Festival,
First Prize at the Mion Solutions Environmental Film Awards, and the Jury Award
at the Wild and Scenic Film Festival.
"It's a story of personal determination and courage,"
Gore told an assembled audience of festival attendees and media members. "It's
also a story about the terrible impact on families in the communities that
are victimized by
the way in which the coal is being removed from the
tops of mountains in Appalachia. This film really brings out the human
dimensions of this because you see it through the eyes of a family that's greatly
affected and you feel
it in the emotions of a small town that has really been
hurt a lot."
Mattea's recent album, "COAL", serves as a meditation
on her family roots in the coal country of West Virginia. Recorded as a
tribute to "my place and my people," the album features her take on classic mining
songs from Hazel Dickens, Jean Ritchie, Merle Travis and others to paint
a nuanced portrait, exploring the tragedy that often comes from life in the
mines while paying respects to the strength and humility that provides a
bedrock foundation to the community. She will be introducing the movie and
speaking briefly about the impact of mountain top removal that she has
witnessed firsthand.
Filmmaker O'Connell will also be in attendance and will
be answering questions after the film.
The Basement is located at 1604 8th Ave. South in
Nashville. Go to www.thebasementnashville.com
for directions.
It's been six years ago this May since I covered my
first All Good. Back then the festival seemed to reflect my life raw, wide-open
and untamed. It was cold and rainy, at that time being what seasoned heads refer
to as an "Early Season Joint", All Good still delivered. Despite
inclement weather that year, Galactic and Gov't Mule and Karl Denson's Tiny
Universe among others played amazing sets and the overall experience was
monumental. I feel like I've grown up with this festival both as a journalist
and a music lover and over the years some things about the All Good experience
have faired the weather: it's commitment to accommodate all walks of life, the
general feeling of family and sharing and it's hard hitting talent roster... not
to mention the breath taking view off of Marvin's
Mountaintop.
Fast-forward to 2008, All Good has bloomed to a full-blown,
eclectic, three day banger sporting some of the finest touring talent the scene
has to offer. Thursday nights in past years have been a musical gold mine for
the "early arrivals" and this year promises the same with the likes of
Perpetual Groove, the Brazilian Girls and a screaming set from the Join
featuring keyboardist Jamie Shields and drummer Darren Shearer of the NEWDEAL
and Marco Benevento & Joe Russo (the DUO).
If you can't make it
Thursday night never fear, Friday is set up to run with SOJA, Phil Lesh &
Friends, Medeski Scofield Martin & Wood, All Mighty Senators, Grace Potter
& the Nocturnals, The Avett Brothers, Basshound, RAQ on Friday followed by a
stacked Saturday featuring The Bridge, Widespread Panic, Bassnectar, Keller
Williams w. Moseley, Droll & Sipe, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul
Stew Revival, Mike Gordon, Tea Leaf Green, Outformation and Eric Lindell to
round it out. (Whew) The list goes on for Sunday but the bottom line here
is the organizers didn't skimp on talent so can attendees get their live music
fix and their boogie on all weekend long. The great thing about the camping
arrangement on Marvin's Mountaintop is that you can access the festivities
easily from most areas without having to walk excessively far. If you arrive
later in the weekend you probably won't get stuck camping in the boon docks but
you'll miss monumental sets so don't lag.
The fabulous team at Walther Productions toils
year-round to bring you the finest offerings on the Mid-Atlantic festival
circuit and have been doing so for twelve years. For me, AG is more like a
sprawling family reunion where you come to reacquaint with old friends and meet
new smiling faces alike. The entire experience is peppered with fantastic,
continuous music on three stages, artisan vendors, day workshops for campers of
all ages, international cuisine and a slew of face melting visual goodies via
the goofy but lovable goons from Big Nazo. This year's All Good promises to be
all better so make the jaunt to the mountaintop in Masontown, West Virginia for
a dazzling weekend of fun and camping fit for the whole family.
