Another very beautiful year at California Roots Music Festival in Monterey, California! This year the dates were May 25th through the 27th. It was at the Monterey Fairgrounds. Kevin and I rolled into Monterey on Thursday night. We drove around the fairground and surrounding areas looking for parking. After scouting a few spots we chose one right next to the Quality Inn across the street from the fest on the corner of Freemont and Alcalde. So perfect!!! Could not have been a better parking situation for the weekend! Bus right across the street from the fest!!! Whaaaaat?! So chill!!!! We would walk to the fest in the morning, go back and forth with people or ourselves for beers and food during the day, and walk back to the bus to chill with people or for sleep after the fest! POW BUS!! For people planning on going to CaliRoots you can totally street park in a school bus, RV, van, car, or whatever! We were not the only ones doing it! There were RVs and vans all around the neighborhood of the fest. I think the town is just cool with it for the weekend because of all the money the fest brings in! For bathroom, there is a Dennys that is open twenty-four hours on Freemont a couple blocks from the Quality Inn! Once again, I think they are cool with all the RV folks using their bathroom because all the money they get this weekend. Just do not talk to anyone and walk straight to the bathroom and walk straight out. Nobody said anything to Kevin or I all weekend. If you are not about the Dennys life, there is a Safeway in close driving distance on Freemont that is also open twenty-four hours, but you might lose your spot by the fest! One more ski bum tip: I heard that the Quality Inn has good continental breakfast every morning of the fest, you can just walk into the breakfast room, and help yourself like you are staying at the hotel!!! Just heard that…. HA! So yea that was our living situation for the weekend and my tips to everyone else!! Now into the fest!! It was amazing! I love this festival! Everyone is so kind, happy, caring, and loving! So many beautiful souls!!! Everyone is soooooooo nice!! Weed is everywhere! The schedule that CaliRoots hands out is a rolling tray! There are dabs and weed being given away all over! You do not have to be afraid to bring weed in! The security check is just for your backpacks and it is a very minimal check. Put weed and pipes in your clothes pockets. You can totally bring a bong in too! No glass allowed, but people had bongs! People are puffing tough at CaliRoots! On Friday we saw The Movement, Ocean Alley, Brother Ali, Hirie, E-40, Steel Pulse, Atmosphere, and Iration!! On Saturday we saw The Ries Brothers, Fortunate Youth, Trevor Hall, Stephen Marley, Ozomatli, Dispatch, J Boog, and Rebelution!! On Sunday we saw Darenots, Raging Fyah, Mike Love, The Original Wailers, The Green, Xavier Rudd, Slightly Stoopid, Tribal Seed, and 311!! So much music in three days!!!! What a blast! My favorite set on the weekend was Rebelution! I do not know why! I have seen Rebelution well over twenty times and every time they surprise me and put on such a fantastic show! For most acts Kevin and I were super close to the front! I am a big fan of dancing my way up to the front, rolling hella joints, and making friends! Other sets we were chilling in the back sitting down smoking or dancing super hard! Always dancing super hard!! We saw old friends and made new friends! Incredible weekend at CaliRoots!! I am sure we will be back!! We finished off our time in Monterey by chilling at Del Monte Beach on Monday for recovery with our friends Tanner and Paige! Perfect way to end the weekend!! Thank you California Roots Music Festival and all the beautiful people who go!!!!!!!! Till next time!! JAHHHH!
Trevor Hall and Nahko
The Ries Brothers, Kevin Ries
The Ries Brothers
Stephen Marley
The Original Wailers
Kev and I at Dispatch
Del Monte Beach, Monterey
The Ries Brothers
Del Monte Beach
Ski Bum Philosophy 