Sonic Bloom 10 Year Family Reunion Review -

By Pat Marek

Photos by Al Robinson

DENVER – There were high expectations counting down the exits to Hummingbird Ranch. Something special for the 10th anniversary was expected and Sonic Bloom delivered for the thousands of lucky attendees.

Sonic Bloom is at the forefront of something incredible: an event that was truly meant to unify people through art and music. Hummingbird Ranch was covered in installation art and artists dotted the outskirts of each stage at all hours. Performers joined the musicians on stage and everyone forgot how terrible they were at dancing for four days.

After listening to a few organizers, you find yourself wondering why other festivals don’t follow the same direction. Why aren’t they pushing to be as “green” as Sonic Bloom. Why don’t they emphasize community and self empowerment? Why aren’t we bringing strangers together like this? One of the purposes was to send you home with something profound and keep part of Sonic Bloom with you.

“The whole world should be like this. It should be festival Earth.” -Jamie Janover

It was apparent immediately when you arrived at the entrance that people from all over realized the significance of this celebration. One of those rare moments when you feel like you’re participating in something transcendent. Most of the festivals invite you just as an audience member or consumer. Here, you were invited to witness and join in the spectacle.

Even if you didn’t leave feeling more “enlightened”, hopefully you still got to see Chali 2na, That 1 Guy, Desert Dwellers, Filibusta, Bluetech, The Motet, The Malah, Shpongle etc. Maybe you bought some art or got inspired. Maybe you took some photos with old friends. And those Tribe sets?!

Some festivals leave a footprint, some festivals make a ripple.

But seriously, those STS9 sets!