Treefort Day 1 : This is my first Treefort and I am already blown away. My day began at a Storyfort titled: Backstage Pass: Stories of Music, Moshpits, and Mayhem hosted by 10th Street Station in the basement of the famously haunted Idanha Hotel. The talk included generous raffle prizes of chalices stuffed with t-shirts and gift certificates provided by one of Boise’s most iconic bars, and entertaining tales from beyond the stage. It was truly awesome to hear the first-hand accounts of so many celebrity fouls and scores, but also to learn about some of those who brush elbows with the rich and famous living amongst us locally.
Those like Cody and Erika Cornwall who shared stories about the beginnings of their relationship on tour. Cody a caterer for a production company and Erika, a former personal assistant to music legend Harry Connick Jr., a seeming departure from her background in hair bands and heavy metal. She spoke about a rock culture where she found a love for an outward expression and community that truly leaves it all on the table, both in art and in person. This love story put a warm touch on the retelling of some amazing experiences we were lucky enough to hear about, and I am happy to report the couple just celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary.
Masters of Ceremony Larry Rosen and Christian Winn kept the order of speakers rolling nicely and overall, the talk was both concise and wildly entertaining. Larry and Christian are co-founders of the Treefort Podcast and livened the dialogue with stories of their own including some of the moshpit mayhem jestfully noted in the event title. Their introductions were second to none, including that of the event’s third speaker Sam Burman.
Sam, a Wisconsin native and professional drummer told a heartfelt story about bringing dreams to life for a young Lady Gaga fan in Chicago, he had the room engulfed in laughter before no time. His accounts were followed by a musical performance from Katy Dang and Troy Wright (of the band Troyject). Katy performed a reading of an article she wrote years ago for Rocker Magazine to the perfectly coordinated background rifts of Troy and his electric guitar. It was true poetry.
The event’s final speaker was none other than Treefort’s own safety and security director Mike Ensch. He was a perfect end to a great event and spoke about his experiences as one of the founding team members of another famous music festival, Coachella. Mike elaborated on his colorful career managing bands and festivals and his accounts were hilarious. He entertained us with stories about celebrities like Sean Penn, Paris Hilton and Andy Dick. One recap I found particularly interesting was his relationship with a former roommate, lead drummer for the Aquabats as well as his close friendship with Travis Barker of Blink-182. We can all rest easy knowing Mike has our back as we enjoy this gem of a festival over the coming week.
As any Treefort veteran already understands, the sheer number of events over the course of each day could tire even the most energized, yet I couldn’t help myself and before the 2AM marker hit I had danced to no less than 5 bands. Highlights included Lo Talker and his outfit hailing all the way from Athens, GA. Lo’s integration of family stories lightened the mood and felt even more real with his brother stage right on guitar. His southern rock vibes hit the halls of El Korah Shrine with an electricity felt by all who attended. I will also note the beer selection at “The Circus” was above par, (2) $3 tokens earned you a choice of Tierra Madre Lager, local IPA, house red and white wine, claws and more.
Following the Shriners, I ventured to the Olympic for probably my favorite band of the night, the Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio who’s funk renditions had the floor ready to collapse. I’m so glad they made the trip from Washington to entertain us and I cannot recommend them enough. Then a short walk down Main Street led me to Boot Juice at Pengilly’s. This was a true 5-piece band. The tone of singers Evan Daly, Connor Herdt and Jessica Stoll was a taste of genuine Americana and we can’t forget the brass, they absolutely slayed. I ended the night in predictable fashion at the Neurolux with Mr. Grant Olsen, born in Jerome, whose music was both unique and uplifting, it was the perfect nightcap.
Finally, I would like to give a shoutout to some of the wonderful local restaurants who made it possible for me to sustain such a long night of dancing. Chef Josh Maciolek and Chef Hugh of Saint Lawrence Gridiron were dishing out delicious Korean Corndogs at the Alefort tent. These guys are not only awesome people, but their recipe was creative and well executed. For dessert, Figgy Bakes (owner Katy Vestal) provided decadent morsels of brown butter Egyptian licorice and lavender tea cakes. Additionally, the Shams sisters knocked it out of the park with their outstanding dumplings and sweet smorgasbord of saffron pudding, cookies, baklava, Afghan Bread and saffron green tea. The day was action packed and most surprising. I can’t wait to see what the rest has in store.
Hi! Thanks for including us in the write up. My Name is Erica Deshner Cornwall and I was a Rigger for a local company and then hired to be a PA for Harry on a couple of his tour stops in Idaho over the years. Cody and I were not on tour, we worked for Bravo Entertainment (this is who hired me as a PA for Harry) they opened the Big Easy Concert house in Boise, Id which is where Cody was the Kitchen Manager and I was given a title as Hospitality Director.
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