Hootenanny 2012 – at Oak Canyon Ranch – Irvine, CA

It was a blistering day in the heat but well worth it to attend the Hootenanny 2012 festival with headliner Rancid on the bill. The short drive from Irvine to the isolated area of Oak Canyon Ranch has proved year after year to be an ideal location. The parking lot outside of the grounds was filled with hundreds of cars by the afternoon as festival-goers headed toward the entrance dressed in the typical Punk and Rock-A-Billy garb.

The entry way was lined with vending booths featuring custom-designed clothing and other products similar to a craft fair. Not far away was the concession stands with soft drinks and beer pouring from the fountain and lines of people waiting to indulge in a hardy barbeque sandwich or Greek cuisine. Picnic tables were situated directly in front of the “side stage,” as it was referred to on the band set and time info sheet. .

A grassy lot within walking distance was lined with rows of vintage custom cars and owners proudly standing alongside their vehicles. Ford Mustang’s to oddities like a coffin car were on display. It was not far from the main stage that would host acts like Kevin Seconds of legendary Punk band Seven Seconds and Johnny Two Bags of Social Distortion.

The Goddamn Gallows were among the opening bands to perform on Main Stage “A.” It was split into two sections for a band to perform and on the other side a band would set up their gear. This allowed for a quick change from one set to the next so the crowd wasn’t left to idle. The band’s raging sound was topped off by an enthusiastic accordion player that bounced around to the song “Ya’ll Motherfuckers Need Jesus,” with his bare chest revealing an excessive amount of tattoos. He wasn’t the only one at the festival covered in ink. If you didn’t have a sparrow or Rock-A-Billy style artwork (ie: pin up gals) needled into your skin you may have felt like an outsider.  

That being said it would still be difficult to encounter that sentiment given the diversity of the festival. Both the audience and bands appeared coexist: Punk, Psycho Billy and Rock-A-Billy along with an outlaw Country element. These genres gave birth to different cultures of attitude and style which include Mohawks and spiked vests, greasers dawning slicked back hair and rolled up jeans with their ladies by their side and a handful of country folk in Wrangler jeans and cowboy hats.

Old Man Markley was next and played a set reminiscent of an old country hoedown. The audience was riled with energy as the vocalist burst into the opening chords of “Guts n’ Teeth,” the title track off their debut album of the same name. Their eclectic song crafting incorporated the bluegrass sounds of a washtub bass, fiddle, banjo, washboard and autoharp. Ending their set with the banjo-blazoned tune “For Better for Worse,” the crowd got a taste of the wild jam sessions that make the band a standout.

Johnny Knoxville of the MTV show Jackass was spotted on the side of the stage; veteran Hootenanny attendees knew what would happen next. His cousin Roger Alan Wade, a country strummer of comedic proportions, walked out into the spotlight for a humorous solo performance. Seated alone with his guitar, Wade threw his hands up in the air as the crowd participated and sang the chorus of “Big Ass Happy Family” while Knoxville snapped photos from the sidelines.

The crowd was by this time enthralled in a different sound; not so much Country or Rock-A-Billy as it were the alternative Rock musings and Punk escapades dished out by The Bouncing Souls. Their set consisted of a new track titled “Coin Toss Girl” off of their latest release Comet, along with the hit “Lean on Sheena.” The fast-paced track “East Coast Fuck You” had the crowd yelling the lyrics right back at them. The band must have been making a statement as they hail from New Jersey.

The heat wore on setting the tone for The Growlers, a psych rock band who have done their time with festivals this year including Coachella. The band emitted a subtle, stoner vibe that at first seemed out of context. Their surf rock musings may have been viewed as an odd addition to the line-up, but as Orange County natives, you could tell that they felt at home.

There was a brief intermission for a Gretsch guitar giveaway and the Miss Hootenanny contest, which featured a handful of lovely ladies competing to win Miss Hootenanny of 2012. The contest didn’t last more than five minutes as the crowd became anxious to see the following act, Lucero.

With their grueling vocals and Country tones, Lucero broke into hits that included crowd favorite “Nights Like These.” Although not as upbeat as some of their other tunes, this song had a late night jam vibe that still caught the audience’s attention during broad daylight. Toward the end of their 40-minute appearance they played a bluesy piano groove.

This turned into The Reverend Horton Heat’s set as he performed a track off of each of his albums. The audience seemed to appreciate this walk through prior hits and singles. Braving the weather he wore formal attire with a blouse and tie. His band caused a commotion with its infectious psychobilly revelry; a sound that deviated from previous acts.

At exactly 6:50 p.m. Rancid’s banner was hanging high and set as the backdrop for their performance. Opening with “Radio” off of their album “Let’s Go,” released in 2004, the crowd lit up. As they broke into the hit “Roots Radical” everyone was singing along to its catchy chorus. This was a celebration of their 20th anniversary and the years that have brought them closer together. The interplay between band mates was that of long time friends that had grown up and lived their dream. An inspiring performance to say the least, it will be remembered for years afterward.

Sunburned and inebriated the Punks and Rock-A-Billy folk march on (until next year).
 

             More photos of the show can be seen HERE

-Breanna Fields-
Big Wheel Contributor

 

 

 

 

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