Blottopia 11- July 30th- August 1st, 2010
Well people, it's that time a year, when the sun is shining and the bands are wailing. Yes indeed, it is music fest season once again; and the Chicago hometown band Mr. Blotto just celebrated their 11th self-dedicated fest, wonderfully and ironically named Blottopia. For the next three days, if you were there, you were, whether you liked it or not, drawn in and locked into Mr. Blotto's perfect musical society.
Set not so hidden away at Vasa Park in South Elgin, Illinois, local and traveling hippie fans alike flocked to the grassy park to once again begin their three-day adventure.
It was Friday July 30th, early afternoon and nothing but the stage, crew, and bands occupied the grassy terrain. But that barren scene quickly changed as Noon hit and the hippie-mobiles came truckin' in.
The first to arrive were the VIP (early entrance) ticket holders who were already forming a line outside the gates. A VIP ticket, as Blottopia veterans know (*note this author is proudly one) is an absolute must for this fest. It gives you the privilege of taking over the grassy lot and marking your territory first before the "regulars" arrive and are let into the park.
The first priority at Blottopia is securing a safe haven or campsite; a place you will call your home for the next 72 hours. When the fest first started, there use to be designated "Quiet Zones" for the less rowdy and for the parents who brought their mini-me's along.
However, as the years have passed, the term "quiet" has become more and more obsolete. In fact, bedtime has become a stranger as well. And definitely do not let age fool you. Before you know it you will have found yourself starring face-to-face with a hyper seven-year old at one in the morning, while they try to haggle you for money for the glow sticks they've found lying on the ground throughout the show.
As the day set in and the golden sun met the top of the clear cerulean sky, the once somewhat scarce lot had become an abundance of mini colonies ready to survive the weekend. The Blotto crew made their rounds to each "intersection" and nailed in the street signs. This is a new addition that was added last year in hopes of trying to contain campsites and leave safe walkways and roadways throughout the park.
Each sign was cleverly named after great bands, their songs, and their albums such as Dark Side Ave and Senseless St. Your campsite intersection was quickly memorized because it would later be a small but reassuring sight when you've thought you've lost your way or yourself later on in the night.
The crowd draw was smaller than last year's fest, but it would have been hard to see that when driving past the park which is directly located on and off of RT. 31. To the outsiders it must have looked like complete chaos, or a rescue shelter gone terribly wrong. To the rest of us inside it, was a few more feet of extra groovin' room.
The tents were up, the R.V.'s were parked, the vendors were grillin' and sellin' and Mr. Blotto could be heard in the distance getting ready for their sound check; a sign that the fest was well on its' way down the rabbit hole...
