Attire of BamaJam

June 05, 2009

By Whitney McHugh

Photo by Debbie Ingram

Back home in Dothan for a couple of hours to shower, check on the pets and post photos and videos from yesterday.

My wireless is speedy and I’m making good progress. All the photos are up and about half the videos are on the BamaJam page.

Carrying around 25 lbs of camera and laptop equipment yesterday have taken a toll on me. My shoulders need a break. It is time for a new BamaJam strategy.

Kelli McQueen, an account executive for DothanEagle.com, is taking the country stage. I’m going to camp out at the alternative stage. It’s close to the Dothan Eagle camper and I’m planning to shuffle between the two all day.

Last night we got drenched walking to see Taylor Swift and it looks like we are in for more of the same today. Our ponchos and shoes are stilll soaking wet. I need to dry and repack them.

I was freezing last night so I’m bringing warmer clothes today. And I may dig out my Timberland boots from college - back when big flannel shirts paired with leggings were cool. I’m not sure my tennis shoes will survive the muddy parts of BamaJam.

Besides, I’m not trying to make a fashion statement even though it is one of my favorite things about BamaJam.

During the day, people strip down to the bare minimum. Tattoos are on display. Bikini tops are the norm. Crazy things like umbrella hats are on heads. It’s one of the few places you can see a guy sporting a red shot glass necklace.

Night changes things. A fresh group of people arrive to watch the headliners and they wear the latest trends. Strapless trendy tops, flowing skirts, little sundresses, khakis and polos.

A young woman stood in front of me during the Los Lonely Boys performance last night. She wore a knee-length, strapless blue sundress and white cowboy boots. I’m still wondering what happened to her once the rain came pouring down.

Did those white boots survive the wet Alabama red clay?

Chillin’ in the trailer

By Debbie Ingram

It was a girls’ night in the camper last night.

My 7-year-old Sidney stayed overnight with me in the camper, as did my coworker, Whitney McHugh and her daughter, Avery, who is 6. It was a girls’ sleep-over and we have the naked Barbies to prove it.

This, however, is no “Let’s do our hair and makeup” sleep-over, but a “My socks are wet and I can’t get a brush through my hair, I feel like I have a hangover” sleep-over.

After unwittingly rockin’ in my semi-conscious sleep state to the sounds of Galactic from the nearby Alternative Stage, Sid and I slept HARD, as the old folks say. I heard the rain through the night; the thunder roused me once and the lightening lit up the campgrounds—- talk about good sleeping weather.

Because my husband, Mark, is former National Guard and I tend to adopt the habits of those around me, I was up before 6 a.m. I grabbed a Java Monster from the fridge and sat outside in my pajamas. A light rain was falling. I actually had to get up and get a jacket, it was surprisingly cool.

As I sat there with my chair turned to the north, I couldn’t help but think what a beautiful place this is. Lots of rolling hills, natural amphi-theatres, and trees. It is beautiful.

My step-son—who is known by the very appropriate nickname “Pork Chop”—brought the largest cooler I have ever seen in my life over to the Dothan Eagle campsite. Somewhere in the depths is a Gatorade. The girls fished around for about an hour and we almost lost one of them, the water and ice is so deep. OK, no exaggeration—this cooler could hold the body of a 270-pound man.

Oh, honey, not that I was looking for a way to dispose of you… I mean, there is no 270-pound man I am trying to dispose of. Uh, there is no body.

As nerves get tested in cramped quarters, the husband wisely drove home to Dothan last night. And that is all I’ve got to say about that.

The girls, who are running around as if they have both consumed mass quantities of sugar this morning, are awaiting the next adventure. Avery and Whitney are heading back to Dothan this morning to the paper, and Sidney and I are gonna venture out to the campgrounds later. (Maybe we can find a hot breakfast among the campers!)

OK, I am diving back in on a Gatorade search and rescue.

Later.

Sun sets on BamaJam, crowd grows

June 04, 2009

By Whitney McHugh

Sun is setting out here at BamaJam.

The hot air is turning a little cool - wish I had my jacket - and the ground is still wet from a few rain showers earlier. Everyone seems to be having a good time. A few folks are breaking out dancing and clapping wildly along with the music.

There’s a steady stream of people filling up the empty spaces around the Country Stage. Looks like Taylor Swift is packing BamaJam. I’m not a great estimator of crowds, but it seems to be getting close to the number at last year’s Hank Williams performance.

The photo and video uploads will probably have to wait until tomorrow. The wireless out here is not good and I keep getting knocked off. But I’m sitting in the middle of the crowd listening to John Anderson and editing our footage from today.

We’re sleeping out here in the spare bunk of Debbie’s camper. I’ll be able to upload everything once I get back to Dothan. Looks like I’ll be tracking down an air card at the office tomorrow.

Going to go catch Los Lonely Boys at 8:15 and then head back over here to see Taylor Swift at 10. If I’m still standing, I’ll shoot footage of Galactic. They’ll be starting about 11:30. 

The vendors are out hawking light up swords, necklaces and headbands.

John Anderson just closed with Seminole Wind. The crowd loves it.

We haven’t had supper yet and I think its time to head back to the camper and start making sandwiches.

Sunny and hot at BamaJam

By Debbie Ingram

That rain the weather forecasters promised came in way early today and it has left us hot and sticky. One hour into the festival and my feet hurt, there is sweat running down my back and I am beginning to feel like it is BamaJam 2008.

Crowd keeps picking up. Long line to get in, but it flows pretty quickly. Long line at the ID checkpoint when you get in. Joe with BamaJam tells me they are sending in help. Right now only two people checking IDs. This is to get a “21 and over” wristband to buy alcohol.

Remember you cannot bring beverages into the gate ... keep them in your camper. If you have one with you, you have to pour it out at the gate. Also, do not forget your lawn chair, a hand-held spray fan (they are $6 out here), and sun screen.

Also an update, the kids zone area is $10 for a day pass. It is not free.

And, OMG, for you survivor fans, Survivor winner J.T. of Samson is at BamaJam with his very own T shirts that say, I love JT. He was parking his vehicle when I went by. I will drop by again.

The crowd continues to pick up. Traffic steady all day. My step-son said it took he and his wife 45 minutes to get in, longer than it took to get here from Dothan.

Gotta go meet the photographer.

Later

Arrived at BamaJam

By Whitney McHugh

Debbie Ingram and I have arrived at BamaJam. We’re setup at the country stage listening to Jamey Johnson.

The crowd seems bigger than during the opening performance last year.

The rain didn’t cool things off. It’s hot and I’m already breaking into a sweat. Oh to have a lovely beach umbrella.

The misting fans I borrowed from a co-worker are wonderful. If you’re headed this way and don’t have one, stop and get a fan.

I’m not sure what the traffic is like right now, but earlier it was backed up on Boll Weevil Circle in Enterprise. Debbie got stuck in it. I drove up to Ozark and cut over on Highway 27 to Boy Scout Road.  Very light traffic until we arrived at BamaJam. There are bottlenecks getting into the parking lots but that’s to be expected.

Got to start heading over to the Alternative Stage for Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. We’ll have video from the first performances in a bit.

More later ....