Girl in Hat watches Painter

We had a magical musical night on the 14th as we entered the Joshua Tree Music Festival Grounds for the first time, and were drawn immediately into a tent lit all in red and filled with flags and fabrics and brass percussion instruments all being played by themselves! The music was completely transporting, and eventually, (at some point during the close to two hours we were immersed in there), we realized that there was a man sitting at a laptop who was creating the elevating vibrations. This incredible set of instruments, from Indonesia, is usually called a Gamelan. What we were seeing~hearing~feeling was called a "Gamelatron", by the musician playing it through his remote electronics. Check out http://gamelatron.com/video.php, for the back-story and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMMIre0hnnM&feature=related , for a unique musical treat!

Saturday was our first full day at the festival which included all kinds of great music, amazing art, tons of tattoos & dreadlocks, and lots of dancing. Many blip possibilities, but the one I choose, of these silhouettes watching the painter, (http://bretphilpot.com/), was the one that caught the free-spirited carnival mood the most. The artist was creating a really cool, really huge, (he was painting from the top of a high ladder!), mandala-type painting, while the band wailed, the neon muti-colored lights strobed, and I awaited the most scrumptious feta cheese, pesto, and strawberry pizza, which my husband, Jack, lovingly delivered to me! YUM!