GM rocks out at Strip Mines Music Festival

The Strip Mines Music Festival took place this year at the Shawnee Cave Amphitheater located in Murphysboro, IL. Originally mined for its rich deposits of saltpeter (also known as potassium nitrate, which is used to manufacture explosives and makes the cave an ideal setting for a rock and roll concert), the amphitheater sits in the middle of 50 acres of rock formations and hiking trails, and is slowly finding its niche as host to a variety of shows and festivals, as well as a good spot for a weekend camping trip.

Playing what seemed like jazz fusion with funk undertones, Garaj Mahal closed out the first night with a two hour set. As a first time listener, my attention was focused on lead guitarist Fareed Haque , who kept me captivated as I watched his fingers dance across the fretboard, sending a flurry of notes out into the crowd while Alan Hertz kept time on drums, Eric Levy added color on keys and Kai Eckhardt laid it on thick with his bass. Good stuff.

~ Words by: Herschel Concepcion | Courtesy of JamBase.com