Road to Rich’s 2016 was a feast.
A year ago, when my friend Don and I pulled out of Rich Martin’s Zuni mountain valley driveway, and began the sleep-haggered drive back to Albuquerque, I knew. We’d spent the last three days drinking*, dancing, eating, and trading stories with a few hundred other music-lovers. (Note nothing in there about sleeping.) It was our first TieDye Party, our first Road to Rich’s, and we both felt instantly that it was a tradition. That’s what we each said, in Don’s rickety pickup, as I massaged my just-reinjured shoulder: “Can’t believe I’m already waiting for next year.”
And Road to Rich’s 2016 was worth the wait.
I’m not talking about the weather (which as fabulous). I’m not even specifically talking about the still more amazing bands who knocked it out out of the park, hour after hour. I mean all the little, hard to anticipate things. Like Rich parading around the woods in his new-to-him golf cart. That everyone was ready for greatness. Like the impressive number of folks wearing Saltine Ramblers t-shirts.
Like that this past Saturday night was a full moon, so Poor Man’s Whiskey, one of the headlining bands, decided to play Dark Side of the Moon, in its entirety.
Like that Poor Man’s Whiskey then replaced every instance of “money” with “whiskey.” And then replaced the cash-register sound in “Money” with beer cans cracked in-time on stage, which they then handed to the audience.
Or that when Jams of Enchantment, who contribute huge quantities of time, money, and love to this micro-festival, ran out of propane in the middle of their free-for-all pancake breakfast, they got a new canister in under a minute. (Not to mention following up last year’s margarita bowl with an equally epic Bloody Mary batch.)
So here it is, folks, my highlights reel from Road to Rich’s 2016. I’ve included more images here than usual, because I want to give you my best representation of the three days I shot.
*That was Don, mostly.
Musicians who played this weekend:
Friday
- Russell James Pyle and Dry Heat
- Detroit Lightning
- The Borracho Tones
Saturday
- Meredith Wilder and Sage Harrington
- Heartwood
- Dave Payne
- Marty Crandall
- Mt. Thelonious
- Brian White and Rob Dutton
- Bill Hearne Trio
- Poor Man’s Whiskey
- Liver Down the River
Thanks, Adam, for doing such an incredible job at the 23rd Annual #roadtorichs #tiedyeparty
Such fantastic images from a fantastic weekend. It was epic! Let’s do it again next year!!
Thank you, Bevin, for organizing such an incredible show! The countdown’s already on, man. 🙂
Thanks Adam for you work over the weekend. I would like a few of the shots of my friends in the golf cart.
Thanks again for an incredible job. Let’s do it again next year.
Rich
You got it, Rich. I have a CD with everything for you ready to go.
Awesome job! Looking at those pictures brought back great memories and got me excited for next year! You have a great eye and captured the realness of the event!
Thank you so much, Naomi! Easy to shoot when there’s so much to inspire me. 🙂
As always, great shots. Keep it up. I know that culling is a beast, but it is worth it.
Beautiful photos, Adam. Thank you!
Thank you, Marjorie!
Nice work Adam! Can’t wait till next year.