h.o.r.d.e. tour 1997 lineup

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This year's H.O.R.D.E. lineup

A diverse set of youthful performers opened, including Ben Folds Five and Morphine, but veteran rocker Neil Young stole the show

At the kickoff of the sixth annual H.O.R.D.E. Festival on July 11, the big question wasn’t why the seemingly strong bill failed to sell out San Francisco’s Shoreline Amphitheatre, a venue the all-female Lilith Fair had easily filled just a few days before. That could have been attributed to the absence of Beck and Blues Traveler, who will join the tour for select August dates. Nor was it whether H.O.R.D.E. would hold its own against this year’s lame Lollapalooza, which reportedly failed to fill even half of New York’s Downing Stadium that same day.

No, the big question at the newly dehippified, suddenly hip H.O.R.D.E. was what would happen when angst- ridden alterna-kids infiltrated what was once the crunchiest of summer concerts. With a Neil Young-topped bill that adds alternative-radio successes Primus, Ben Folds Five, Morphine, and Squirrel Nut Zippers to more traditional H.O.R.D.E. jammers like Big Head Todd & the Monsters and Leftover Salmon, the traveling love-fest broadened its scope. Would hanger-on hippies get bummed out by all the negative energy? Would purple-haired skate kids pelt peaceniks with Hacky Sacks?

Well, no. In fact, the audience — as varied as the show’s lineup — seemed surprisingly open-minded, cheering more enthusiastically for quirky second-stage acts Morphine and Ben Folds than for the terminally bland Toad the Wet Sprocket and Big Head Todd, whose main-stage sets were witnessed by barely a third of the crowd. Sure, there were plenty of confused crusties trying to noodle- dance to Squirrel Nut Zippers’ imitation swing (trust me, it doesn’t work), but at least they were trying, right?

Perhaps the good vibes shouldn’t come as such a surprise. While more diverse than at previous H.O.R.D.E.s, this year’s lineup still shared one important feature: The groups are inspired, to a large extent, by sounds of the past. From the ’70s-style piano pop of Ben Folds Five (beautifully complemented by a string quartet) to Squirrel Nut Zippers’ silly-but- fun ersatz prewar jazz to Primus’ prog-rock self-indulgence (a drum solo!), the bands’ styles were as anachronistic as the Lionel trains that ran around an exhibition tent just outside the amphitheater.

But the night belonged to the one artist on the bill who’s actually part of history, not just paying homage to it. Despite some noteworthy sets, the alt-rock undercard was clearly outmatched by headliner Neil Young. After opening the show with an unscheduled second-stage acoustic performance, Young returned seven hours later to close the fest with a brilliant, primarily electric set on the candlelit main stage.

Blazing through a familiar list of concert staples (”Like a Hurricane,” ”Helpless”) and newer tunes ( Broken Arrow ‘s ”Big Time” and ”Slip Away” were particularly moving), Young’s unflagging energy and gorgeous guitar work showed vastly more heart, conviction, and passion than any of the younger bands on the bill. After a long day mostly devoted to old-fashioned sounds, Young — whose two sets contained a good chunk of songs originally recorded before much of the audience was even born — seemed like the only performer who wasn’t likely to burn out or fade away any time soon.

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Horde Festival 1997

It looks like the girls of Lilith Fair are definitely getting the better of the boys on the rock festival circuit this summer. Just like this year's Lollapalooza lineup, Horde '97 comprises a rag-tag assembly of bands with little in common, and presents them in such a way as to take all the fun and spirit out of the all-day festival.

By Troy J. Augusto

Troy J. Augusto

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It looks like the girls of Lilith Fair are definitely getting the better of the boys on the rock festival circuit this summer. Just like this year’s Lollapalooza lineup, Horde ’97 comprises a rag-tag assembly of bands with little in common, and presents them in such a way as to take all the fun and spirit out of the all-day festival.

How else do you explain the timing of the performances here, where one band starts to play on one stage as soon as another finishes on an alternate stage. For example, watching all of Morphine’s brilliant but too-short set as second-stage headliners meant missing the first song or two from Neil Young. And who decided that a weak band like lounge chumps the Squirrel Nut Zippers even belong on the same stage as Young?

Nothing connected any of the bands’ efforts here (save for the improv sessions over at the jam stage), so the eight-hour show played like nothing more than a series of extraneous individual perfs, the best of which weren’t even found on the main stage.

The kick-ass bass-saxophone-drums attack of Boston’s Morphine, in front of a large and loud second-stage crowd, was the most compelling set of the day. Leader Mark Sandman’s vocals were smooth and smoky, his slide-bass playing cool and sexy, while sax man Dana Colley jumped between tasty tenor and baritone sax parts and drummer Billy Conway kept a solid and shuffling beat.

Also on the small stage, Ben Folds Five — actually a buoyant and lively pop trio — were supplemented here by a nifty four-piece string section, and almost brought the house down during their early evening set. Leader Ben Folds showed off his impressive piano skills and slick songwriting style, reminiscent of Joe Jackson and Billy Joel, but only if either had the indubitable energy of, say, Tiger Woods.

Headliner Young’s encoreless 90-minute set was mostly obscure material, surprisingly short on jamming and long on questionable midtempo excursions. It was a decidedly low-key and workmanlike set, peppered with tracks such as “I’m the Ocean,” from the “Mirror Ball” album he recorded with Pearl Jam, and the B-side “Don’t Spook the Horse.” His guitar playing, whether electric or acoustic, was powerful and assured.

Primus debuted for L.A. their new drummer, former Limbomaniacs member Brain, but he’s a poor replacement for the departed Tim (Herb) Alexander, who turns out to be more responsible for the proper execution of the group’s elastic funk-throb-metal sound than had been previously acknowledged.

Middle-of-the-road sets from Big Head Todd & the Monsters and Toad the Wet Sprocket did little to stir the sun-weary crowd, though Leftover Salmon’s pickin’-and-grinnin’ routine on the second stage was hands-down the most irritating entry of the day.

Reviewed July 17, 1997 at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre; 15,416 seats; $30 top

• Production: Presented by Avalon, KROQ
• Cast: Bands: Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Morphine, Primus, Ben Folds Five, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Leftover Salmon, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Sky Cries Mary, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Zoo People, Ozomotli.

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H.O.R.D.E. 1997

Neil young - ben folds - leftover salmon, new world music theatre - tinley park.

August 3, 1997

First Appeared in The Music Box , September 1997, Volume 4, #10

Written by John Metzger

Last year, when it was announced that Blues Traveler was retiring from the H.O.R.D.E. circuit, and everyone expected the festival to disappear or, at least, quickly deteriorate. Instead, this year's event, headlined by Neil Young , easily exceeded everyone's expectations and outperformed any of the H.O.R.D.E. shows thus far.

H.O.R.D.E. and Young crept into town on August 3, only two weeks after Young's former bandmates Crosby, Stills, and Nash had performed at the Rosemont Theater. Unfortunately, that was two weeks too many for any sort of reunion to take place. Throughout the tour, Young has been sneaking off to the Workshop Stage early in the day to perform an acoustic set. For most of the tour, this set has featured no less than five songs and took place in front of some small crowds. Basically, it was a nice treat for those folks coming early in the day.

Unfortunately, local radio station WXRT announced that this would take place, prompting a huge influx of people to the venue. This was a great treat for the performers, who throughout the tour have played to small crowds, but it really ruined Young's acoustic set. The crowd was just too large, and sadly, many people were there "just because it was cool" — not because they wanted to hear Young pull off an intimate performance. Since most of those gathered around the small stage didn't know the songs, they chose to talk rather than listen, making it difficult at times to hear through the limited sound system. Nevertheless, John Popper stopped by for a surprise visit, and the pair ran through Roll Another Number (for the Road) and a bluesy This Note's for You before departing.

Back at the main stage, the highly touted Medeski, Martin, and Wood embarked upon a brief, 35-minute set. The group performed a blend of jazz and rock and came across as a jazzy version of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer , largely because John Medeski's keyboard playing was such a driving force behind the collective.

Chicago-based Push Down and Turn kicked things off on the Second Stage with a batch of infectious songs. This group has potential, as guitarist Sam King nailed a number of solos, behind Jason Brown's Stone Temple Pilots -style of singing. Unfortunately, by the end of the set, the band seemed somewhat one-dimensional with all its songs sounding very much the same.

This same problem also hit Main Stage act Kula Shaker, the only British group on the H.O.R.D.E. tour. They pulled off a 45-minute set that closely followed in the footsteps of the Stone Roses' Manchester sound, but the group seemed somewhat bored with many of its songs.

Toad the Wet Sprocket opened its set with Come Down and Whatever I Fear , the two hits from its most recent release Coil , and it was a welcome relief from the shrieking, irritating Second Stage act Cake Like. The psychedelic Butterflies was the first of several songs performed from the group's 1991 breakthrough Fear . This song ran smack into a surprise version of The Beatles' Within You Without You , but ended abruptly when the audience displayed little reaction. The crowd was much more responsive when, later in the set, Toad played a few bars of John Mellencamp's Jack and Diane before launching into its own hit All I Want .

It should be noted that singer Glen Phillips' vocal performance was much improved from a few years ago. In fact, his concert performances improved dramatically throughout the tour with Darius Rucker and the rest of Hootie and the Blowfish . Both Nightingale Song and Throw It All Away gave him a chance to really shine. His guitar playing has also improved, adding another dimension to this group's live performances.

Leftover Salmon kept the momentum going with a rousing set of bluegrass-inspired rock and roll. John Popper appeared on stage and performed the last two songs with the band, including a blistering Funky Mountain Fogdown .

Primus' bassist Les Claypool is an amazing performer, but the group's songs just don't come across all that well. For the most part, all the songs performed by Primus sounded the same. At times, the band did take off, particularly when Claypool allowed the its guitarist to explore a few musical realms of his own, occasionally sounding like Pink Floyd's David Gilmour . Unfortunately, this was all too rare, and Primus's set became somewhat tedious.

Next, on the Second Stage was Ben Folds Five , and the group didn't disappoint. Folds has a tendency to bang away on his piano in a rather unorthodox fashion that some keyboardists would say is sacrilegious. However, his stage antics are amusing to watch. His regular three-piece band consists of piano, bass, and drums, but this evening was augmented with a string section. With the lack of a guitarist, the group provides an interesting twist to the standard musical fare, at times sounding like Todd Rundgren with a sense of humor more in line with Phish .

Morphine is offered another interesting line-up and created a new twist on music. This band, like Ben Folds Five, is a three-piece outfit, but consists of a two-string bass, saxophone, and drums. Unfortunately, their second stage set was cut short by a downpour of epic proportions.

The rain did not stop Neil Young and Crazy Horse from taking the stage promptly at its designated start time. The band immediately launched into their portentous Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) and held back nothing as the dual guitar attack of Young and the underrated Frank "Poncho" Sampedro each belted out scorching riffs. It was great to hear Crime in the City and the more mellow Hippie Dream , but these were overshadowed by the raging thunderstorm that continued to surround the theater.

Young regained the audience's attention with F*!#in' Up , and driven by the rhythmic duo of Ralph Molina's drums and Billy Talbot's bass, he launched into an amazing solo that was cut short when the storm wiped out the power to the arena. Only Neil Young and Crazy Horse could possibly keep their momentum rolling, continuing to jam despite a lack of lighting and a sound system. Instead, flashlights and candles cast light upon the band, which continued unfazed. Gradually, the crew turned all the amps and monitors towards the audience, and the fireworks continued.

Lightning surrounded the theater with brilliant flashes and streaks across the sky. The wind and rain picked up, and Young and company countered in an awesome duel with nature. Without pause, Young led the band through a life-affirming, all-out experience of Like a Hurricane that only seemed to magically intensify the storm. The wind pushed the rain through the pavilion to the 35,000 seat arena. We were about midway between the stage and the back of the pavilion and ended up soaking wet. Even more amazing was that the wind picked up at such a speed, it pushed the hard-driving rain all the way to the stage, drenching everyone, including the band. Despite the risk of electrical shock, the group continued to plow through Like a Hurricane , which seemed more and more appropriate with each note it played.

Rockin' in the Free World continued the intensity. Water gushed down into the pavilion, and the audience climbed onto walls to avoid the flow, which peaked about 3 inches short of the foot-high barricade. Gradually, the water worked down to the front of the stage, where it created a small river. Young continued on through Tonight's the Night , while security told everyone that this would be the final song. This was a big mistake for those who left.

Young noticed the water flowing down the aisles and launched into a pairing of Down by the River and Powderfinger . Despite the fact that it was difficult to hear much more than the vocals and the guitars of Young and Sampedro, both of these versions were unbelievably intense. With the power of the group's delivery, the insanity of the storm, and the hysterical stage antics of a band dancing around in the rain, the remaining audience was totally captivated by the performance. Somehow, the group managed to defeat the rain — by the time it finished Piece of Crap , 80 minutes after taking the stage, the rain had stopped.

It no longer seems quite as necessary for Blues Traveler to return to the fold, as this year's acts more than lived up to the H.O.R.D.E. reputation. Given the amazing performance of veteran Young; a strong outing from Toad the Wet Sprocket; and inspired sets from newcomers Leftover Salmon, Ben Folds Five, and Morphone; this H.O.R.D.E. festival upped the ante for next year's tour. Whoever does sign up for next year's traveling circus will certainly have their hands full trying to live up to the insanity of this trip around the country.

Neil Young's Decade is available from Barnes & Noble. To order, Click Here !

Copyright © 1997 The Music Box

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Whatever Happened to the Acts From the First H.O.R.D.E. Festival?

You have to admit, the ‘90s were great for touring festivals. You had a wide array of rock oriented festivals to choose from with Lollapalooza ushering in the touring festival craze, Ozzfest bringing something heavier and Warped Tour serving the punk and skating communities. And then there was the H.O.R.D.E. festival.

H.O.R.D.E., which stands for Horizons of Rock Developing Everywhere, was founded by Blues Traveler in 1992 as a way to bring greater exposure to the bands in their scene as well as providing a solution to a touring problem they had faced.

With amphitheaters often reserved for more commercial acts over the summer, Blues Traveler were interested in finding a way to break beyond the club circuit. Singer John Popper recalled to Guitar World , "In the summer, we'd all go out and draw maybe one or two thousand people. And there are no places outdoors that small, so we'd have to play indoors, which sucked. Then a couple of us got together and wondered 'What if we all went on tour? If we each drew our usual two thousand people, we might draw enough to fill a big shed (amphitheater). So from the outside, it may have looked like there was this big movement happening, but really, it was just a bunch of bands thinking about how to survive.”

From there, calls were put out to several bands who faced a similar dilemma at the time, and the idea to bring together their respective audiences for a concert big enough to fill an amphitheater was born. And, in many ways, this was the type of platform needed to bring attention to a new wave of jam bands that would come to thrive over the next era of music.

The first H.O.R.D.E. tour was only eight dates, with four East Coast shows scheduled for July and four shows in the South taking place in August. But, it was viewed as a success and the H.O.R.D.E. festival would continue to grow in future years.

But whatever happened to the bands that took that initial chance and bet on themselves to bring this style of music to the masses? Let’s dig in below:

Blues Traveler

Where were blues traveler before the first h.o.r.d.e tour.

Though not yet a household name in the pop culture world, Blues Traveler had secured enough clout leading into 1992 to consider launching their own festival. They formed in Princeton, New Jersey in 1987, releasing their first self-titled album in 1990 featuring the single “But Anyway” and scored a buzz-generating sophomore set titled Travelers and Thieves in 1991. They had also earned support from late night TV host David Letterman who championed them during their appearances on his talk show.

Where Were Blues Traveler After the First H.O.R.D.E. Festival?

Though on a much smaller scale than it would eventually become, the initial H.O.R.D.E. festival run was viewed as a success and it gave the band a bigger platform for future success. They continued to build their following with 1993’s Save His Soul , but it was 1994’s Four album that gave them their commercial radio breakout with the singles “Run-Around” and “Hook.”

After 1997’s Straight on Till Morning , the band got sidetracked for a few years. Singer John Popper had emergency heart surgery, then took a hiatus during which he released a solo album. Meanwhile, bassist Bobby Sheehan died of an accidental drug overdose in 1999, and it would be 2001 before they returned with the Bridge album.

By this point, H.O.R.D.E. had run its course, but Blues Traveler would remain one of rock’s most consistent bands, with eight more studio albums spooling out over the next two decades.

Spin Doctors

Where were spin doctors before the first h.o.r.d.e. festival.

While Blues Traveler may have headlined, Spin Doctors were probably the biggest band on the bill with the most commercial success at the time. The group’s 1991 debut, Pocket Full of Kryptonite , was well on its way to 5 times platinum sales status, thanks to the early 1992 hits “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” and “Two Princes.”

Where Were Spin Doctors After the First H.O.R.D.E. Festival?

There was a quick over-saturation on Spin Doctors, but not at the point where H.O.R.D.E. launched. The band benefitted from the inescapable hit single “Two Princes” just as the tour began. But their reign as alt-rock darlings was short-lived as the follow-up 1994 album, Turn It Upside Down , barely made a dent commercially. And by the time their third album arrived in 1996, they had parted ways with founding guitarist Eric Schenkman.

After their fourth album, 1999’s Here Comes the Bride , the band split with Mark White and the dismal returns continued. The group then had another significant setback when singer Chris Barron suffered acute vocal paralysis. By the spring of 2000, the singer had recovered and the original core lineup reunited.

Two more albums would follow in the years to come, with Nice Talking to Me and If  the River Was Whiskey , though it’s been since 2013 that they last released a new record.

Looking back on the inaugural H.O.R.D.E. festival, singer Chris Barron told Relix , "For all those bands it was a moment to look around and say, 'Hey, we’re not just standing on a cliff somewhere screaming out into any empty canyon. There are people out there who want to hear this kind of music. There are other bands that want to play this kind of music and we’re not just these Jerry Garcia, Jimi Hendrix, Duane Allman disciples banging our heads against the wall in the dark somewhere. This is actually something that has a place and an opportunity for us to take the music down the road a little further in our own way.'"

Widespread Panic

Where were widespread panic before the first h.o.r.d.e. festival.

After their 1988 debut Space Wrangler , things started to pick up for Widespread Panic. They signed to Capricorn Records for their self-titled sophomore set and also found a fan in actor Billy Bob Thornton who directed their Widespread Panic: Live from the George Theatre concert video in 1991. With that buzz behind them, the group was one of the main draws for the inaugural H.O.R.D.E. festival.

Where Were Widespread Panic After the First H.O.R.D.E. Festival?

1993’s Everyday became the band’s first charting album, cracking the Billboard 200 at No. 184. That was one of 10 more studio albums that followed after the band’s H.O.R.D.E. debut in 1992. In 2016, the band announced that they would break from touring so extensively and they’ve not released an album since. Longtime drummer and vocalist Todd Nance died in 2020 at the age of 57.

Col. Bruce Hampton and Aquarium Rescue Unit

Where were aquarium rescue unit before the first h.o.r.d.e. festival.

Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit were one of many acts featuring acclaimed Atlanta musician Col. Bruce Hampton. The jazz fusion collective formed out of a weekly Atlanta jam session with Hampton joined by notable players Jimmy Herring, Oteil Burbridge, Jeff Sipe and Matt Slocum. The first of their two studio albums, 1992’s Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit , benefitted from having the H.O.R.D.E. platform to introduce them to a larger audience.

Though not a huge name and still somewhat of an unknown at the beginning of the festival, the respect amongst those on the H.O.R.D.E. lineup for the collective was immense. John Popper recalled to Relix , "They had the reverence of all the musicians. They did kind of embody the spirit of the H.O.R.D.E. movement, at least among us. They were an empire within an empire."

Where Were Aquarium Rescue Unit After the First H.O.R.D.E. Festival?

The band went on to record Mirrors of Embarrassment in 1993, and collaborated with H.O.R.D.E. cohorts John Popper of Blues Traveler and Bela Fleck. But, by the end of 1993, Hampton would exit the lineup. The band, then going only by Aquarium Rescue Unit, recorded two more studio albums in 1994 before calling it quits.

They did reunite in the 2000s, issuing 2003’s The Calling album and then pulled Hampton back into the fold for a live Warren Haynes Benefit Concert recording in 2007. Occasional reunions happened after, but Hampton died of a heart attack onstage in 2017 while appearing at a 70th birthday bash concert.

Reflecting on the H.O.R.D.E. festival experience, Oteil Burbridge recalled to Relix, "That whole time was so surreal because the ARU was the first time that we purposefully started a band with no hope, and therefore no intention of doing anything but scaring normal people away. We certainly never expected in our wildest dreams to get a record deal or be invited to be on a big tour. The people in those bands were so kind to us. They were our saviors. They flew our flag far and wide and took us under their wings. For them to believe in the absolute madness that we staked our entire lives on moves me in a way that I can’t really put into words."

READ MORE: 66 Best Rock Songs of the '90s

Where Were Phish Before the First H.O.R.D.E. Festival?

After forming in 1983, Phish began to build their following and were two albums deep into their career with their third record A Picture of Nectar just arriving a few months prior to the launch of the H.O.R.D.E. festival. That record would be their first major label offering, having just signed with Elektra at the time.

Where Were Phish After the First H.O.R.D.E. Festival?

Phish were part of the bill for the first leg of the H.O.R.D.E. festival, performing at the East Coast dates. This served as the group’s first national tour of major amphitheaters.Their star continued to rise over the course of the next year, landing several other major touring bills after H.O.R.D.E.

As we now know, Phish have become one of the most successful touring acts of the last 30 years. Thirteen more studio albums followed their H.O.R.D.E. debut, and they’ve become one of the most beloved jam bands going.

Reflecting on H.O.R.D.E., Phish's Mike Gordon recalled to Relix , "I think that was our first arena gig, which was sort of a nice way to do it. With Phish we always cruised slowly. So even though we normally didn’t team up with other bands to do tours, getting our feet wet in an arena and seeing what it was like without having to carry the show by ourselves, that was a good opportunity for us."

Where Was Bela Fleck Before the First H.O.R.D.E. Festival?

Bela Fleck had a well-established career by the time the inaugural H.O.R.D.E. festival invite came around. The musician, often accompanied by his band The Flecktones, recorded his first solo studio album in 1979. Prior to that, he was a member of the widely-hailed New Grass Revival. Between solo efforts and records with his band, he was nine albums into his career, with the most recent effort, UFO Tofu , being released with the Flecktones earlier in 1992. Fleck may have seemed an odd addition to the bill, but he managed to impress audiences and pull in new fans from the experience.

Where Was Bela Fleck After the First H.O.R.D.E. Festival?

Fleck continued to be one of bluegrass’ most respected musicians. He appeared on the second leg of southern U.S. dates on the inaugural H.O.R.D.E. festival, taking the spot vacated by Phish in the lineup.

He’s had seven more solo albums, seven studio albums with The Flecktones and has played banjo on five studio albums between Abigail Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet. He’s won 15 Grammy Awards (with 33 nominations) and is a member of the International Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame.

What Happened to the H.O.R.D.E. Festival After 1992?

You can look at 1992 as a test run, with H.O.R.D.E. taking major strides forward in 1993 with a 28-date run taking things “everywhere” beyond the East Coast and Southern markets of the 1992 festival. Blues Traveler, Widespread Panic and Aquarium Rescue Unit returned in 1993 on a bill that included The Samples, Big Head Todd & the Monsters and Allgood, with Phish, the Allman Brothers Band, Melissa Etheridge, Warren Haynes, Dave Matthews and more turning up on select dates.

The festival continued yearly through 1998 with such major acts as Sheryl Crow, the Dave Matthews Band, The Black Crowes, Cypress Hill, Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers, G. Love and Special Sauce, Taj Mahal, Lenny Kravitz, Rusted Root, Neil Young, King Crimson, Natalie Merchant, Beck, Ben Folds Five, Barenaked Ladies, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals and Alana Davis bringing a larger musical variety as the festival continued to evolve.

After the 1998 festival, Blues Traveler decided to pull the plug on the event, feeling that it had grown stale with the audience. “H.O.R.D.E. initially was a way for Blues Traveler to play outside in the summer,” reflected Popper to Gig Magazine in 2000. “That was our objective and we pulled it off the first year. The second year we did it again; the third year we actually made, like, $8,000. The fourth year we started making real money, and then it became this source of income, and I see where you wanna keep it going again. But, y'know what? It's something you should never think has to go on forever. As soon as it doesn't make sense, it should be abandoned.”

He continued, “What happened along the way was a lot of people got to interact with each other, some great music was made, a great vibe, and we all had a ball. That was completely accidental, and the best thing about it. I take no responsibility for it, and so I don't feel that stopping doing it ruins that — that great vibe will happen somewhere else.”

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Police: 5-year-old boy killed in go-kart crash in meriden.

It may not have made any money, but the lightly attended H.O.R.D.E. tour at the Meadows Music Theatre was a blessing for those who went to it Wednesday.

Not only did they get the strongest lineup of any touring festival this summer, but great weather and no lines to boot.

Once an excuse for tie-dye bands to jam, H.O.R.D.E. (which stands for Horizons of Rock Developing Everywhere) is now hip. It accomplished something Lollapalooza was never able to do: snare Neil Young to headline. Then it added such cool acts as Beck, Kula Shaker, Morphine, and Medeski Martin & Wood.

Young’s 11-song set was a blazing model in rock relevancy. Aside from a few expected anthems, such as “Hey Hey, My My” to “Rockin’ in the Free World,” he and his backing trio, Crazy Horse, turned to less obvious choices from his long and distinguished catalog, including “Crime in the City,” and the encore “Mansion on the Hill.”

Long codas of brooding, feedback-laden guitar interplay followed “Slip Away” and “Hippie Dream,” the latter song seemingly speaking to H.O.R.D.E. organizers.

The three-song acoustic portion was surprisingly effective and direct, with “This Note’s for You” (maybe he didn’t see the list of eight H.O.R.D.E. corporate sponsors) and “From Hank to Hendrix.” “Ohio,” which he said he sang from time to time to remember the Kent State victims he wrote about, had a deeply personal touch as well.

While Young was alternately tender and blazing, Beck was simply a blast. Heavy into his ’70s funk mode, he wore a second- hand suit to rouse the crowd, dance, strike poses and revert to old school raps. The last time he was in Hartford, for Lollapalooza ’95, he sang to an empty amphitheater as sod flew. This time he got the crowd rocking with a roster of splashy hits, including a splendidly extended “Where It’s At.”

Primus, a Lollapalooza ’93 veteran, was also a big draw on the main stage, with Les Claypool’s authoritative bass and quirky humor leading the way. Kula Shaker, the only English group on the bill, seemed to be plagued with technical difficulties on rock that sounded, without live sitars, even more like Oasis. Medeski Martin and Wood provided their cool Hammond B3 instrumentals to an early main stage crowd of literally dozens.

There were some slow moments in the 8 1/2-hour concert. Boston’s Mudhens didn’t leave much of an impression; Toad the Wet Sprocket’s middling pop sounded thinner than usual.

Acts of interest on the secondary stage included the low tones of Morphine, completing its H.O.R.D.E. tour of duty. A big crowd also turned out for the early evening set by Ben Folds Five, a North Carolina trio that’s augmented for the current tour by a four-piece string section led by classical violinist Lorenza Ponce. It was an interesting approach for the knockdown ’70s piano-led pop of the band; the group still sounded a little squirrelly.

The only real hippie band on either stage (or an act that would have fit in with the hippified H.O.R.D.E. of yore) was the Boulder, Colo., outfit of Leftover Salmon, which combined bluegrass instruments with rock, allowing a Metallica edge on a banjo breakdown. It sounds more interesting than it actually was, though.

For all its forced dissonance, the band Cake Like (signed to Neil Young’s label, Vapor) was easy to like, with its simple, rocking songs and succinct imagery. Besides, guitarist Nina Hellman said, “We’re the only all-female band you’ll see at the H.O.R.D.E. this year.”

Also in the second stage area, amid the commercial booths and market surveys, a third stage was dedicated to jamming, led by Col. Bruce Hampton and a member of his Fiji Mariners. Among the participants on the freewheeling stage were, at one point, members of Morphine, Beck’s horn section and Ben Folds on drums.

A show-opening acoustic set from Young on the jam stage, though, was scotched, as the 51- year-old feigned a sore throat and played instead with the huge Lionel Train setup with his son.

A slightly different lineup for H.O.R.D.E plays Great Woods in Mansfield, Mass., Friday and Saturday.

The song list for Neil Young & Crazy Horse Wednesday was: “Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black),” “Crime in the City,” “Hippie Dream,” “F*!?’ Up,” “This Note’s for You,” “From Hank to Hendrix,” “Ohio,” “Rockin’ in The Free World,” “Slip Away,” “Sedan Delivery” (encore) “Mansion On The Hill.”

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Post-Punk H.O.R.D.E.

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In the attitude-conscious world of summer pop-music festivals, the H.O.R.D.E. tour has always been stamped as Lollapalooza’s uncool cousin, a big, friendly, white-man’s-blues affair that attracted jam bands and Deadheads.

All of that is changing. In this season’s crush of package tours, as Lollapalooza loses ground to such newcomers as the Lilith Fair and Warped, H.O.R.D.E. is veering away from its comfortable old identity and vying for bands on the cutting edge.

In its sixth year, the 30-date festival--which comes to Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre today--has embraced groups with a post-punk flavor: from the saxophone-driven mood-rockers Morphine and piano-based pop eclectics Ben Folds Five to the hot-jazz revisionists Squirrel Nut Zippers and avant-punks Primus. Even Beck will step in to play a few dates later in the summer. Though headliners Neil Young & Crazy Horse have been known to suspend their share of notes, H.O.R.D.E. isn’t just about long jams anymore.

Primus’ leader Les Claypool needed some convincing before he joined H.O.R.D.E.’s caravan. “My perception of it was an older, leftover Grateful Dead crowd or something,” says the singer and bassist. “Then they came back with [the current lineup] and we said, ‘That sounds like a good tour to be on.’ ”

H.O.R.D.E., which stands for Horizons of Rock Developing Everywhere, was founded in 1992 by John Popper, singer and harmonica player for the New York-based rock band Blues Traveler. The group, immersed in its own tour, will be absent from H.O.R.D.E. for the first time, though it will pop in on a few dates. The bill also includes Soul Coughing, Widespread Panic, Kula Shaker, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Leftover Salmon and Big Head Todd & the Monsters.

Gary Bongiovanni, editor in chief of Pollstar, a trade magazine that tracks the concert industry, thinks that the presence of a big-draw headliner is a bigger change for H.O.R.D.E. than its new embrace of alternative acts.

“This year they have a true headliner,” he says. “It’s kind of like the Neil Young tour instead of just an aggregation of acts.” Still, Bongiovanni doesn’t predict instant success: “The only other model to look at would be last year’s Lollapalooza tour, which became the Metallica tour, and that didn’t perform as well as people had expected.”

Indeed, H.O.R.D.E., which had carved out a cozy niche for itself, is risking its old audience with the more adventurous bill. Last year, with headliners Rusted Root, Lenny Kravitz and the Dave Matthews Band, it provided fierce competition for Lollapalooza. In contrast,this year’s initial ticket sales have been disappointing. Only about half the tickets for the Irvine show have been sold.

“I’d like to be selling better,” says H.O.R.D.E. marketing director Lewi, perpetually hopeful of a big walk-up gate on the day of the

festival. “Are our ticket sales as bad as others? No. Are we going to come out smelling like a rose? I think so.”

H.O.R.D.E. this year is offering a computer “videowall,” affording fans a chance to chat with band members resting backstage. A Lionel Trains switching yard was brought to the festival with electric train buff Young’s encouragement. Col. Bruce Hampton will oversee the Workshop Stage, where artists come together for spontaneous, free-for-all jams.

“The whole idea of H.O.R.D.E. is kindness,” Lewi says. “Everything we’re doing is for more interactivity. So many things this year are designed for people to be part of the show and not just at the show. . . . We bring a human element.”

H.O.R.D.E. critics, however, complain that the human element is decidedly white and male. Only one woman, Squirrel Nut Zippers singer Katharine Whalen, will take part. “That’s no fault of ours,” Lewi counters. “All of the major female acts we went after are doing Lilith. . . . Festival competition made it hard to get black or female acts on H.O.R.D.E.”

The festival may be lacking true diversity, but everyone is hoping that one defining aspect of the tour--its down-to-earth friendliness--will remain intact.

“To me what sets the H.O.R.D.E. Festival apart is that it’s just basically bands that write good songs and play well, and that’s the primary criteria,” says Glen Phillips, singer and guitarist of Santa Barbara’s collegiate folk-rock band Toad the Wet Sprocket.

“I know people who’ve been on the tour and said that there was a lack of cattiness, a generally relaxed feeling. I get around people that are cool and I start feeling like a high school nerd again. I don’t think I’ll be having too many panic attacks on this tour.”

The H.O.R.D.E. Festival, with Neil Young & Crazy Horse, Primus, Big Head Todd & the Monsters, Morphine, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Squirrel Nut Zippers and others, today at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, 8800 Irvine Center Drive, 4 p.m., $27 and $17. (714) 855-4515.

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H.O.R.D.E. Festival 1996 Setlists

Date Sunday, July 14, 1996 - Monday, July 15, 1996

So far, there are setlists of 12 gigs in one venue .

Artists (A-Z)

• Pine Knob Music Theatre, Clarkston, MI, USA

Sunday, July 14, 1996

4 attendees

2 attendees

1 attendees

Monday, July 15, 1996

6 attendees

5 attendees

3 attendees

Recent visitors

11 festival people went.

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H.O.R.D.E. Festival Timeline

1996 marks the 2nd festival ( 5 total). Incorrect?

• H.O.R.D.E. Festival 1995
• H.O.R.D.E. Festival 1997
• H.O.R.D.E. Festival 1998
• H.O.R.D.E. Festival 2015

Tour Update

Marquee memories: sleater-kinney.

• Sleater‐Kinney
• Apr 8, 2024
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• Apr 6, 2024
• Apr 5, 2024
• Apr 4, 2024
• Apr 3, 2024
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