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It’s still hard for me to imagine much else happened after seeing Mavis Staples on stage but believe me, 35 Conferette was just getting started. By the end of her set, I had slept for five hours, worked at my day job for four, and had four hours of live music in my system. I took my excitement to the evening venues. Also, this was the day I pulled the “irresponsible parent” card and left my puppy, Noodles, at home. Many thanks to my roommates for keeping her company and for capturing her excitement here:

I headed to The Labb for the final Eaton Lake Tonics show but since the stage wasn’t even set up when they arrived, I took my antsy self all the way across the tracks to Rubber Gloves. See, there is a special bearded guy who has spent half a year traveling around South America who made his way back to Denton in time for the festival. Said gentleman simply signed up to volunteer as I saw him at meetings. Less than a week before the festival (and a few canceled bands later), Jacob Metcalf was officially set to play at 35 Conferette. Being his first time to play in Denton since his “bon voyage” show, I wasn’t going to miss it. Accompanied by fellow Dallas Family Band members, Petra Kelly and Dan Bowman, Metcalf brought a wonderfully intimate set to Rubber Gloves, making the long trek worth it. This is one album I hope comes into fruition soon.

Everyone kept talking about ending their night at Hailey’s with Cut Chemist so I hoofed it back to ensure I didn’t miss out. I was able to catch a bit of Dem Southernfolkz who had the crowd jumping. They ended their smooth set with style:

As I was being treated to one of the very few drinks I had all weekend, music started filling the air. I checked my phone and confirmed it was not time for Cut Chemist to start but apparently, he didn’t get the memo that as a musician in Denton, being on time is not expected. However, the bodies at Hailey’s did not care and the next thing you know, a circle formed as a few dudes started breakdancing.

The rest of the crowd lost themselves, aurally and visually, in Cut Chemist’s genius. I’ve only seen a few turntables spun live in my lifetime but there’s a big reason I tend to stray away from those shows. You can only watch a dude stand on stage, moving his arms and bobbing his head for so long until your eyes wander and the rest of your body does, too. Besides his brilliant beats and sound samples, Cut Chemist separates himself from the rest by purposely linking his music with video clips, leaving you with no excuse but to move your legs, shake those shoulders, and enjoy the night.

And, I did exactly that until he ended his set shortly before 2AM. In fact, it was a good thing he ended early because what I failed to mention was a chance encounter earlier in the night that meant I had three hours to get home and take a nap… Stay tuned, bat kids!

I’ll go into the craziness of the weekend later and explain why I slept for almost 24 hours yesterday but for now, I’ll recap the only day off I had at 35 Conferette.

Due to poor planning on my part, OK Sweetheart wooed the crowd while I sat at my optometrist’s office, answering that dreaded question, “1? Or 2?” My new eyes and I made it to Main Stage 1 (yes, two “main stages” do exist much like American Idol’s Randy Jackson believes in percentages over 100%) as Sarah Jaffe proceeded to do what I’ve seen her do many, many times. She fearlessly brought tunes, old and new, to her loyal crowd and increased anticipation for her new EP which is expected to be released sometime this year. ‘Twas good to see a certain Robert Gomez has returned from Seattle as well.

I had the pleasure of meeting a Dentonite in training, Harper, who braved the chilly air for her first musical festival ever. Best way to celebrate your fourth month of living, kid. Your parents are doin’ it right.

The estrogen continued to fill the air as The Secret Sisters brought their angelic harmonies from Muscle Shoals, Alabama to Denton, Texas. Two gals, one guitar, so simple and pure. Although Thursday’s early evening crowd was a bit sparse, they quickly understood why T-Bone Burnett holds these sisters in such high regard. On top of their genuine kindness, they showed that their young age doesn’t mean they can’t appreciate their roots as they included some Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline covers. In fact, later in the evening, Mavis Staples unashamedly praised their name on stage as well.

I wanted to catch The Pains of Being Pure at Heart while I chowed down on some pizza slices from Gio’s but they started so late, I abandoned them to ensure I had a good spot for Mavis Staples. I have no regrets about this decision as I was against the front gates for a perfect view of the legend, Mavis Staples.

Can I confess something? I didn’t know who The Staple Sisters were until 35 Conferette booked Mavis Staples. Agh, I know, embarrassing. I mean, after googling around, I realized I knew their tunes without knowing their origin. Even then, I thought it was odd that she would be booked into a music fest full of indie rockers and local talent but I went with it. Within seconds, I understood. I think within seconds, everyone understood as we found ourselves baptized with the truth by Staples’ distinctly low, yet joyful voice. As she conquered the stage and the youthful audience, I whipped out my phone to verify her age. 71. Old enough to experience the Civil Rights movement. Old enough to have over sixty years of music experience under her belt. Old enough to warrant an excuse to sit down… but she could barely sit still when she did. At 71 years of age, Mavis emitted more energy than any act I saw this weekend. And it was infectious. By the end of the set, Mavis and her crew (including her older sister, Yvonne) led the crowd to a fifteen minute version of “I’ll Take You There,” somehow sneaking in a Happy Birthday to Young and Brave‘s drummer, Ramon. See, she met Ramon when she arrived into town, somehow found out it was his birthday and managed to surprise everyone as she seamlessly incorporated the birthday song into the mix. Unfortunately, Ramon wasn’t there but the sentiment was not lost as she completely won over the hearts of Denton that night. And who could forget that “Keep Denton Beard” moment? Her joy is genuine and as my friend, Jesseca, explained afterward, “It’s her spirit,” a spirit that refuses to stay still, a spirit that was made for music, a spirit that was made to love others. You win, Mavis Staples. You win 35 Conferette 2011.

Edit (3/16/7:58AM): So, Ramon was there! My other sources were wrong. Also, Jaime, I knew something was up when you waved your festival hat at Mavis. The next thing you know, Mavis was scared that someone thought they were at a Tom Jones concert!