All Good 2008 | Initial Line-Up Announced

As the music world is getting into the season for festival line-up announcements, some festivals don’t garner as much attention as the Bonnaroo’s and Cochella’s but offer something more intimate and easy going than camping with 100,000 people you don’t know. The All Good Music Festival is definitely one of these small but mighty festivals and the initial line-up was just announced. All Good’s setting is enough to go in itself — West Virginia is full of beautiful places and wonderful people — and Marvin’s Mountaintop is no different.

Over the last few years All Good has pulled together some serious line-ups focusing on the jamband scene more than anything else, but hell, these are the bands that brought festivals back to life. In two years there myself, I’ve caught some really incredible acts by some of the premier touring bands in music. That was also without any traffic jams, overpriced food, or frat boys shot-gunning Natty Lights in my face. It’s an unassuming experience that gives fans the opportunity to camp and enjoy music; that’s it.

The best part about this festival over the past few years has been the Rope-a-dope Records stage.The stage is smack dab in the middle of the camping area and functions as a stage for collaboration between artists that don’t always play together. Seeing musicians like Karl Denson, John Medeski, DJ Logic and Adam Deitch play for two hours right in front of where I’d lay my head that night was definitely my idea of a good time. If you want to be able to see a number of different bands in one weekend without the hassle that some of the bigger festivals bring, then All Good is your place.

This year’s line-up brings two heavy hitters to the stage as headliners: Widespread Panic and Phil Lesh and Friends. After that the music ranges from avant-garde jazz to folksy bluegrass to live electronica. There’ll be more additions to the line-up over the next few months, and in the past two years the festival has been able to rope in some nice band during that period. The festival is set for July 11-13. If you’re worried about the heat, don’t; the mountain is mild and breezy.

All Good 2008 – Initial Line-up

Phil Lesh & Friends · Widespread Panic
Gov’t Mule
Michael Franti & Spearhead
Keller Williams & the WMD’S
Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival
Medeski, Martin & Wood
Railroad Earth
Tea Leaf Green
The Bridge
Hot Buttered Rum
RAQ
Bonerama
Pnuma Trio
The Wood Brothers
Bassnectar
Outformation
deSol
Telepath
Basshound
…and many more TBA