Zonk Family Conference – Getting Zonked Was Great
The first #ZonkFamily Conference was held on Saturday, July 8th at the Bay Harbor Hotel in Tampa, Florida. This was created and run by Sibannacal Life. You may be familiar with the Game of Zonk. Sibannacal Life is run by David Rakower, who also runs the Zonk Games. The event was billed as a day of “Art, Music and Cannabis Education.” To say this event was a huge success would be an understatement. The venue was great, the stage setup was well done, the sound and lightning were outstanding, and while I’m sure there were hiccups as there are with any event, they weren’t noticeable to any of the attendees, which is remarkable, especially for a first-time festival!
The only issues we encountered (and they were very minor) were upon arrival. The event was held at a large hotel complex that is right on Tampa Bay. The property has the hotel, a large conference space, a restaurant and a massive outdoor bar/stage area. Due to some communication issues when we pulled up, we were told the lot was full, and we had to park offsite. After about 20 minutes of hassle, we finally got the hotel to tell us they did have parking spaces, and they let us back onto the property. Once we got checked in and settled in our room, we made our way back downstairs and had about a 15-minute wait to get through the main entry; then we made our way to the music.
Unfortunately, due to all that running around, we completely missed getting to see The Applebutter Express. They were a great choice to kick things off, and I really hate that I missed them. They never fail to get the energy going with their unique brand of ukulele funk.
We took a look around and were very happy to find a huge raised stage area with complete rigging above for lights and sound. The staged faced what would have been two competition-sized sand volleyballs courts that had everything removed so that they formed a gigantic sand dance area. Ringed all along the edges were boardwalks with big shaded lounge chairs that were open for everyone to use. Along the back side were a couple of large canopy tents set up for shade. The largest would fit maybe 50 people and included misting fans, which made it quite comfortable. Along the waterfront was a bar area that sat perhaps tqo dozen people. Between that bar and the main bar area were several artist tents. The main bar area was also covered and could easily fit over 100 people. Past the bar was the indoor exhibitor space as well as the outdoor pool and then the large pier that also featured artist booths. This isn’t even counting the main hotel building. This really was a massive venue.
We took this chance to grab our Swag Bags. All guests who registered early received a free swag bag courtesy of Sibannacal Life and the vendors at the event.
Next up was Boxcar Hollow, the five-piece St. Petersburg-based band fronted by Matt Weis. They brought their usual bluesy funk swagger that drew a nice crowd out into the blazing hot sun to dance and get their day started. Boxcar Hollow is, as mentioned, led by Weis on guitar and vocals, Jack Pieroth on bass, Greg Holt on fiddle, Jeff Baker on drums and vocals, and rounded out by longtime St. Pete musician Darryl Quesenberry on keyboards. Their blend of jam, bluegrass and newgrass fit perfectly with the sunny beach vibe of the venue.
After BoxCar Hollow it was time for another drink and then back to the stage for the next set – the incomparable Holey Miss Moley. There were 30-minute breaks between sets, and big props to the production staff who were staying right on time. Holey Miss Moley is a ten-piece funk powerhouse from Florida. This is a band that works hard to bring their A-Game to every performance, and it shows. Even in the sweltering July heat they all still dressed up and played their hardest. This is a big band, fronted by singers Danny Clemmons and Robyn Alleman, flanked by Christian Ryan on sax and flute, Jacob Cox on guitar, Jen Peacock on trumpet, Mikey Guzman on keyboards and finally backed by Kenny Harvey on bass, Jamal ‘MusicCity’ Wright on drums, Antonio Morales on percussion and Vernon Suber also on percussion. Right from the first note they started pulling people out of the refuge of the bars and pool to get out to the stage. There was a lot of funk, a lot of dancing, and energy to spare back and forth between the band and the crowd.
After the Holey Miss Moley set it was a quick scramble to grab a bite to eat from some of the food vendors set up alongside the stage as well as drink refills, and then it was time for local favorites Come Back Alice. Unfortunately, I also had to miss this entire set due to a dead air conditioner in our room. The hotel staff was very quick to send up a staff member to check it out, but after trying to get the AC working they declared the unit dead. By the time they replaced it, Come Back Alice had finished up their set. From the crowd response though, they did not disappoint.
Just before the next band, I took the chance to check out the exhibition hall. The event was billed as “Art, Music and Cannabis Education,” and on that last point they are very serious. Sibannacal Life is a very strong advocate for the responsible use of cannabis, and it showed in the vendors and exhibitors set up in the conference area. These are all extremely knowledgeable, caring and compassionate people who want very much to see cannabis as a medicinal and an economic development tool. If you ever have any desire to learn more, by all means reach out to them as there is a wealth of information to be had.
The Heavy Pets were next up at 7 pm. This jam and rock band out of South Florida has been tearing it up since 2005. Their sound is polished and, like their name, heavy. Consisting of Jeff Lloyd on guitar and vocals, Mike Garulli on guitar and vocals, Jim Wuest on keys and vocals, Jamie Newitt on drums and vocals, and Tony D’Amato on bass. They played as the sun was setting, and the scene was perfect for them. Their layering of keys over guitars with the pounding backbeat from D’Amato and Newitt was a real treat as everyone danced in the sand and the temperature started to go down.
Once they wrapped up it was time for a drink refill and then Michael Minardi of Regulate Florida took the stage for a ‘State Of The Industry’ talk. He packed a great deal of information into a very short period of time and really covered well where things stand in the state of Florida and the Cannabis Industry. Anyone interested in what is going on is strongly encouraged to contact Sibannacal Life and/or Regulate Florida. Links are below.
Just as the last light was falling below the horizon, it was time for headliners The Main Squeeze. The Main Squeeze are a five-piece Los Angeles-based band that combine funk, soul and jam into a magical combination. If you have not come across them yet, you absolutely need to put them on your list to see SOON. They have been rising up the bill wherever they play for some time now, and it will not be long before they are headlining everywhere they go. The band is made up of Ben Silverstein on keys, Max Newman on guitar, Corey Frye on vocals, Rob Walker on bass and Reuben Gingrich on drums. Frye is the perfect frontman and vocalist for this band. His combination of soulful swagger and high energy go so well with the ultra-tight musicians around him. Again, get out and see this band first chance you get. You will not be disappointed.
Sibannacal Life Facebook
Game Of Zonk Website
Regulate Florida Website
