Jack, Kevin and Mason manning the Lotion Station, I mean Hydration Station.

Words & Photos: Avert Guldemond

Screaming north on the highway from Rhode Island on a soaking 100+ afternoon, I couldn’t help but think, “What have I gotten myself into.“ Leaving the Ocean State’s breezy coastline for inland adventures, I was setting myself up for one sweaty adventure. I came prepared, packing my battery powered fan and as much energy as I could muster for something completely new to my realm of experience, a real deal multi-day music festival. What could be better than a music-filled camping extravaganza? Well that’s an easy question. One hosted by snowboarding’s favorite wild boys, The Frends crew of course.

Yep, those guys were here! Loving Frends speaking out loud about how they really feel.

Leaving highway 91, the excitement grew as I rallied my Subaru down Vermont’s famous dirt roads. Leaving all forms of civilization behind and cell phone service in the dust, it wasn’t long till I’d reached the village of Townshend. Just over the backside of Magic Mountain lies a less known rise called Timber Ridge. Owned and maintained by a gang of ATV ripping, beer slugging buzzards from the backwoods of VT, Timber Ridge was transformed into the ideal setting for such a gathering. Rounding the turn to the campsites, I caught a glimpse of the stage just as I heard the smooth sounds of a band playing in the distance. My mind was at ease and I was there in the moment, just the way the Frends had planned it.

Forest was found feinding for fried festival foods. For real bro, corn fritters.

Wandering from the car in the direction of the music, I quickly found the ticket booth manned by Frends front man Jack Mitrani. A grin smeared his face in excitement of my arrival and anticipation of the night’s antics. A quick contest like sign-in and retrieval of my wristband and the weekend of music and mayhem had begun. Now, to see what kind of lurkers such an occasion had brought together. Not long after signing my life away, I found frends of all walks littering the countryside like beer cans. The Mitrani family, Pearce brothers, Lago’s full team of dirts, Mason, Danny D, Kyle Shorre, Manning brothers, the Gremlinz’ own Ryan Kelly and Zach Duby, Burlington’s Keegan Reed and NH’s prized possession Shane Fortier were just a few I discovered in first hours of my stay.

This guy was living legend status all weekend. Peep the two road sodas (one on tank) all well ripping the quad down the mountain.

As the first evening rambled on into the sunset, the heat subsided and the music took over as king. Starting at the main stage, the late night performance was scheduled for a different zone. About midnight if I recall correctly, the gathering moved up the nearest trail lit by torchlight to the Frendly Forrest Stage, located on a rise tucked into the surrounding wilderness. A raging whirlwind of banjo’s and firewater, and the festival was running home as the heavens spoke with their deepest thundering voices. A rain began to fall and masses ran for there campsites, attaching rain flies and hunkering down just in the nick of time. All was peaceful in the world and the Frendly Gathering slept soundly as the rain washed its way down the mountain.

Fire on the mountain. E Jack and Mikkel blessing that firewater.

The next day, I woke to loudspeaker announcements about the yoga session to begin in mere minutes. I’m not a yoga man myself, but I decided to go check it out and soon found many of the Frends stretching the night out of their system on multicolored mats. Riverside swims and a visit to the Simpson Compound for a dip in the pond keep the crew cool during Saturday’s heat. Night fell and the show-goers fell into the music’s powerful vibes and again were entranced by the moment before them. Before no time had passed I was waking up in my tent the next morning satisfied with my experience in the Vermont backwoods. Not often are you able to see live music and camp for a weekend with many of your frends, so if you slacked and didn’t make it this year, be sure to plan to join in music, adventure and fun at the Frendly Gathering next year. Given how well it went this year, The Gathering would be hard to miss in the future. Big Thanks to all the FRENDS and the supporting sponsors of the Frendly Gathering, and to all bands who played this year.

Domino's with TRZA.. Trife Life Camping at its finest.

Danny Davis was there begging TRZA to get on stage before dark. With a smile like that who could question his authority.

New Hampshire's Shane Fortier came out of the woodwork for the show. Apparently Wolverine wounds are not a major concern to his woman.

Twiddle melting faces with tumbleweed tunes that keep the deadheads swirling for hours. I opted out on the swirling, Vert don't play like that.

The Simpson Swim compound. Not a bad place to spend a 110 degree afternoon.