Collaborations are one of the main perks that set music festivals apart from a regular ol’ concert. Bonnaroo’s Super Jams have become legendary. Lockn’ prides itself on unique collaboration. Every Wanee sees some sort of mind-melting sit-in, if not multiple. It goes so on and so forth.
Suwannee Hulaween has had some great collaborations in the past too. The Antibalas horns have joined SCI for their spooktacular Halloween sets. They had Leftover Salmon, Steve Kimock, Dom Lalli, Jeffrey Lerner (STS9), Jen Hartswick, and Natalie Cressman come to the stage for the inaugural Suwannee Hulaween. Last year Nicky Sanders (Steep Canyon Rangers) and Keller Williams also joined the Cheese to deliver some unique collaboration.
This year has already promised the biggest lineup Hulaween has ever offered, and with that comes the hopes for some big collaborations. Here are five we’re dying to see come Halloween.
Sam Bush with String Cheese Incident
We’re going to start this off with something that everyone can imagine, because it’s happened. At Lockn’ last year, Sam Bush performed an insane “Colorado Bluebird Sky” alongside SCI, and he’s been a key guest at many other of their shows as well. He provides depth and extreme musicianship to the stage, and we sure hope to see some of that at Hulaween this year.
Chance the Rapper with STS9
The Suwannee isn’t exactly known for bringing rappers to the park, but occasionally they’ll bless us with some solid hip hop talent. Chali 2na delivered a stellar performance alongside Break Science one year. The Roots blew the lid off the Amphitheater Stage at Bear Creek back in 2013. And Thievery Corporation brought some hip hop and dancehall flavors to Hulaween just last year.
This year is Chance the Rapper’s turn to show a jam festival what great hip hop music is all about, and I’m confident he’s going to do great. One way to really impress the doubters would be to come out with STS9, who have a history of covering hip hop songs.
Dopadosio (Papadosio + Dopapod)
These guys have done this collaboration a handful of times, but never properly at the Spirit of Suwannee Music Park. Despite playing AURA together, Papadosio and Dopapod have never both fully hit the stage together. Hulaween sounds like as good of a time as any to make this happen! Maybe they’ll play some Radiohead, maybe some Pink Floyd, maybe their own songs. At any rate, we wanna see it!
Les Claypool with Anyone
I don’t know how strong our pull is here, but Les, if you’re reading, you’re allowed to join the stage with any artist you’d like this weekend. Claypool is undeniably the best bassist I’ve ever seen, and in addition to a raging Primus set, it would be cool to see him lay down some experimental funk grooves alongside SCI, STS9, Chance the Rapper, Pretty Lights, Lettuce, etc.
Pretty Lights with String Cheese Incident
This is sure to piss off some of the purists. Sorry guys, but if there’s one thing the String Cheese Incident thrives at, it’s blending the jam and electronic music worlds together. They’ve done it time and time again; at Electric Forest this year with Skrillex and Bassnectar, for example. Derek Vincent Smith has recently joined Preservation Hall Jazz Band on bass, and if he can keep up with those world class musicians, I’m sure he can bring something to the SCI set as well. It would be a huge generation-spanning moment for Colorado if this happened as well!
