It’s a small festival, a few hundred of us, getting together on an early June’s weekend down on Grant’s farm back when he was playing with this band this other great Michigan Band. The loading area for the festival is the musicians and me, the only vendor. So, I pull up in between bands and start unloading my stuff, putting up the tent so on and so forth. It takes me a minute, it is just me and there is a lot of work to do. And working was just what I was doing when suddenly I hear, “Ma’am, um could you move your car?”
“Huh.. Oh yeah that, the only way that is moving is when I am done unloading, you can watch or you can help, one way it is getting done quicker and one way it is gonna take longer... When I am done I am smoking this, you can join if you help, but that is how it’s happenin’.”
My entitled ass didn’t know it yet, but I was talking to the next band, Ultraviolet Hippopotamus and their bassist, the one and only Brian Samuels. What happened next was the beginning of an epic night and what has become an epic friendship. Brian looked at the rest of the guys and he and Joey P dug right in, and the rest of the band was quick to follow. It was as they unloaded my car that I realized they were the next act. As we smoked the reward I promised, I apologized for being so pushy and told them how excited I was for the chance to hear something new.
And something new they were.... HIPPO, what is HIPPO? HIPPO is more than just music or Musik or majik..... HIPPO is a state of mind.... Ultraviolet Hippopotamus is a mystical creature of jam musik capable of infecting those of us intent on pursuing the jamiest of jam.... that is what I found that night, only back then HIPPO was an infant on the edge, a toddler toddling toward a goal.... but they were good. I love HIPPO. And that night I joined Camp Hippopotamus, for better or for worse.
That is what it truly has been! I am a die hard Hippo FAN. Drive to TC for Hippo.... why not? GR for HIPPO, DUH? KZOO for Hippo... who’s in? 3 day Indiana Hippo Excursion, 9 hours away and I am there. I love Hippo and you would too. Do you like a well oiled jam machine? That is what Hippo has become. I have heard Joey and Brian blend together so well, not even a computer could do drums and bass that, and then you throw Dave Sanders in there. It is true he’s boss of the keys, for he has rocked out so many hard solos and brought us the Zelda theme. Russel’s guitar rocks it home and Hippopotamus wouldn’t be hippo without their hand drummer Casey Butts.
I remember shows in the beginning that were just two of us, die hard HIPPO lovers.... AHHH, found memories of Short’s and their parking lot. Ultraviolet Hippopotamus truly offers the music lover something special, they jam hard and rage on no matter the rain, the sleet, the shit storm.....they will rock and they do or at least did, until they went on hiatus.... Hippo took a break?!
No shows... NO HIPPO!
But there is a rumble in the jungle Michigan. A rumor in the mist. Hippo is back and better than ever. Back from Hibernation they will be available for jammy sightings at the Intersection Live in Grand Rapids with the Big Dudee Ru this November 21, 2015. It is gonna be hot. I recommend missing it not.
Hippo has been and always will be to me Brian Samuels, Joey P, Russell Olmstead, Dave Sanders, Casey Butts, Sam Guidry, Nate Karnes and a few more. To learn more about this mystical creature of jam please check out their website at uvhippomusic.com.
