I think it was probably a great show if you were lucky enough to be sitting near people who were actually paying attention to it rather than talking non-stop, really loud, above the music and annoying all of those around them. There was a table full of partiers that didn't once stop to pay attention to the band...which is fine, but it sure messed up my ability to hear the music.
Donovan himself is a highly respected musician and surfer and seemingly a very nice person. I was outside getting some fresh air and got to observe what its like for a performer to put on a show like this. His manager (i.e. the guy telling him what to do) was saying stuff like "you have to talk to so and so, do this now, then do that, now its time for an interview). These guys get pulled in all directions. I was standing about three feet away when he was interviewed by a camera crew about the event, then immediately after that he was back on stage jamming with a band. (He played with each band that performed, which was very cool). I can't imagine what it would be like to be a celebrity on a large scale...this was small and it seemed stressful to me.
Anyhow - the music. The night was a combination of music and surfing so the bands that played were mostly local bands that have a surf background and/or are surfers themselves. At one point Timmy Curran was on stage - couldn't hear a word he sang but I was still impressed to see him up there. The night opened with a band of kids called "Black Heart" - when I say kids I mean KIDS, guitar player was 9, bass player 8, drummer 8 !!! They played good!
My favorite band was "Honk". If you've heard of "Honk" let me know - I want to know how, when, why and where!!! They are best known for writing the soundtrack to one of the best surf movies ever filmed "Five Summer Stories".
I wish I could say I had a great time, I think it would have been under different circumstances. I like Donovan, his style, his compassion, his hotness (oops did I say that?). I would recommend you to check out his music and see if you like it. Its light, fun, mostly upbeat.
(If your a surf fan you probably know who Tim Curran is, if not check out this 1:20 min, video to see the move he is famous for, "the Flip". Amazing)
