The Schwag

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The Schwag are an improvisational rock band based in Missouri, USA who emulate the live essence of the Grateful Dead. They are responsible for the Schwagstock series of summer and fall music festivals, which are held primarily at Camp Zoe Amphitheater near Round Spring, MO.

1 History and Members
2 Performance
3 Schwagstock
4 Spookstock
5 Camp Zoe
6 External links

[edit] History and Members

The Schwag was created in 1992 by Jimmy Tebeau, who plays bass guitar. In their own words, The Schwag is "a band out to preserve and perpetuate the vibe and music made popular by the Grateful Dead." The band has played over 1500 shows since then, in at least 18 U.S. states. Notable guest performers have included Mike Gordon, Butch Trucks, Chuck Berry, Vince Welnick, Melvin Seals, Mike and Liz from Rusted Root, Merl Saunders,Keller Williams, Fred Tackett of Little Feat, Johnnie Johnson, and Devon Allman. The other members of the band arrive and depart on a fairly regular basis. The lineup usually consists of Jimmy; a guitar player (such asTim Moody(current), Shawn Guyot, Darrell Lea, Brad Sarno, Tracy Lowe, Nick Romanoff); a keyboard/organ player (such as Nate Carpenter(current) Jack Kirkner (now in Honeytribe); and a drummer (such as Tony Antonelli (current), Dave Klein, Dino English)

[edit] Performance

The style of music played by The Schwag closely follows the approach of The Grateful Dead, and includes elements found in other jam bands such as Hot Tuna, Phish, Widespread Panic, and String Cheese Incident. Rhythmic styles played include early rock, psychedelic rock, blues, reggae, and bossa. The set list is chosen spontaneously as the show moves on, based on the vibe and feedback from the audience. Improvised solos rely heavily on listening and feedback from the other players, creating an attractive interplay between the band members. The Schwag rely heavily on the tension and release performance model to retain the listener's interest throughout even the longest of jams.

The Schwag have an open taping and media policy. However, many of the songs The Schwag play, including over 200 Grateful Dead songs, are copyrighted by their respective authors, and may require external permission to distribute. Additionally, certain performance venues may restrict or forbid taping and photographs for that show.

[edit] Schwagstock

A Schwagstock is a music festival that takes place over the course of a weekend in an outdoor setting, and is intended to carry on the vibe of the Woodstock festival. Food, trinkets, glassware, carvings, beads, blankets, tie-dye clothing, and many other handmade and hippie-appeal items are available for sale by individual vendors. Attendees are allowed to camp anywhere they wish on the campgrounds, and may choose to set up tents or to camp in their vehicles instead. Music is scheduled such that there are several overlapping live music acts between the main stage and the sideshow(s) from early afternoon until well after midnight. Attendees can choose to arrive on later days of the weekend and pay a lower admission price. Hugs and smiles can be found in great abundance.

Schwagstock has been held at places including Lesterville, Leasburg and Bagnell Dam. There was even a schwagstock in Iowa that is commonly referred to as "couchstock". All schwagstocks are now held at Camp Zoe.

[edit] Spookstock

Spookstock is a Schwagstock that takes place around Halloween. Bands play in heated tents for costumed concertgoers. Attendance has topped 5000 recently. The carnival also features amusement rides and vendors. Other activities include a nightly bonfire and a drum circle.