Taken By The Sky, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, takes the stage Friday night at Harefest. (John Baker)

The bands played, people dances and sung, and nostalgia kept on rocking

If you closed your eyes and just listened, the vibe of a concert experience from the past could just rekindle the embers of memories long gone.

That’s the kind of vibe that emanates from musical artists that not only play classic songs from the 1970s, ‘80s and even ‘90s, but deliver vocals, guitar riffs and even the look of classic rock groups.

It’s the magic of Harefest, which wrapped up its 13th edition Saturday night under the lights at the Clackamas County Event Center fairgrounds in Canby.

From full-on mullets to bell-bottoms to more classic rock group t-shirts than one could count, the annual ode to tribute bands delivered something special with each performance. No, it’s not Fleetwood Mac, Black Sabbath or Def Leppard – but in some ways it is.

It is nostalgia wrapped in joy and sprinkled with a passion for music that moved generations. Don’t believe it? Just ask those who were there July 17-19 in Canby.

“This was the music of my youth, the music that spoke to me as a teenager and young adult as I was coming of age. We didn’t have cell phones and access to information and music at the touch of a button, so music was a way of communicating to my generation about things we were interested in. It mattered, and it still does,” said Sandy Silverman, who, along with her all-female crew of upper 50-somethings, was rocking hard to Judas Rising NW, a Judas Priest tribute band. “It’s kind of fun to be among so many people in my age range to enjoy music and the whole feel from a time that seems so long ago. Tribute bands keep that music and that magic alive. You can feel the vibe, right?”

It’s all fun and games until the Rob Halford look-alike rolls onto the stage, bringing his best Judas Priest intensity to the microphone, not to mention plenty of leather and a whip, just to make sure everyone knows it’s time to rock. He’s got the look, he’s got the presence and when the voice belts out the first song of their Friday set, it sounds like Halford.

And that’s the point. As opposed to a cover band, a tribute band seeks to recreate the sound and feel of the band they are delivering, from stage look to guitar shredding to vocals, the show is the thing. And it’s why tribute bands are one of the hottest things going in local music.

For Andrea Reynolds and her husband Drew, there’s no mystery here. The music of the older generation was simply better and delivered something special with each album.

“Back in the day, you’d be feeling down or you were made or just not sure what life was delivering, you’d go in your room, throw a Boston album on the turntable and just sink into the music,” Drew said. “And that’s what these bands do, remind us of not only the good times in the good old days, but also remind us how important that generation of music was to our growing up.
“These groups keep a very interesting time in music history alive and kicking,” added Andrea. “Think about what was going on in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s. We went from folks to rock to disco to the MTV generation all in the span of about 10 years. This music, and the way they bring it to the stage, is a wonderful walk back to a time that was special. And music, this music, helped make it that way.”

In all, 24 tribute bands graced the two stages of Harefest between Thursday and Saturday night, delivering visually and musically stunning performances of bands like KISS, Motley Crue, Fleetwood Mac, The Cars, Hall & Oates and more. Whether they camped out on the property or dropped in for a one-day run, attendees just wanted a piece of nostalgia through the music of their youth.

“It’s a little bit of magic that takes you backs and reminds you that getting older doesn’t necessarily means you’re old,” Silverman added. “This is something the keeps you young at heart and energizes the soul a little bit. And my guess is most people here need that feeling in their lives as the years pass. I know I do.”