
Article By Hal Wendlinger
Photos © David Wendlinger
If California Roots Music & Arts Festival (Cali Roots) isn’t on the list of festivals you attend annually, I strongly suggest you change that in 2016. This year’s festival was held on the weekend of May 22-24th at the legendary Monterey County Fairgrounds in Monterey, California. What started as a one day event just a few short years ago has blossomed into one of the better three day music festivals around. In addition to the music, the festival has several areas dedicated to vendors, a non profit exclusive area and food stands for every taste. The sprawling venue, famous for its hosting of the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967, presented the concert-goers with three stages full of nonstop music running starting at 11am and running until 11pm each day.
The stage with the largest audience capacity referred to as “The Bowl” held the majority of the festivals headlining acts. The second of which, appropriately referred to as the “Cali Roots” stage played host to several larger name artists throughout the weekend. “The Original” stage which played host to the grand majority of the lesser known acts, is the smallest, yet most historic of all the stages. “The Bowl” is the exact same stage that the legendary Jimi Hendrix performed on during his infamous set at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival. At the conclusion of his set, Hendrix placed his guitar on the stage, doused the guitar in lighter fluid and then set it ablaze, the stage still has the burn marks to prove it!
The festival kicked off Friday morning with the very talented Leilani Wolfgramm filling the air with her powerful voice as the audience drifted toward the “Cali Roots stage” to kick off the musical performances for the weekend.

Leilani Wolfgram Cali Roots 2015 © David Wendlinger

Natalie Rize Cali Roots 2015 © David Wendlinger

Nahko Bear Cali Roots 2015 ©David Wendlinger

David Hinds Cali Roots 2015 ©David Wendlinger
Saturdays show got off to quick start with Collie Buddz giving the crowd who filled “The Bowl,” an electric performance that had the audience singing along to nearly every track.

Collie Buddz Cali Roots 2015 ©David Wendlinger

Chronixx Cali Roots 2015 © David Wendlinger

Michael Franti Cali Roots 2015 ©David Wendlinger
With their Island rhythm and gentle harmony, Common Kings made the “Cali Roots” stage the place to be early Sunday afternoon, the audience was captivated by their sound the throughout the entirety of their set. From what it looked like, with the exception of Iration’s performance later in the evening at the “Cali Roots” stage, a large portion of the crowd camped out at “The Bowl” for the evenings upcoming performances.

Common Kings Cali Roots 2015 ©David Wendlinger

Tribal Seeds Cali Roots 2015 ©David Wendlinger
Despite clouds in the sky and colder temperatures the entirety of the weekend, the musical acts provided enough warmth to all who attended the festival. It will truly be exciting to see what artists “Cali Roots” brings to the festival in 2016. For those of you not wanting to wait until next May for the “Cali Roots” experience, “The Carolina Sessions” will be held October 3rd in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina featuring 311, Soja and Steel Pulse.
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