![]() Bands that we don't get to see live, because we're always on tour, basically our favorite bands." Alternative has traditionally played a role at the moe.down., past years have seen Primus leader Les Claypool, and Cracker and will always have a place at the festival. While they try to provide a line up that will appeal to their audience, Loughlin admits, "We make a list of bands we really want to hear. We wanted that atmosphere at the festival". As percussionist Jim Loughlin explains "We as individuals have a very diverse list of influences musically. When the moe.down started in 2000, one of moe.'s goals was to present as diverse a line up as possible. moe., who has also enjoyed success via college radio, has played a pivotal role in introducing alternative bands to jamband audiences through the moe.down. One example of how the jamband and alternative worlds have intersected in the past includes the involvement of Beck, Primus, Ween, Morphine, Kula Shaker and Soul Coughing at the 1997 HORDE tour. After welcoming acts from diverse genres such as jazz, hip-hop, funk, bluegrass and electronic, it only makes sense that the jamband scene opens its doors to these other alternative bands. While the scene is still plagued by that element, in reality what it has become is the most diverse arena for bands looking to operate outside mainstream music. When most hear the term jamband, they envision someone in a tie-dye shirt, noodling endlessly on a guitar. Bands like The Flaming Lips, They Might Be Giants, Ween, The Violent Femmes, Cracker, Primus, Pavement, The Pixies and Sonic Youth, were putting out critically acclaimed albums, and starting to get curious looks from MTV and the mainstream public. Ironically, while grunge was gaining popularity in the late 80's and early 90's, the alternative scene was going through a renaissance of its own. It revolutionized mainstream music, and a watered down variation of it predominates today's radio waves. While grunge, personified by bands such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Sound Garden, has its roots in the alternative genre, it should not be considered so. When most music fans hear the term alternative, they believe you are speaking of grunge music. It gained popularity through college radio. The term alternative was coined to describe a genre of music that was designed to provide an alternative to mainstream radio. Furthermore as the moe.down helped prove these two genres can be intertwined. Most people think the genres are polar opposites when in fact they retain some parallels, in particular that both are trying to provide an outlet for free minded music fans looking for more than what is found in mainstream music. People seem to hold onto preconceived notions of both genres, which do not reflect what either genre sounds like, or represents. Jamband and alternative have become two of the most misunderstood words when discussing popular music. The performances by The Flaming Lips and They Might Be Giants at this year's moe.down, are the latest in an encouraging trend of influential Alternative bands gaining acceptance in the jamband scene.
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