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Roots Rock Revival: What a Week at a Music Camp Is Actually Like

By Mike · Published October 12, 2026

I spent five days at Roots Rock Revival this summer, a jam and workshop camp in the Catskills. I had a blast. Good people, some very good young players, and contacts I expect to keep for a long time. Here is what the week was like, in case you are weighing a camp like it.

What it is

Roots Rock Revival is run by Music Masters Collective at Full Moon Resort in Big Indian, New York. The organizer describes it as a four-night, five-day, all-inclusive intensive built around Southern blues rock, the Allman Brothers Band and the roots of rock and roll, open to fans, musicians or both. The days are master classes, jam sessions, Q&A sessions and open rehearsals.

The 2026 camp ran July 27 to 31, and the organizer-listed faculty included Oteil Burbridge, the North Mississippi Allstars, Amy Helm and John Medeski. The next one is listed for July 26 to 30, 2027. That is the organizer's information as of early October, so check the camp's own site before you plan anything. I am not covering prices here.

If you are comparing options, I keep a directory of music camps at MusicCampFinder, including a page for this one with every year on record.

Finding your room

The jams happen in different spaces, and each has its own feel. I ended up in the yurt a lot. It was looser than the other rooms, and it drew a wider mix of levels than I expected, so some sets were stronger than others. Another jam area was where several of the best young players ended up, and it had probably the best set I heard all week. The barn did less for me. Much of it felt aimless, though I did catch one great Chaka Khan tune in there.

So the lesson from my week was simple. Try the rooms early, find the one that fits how you like to play, and keep going back to it.

The jam that took off

The funk players had come out in the yurt, and I did a halftime cover of “Let's Go Crazy.” It turned into a big jam. I made sure to have the young players up there with me, and it was pretty great.

That is the part I would pass on. If you call a tune, make room on stage for the other people.

The people

My first-day lunch mate and I got to know each other pretty well. He was a first-timer who really wanted to be Derek Trucks, and who says he plays slide, not guitar.

The young players were a highlight, and some of them were awesome. There were lots of good folks, and the contacts I made are the thing I value most from the trip.

A note on the Alternative Guitar Summit

I also took part in the Alternative Guitar Summit in the middle of the pandemic, when it was virtual. That is a different experience from being in the room, so I am leaving it out of this comparison.

If you are thinking about going

From my week: try the rooms early and find yours, be generous about level because the jams are mixed, bring a song that makes space for others, and treat the people as the real prize. If cost is the barrier, the organizer has a scholarship application.

If you are working on getting your music in front of people, getting your first hundred fans starts the same way: showing up and playing with others.