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This year's Loki Music Festival unites the funk, jazz, hip-hop and jam communities.

The outrageous lineup varies from the hard-hitting, free-flowing harmonies of the Roots to the funky freshness of Mr. George Clinton and the Big Ol' Nasty Getdown and the rub-a-dub stylings of the Toots and Maytals.

"This will be our first performance as the Big Ol' Nasty Getdown," said Frank Mapstone, organizer of the band. "It will be the largest gathering of everybody together since our first session in New Orleans."

The Big Ol' Nasty Getdown is a new project on the music scene, but the members are far from it. With over 35 musicians collaborating from Sci-Fi, Galactic, Yo' Mama's Big Fat Booty Band and Laura Reed mixed with a little George Clinton and P-Funk, this team joined forces last year and are now hard at work on their debut album, to be released this year.

"It is controlled chaos," said John Heintz, a founder of the band.

"The cool thing is that we have the P-Funk Crew that has perfected the art of how to get 25 people on stage and not have it sound like 25 people are on stage and still be good dancing music," Mapstone said.

Local artists, such as Josh Phillips Folk Festival, Strut, Toubab Krew and Laura Reed, join the fun.

"I have heard a lot of cool things about Loki," said Josh Phillips of the Folk Festival and former front man for Yo' Mama's Big Fat Booty Band. "There are these two guys putting up these crazzy props all over the campgrounds and in trees."

Just in time for Halloween, Loki is also hosting a few ghoulish treats. The music stops only once, on Saturday afternoon, to let everyone scurry to their tents, paint their faces and don those glittery gold pants for the big, bad masquerade ball. "New Orleans Funk" is the theme, and prizes await the most happening cats in town.

"It's important to keep these festivals unique and different from each other, because a lot of them end up feeling the same," said Elijah Cramer, bassist for local band Strut.

The festival boasts over 30 bands, hundreds of attendees and an array of interactive activities. Sponsored by local organizations like Greenlife Grocery, Caffiend and Mountain Xpress, there will also be an assortment of organic and vegetarian treats. Loki provides children activities as well, such as play stations and family-friendly campgrounds.

"I've always had a great time either playing or just hanging out in Deerfields," said Drew Heller of Toubab Krew. "All the elements are there which makes it the perfect spot."

As a recycle-friendly venue working toward a zero carbon output model, this festival promises a positive environment for everyone.

"Loki will raise the bar for Asheville festival goers," promotional manager Joel Stout said. "The entire weekend will be filled with surprises and guest performers as unannounced bands appear on stage. The entire festival grounds at Deerfields will become an open canvas for Loki performers to create and color a brightness neverending which is just the beginning for the annual Loki Festival plans."

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