This past weekend, rows of porta-potties were set up, two stages erected on Portland’s East End, houses decorated and food trucks parked to welcome over 15,000 mustache-sporting festival-goers for Mumford and Sons’ Gentlemen of the Road stopover show.

My old Bates roomie and dear friend Emily took the train up from Boston to visit, and we grabbed a blanket, plenty of sunscreen and water and hit the hill.

The headliners put on a flawless show. The setting was beautiful, with a bobbing Atlantic as the backdrop, some anchored boats dancing in the ebb and flow of the water. As the sun set behind us, the sky turned pink.

This was all very lovely. However, my most-favorite moment of the day was HAIM’s set. Three LA sisters graced the stage, all middle-parted long hair and dangerously short cut-offs. Danielle’s stint with Julian Casablancas showed in her guitar solos. The bass player, pardon my language, kicked some serious ass. And all three closed their set with some primal drumming.

So good.

The fried dough wasn’t bad either.