This Book Tells Astonishing True Stories from the Inside of Music Festival Medical Tents

Jim Bollenbacher‘s water cooler talk is better than yours. After years of service as a first responder medic at large music festivals, the attorney turned paramedic has released a new book detailing his experiences.

Molly, Mushrooms and Mayhem: Stories from Inside the Music Festival Medical Tent explores Bollenbacher’s work tending to ravers and revelers at major music events over the years. The medical tent at a music festival is not something you want to be familiar with first-hand, and from a medic’s vantage point, it can be an extremely chaotic and stressful environment. On the flip-side, the inside of a medical tent can also be quite entertaining considering the title of the book, which will make readers “laugh, cringe, and maybe even gasp as they learn of some of the situations.”

“I noticed the reaction I received when I talked about my experiences in the medical tent during festivals,” said Bollenbacher. “When others heard my stories, I realized that they were not only interested in the stories, but also fascinated by the craziness and encouraged me to write about them. That’s how my book was born.”

Bollenbacher will be donating 100% of the proceeds of Molly, Mushrooms and Mayhem to First Responders Children’s Foundation, a nonprofit that created in the wake of 9/11 that provides financial support to both children who have lost a parent in the line of duty and families enduring significant financial hardships due to tragic circumstances. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization is awarding financial hardship grants and providing personal protective equipment to first responders working on the front lines of the pandemic.

You can purchase the book here.