Merlefest 2010 - Friday

How can there be anything but good music on a sunny, warm day that began with the Snyder family playing at the gate as well as a touch of Doc Watson in the Traditional tent and ended, for us, with a Sam Busy set as good as any he's played in several years?  With the exception of one tasteless country duo on the Cabin Stage in the evening, the day was filled with fine music and  happy reunions.  Again, I'll post pictures to try to provide an overview, without too much text or analysis.  Enjoy the experience and we'll all try to process it in the weeks and months to come.

At the Gate

The Snyder Family Band

The audience packed the Traditional Tent for a Doc Watson set.  They spilled out of the tent and onto the lawn at every entrance.  Doc's still a Watson Stage attraction at any time of day.

 
The Traditional Tent for Doc Watson

 

Doc Watson with David Holt and Josh Goforth

 

Doc

The Sculpture Progresses

 

Ann and Pete Sibley at Americana

Missy Raines and the New Hip at Watson

 

Missy Raines

 

The Gibson Brothers at Walker Center

 

Joe Walsh and Mike Barber

 

Clayton Campbell

 

Tut Taylor Hosts the Plaza Stage

 

Tut at 87

 

Banjo Workshop at the Mayes Pit

Jens Kruger, Laura Boosinger, Pete Wernick, and Leanard Podolack

The Gibson Brothers at Creekside

The Kruger Brothers at the Cabin Stage

Daily and Vincent on Watson Stage

Darrin Vincent

Jamie Dailey

Jeff Parker

 

Dierks Bentley and the Travelin' McCourys with Sam

 

This bluegrass-country fusion is extremely pleasing.  Bentley's voice, while clearly developed in the direction of country music fits very well with Ron McCoury who sounds increasingly like his father.  Their set was first rate, and I'm eager to see their show.

Dierks Bentley

 

Ron McCoury

 

Rob McCoury

 

Jason Carter

 

Joey and Rory

In the years we've been coming to Merlefest we've never been assaulted by the combination of tasteless obscenity and profanity offered by this group.  They might work fine in a Texas honky-tonk, but pushed the envelope way to far to be an appropriate Merlefest act.  Let's keep Merlefest classy.

Sam Bush

 

Byron House

 

Chris Brown

 

Stephen Mougin

 

Scott Vestal

Dierks Bentley & Brian Simpson Watching Sam