Fayettville Street
Red Hat Amphitheater
Center Stage
Three venues epitomize the range of vision and activity represented by Wide Open Bluegrass, the bluegrass happening that's replaced what was once called Fan Fest at previous IBMA conventions in Ownesboro and Lousiville, Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee. Produced by Craig Ferguson, promoter of the huge Telluride and Rocky Grass festivals in Colorado, and William Lewis of Pine Cone Productions in Raleigh, the event exceeded all expectations for musical quality, variety, and crowd response. Preliminary estimates of more than 50,000 people in the streets for the StreetFest elements suggest local support that succeeded in introducing bluegrass music from its most traditional roots to its edgier descendants. Meanwhile, the ticketed events at the Red Hat Amphitheater and in the Raleigh Convention Center's Ballroom Stage were packed. The Red Hat Amphitheater sold out for both Friday and Saturday nights, repairing the coffers of the Bluegrass Trust Fund, created "for individuals and their immediate families within the bluegrass community in times of emergency need" and supported primarily from proceeds of what was once called Fan Fest. The scope of these events was too large for any two people to provide comprehensive coverage. Extensive coverage in Bluegrass Today and Bluegrass Nation in addition to many FaceBook entries and other sources available through a simple Google search of Wide Open Bluegrass will yield further information and pictures for those interested. Meanwhile, what follows here is a largely impressionistic picture of the events of the two days of Wide Open Bluegrass.
Friday
WAMU's Bluegrass Country
Missy Raines & the New Hip
The team from Bluegrass Country continued it's four day presentation of live radio broadcasts from room 201 in the Raleigh Convention Center. Having transported an entire radio studio to Raleigh, Bluegrass Country presented six bands a day for four days. I lost my wife to the staff for the entire period, where she served as staff photographer.
Darin & Brooke Aldridge Perform
with Erin Stamper at the Board
Lee Michael Demsey on Air
Jim Beaver & Dick Spottswood
outside the Bluegrass Country Studio
The Exhibit Hall
The Exhibit Hall was always bubbling with activity during the three days it was open. Note the tent in the back right above. The North Carolina Pavilion alone presented thirty bands, without amplification on a small stage within the pavilion as well as representing North Carolina's contributions to food, and the roots of NASCAR found in the back roads of the rural western mountains.
Eddie Rose & Highway 40
at the North Carolina Pavilion
The Earl Scruggs Center
to open in Shelby in January
Murphy Henry's Booth
Founder of the Murphy Method
and author of
D'Addario Strings
Elderly Instruments
The Workshop Stage - Banjo Masters
Joe Dean, Mark Johnson, Bill Evans & Jens Kruger
Joe Dean Looks on...
as Jens Kruger Plays from his
Concerto for Banjo
Della Mae Drops in for a Jam
with Kids on Bluegrass
Holds Demo Jam Class in a Workshop
At the Raleigh Convention Center Ballroom
Blue Highway
Rob Ickes
Center Stage on Fayetteville Street
The Spinney Brothers
Gary Dalrymple (The Spinney Brothers) & Friend
Newton & Daniels on Center Stage
Guitar Workshop
Jim Hurst, Clay Hess & Tim Stafford
Jamming in the Exhibit Hall
Trisha Tubbs (Wintergrass) & Louisa Branscomb (Song Writer)
Epic Collaboration at Red Hat Amphitheater
Jason Carter, Bela Fleck, Del McCoury
Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas & Tony Rice
Del McCoury
Jerry Douglas
Tony Rice
Saturday
Whole Hog Barbecue
The North Carolina Whole Hog Barbecue was held in a parking lot beside the Marriott Hotel where the contestants cooked all Friday night. Their work was judged on Saturday morning at 8:00 AM and then the results were distributed as a fund raiser at a booth on Fayettville Street benefiting a local food pantry.
Sir Walter Raleigh Sniffs the Aroma
While Welcoming Visitors to
Wide Open Bluegrass
In the Raleigh Convention Center Ballroom
Nu-Blu - Carolyn & Daniel Routh
Backstage - the Convention Center Kitchen
Audie Blaylock
Dale Ann Bradley Warming Up
Backstage - The Shoes Tell the Story
Becky Buller, Brooke Aldridge & Missy Armstrong
Dale Ann Bradley
Dale Ann Bradley & Steve Gulley
Phil Leadbetter is Back
and Healthy
Center Stage on Fayetteville Street
Flatt Lonesome
There were five stages stretched out along Fayetteville Street - Center Stage (pictured here), the Martin Street Stage, the Hargett Street Stage, the Dance Tent, and the Youth Stage. All the stages featured major touring bands as well as bands with a more local focus. They played everything from old-time through traditional and progressive bluegrass to acoustic jazz. The entire event on Fayetteville Street plus the Exhibit Hall and Workshop Stage in the Raleigh Convention Center were free and open to the public. The Bluegrass Ramble presented showcases at somewhat more remote venues during the early part of the week from 6:00 PM until 2:00 AM, continuing on Friday and Saturday. The Ramble events were free to registered attendees and open on an individual admission ticket on the weekend, too.
Mark Brinkman & Niall Tone
Singer/Songwriters Sharing a Quiet Moment
The Crowd at the Red Hat Amphitheater
for the
Gibson Brothers
Eric Gibson
Leigh Gibson & Mike Barber
Jesse Brock
Clayton Campbell
Journalist David Morse Getting Shorn
by Tim Finch to Benefit John Miller
Della Mae on Stage at the
Red Hat Amphitheater
Peter Rowan & Friends
in the Raleigh Convention Center Ballroom
Peter Rowan
Mike Munford
2013 Banjo Player of the Year
The Kruger Brothers & the Kontras Quartet
Appalachian Concerto
Jens Kruger
2013 Steve Martin Award Winner
Kids on Bluegrass
Kim & Erin Fox with
Kids on Bluegrass
Vickie Vaughn Band at the Youth Stage
The Evening at Red Hat Amphitheater
Jason Carter, Bela Fleck, Ron McCoury, Alan Bartram, Danny Paisley
Jason Carter
2013 IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year
Bela Fleck
Ron McCoury & Danny Paisley
Alan Bartram
Danny Paisley
Ron McCoury
Emcee Abigail Washburn (Fleck) & Juno
Seldom Scene
Ben Eldridge - Only Remaining Original Member
Lou Reid
Fred Travers
Ronnie Simpkins
Dudley Connell
Christy Reid & Trevor Watson - Watching
Darwin Davidson - Observing
The Infamous Stringdusters
Andy Falco
Jeremy Garrett
Chris Pandolfi
Travis Book
Andy Hall
The Infamous Stringdusters
Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers
The final performance of Wide Open Bluegrass featured Steve Martin & the Steep Canyon Rangers. Tickets to this show around the country sell at Stub Hub for prices between $86.00 and $159.00. People purchasing tickets to Wide Open Bluegrass bought a full performance for this acclaimed tour plus dozens of other bands for $40 - $70 dollars a day, depending on seat location and IBMA membership status. That included two days of headliner concerts at the Red Hat Amphitheater. The performance was filled with fine music and great good humor. What a way to end a great five day event!
Steve Martin
Edie Brickell
Woody Platt
Mike Guggino
Charles Humphrey III
Nicky Sanders
The Steep Canyon Rangers with Steve Martin
Bela Fleck Stepped In, too
Finale
Steve Martin
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