IBMA Virtual World of Bluegrass - 2020 - Review

Since 2007, Irene and I have attended every IBMA World of Bluegrass save one, during which we were traveling. We always found the event to be invigorating, exciting, and enjoyable, meeting people on a professional level we only knew from CD’s, Sirius/xm radio, or festivals. Our first World of Bluegrass was held at the Nashville Convention Center in 2007. While our enthusiasm for the organization and the city of Nashville kept growing, it had become obvious that the powers that be in Music City weren’t as excited about hosting the convention as we were about attending. When the contract ran out, Raleigh was ready for us, and IBMA moved to a new, and more welcoming venue, in 2013. Each year, as the City of Raleigh and IBMA’s relationship ripened, the World of Bluegrass and the associated event hosted by the City called “Wide Open Bluegrass” grew, improved, became more attractive, and attendance blossomed. The positive effects on the City of Raleigh and IBMA were obvious to all. Then Covid-19 closed the country down, and the live event so many of us looked forward to each year was cancelled for 2020. 

Almost as soon as the cancelation of this year’s event was announced, the IBMA staff got down to work to plan a way to hold a virtual event designed to meet the professional and personal needs of the membership, as well as seeking to keep the organization alive and functioning while bluegrass music would undoubtedly be encountering an existential crisis. Slowly at first, and then with increasing momentum, a virtual World of Bluegrass Conference and Wide Open Bluegrass Musical event began to emerge in the planning and then the execution. 

From the pre-conference Leadership Bluegrass reception to the weekend’s IBMA Bluegrass Live!, the event proved itself to be a rewarding alternative for an audience whose greatest joy in the music can be found in jams and festivals. There were a range of sessions held in the business conference from Sarah Jarosz Keynote Address on  Monday September 28 to The Steep Canyon Rangers final performance on Saturday, October 3. IBMA chose a platform called Swapcard to present this complex event design. People wishing to attend the business conference had to pay, while, this year, music was presented free, but, sadly, is not available for replay due to copyright restrictions. 

Each component of this complex event contains recorded content consisting of interviews, discussions, musical events and/or a combination. Because the bands themselves were responsible for their own production quality, the showcases varied in quality at two levels, rather than simply the quality and attractiveness of the showcasing bands,. For instance, performance by Dobro great Jerry Douglas with his guest Odessa Settles had superb quality, both because of the quality of the performance and the wonderful recording from Jerry’s home studio. Other performances, however, did not reach this quality level, though most provided a strong musical experience and were acceptable as artistic presentations, too. Many of the featured performances at this year’s IBMA can be found by searching YouTube for IBMA World of Bluegrass 2020.

Paul Schiminger - IBMA Executive Director

Paul Schiminger, Executive Director of IBMA, said, “We are pleased the community reacted so positively about the experience.  It certainly was a herculean effort.  As with any IBMA World of Bluegrass, it required a large team of people to make it happen.  Certainly a huge amount of work was done by staff in overall management and direct implementation (too many areas to list).  We also have producers of each awards program and for the festival, as well as the Education Committee and many other committees.  The City of Raleigh was definitely involved as a close partner with the IBMA.  They provided support and help in various efforts.  It is terrific to have the City of Raleigh invested in the success of IBMA World of Bluegrass right alongside of us.”

Another example of the cooperation and coordination putting the festival together involves festival partner PineCone. David Brower, the Executive Director of PineCone, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music, commented “ PineCone and the City of Raleigh were very much involved in the event.  PineCone again served as the producer for the festival Friday and Saturday.  We shot 8 different performances around Raleigh to make sure our city was one of the stars of the event.” Here’s an example of one of their venues. 

PineCone Promo

The virtual event proved to be a huge success for those who attended, but was also a gigantic financial drain to IBMA’s coffers. IBMA professionals and fans can help alleviate these costs and losses by supporting it. Contributions and donations support IBMA and the now merged IBMA Trust Fund, which is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. 

PineCone IBMA Music Promo

What Can We Learn? There are many lessons to learn from the virtual IBMA in terms of strengthening the organization, increasing its outreach, and helping bluegrass artists, promoters, related businesses, and fans adjust to new realities.

The use of Zoom for presentations, break-out rooms, and performances showed the versatility of video sharing as an effective means of communication. For instance, four of us who have enjoyed breakfast together at the Marriot every morning during IBMA in Raleigh,  got together a couple of days ago to re-cap our experience and share ideas. We spent an enjoyable hour and decided to continue meeting in this delightful way. The random break-out rooms during the Leadership Bluegrass annual get-together were a successful, although too short, way to mix as if we were at a reception. 

On My Way Back to the Land of My Childhood - Virtual Jam - IBMA 2020

Zoom constituent meetings were better attended, better planned, and more interactive than many live presentations at the in-person conference have been. Finding ways, in the future, to mix live and virtual attendance could widen interest in the organization, proving productive for the future. Many people who might otherwise be interested in joining and participating in IBMA have been deterred by the expense and perceived exclusivity of the organization. Increased live online presence might prove important to future growth.

 For years, a long-term goal of IBMA has been to create and build local and regional affiliates capable of supporting, helping, organizing, and furthering their goals. This has not been accomplished, often because lack of funds made it impossible to hire and support regional outreach. One lesson growing from this year’s virtual experience may be that the organization and its reach can be grown digitally. This might take the form of regional online meetings, support for promoters wishing to work together to build their own events through cooperation with others, or other events I can only imagine. 

Bluegrass has been slow to embrace the power and potential of the Internet. As applications become more widely used and digital communication becomes easier and more flexible, IBMA has provided people who have previously relied on fliers, word of mouth, or other less engaging strategies with an introduction to strategies they can use to their own and the music’s benefit. Mutuality leads to strength. IBMA can grow when potential members - promoters, bands, merchandisers, recording companies, as well as interest organizations can more easily reach out to and communicate with each other. That may be the great gift the pandemic has given to IBMA and bluegrass music. 

IBMA Awards Show - 2020

IBMA 2019: How to Survive and Thrive - Sept. 24 - 28 - Preview

Sir Walter Raleigh Welcomes IBMA

IBMA’s World of Bluegrass, the Award Show and Wide Open Bluegrass present a feast for anyone interested in bluegrass music. The week is filled with music, learning, meeting, greeting, picking, buying, selling...and more music. It justly earns its nickname, I’ve Been Mostly Awake. Getting through the week to the end, should you decide to attend all three of the events, is both a marathon and a sprint. Setting goals and making a plan will determine your ability to enjoy your week while reaching your goals to increase your bluegrass income and enjoyment of the scene. The correct question to ask about attending IBMA is not "What has IBMA ever done for me?" but always "What have I done to make IBMA the best experience I can have to maximize my professional life in music or enjoy the week the best I can?" This blog is written to help you achieve your goals for the IBMA experience.

How to Get Around and Resources for You: Your foremost resource for planning your time effectively and preparing for the IBMA Trade Show is IBMA's Web Site. It's a large and complex document, but includes sections on every part of the event plus order forms for getting your tickets to World of Bluegrass and Wide Open Bluegrass. This preview simply acts as a shortcut to specific resources you can use, as well as providing insights to how to manage it. 

While the Marriott Hotel and The Sheraton Raleigh are most convenient to all the action, numerous alternatives are available for those attending. For years we stayed at the campground located on the  State Fairgrounds, about six miles from downtown, where over 100 full service sites are set aside for IBMA. A free shuttle service to the Convention Center is provided. This year, we've found an Airbnb near the capitol, a short Uber ride from the Convention Center, but there are over 300 places listed in Raleigh. Many other accomodations are available. Consult the visitors bureau. 

For most people attending The World of Bluegrass, the interactive map below shows the part of downtown Raleigh where World of Bluegrass takes place. Familiarize yourself with the area from the Duke Energy Center to the Sate Capitol Building. Fayetteville Street is the major street.  The embedded Google Map below is an active map which can be contracted and expanded to use for all sites around Raleigh:

A crucial resource for those attending World of Bluegrass is the desk of the Greater Raleigh Visitors and Convention Bureau, located in the lobby of the Marriott Center City Hotel, where you can get maps of the downtown area as well as good advice on how to see Raleigh. You can download the IBMA Schedule to both your computer and your phone. Schedule events and send your personal schedule to your phone to plan each day. Another important resource which will save you time and lots of walking is the R Bus, a free shuttle serving up a special route during the event to various venues where showcase bands featured in the the Bluegrass Ramble are held. Your ticket to the Business Conference includes admission to all these venues, while you can also buy Ramble tickets or pay at the door. Our favorite ramble venue is the Vintage Church on Moore Park, a short ride on the R Bus. Another prime showcase location is within the Convention Center itself.  

The R Bus In Front of the Convention Center

Bluegrass Ramble Site

The Business Conference: It’s never too early to start deciding how you’re going to use your valuable time at the IBMA Business Conference. Comprising three days and lasting from 9:00 AM until 2:00 AM, you’ll find that you still don’t have enough time nor energy to accomplish all you wish to do. It’s too easy to become distracted, to forget where you wanted to be, who you wanted to hear, what you wanted to learn, because you’ve been captured by the moment: a friend, a tune you hear, a booth you have to visit right now, a call you must take, etc. Your best friend is the Schedule, which you can download to your computer, link to your phone, and use as a planning guide. Use the schedule linked above! Before I started this paragraph, I already had a conflict between two business sessions I want to attend. 

Workshop or Seminar Meeting with the Experts

I’ve heard musicians mutter complaints with something like “What has IBMA ever done for me?” I take that to mean that they simply haven’t been offered the gigs they thought would materialize from showcasing or performing at one or more events. Meanwhile they wander around hallways with a briefcase handing out copies of their latest recording to any person they perceive to have influence or who might be able to help them find more work. Such short range thinking rarely results in very much new work coming their way. 

Gig Fair - Meet the Promoters

and Follow Up

Instead, they should plan their attendance at IBMA as if it were a military campaign, employing their resources and links found throughout this preview to garner the greatest amount of event coverage by deploying members of their band to cover specific events, seminars, meet & greets, and other events. Every member of the band, including non-performing components, should view themselves as members of a team devoted to finding a maximum amount of work and finding out about new, advanced, or untried approaches that might be useful for the team. Meeting people, making contacts, and following up is crucial to success. Hanging out with your friends can mean wasting your valuable time. 

The Exhibit Hall

A Good Place to Meet Friends & Do Business

Each day your team should meetfd to share insights they had, new ideas they heard about, ways they could employ the ideas or adapt them to the band’s specific needs.  After the conference is over, the band should meet with their leader to consider ways to follow up, assign responsibilities to each person, and proceed to follow up with each person they contacted during the week. They should work to broaden their own comfort areas to expand their repertoire of new ideas to use in building the business. Each person should keep a small note-book to record names of people for later contact. Making contacts for later development is the name of the game. 

At the end of IBMA week, the team should plan a day-long retreat to do an analysis of what they learned and how it can be applied to their business. It’s worth remembering that band leadership and membership consist of more than getting to a gig and performing your sets. Like any work week at any job, there are highs, in the case of music, performing, and their are necessary chores and low points along the trail, but most time should be allocated for working to help the band succeed.

Every meeting with a person the band members think could help the band achieve its goals should be followed up soon after the conference, and the relationships developed at IBMA should be cultivated and grown over the succeeding year, or years. Time in the van or the bus can be well spent in this effort. Both conferring and following up by phone can be accomplished on the road. Assignments should be discussed, reports can be made, plans for further discussions with influencers like radio dj’s, writers, promoters, publications, and more. Using the Business Conference and following up on what you learned is essential. Don't wait to stroll in on your day to perform. Involve yourself in your own career rather than waiting for it to happen to you. 

Photo: Bluegrass Today

Awards Shows: There are actually two awards shows at IBMA, both held on Thursday, as the Business Conference winds down and transitions into Wide Open Bluegrass, the musical extravaganza mixed with infotainment, for want of a better term, that runs on Friday and Saturday. More about that later. The Awards consists of two events, a luncheon and awards presentation, along with several bands playing, where industry awards are presented, and the Thursday evening Awards Show in the large theater at the Duke Energy Center, a short walk from the Marriott Hotel. 

I’m told by two very reliable sources that when IBMA was founded, Pete Kuykendahl, founder and editor of BluegrassUnlimited magazine, sought to avoid having an awards show, thinking that the hullabaloo of such an event would overshadow the importance of the Business Conference. Despite the fact that he was probably correct regarding where the emphasis should be, the evening of major awards is well-attended. Held at the Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, the show gives bluegrass glitterati a chance to dress up and celebrate what the membership has voted to be the “best” in a number of categories. If only honorees could observe the rules about how to accept awards, the show would even finish within the three hour time limit it seeks to meet. Nevertheless, the Awards Show is lots of fun, while representing a great opportunity to transition into the final two days of celebration and music called Wide Open Bluegrass.

Probably of more interest to the active membership of IBMA is the luncheon held earlier in the day in a large meeting hall in the Raleigh Convention Center. The Industry Awards celebrate the nuts and bolts of bluegrass, while also highlighting the Distinguished Achievements of important movers and shakers within the industry. The industry awards luncheon is one of the scheduled events of your IBMA Business Conference registration. It also includes performances by featured bluegrass artists. It’s an engaging celebration

of the often lesser recognized but essential roles, while also highlighing emerging people through the Momentum Awards. 

Wide Open Bluegrass: Claims by the City of Raleigh of overall attendance exceeding 250,00 over the five days of World of Bluegrass and Wide Open bluegrass should not allow you to believe that you can’t have a great time during the Wide Open Bluegrass portion, held in three large venues: The Red Hat Amphitheater, The Raleigh Convention Center, and TheStreet Fair running down Fayetteville Street for five blocks from Lenoir Street to Morgan Street, in front of the State Capitol Building.  The city estimates are an agregate number of tourist and business days for the entire week, but, while the streets are crowded, it is not a mob. Rather, a large, family crowd strolls up and down the street, enjoying music at six different stages located on side streets. They can also stroll between the stages enjoying art, clothing, and, especially, North Carolina food specialities along with free samples. There are also food vendors selling a wide range of edibles as well as several beer trucks along the way. In our five years of attending Wide Open Bluegrass, I've never encountered a drunk on the streets.

A Show at the City Plaza Stage

In addition to the open air Street Fair running down Fayetteville Street and including sound stages on several different side streets, all closed to traffic for this Friday and Saturday event, you will find performances, free seminars, and Exhibit Hall to be available in the Raleigh Convention Center. Behind the Convention Center and across the street lies the Red Hat Amphitheater, where live music from some Bluegrass Music's biggest stars is held. This year, a large portion of the Red Hat been opened free to the public. while ticketed premium seats are still available. The huge JumboTron makes viewing possible from a distance, and the sound is superb.

The Red Hat Amphitheater

For fans, Wide Open Bluegrass, filling the final two days of IBMA, is a musical and cultural feast celebrating the music and the regional culture of North Carolina. For musicians, bands chosen for the various stages are now paid for their performances. By the time the last show closes on Saturday night with a fireworks display, those attending will be both exhausted and happily fulfilled.

The entire World of Bluegrass and Wide Open Bluegrass is simply too large to encompass in a single blog. Your willingness to do some serious planning, attend the conference with discipline, and spend some serious time processing the event after its over, making sure you follow up with the contacts you meet there, will assure that you don't need to ask "What has IBMA ever done for me." Rather, it will allow you to learn new strategies, make new contacts, and improve your competitiveness in the difficult world of making bluegrass music work to help you meet your goals. It's all up to you!

Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival 2018 - Review

Thursday May 31, 2018

The Strawberry Park Amphitheater

The Strawberry Park Bluegrass Festival opened for its 41st go-round on a cool, slightly overcast afternoon promising four days of wonderful music in an iconic setting featuring both the well-known open-air amphitheater, shaded by trees, raked to provide excellent sight-lines, and some of the best acoustic qualities to be found anywhere. Often plagued by periods of rain at this time of year, this large all-purpose resort campground also features a covered performance stage for use when serious rainstorms threaten to interfere with fans' enjoyment. With 2018 having served up a cool, wet Spring, there was no reason not to expect extensive use of both venues during the four days. Everyone's expectations were met, while the music continued with several changes of venue from the amphitheater to the secondary stage, close to the snack bar and extensive swimming pools. For us, it was our first attendance at an outdoor festival where we didn't live in our own camper, beginning the next stage of our adventure in a convenient rental unit only steps from the entrance to the amphitheater. As usual, in this blog, when bands appear on more than one day, they are only covered them once. 

Twisted Pine

Twisted Pine is a young, exciting, and increasingly tight, entertaining band which has show remarkable growth during each of the three years they have appeared at Strawberry Park. Featuring a fusion of folk, bluegrass, Americana roots music influences, their tight singing and play crosses generations and genres with charm and smooth musical finesse. 

Kathleen Parks

Rachel Sumner

Dan Bui

Chris Sartori

Twisted Pine - Kentucky Waltz

A Relaxing Thursday Afternoon

The Stockwell Brothers

The Stockwell Brothers have been staples at festivals, small venues, and concerts around New England for more than a generation. Oldest brother Bruce is well-known among banjo players nationwide, often serving on the staff of banjo workshops. Brother Barry promotes music and cultural events, having recently developed The Next Stage  in Putney, VT while brother Al owns and operates a recording studio. Bruce's wife, Kelly, who he met when she took banjo lessons from him, has joined the band on bass. They always entertain with their combination of bluegrass, folk, and softened rock music. 

Barry Stockwell

Bruce Stockwell

Al Stockwell

Kelly Stockwell

The Stockwell Brothers - Single Handed Sailor

Hunter Berry Looks on from the Walkway

Rhonda Vincent & the Rage

Rhonda Vincent is a dynamo. Performing over 100 dates year after year, featured on Larry's Country Diner on RFD-TV and singing harmony on dozens of recordings a year, she seems to be everywhere, but not overexposed as audiences come to hear their favorite bluegrass singer, who never sits down after a show until the last fan has left the Rhonda Vincent Boutique. At Strawberry Park Rhonda closed out the evening on Thursday, following her set with a jam with fans, then two sets and a guest appearance on Friday. Wow!

Rhonda Vincent

Brent Burke

Mickey Harris

Aaron McDaris

Hunter Berry

Josh Williams

Sally Berry

Rhonda & Josh Williams

Rhonda Vincent & the Rage - Momma Tried

Friday

 Friday opened at Strawberry Park threatening rain, which soon came in buckets, driving the festivities under the pavilion next to the snack bar just up the hill from the amphitheater. While the noise of people coming for late breakfast and lunch along with kids in the nearby swimming pools providing something of a distraction. Having a dry day, even though it was pleasantly warm, was welcomed by almost all but the most diehard traditionalists. Unhappily, this is not a good setting for me to do videography, so there are no videos from this venue. 

Boxcar Lillies

This is the third year for The Boxcar Lillies to appear at Strawberry Park. More a folk/Americana group than a bluegrass band, they offer a tuneful, lively mix with strong singing and instrumentals. A good act to open the second day of this fine festival.

Jenny Goodspeed

Stephanie Marshall

 

Jim Henry

Mile Twelve

Mile Twelve has been steadily rising regionally and, now, nationally as they garnered ten second round selections in the nominations process for IBMA awards. The third round, for members, usually rolls out in late July. Be sure to consider this worthy band in your voting. Coming out of Boston, Mile Twelve has an international as well as broad American flavor to draw on in its work. Young, enthusiastic, and thoughtfully creative, they bear deserve your attention. 

Evan Henry

Bronwyn Keith-Hynes

BB Bowness

Nate Sabatt

David Benedict

The Gibson Brothers

The Gibson Brothers have ascended into the stratosphere of bluegrass bands through hard work, dedication to their craft, superior song writing which has become increasingly dominant in their performances, the high quality of their musicianship, and the nature and quality of their brotherly banter, all demonstrated in the video below. While fiddler Clayton Campbell appears to be on sabbatical from the band, the high quality of interaction and musical excitement remains. Jesse Brock's work on mandolin draws cheers for his intense solos. Their performance tonight as part of a single ninety minute set was highlighted by Rhonda Vincent's guest stint, which is also part of the video.

Eric Gibson

Leigh Gibson

Jesse Brock

Mike Barber

Eric & Rhonda

Leigh & Rhonda

Three Song Medley

Kathy Ward & Son James Ward

Emcee - Jim Beaver

Phillip Wells - Scholar, Radio Personality, Friend

Dailey & Vincent

Jamie Dailey

Darrin Vincent

Dailey & Vincent brought their big show to the stage of Strawberry Park to close Friday night. Their performance was fast paced, varied, and lively. The addition of Gaven Largent on Dobro as well as banjo, the two quirkiest instruments to play, has strengthened the left side of the band.  Since Dailey & Vincent feature a number of songs, particularly gospel and patriotic ones, where the banjo might not be seen as an appropriate instrument, the addition of the Dobro to the instrumental mix is welcome. Largent, while young, is a master at both. Seth Taylor's return to the band, on an semi-regular basis while he also continues to perform with Mountain Heart, is welcome for both his excellent guitar work and pleasant stage personality. Patrick McAvinue, 2017 IBMA Fiddle Player of the Year, continues to deliver pure excellence here, as he has at each stop in his career. This very good ninety minute performance closed  an excellent day at Strawberry Park.

Jeff Parker

Patrick McAvinue

Aaron McCune

Gavin Largent

Seth Taylor

Bob Mummert

Jeff Parker & Jamie Dailey

Jeff Parker, the last remaining member of the original Dailey & Vincent beside the two founders, will be missed when he departs to form his own band. He's been a reliable vocal addition as well as serving as a useful comic foil with grace and good humor.

Darin Vincent, Aaron McCune & Patrick McAvinue

Despite the fact that two of the biggest headliners held the crowd through two consecutive ninety minute sets still does not cement, in my mind, that this double long show to close a successful day is a really good strategy. It sure worked this Friday night at Strawberry Park, though.

Saturday

Saturday at Strawberry Park was saved by the ability of the festival events to move fairly quickly from the amphitheater stage, one of the most pleasant venues in bluegrass when the weather is fair, to the covered pavilion in the pool/snack bar area just a few dozen steps away. As the day wore on, with the weather turning from pleasant to downpour to promising and return, the flexibility of the setup, the skill of Ace Audio at providing excellent sound in two widely different venues, the ability of the Strawberry Park Staff, and the good nature of the hardy fans used to such quirky weather  in late Spring all turned the day into a positive experience, though a times a bit damp. I was not able to record any videos on Saturday. 

Around the Campground 

Sideline

Sideline has moved quickly from being, just as its name signals, a group of longtime professionals seeking some side work for the off season when their regular gigs were on hiatus to one of the busiest and popular bands on the bluegrass circuit, traveling in their new (to them) bus to over one hundred performances a year from coast to coast. Three original members (Steve Dilling, Jason Moore, and Skip Cherryholmes), all long-time professionals in major bands, remain. Meanwhile, mining the rich supply of available bluegrass tyros to be found in North Carolina, the band has improved with each change. Troy Boone on mandolin and vocals and Daniel Greeson on fiddle bring first rate skills honed at ETSU, while Bailey Coe contributes his fine vocals and rhythm guitar after several years singing with The Grasscats under the tutelage of Russell Johnson. This is a first rate band deserving recognition from IBMA in its nomination process. This year, Sideline has reached the second round of the IBMA awards process in eight categories: Entertainer of the Year, Vocal Group, Instrumental group, Song (Thunder Dan), Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar. 

Steve Dilling

Jason Moore

Skip Cherryholmes

 Bailey Coe

Troy Boone

Daniel Greeson

 The Kruger Brothers

The Kruger Brothers don't simply sing songs, they provide a musical experience bringing their audiences from tears to laughter as they weave folk songs, bluegrass, rock covers, and Jens Kruger's classical compositions for bluegrass band and symphony orchestra together into music that touches the heart while challenging expectations of what music can be. Jens is well-recognized as one of the world's finest banjo masters, while brother Uwe on guitar is without peer. Joel Landsbrrg, the "third Kruger brother," is crucial tying their music together on the bass. While the Kruger Brothers on record are excellent, their live performances defy description. See them if you can!

Jens Kruger

 Uwe Kruger

Joel Landsberg

The Kruger Brothers, wisely, closely control the amount of their content they allow online. The segment below, reocorded at NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants)in California in 2017 was one of their offerings played at Strawberry Park, representing a wonderful example of their versatility and appeal to audiences across an incredibly wide spectrum of music fans, including bluegrass. This video includes two movements from Jens' Appalachian Concerto and Uwe singing Sting's "Fields of Gold."

Devoted Fans

The Lonely Heartstring Band

The Lonely Heartstring Band only needs to sing and play, both of which they do at least as well as any other band, but they also bring a light-hearted personality to their performances drawing them closer to audiences.  A Boston band with roots from coast to coast and northward to Canada, their sound stands out among young, emerging bands for its purity and power. Their rock covers recreate and then, almost, surpass the band they're covering. First with the Beatles, but now with Paul Simon, John Hartford, and Credence Clearwater Revival, they constantly bring surprise and delight. Their singing, highlighted by the brother harmonies of twin George and Charles Clements blend as only twins can. Gabe Hirshfeld is emerging as one of the finest young banjo players because of his brilliance and restraint. His sense of humor permeates the band's approach to its audience. See, hear, and become captivated.

Gabe Hirshfeld

Charles Clements

George Clements

Patrick M'Gonigle

Matt Wittler

Charles & George Clements

The SteelDrivers

The Grammy winning SteelDrivers reflect Muscle Shoals and Nashville as much as they do Bill Monroe or Flatt & Scruggs, but they're one of the most popular and successful bluegrass bands of the first two decades of the twenty-first century. Their bluesy, boozy sound works best, and they've been most effective after dark, often bringing a dark sensibility to their music. They've been a pretty stable band except at the crucial blues singer vocalist spot, which now sports Kelvin Demrell singing and playing guitar as the band's fourth singer. On a wet Saturday night he introduced  himself with enthusiasm, his energy fitting right in with Tammy Rodgers' fiddle and the always elegant Richard Bailey on banjo. 

Kelvin Demrell

Ta

Tammy Rodgers

Brent Truit

Mike Fleming

Rodgers & Fleming

Sunday

Sunday dawned warm and sunny, ready for the morning gospel show to be followed by two excellent regional bands providing solid, entertaining music as those who haven't too far to drive home or who aren't yet quite ready to give up the magic relief from the outside world provided by bluegrass festivals. 

Dry Branch Fire Squad

Dry Branch Fire Squad opened the morning with it's traditional Sunday morning gospel program featuring old time gospel music punctuated with some of Ron Thomason's patented story-telling and a few words that manage to send a humane, faithful message while pretty much leaving any reference to formal religion out of the mix. This program always includes some old time country church gospel music and ends with "If I Could Just Touch the Hem of His Garment" drawn from Matthew 9.21, always leaving the crowd yearning for more. A highlight of Dry Branch Fire Squad's two shows this weekend was the return of Brian Aldridge on mandolin, guitar, and vocals to the band after several years' absence. This represents his third stint with the band, which was much welcomed by those who know him. 

Ron Thomason

Brian Aldridge

Tom Boyd

Jeff Bird

Brian Aldridge

The Gail Wade Trio

Gale Wade has a warm, winning personality and writes good songs, often about her love for horses. Like many New England musicians, she performs with at least three bands we've seen as well as singer/songwriter sessions in coffee house settings. We've seen her from New England to Tennessee. Along with Tim St. Jean on squeeze box and mandolin and Joe DeLillo on bass, she earned the enthusiastic encore the audience awarded her.

Gail Wade

Joe DeLillo

Tim St. Jean

 

The Blackstone Valley Boys

The Blackstone Valley Boys closed the festival with a pleasant set of traditional bluegrass as well as some newer material and a few songs written within the band. The Dick Brothers have been playing in and around New England for a generation, as have the other members of the band, all familiar to bluegrass fans from the region. 

Dave Dick

Bob Dick

Tim St. Jean

Bob Dick & Ken Taylor

The music was finished about 1:30 or so, as we picked up our chairs to return to our rental park model trailer just outside the top of the amphitheater. It was our first festival without our trailer, which the Park has actually bought to become part of its rental stock. We look forward to experiencing our bluegrass from a somewhat different perspective but with our enthusiasm for the music and the community that supports it. Tired, we packed and drove our new, much smaller, vehicle home.