Saturday morning brought both promising weather filled with sunny skies and hours of great bluegrass music. I took an early trip down to see some action at the Bluegrass Band Competition taking place at the Potomac Stage. Here Delfest showcases some young up and coming bands by giving them a chance to grace the grandstand Sunday morning and an automatic invite to next year’s festival. One of the bands that caught my eye was the David Thom Band which had a more original sound especially during bass player Jeff King's lead on “My Old Kentucky Home.” Ultimately the Unseen Strangers took home this year’s title and I’ll be looking forward to seeing them next year.
After lunch I took residence for the afternoon in the main music meadow for the next several hours. Taking the stage first was somewhat of an all-star band led by Punch Brothers founding member, banjoist, Noam Pikelny. Pikelny joined onstage by flatpicker Bryan Sutton, Luke Bulla (fiddle), Barry Bales (bass), and Del McCoury Bands own Ronnie McCoury on mandolin captivated the crowd with their flawless pickin'. The set was filled with predominantly slower paced instrumental tunes which flowed gracefully as a perfect backdrop to a beautiful day as festival goers lounged in the grass. Next up, returning to Delfest for a 3rd straight year was Greensky Bluegrass. The boys from Kalamazoo keep getting better with each passing set. Blending both originals and covers, Greensky is a young group bound to take bluegrass to the next level and should be a staple for years to come. Unfortunately, I had to skip the end of their set but did hear several songs off their upcoming album plus a great rendition of “Can’t stop.”
I scurried over to the Potomac stage to catch an act that had caught my ears in passing, Red Baraat. Red Baraat is another band that really doesn’t fit the bill for a bluegrass festival but this is what makes Delfest truly special. Delfest seems to invite a few bands each year that push the threshold and brings a welcoming different sound to the party. Red Baraat is an eight-piece band that blends big band jazz with a middle-eastern flair. I’m a sucker for brass and they were one of the eye opening bands of the weekend for me. A perfect blend of both drums and horns were on showcase during one of the last songs I had a chance to catch, Bobby McFerrin’s classic “Don’t Worry Be Happy”. I was trapped in their tractor deem and almost lost track of time for Keller Williams and his new project was about to start back at the grandstand.
If there was one disadvantage of Delfest I would have to say it was the placement of their stages. Not having two stages next to each other like other big festivals is both a blessing and a curse. It allows for continuous nonstop action though it takes a lot of running back and forth and some sacrifice with choosing who to see and for how long. This dilemma would rear its ugly head especially on Sunday, but for now I hurried over to see Keller Williams breaking out of his norm with his funky band More Than A Little. Keller is a true shape shifter in the musical world, whether it’s a solo looping set, playing traditional grass with the Keels and the Traveling McCourys, or rocking out Grateful Dead covers with the WMDs he is always a crowd favorite. Hitting the stage all dressed up in a suit and tie with a full band behind him and flanked by two sultry backup singers, Keller was business as usual. Williams always brings the best rendition of classic songs and this afternoon would be no different highlighted by Talking Heads hit “Once In a Lifetime.”
I decided to pass on Del McCourys Saturday evening set so I could head back to camp for some dinner and to change into some warmer clothing. Even though it had been a warmer day, MC Joe Craven reminded us all that once the sun went down the cold would reappear. Fully charged and sporting sweats I preceded back to the grandstand to see the evening’s headliner Old Crow Medicine Show. Old Crow knows how to send bluegrass in overdrive with their storytelling songs of drugs and alcohol. The cold was no match for OCMS after a heart racing foot stomper “Alabama High-Test” the adrenaline kept bodies moving during a slew of hits including “Methamphetamine”, “Humdinger” and ending their set with a band introduction version of “Cocaine Habit” and the ever so popular “Wagon wheel” which was echoed by most of the crowd. If one full set wasn’t enough, OCMS ended an evening of amazing music with Tom Petty’s classic “American Girl” which cemented a smile on the face of every Delfester. Saturday was an amazing day at Delfest and as long as the weather would hold up Sunday should be even better.
Black Rock City, NV Words & Photos by Andrew Wyatt The first time I was born again, I was no more than a 12-year-old tadpole of a kid wriggling his way through chilly baptismal waters of my father’s tiny, rural Southern Baptist church. The first time I was born into the narrow confines of evangelical religion. The second time I was born again, I was a gangly young man born into the big, wide, roiling sea of the infinite universe. And it all happened on a pirate ship and a wacky dance club at Burning Man. In 2002, I was a self-doubting preacher unsure whether to continue a fledgling career calling, when a voluptuous mountain guide neighbor asked if I would join her on a week-long experience at Burning Man. “After the week is over, and you still want to preach. Then great. If not, then you’re welcome!” she piped up. Hesitantly I agreed. “Burning Man,” wrote journalist Daniel Pinchbeck in his book, Breaking Open the Head , “is more decadent than Andy Warhol’s Factory, more glamoro
Hill Auditorium University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI Words & Photos by J. Picard In the early 1970s the music world shifted with the coming of a transformative collaboration between John McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain. The result was a relatively short-lived but incredibly impactful project that grew from the chance encounter. Shakti, from its inception, was destined to change not only the sound of Indian music and jazz, but the possibilities of musical collaboration as a whole. Nearly fifty years later, the impact of this project that began in 1974 and concluded in 1978, is immeasurable and spans generations of listeners. 2023 marked the return of Shakti, the release of a new album ( In This Moment ) and an extensive tour that wrapped around the globe from Europe to the United States. From the announcement of the American tour dates, it was decided that we would be making the long journey from Denver, CO to Ann Arbor, MI for a show at Hill Auditorium at the University of Michigan
Bank of NH Pavilion Gilford, NH Words & Photos by Arlene Brown What happens when you have 9,000 people attending the biggest group therapy session of our lives? You get almost every single person at the Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion in tears for an experience none of us will never forget. Disturbed’s “Take Back Your Life” tour swept through Gilford, NH with so much raw and honest emotion led by the breathtaking David Draiman, vowing to each and every person there that our lives matter and that our lives are important. Mental health affects everyone; either ourselves or someone we know who is living with depression, anxiety, and/or other debilitating issues. “We are not alone.” Disturbed’s night started with their normal “Hey You,” “Stupify,” and the pyro backed “Ten Thousand Fists” in which everyone was pumping their fists (not phones) in the air. Every single person was singing every single word to every single song. The whole night. It’s been a LONG time since I’ve seen a crowd
Deschutes County Fairgrounds Redmond, OR Words by Ryleigh Hutson & Alexander Fornes We are counting down the days to the first-ever, Cascade Equinox Festival taking place September 22-24th. As we close out the summer months and welcome in the fall, we come to the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond, OR & explore a diverse and eclectic blend of music including Jam, Electronic, Funk, Bluegrass, and Soul acts. With so many artists and genres to explore, it may be overwhelming to plan which are a must-see, and which sets you’ll spontaneously stumble upon. This could be one of the greatest line-ups Central Oregon has yet to see. The following are 5 artists not to miss at Cascade Equinox! 1. Pretty Lights Electronic music pioneer Derek Smith (Pretty Lights) is following a five year hiatus and Cascade Equinox is boasting its headliner as his only Pacific Northwest performance on his Soundship Spacesystem Tour . Pretty Lights took the hiatus at the top of his game after his 10th ye
Joy Hill Denver, CO Words by J. Picard Photos by Nancy Isaac Photography The MusicMarauders Residency at Joy Hill on South Broadway in Denver is something that we look forward to monthly. There is something about the space, the vibe, the staff, the food and the drinks that never waivers. It's been just over a year since we started doing music in the funky and comfortable space and it was time to expand to a Sunday afternoon. I started my day on-air on KWPPR with the Sunday Morning Jazz Show, where I played a full show of Miles with John McLaughlin from Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor, MI in 1970. Needless to say I was excited for what was to come! It was a mid 70s day on Joy Hill's rooftop patio and as the band loaded in they caught up with one another and joked around. The mood was light as it always is though the material would be heavy. Initially when the conversation came up between Pete and I and was brought to Blake, he seemed unsure. It was great to see a professional like
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