Upcoming Bluegrass Related Events

/Events/
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Dietrich Strause and the Blue Ribbons Concert

Riverwalk Cafe & Music Bar 35 Railroad Square, Nashua, NH

Dietrich Strause and The Blue Ribbons, Boston based folk and rock artists, will be performing together on Friday, June 23rd at Riverwalk Cafe and Music Bar in Nashua, NH. It's a classic love story. A young doe-eyed literate songwriter meets a dangerous avant-garde rock and roll band. Such is the story of Dietrich Strause and The Blue Ribbons' burgeoning collaboration. They met seven years ago sharing back to back Tuesday night residencies at Toad, a small rock club in Cambridge. Now with funding from Passim's Iguana Grant, Dietrich Strause and The Blue Ribbons recorded together in Maine in January 2017. Immediately following the session they collaborated live for the first time, with three shows throughout New England, bringing the magic and glow of the record making process straight into the venue. The Boston Globe has said The Blue Ribbons “combine upbeat disillusionment and celebratory fatalism with musicianship." An unlikely and exciting match for Dietrich Strause’s meticulously crafted songs - which WBUR says are a mix of timeless melody, literate lyricism, and a "virtuosic command of imagery." Boston Music Award winning four piece band, The Blue Ribbons have a fearless sound; evolved over a decade of tirelessly and joyously playing bar rooms, clubs, and festivals. Their influences are rooted deeply in the jazz and rock and roll anti-traditions, described as “Ray Charles and Tom Waits on a pirate ship with Sun Ra and Captain Beefheart." In his eight years living in New England, Dietrich Strause has evolved in his own parallel way, from writing Appalachian nostalgia porn to mid-century modern pop in the vein of Nick Lowe and Randy Newman. He spent the fall living alone in London and traveling extensively throughout the United Kingdom, touring … Read More »

$10
Recurring

Bluegrass Jam – Cataumet (Bourne) on Cape Cod

The Parrot Bar and Grille 1356 Route 28A, Cataumet, MA

Open jam - most Sunday afternoons at The Parrot Bar and Grille in Cataumet (about six miles south of the Bourne Bridge). Jam starts at 5 pm MOST Sundays (we will NOT be playing 7/2 or 8/13) until Labor Day, after which we'll probably do the 4p-6p thing. Look for The Parrot Bar and Grill on Facebook - they generally have an entertainment schedule on the page.

The Lonely Heartstring Band and The Stockwell Brothers Band

Next Stage 15 Kimball Hill, Putney, VT

Next Stage Arts Project and Twilight Music present an evening of contemporary bluegrass and folk music with The Lonely Heartstring Band and The Stockwell Brothers Band at Next Stage on Friday, June 30 at 7:30 pm. The Lonely Heartstring Band is Berklee College of Music graduates George Clements, Patrick M'Gonigle, Matt Witler, Gabe Hirshfeld and Charles Clements.  Their music is a combination of old and new styles, melding the sounds of traditional bluegrass with modern songwriting and arranging.  Featuring soulful instrumental virtuosity and soaring three-part harmonies, the quintet has generated a devoted following of music-lovers across North America, performing and headlining at major music festivals and venues since 2012.  Whether it’s a festival stage, theater or intimate listening room, The Lonely Heartstring Band always delivers a dynamic, diverse and heartfelt performance.  “These are musicians of dynamic imagination and massive musical talent” -  Elmore Magazine.  “The Lonely Heartstring Band, may well be a precursor of what bluegrass music will sound like in the future" - Bluegrass Today Bruce, Barry, Alan and Kelly Stockwell's music spans traditional and progressive styles, but their trademark acoustic sound features new singer/songwriter material recast with banjo, alternative rhythms and three-part harmonies.  They cover straight ahead bluegrass songs, finger picked acoustic guitar ballads, full tilt breakdowns and traditional mandolin tunes mixed in with more unusual fare - Americana melodies riding world beat grooves and Celtic, jazzy, even neo-classical instrumentals.   Featuring 2005 Merlefest bluegrass banjo contest winner Bruce Stockwell, The Stockwell Brothers have performed alongside artists from Bill Monroe, Doc Watson and Earl Scruggs to Mary-Chapin Carpenter, Jonathan Edwards and Asleep At The Wheel, recorded with Mike Auldridge and Phil Rosenthal of the bluegrass supergroup The Seldom Scene, and toured throughout the … Read More »

$18 – $22

Americana Rhythm and Roots Festival

Waterfront Park Merrimac Street, Newburyport, MA

Bring the family to Newburyport's Waterfront Park on Saturday, July 1, from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. for a free concert featuring roots music performers to benefit the Newburyport Parks. The second annual Americana Rhythm and Roots festival featuring Grammy-nominated Alligator Recording rhythm and blues artist Marcia Ball, blues and soul rock diva artist Nikki Hill, and Rounder Recording bluegrass artists Lonely Heartstring Band.

Free

The Infamous Stringdusters

The Cabot 286 Cabot Street, Beverly, MA

Unlike rock 'n' roll, bluegrass music's boundaries are often defined in very narrow terms and that has caused some bands to carefully consider their place within the genre. But, in order to survive, everything must evolve... even bluegrass. Enter the Infamous Stringdusters, the very model of a major modern bluegrass band. “At a certain point in our career, there was hesitation in calling us a bluegrass band,” guitarist Andy Falco admits. “These days, we’re much more comfortable with that label.” Banjo man Chris Pandolfi echoes the point: “We love bluegrass, but we have been influenced by other genres as much, if not more. When it comes to making music, we always try to be a blank slate and give new songs whatever they need to come to life. We just try to make something good, something that is true to who we are.” On Laws of Gravity, that's exactly what the Infamous Stringdusters — Andy Hall (dobro), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), and Travis Book (double bass), in addition to Falco and Pandolfi — have done. Their seventh studio set further proves that the band's collective whole is far greater than the sum of its individual parts, as the song selection and pitch-perfect performances weighs the Stringdusters' appeal to traditional fans against their musical quest to attract new listeners. It's a balance that comes naturally to the band. Here, trad-leaning tunes like “Freedom,” “A Hard Life Makes a Good Song,” “Maxwell,” and “1901: A Canyon Odyssey” pick hard and soar high, letting trade-off solos and layered vocal harmonies work their magic. As it continues on, Gravity reaches its roots deep and wide, but never sacrifices the wings of the band, as exemplified in tracks like “Back Home” … Read More »

$28.50 – $32.50

Ossipee Music Festival

Ossipee Valley Fairgrounds 291 S. Hiram Road, Hiram, ME

The 19th annual Ossipee Valley Music Festival Thursday July 27 - Sunday July 30, 2017 Ossipee Valley Fairgrounds, 291 S. Hiram Road, Hiram ME https://ossipeevalley.com/ [email protected]  The 19th annual Ossipee Valley Music Festival is Maine’s ultimate celebration of blue grass, roots, americana, folk, jazz, and country music over four magical days. Free tickets for kids 17 and under, free tent camping (rv hookups available). Nosh on local food, quench your thirst in the beer and cider tent, and enjoy yoga, workshops, dances, campfire jamming, and lots of family fun. Only 45 minutes from Portland or 2 hours from Boston, in Hiram Maine.   FEATURING: STEEP CANYON RANGERS SIERRA HULL BRITTANY HAAS & JORDAN TICE HARVEY REID & JOYCE ANDERSEN RHYTHM FUTURE QUARTET ANNA & ELIZABETH CELIA WOODSMITH & FRIENDS MILE TWELVE LULA WILES BILL AND THE BELLES NELLIE MCKAY HOT CLUB OF COWTOWN TWISTED PINE KAIA KATER THE LADLES THE BAGBOYS NEW ENGLAND BLUEGRASS THE STRAY BIRDS FÉMINA! UPSTATE RUBDOWN HORSESHOES & HAND GRENADES OLD SALT UNION LOREN & MARK and more! KIDS 17 AND UNDER ARE FREE ALL DAY KIDS ACTIVITIES, FREE KIDS MUSIC CAMP FRI-SUN Tickets: $25-$55 for a day pass, $90-$145 for multi-day passes. Special “After Dark” tickets available for Friday and Saturday night 6PM-1AM, they are $20 off the full day price. Camping: RV Hookups Available, beautiful flat campsites nestled in the tall pines. Tent camping is free! Other fun: beer tent, local food, artisan vendors, yoga, workshops, dances, local swimming, & kids activities all day. Daily Headliner Bio’s Saturday: The Steep Canyon Rangers-High powered bluegrass and jam grass, this grammy winning band has recently found acclaim as Steve Martin’s band. Saturday: Nellie McKay - Inimitable songstress, actress, comedian, storyteller. Her … Read More »

$35 – $145

Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival Band Contest

Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival Sugar Shack Campground, Thornton, NH

2017 Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival - Band Competition This is the first annual Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival band competition. Our goal is to have local/regional working bands perform on the main stage during the competition. The winning band will get to play a 30 minute morning set on the main stage on Saturday August 5, 2017. The winning band will be considered for inclusion in the 2018 festival. Registration Submit a band promo kit including a Demo CD or Full length CD, performance schedule for past 6 months, picture of the band and bio to; Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival PO Box 486 Plymouth, NH 03264. Call 603-239-2238 for more details. Deadline for submission is July 1, 2017. Rules and Regulations Each band will be allowed to perform one set lasting between thirty to forty-five minutes. Set time will vary based on the number of bands accepted. Bands will be notified prior to the contest. Bands need to adhere to the bluegrass theme and style of music. Traditional, contemporary or old-time are acceptable. Original tunes are a plus. Acoustic instrumentation only, except for bass. No drums or standing percussion allowed. Musicians may only participate in one band for the competition. If accepted, Pemi must be notified in advance of any personnel changes. Failure to comply may result in disqualification. Sound will be provided by Rosewood Sound Prize Money: ?The winning band will receive a $200 cash prize. Fan Favorite Audience members will receive a voting ballot when they enter the festival. Audience members will be able to cast votes up to 20 minutes after the last band has performed. The top three bands will be presented to the judges for final decision. Judging There will be … Read More »

The Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival

Sugar Shack Campground Route 175, Thornton, NH

Aug 2 - 5 at the Sugar Shack Campground, Thornton, NH. Our 25th year of celebrating Bluegrass "Music in the Mountains" http://pemivalleybluegrass.com for more info.

Southern Rail at Pemi Valley

Pemi Valley Bluegrass Festival Sugar Shack Campground, Rt. 175, Thornton, NH

Southern Rail  brings their irrepressible good humor, as well as their trademark lush harmonies and sparkling banjo, guitar and mandolin to the 25th anniversary bash at Pemi. The group is celebrating their 39th year with the release of their 13th recording. Be sure to come over and say hi!  :>)

2017 Oldtone Roots Music Festival

Cool Whisper Farm 1011 Co. Rd 21, Hillsdale, NY

Featuring traditional Mountain Fiddling, Bluegrass, Early Swing Jazz, Classic Country, Brass, Contra and Cajun music.  A family-friendly camping festival, with hands-on instrument workshops taught by world-class musicians, kid’s activities, farm-to-table food, instrument and band contests, libations, main, dance, and workshop stages.

$20 – $160