musicreporterblog

Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass


1 Comment

Lucinda Williams to perform at Millennium Center as part of SECCA’s popular Crossroads series on Friday, Aug. 11

UPDATE: The Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) announces a venue change for the Crossroads #019 @ SECCA concert featuring Lucinda Williams on Friday, August 11, 2017. Due to inclement weather forecast, the concert will now be indoors at the Millennium Center downtown Winston-Salem, located at 101 West 5th St., Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Doors at the Millennium Center will open at 5 p.m. and music will begin at 7. Food trucks will be on site and a cash bar will be available inside the venue. No coolers, chairs/blankets, outside food or drinks, or pets are allowed at the venue. There are also several dining options in the downtown Winston-Salem area.

Free street parking is available after 6 p.m. and paid parking garages are throughout the downtown area. For more information including a detailed map of parking options, please visit the Millennium Center.

The Millennium Center venue provides unreserved seating and standing room areas. Seats are provided on a first come, first served basis.

“We regret having to move the concert from outside on the SECCA grounds, but weather forecasts are predicting thunderstorms and lightning for Friday, which would make doing the show outside difficult and potentially unsafe.” said Andy Tennille, curator of the Crossroads @ SECCA concert series and a member of the SECCA Foundation board. “We appreciate the support of our sponsors, vendors and audience in this decision and thank Greg Carlyle and his team at the Millennium Center for their help.”

For more detailed information about the change of venue, please visit www.secca.org
Continue reading


Leave a comment

Scythian, Forlorn Strangers to give Wide Open Bluegrass preview at Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh on Saturday, July 15

If you can hardly wait for Sept. 26-30 and the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) World of Bluegrass Festival and PNC’s Wide Open Bluegrass, the weekend festival on Sept. 29-30 in downtown Raleigh that takes place during the IBMA event, you’re in luck.

You can catch two of the Wide Open Bluegrass acts — MerleFest favorite Celtic roots rockers Scythian and Nashville’s Forlorn Strangers — at a “Save the Date” party beginning at 9 p.m. on Saturday, July 15, at the Lincoln Theatre in Raleigh. This all-ages show will also serve as a CD Release Party for Scythian’s newest album, “Dance All Night.”

Continue reading


Leave a comment

People’s Blues of Richmond to perform at Pop’s Farm home to Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival on Friday, June 30

The Ninth Annual Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival is in the books but that doesn’t mean the music at its location at Pop’s Farm in Axton, Virginia, has to stop. In fact, on Friday, June 30, you can catch Rooster Walk regular the People’s Blues of Richmond  performing on the Pine Grove Stage beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Continue reading


Leave a comment

The Kruger Brothers to headline Wayne Henderson Music Festival & Guitar Competition on June 17

The Kruger Brothers are headlining the annual Wayne Henderson Music Festival & Guitar Competition set for noon on Saturday, June 17, at  Grayson Highlands State Park. Tickets are $20 plus parking fee. Kids 12 and younger are free with a paying adult. Continue reading


Leave a comment

4th Annual Brevard Blues & BBQ Festival set for June 2-3

A precursor to the Brevard Music Center’s summer series, the Brevard Blues & BBQ Festival is a two-day event by 185 Productions on June 2 and 3 at BMC’s Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. The festival offers live blues music, craft vendors, food vendors and a barbecue cookoff. The festival begins at 5 p.m. June 2 and 2 p.m. June 3. Tickets are $25 for Friday-only, $35 for Saturday-only and $45 for the weekend. For more information, visit brevardbluesfestival.com.

Continue reading


Leave a comment

Mandolin Orange kicks off festival season with returns to MerleFest, Rooster Walk 9

Ever wondered where the funny, punny name Mandolin Orange — one of today’s premiere American roots bands — has its origins?

“We were driving back from our first gig opening for Kickin Grass, a band from Raleigh, and we thought what a cool name and that we needed a name,” remembers Emily Frantz (violin/guitar/vocals), who makes up half of this uber talented duo who still call Chapel Hill, North Carolina, home.

Andrew Marlin (mandolin/guitar/vocals), who loves puns and word play, had this little round and orange mandolin at the time, said half-joking how about Mandolin Orange? And it stuck.”

Continue reading


1 Comment

Second annual Jam in the Trees set for Aug. 25-26, 2017, at Pisgah Brewing

Americana fans, listen up: The second Annual Jam In The Trees will feature some of my favorite acts including Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, Jeffrey Foucault, Front Country, Eilen Jewell, Cicada Rhythm, Zoe & Cloyd, The Infamous Stringsuters, Acoustic Syndicate, Peter Rowan, Larry Keel, Tim O’Brien and Jan Fabricius, Jim Lauderdale, Underhill Rose and Ken Tizzard.

Jam in the Trees is a two-day, Americana music-themed event that takes place Friday and Saturday, Aug. 25 and 26, 2017, on two stages — the Outdoor Stage and the Taproom Stage — at Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Continue reading


Leave a comment

ROMP Festival will celebrate the roots, branches of bluegrass on June 21-24, 2017

Founded in June 2004 by the International Bluegrass Music Museum, ROMP Festival has been celebrating the roots and branches of bluegrass ever since and this year is no exception.

Scheduled for June 21-24, 2017, in Owensboro, Kentucky, ROMP’s impressive lineup includes: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Punch Brothers, Keller Williams’ Grateful Grass, Los Lobos, Rhiannon Giddens, Yonder Mountain String Band, Jerry Douglas Band, Peter Rowan, The SteelDrivers, Pokey LaFarge, Dailey & Vincent, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, We Banjo 3, Billy Strings, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley, Scythian, Becky Buller, Dustbowl Revival, Kelsey Waldon, The Wooks, Driftwood, Snyder Family Band, High Fidelity, Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys and Hogslop String Band.

I am particularly excited to see Scythian, We Banjo 3, Rhiannon Giddens, The SteelDrivers and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band are on tap to be there. Would love to hear who you are interested in seeing and hearing at this festival that is sure to be a good time.

To purchase tickets visit: www.rompfest.com or call (270) 926-7891.


Leave a comment

Nine reasons not to miss Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival over Memorial Day Weekend

Rooster Walk 9 Music and Arts Festival, set for May 25-28 near Martinsville, Virginia, is a week away, the weather forecast is offering blue skies and temps in the 70s and I’d like to suggest you forego that annual Memorial Day trip to the beach with the masses. Instead head to the verdant foothills of southwest Virginia to relax and take advantage of some amazing musical and outdoor offerings. Continue reading


Leave a comment

8th annual Festy Experience unveils first half of artist lineup: The Infamous Stringdusters, Drive-By Truckers, Sam Bush Band, The Travelin’ McCourys, The Jerry Douglas Band on Oct. 5-8, 2017

This just in from the good folks over at The Festy:
Charlottesville, VA — The Festy Experience is excited to announce the first half of its music lineup for the 8th annual festival, happening October 5-8, 2017 in the Blue Ridge Bowl at Infinity Downs Farm in Arrington, Virginia. The lineup comprises a carefully curated blend of national and local roots music acts, featuring The Infamous Stringdusters, Drive-By Truckers, Sam Bush Band, The Travelin’ McCourys, The Jerry Douglas Band, Cabinet, Billy Strings, Love Canon, Carl Anderson, and The 8th Annual Garrettgrass Gospel Hour. And this is just half of the artist lineup. The next installment of artists will be announced on Wednesday, June 14th. Tickets are on-sale now.

Continue reading