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Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass


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MerleFest announces initial lineup for 30th celebration in April 2017

The following announcement is from the good folks at MerleFest, which is slated for April 27-30, 2017. Early bird tickets are on sale now here. I am particularly excited to see Mountain Heart, Front Country, Chatham County Line, Scythian and Swift Creek in the lineup. Here’s hoping subsequent lineup announcements include Mipso, Flatt Lonesome, Will Overman Band, Dead Horses, Mandolin Orange, Zoe and Cloyd, Dori Freeman, The Church Sisters, Steep Canyon Rangers, The Infamous Stringdusters, Sarah Siskind, Sierra Hull, Yarn, American Aquarium, Mike Farris, Rhonda Vincent, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Annabelle’s Curse, Town Mountain, Little Hill Trio, The Genuine, The Honeycutters, The Steel Wheels, Elephant Revival, Balsam Range, Mason Via, The Judy Chops, Swampcandy, Chamomile and Whiskey and Billy Strings, among others.

From the release: “2017 will be a celebration of 30 years of MerleFest! The annual homecoming of musicians and music fans returns to the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The star-packed lineup for MerleFest 2017 will be announced over the next few months; today MerleFest made its first announcement for the 2017 lineup, including Zac Brown Band with a very special acoustic set, Del McCoury Band, Jim Lauderdale, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Peter Rowan, Mountain Heart and many more.”

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Mt. Airy’s historic Earle Theatre concert series ‘Blue Ridge and Beyond’ to feature Mark O’Connor, Del McCoury, Jerry Douglas, Balsam Range

Mark O’Connor and the O’Connor Band will start off the “Blue Ridge and Beyond” series on Nov. 19 at the Historic Earle Theatre in Mount Airy, North Carolina.

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Arlington’s the FORUM Cultural Series to feature the Accidentals and Adam & I on Thursday, Nov. 17

The FORUM is a public space in Arlington, Virginia, dedicated to promoting culture that highlights the good, the true and the beautiful. A public outreach of St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church www.stcharleschurch.org, the FORUM Cultural Series features concerts, dances, films, lectures and exhibitions.

While most FORUM events are Friday evenings, beginning with a happy hour at 7 p.m. followed by a program starting at 8 or 8:30, this week’s concert featuring The Accidentals with Adam &  is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 17. Food is also available.

THE ACCIDENTALS w/ Adam & I – November 17 (Thursday show)

Tickets: $10 Advance | $15 At Door | $20 Reserved Mezzanine

“They’re the best folk/jazz/bluegrass/classical/alternative band out there today.” ~ Jonathan Frahm, Yahoo! Voices

I had the good fortune to attend a Season 1 FORUM event in June featuring Celtic rockers and MerleFest favorites Scythian with openers the Duskwhales. It was reminiscent of the street festivals the Catholic churches sponsored in downtown Chicago neighborhoods that I loved to stumble upon when I lived in the area. The energy at the FORUM show was palpable and by the end of the evening I found myself sharing the experience with a group of new friends rather than the strangers I began the night with.

“While the cultural series includes film, lecture and dance nights, the monthly concerts are the backbone of the series and include some of the best up and coming musical talent, including Appaloosa festival headliners like The Accidentals, Humming House, and of course, Scythian,” says Terrence McKeegan, director of the FORUM Arlington.

Season 2 of the FORUM Cultural Series kicked off in September with a concert by Marie Miller, another Appaloosa Fest headliner, and Scott Mulvahill, bassist for Ricky Skaggs, opening.

“FORUM really strives to engage the wider community while being based in the heart of one of the youngest neighborhoods in the country,” McKeegan says. “I’ve been told that our parish has the youngest average parishioner age in the country at 31 years.”

Learn more at www.arlingtonforum.org.

https://www.arlnow.com/2014/09/10/redfin-arlington-has-top-two-millennial-zip-codes-in-u-s/


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Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell to perform in Winston-Salem on Friday, Nov. 11

If you’re a Rolling Stones fan, listen up: Chuck Leavell, keyboardist for the group, is coming to Winston-Salem on Friday, Nov. 11. You can catch him beginning at 8 p.m. at the city’s newest venue, The Barn at Reynolda Village, 2201 Reynolda Road. Advance tickets are $25, $30 at the door. Click here for more details.

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Chapel Hill’s Mipso brings unique string band stylings to Rives Theatre on Friday, Nov. 18

If you haven’t had the chance to hear Mipso, the unique string band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, perform live, you’re in luck. You can catch them beginning at 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18, at the historic Rives Theatre in uptown Martinsville, Virginia. Season passes are accepted, otherwise tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door. Tickets available locally at Daily Grind, Woodall’s Music and online here.

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Bluegrass, Barbecue & Brew Festival 2016 set for Saturday, Nov. 5, in Brookneal, Virginia, featuring The Church Sisters, Lonesome River Band

The Bluegrass, Barbecue and Brew Festival 2016 will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5, at Patrick Henry’s Red Hill in Brookneal, Virginia.  Tickets for music only are $15 and children 12 and younger are free.
The music lineup follows:

Davis Bradley- 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The Church Sisters– 1:15 – 2:45 p.m.
Lonesome River Band: 3:30 – 5 p.m.

There will also be a first-ever BBQ Cookoff Contest Judging from 2:50-3:20 p.m.

From Facebook: “We’re expecting great weather , so come out and join us for amazing music, great local food, and ice cold beverages!”

https://bluegrassbarbecuebrew2016.eventbrite.com


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Fifth annual The Shindig rescheduled for Sunday, Nov. 13, in Clayton, North Carolina

Fans of American Aquarium, Town Mountain, Love Canon, the Snyder Family Band and Big Daddy Love won’t want to miss the fifth annual The Shindig Music Festival rescheduled for Sunday, Nov. 13. There will be 10 bands on two stages plus seven breweries on tap, including Foothills and Bull City.

Learn more http://www.theshindig.net/ or watch https://www.facebook.com/TheClaytonShindig/?fref=ts

 

 


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People’s Blues of Richmond with Atlas Road Crew to perform Halloween Throwdown at Rives Theatre on Saturday, Oct. 29

If you’re looking for a unique way to celebrate this Halloween weekend, make plans to attend the “Halloween Throwdown” featuring the People’s Blues of Richmond with Atlas Road Crew beginning at 9 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Rives Theatre  in uptown Martinsville, Virginia. Doors open at 8, according to organizers.

Tickets are $10 advance and $15 at the door. Season passes to The Rives are accepted for this event.

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American Aquarium, Corey Hunt Band and Seth Williams to perform at Muddy Creek Music Hall on Thursday, Oct. 27

American Aquarium, Corey Hunt Band and Seth Williams will perform at Muddy Creek Music Hall on Thursday, Oct. 27. Both BJ Barham, frontman for American Aquarium, and Williams are Reidsville natives.

Tickets for the 8 p.m. show at 5455 Bethania Road in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, are $22 in advance and $25 at the door.

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