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Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass


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Rooster Walk 14 announces final band additions, including North Mississippi Allstars, Big Something, Jim Lauderdale, The Seldom Scene

From the good folks at Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival:

Rooster Walk 14 has announced the following bands have been added to its final lineup for the event on May 23-26, 2024, at Pop’s Farm just outside Martinsville, Virginia:
 
North Mississippi Allstars, Big Something, Jim Lauderdale & The Game Changers, The Seldom Scene, The Rooster Walk House Band, Myron Elkins, The Collection, Kaira Ba, Holler Choir, Lillie Mae, Kind Hearted Strangers, Florencia & The Feeling, The Shoaldiggers, Sela Campbell, Raffi Kids’ Set, Sugarbush

The North Mississippi Allstars, an internationally touring blues band known for its rollickingly energetic shows, top the third and final list of bands joining the 14th annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival lineup. NMAs, which will be making its RW debut, have been nominated for four Grammys over a 25-year career that has produced 12 albums and countless sold out shows.

Big Something will also join the RW14 lineup. The North Carolina-based jamband has played nearly a half-dozen Rooster Walks over the years. The six-piece band is known for its big sound of soaring guitar solos, synth, horns and soulful vocals.

Other bands getting added to the lineup include: Jim Lauderdale & The Game Changers (Roots rock, iconic songwriter from Nashville, TN); The Seldom Scene (internationally celebrated pioneers of progressive bluegrass); The Rooster Walk House Band (all-star collective featuring Ron Holloway, Jeff Sipe, Josh Shilling, Wallace Mullinax, Florencia Rusinol, Jake Dempsey and friends); Myron Elkins (swamp rock, Otsego, MI); The Collection (Indi Rock, Saxapahaw, NC); Kaira Ba (world music, North Carolina); Holler Choir (old-time, Asheville, NC); Lillie Mae (Singer/songwriter, Nashville, TN); Kind Hearted Strangers (rock, Colorado); Florencia & The Feeling (R&B/soul, Johnson City, TN); The Shoaldiggers (Horny swampgrass, North Carolina); Sela Campbell (country, Northern Virginia); Raffi Kids’ Set (Raffi Tribute by Miles Andrews and full band; Saxapahaw, NC); Sugarbush (rock/blues, Virginia).

Bands that had been previously announced to the RW14 lineup include:  Emmylou Harris (Country Music Hall of Fame inductee with five No. 1 singles on the Billboard country music charts, Nashville, TN); Cory Wong (funk/rock/pop, Minneapolis, MN);  Broke Mountain Bluegrass Band (Colorado supergroup featuring members of Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon, the Infamous Stringdusters, Jon Stickley Trio and more); two nights of Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country (Nashville, Tenn., jam twang); TAUK Moore (funk collaboration between Doom Flamingo’s Kanika Moore and TAUK);  Dogs in a Pile (a New Jersey-based funk/jazz/rock jamband); Couch (Boston, Mass. – funk/rock/soul); Caitlin Krisko & The Broadcast (Asheville, N.C. – rock); Yarn (NC/NY roots rockers who will once again perform an original set and a festival-finishing tribute set); Arkansauce (progressive bluegrass from northwest Arkansas); Sneezy (high-energy party music from Chicago, Ill.); The Mountain Grass Unit (up-and-coming bluegrass shredders from Alabama); Isaac Hadden Organ Trio (masterful  musicianship from a North Carolina power trio); Sol Driven Train (upbeat, horn-driven rock’n’roll beach vibes from Charleston, SC); J & The Causeways (New Orleans-based soul powerhouse reminiscent of St. Paul & The Broken Bones); Sticks N Thorns (bluegrass duo featuring Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon and Jon Stickley); Travis Book & Friends (Asheville, N.C., Americana/rock band led by The Infamous Stringdusters’ Travis Book); Colby T. Helms & The Virginia Creepers (bluegrass from nearby Franklin County, Va.); Clay Street Unit (Colorado-based honky tonk/roots rock); The Jared Stout Band (New River Valley, VA, southern rock); and Mighty Joshua (authentic reggae from central Virginia); TC Carter Band (blues, Martinsville, Va.); Lua Flora (Asheville, N.C. – beach folk); Big Fat Gap (Chapel Hill, N.C. – bluegrass); Jules & The Agreeables (Key West, Fla. – rock); DJ What (Martinsville, Va. – DJ); Pirates of the Piedmont (Martinsville, Va. – pirate shanties).

ROOSTER WALK 13 (2023) RECAP VIDEO

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The Big What moves to Shakori Hills on Aug. 22-24

The Big What? is back with three nights of Big Something & friends plus more artists TBA

THE BIG WHAT? is set for Aug. 22-24 at the Shakori Hills Community Arts Center in Pittsboro, about 30 minutes from Raleigh.

From the band: “The Big What? is back! We are so grateful and beyond excited to announce the 10th anniversary edition of our Music Festival & Campout this summer!”

Ticket Info

General Alien (GA) Weekend Passes include (1) GA ticket, GA tent camping, and GA parking for 1 person.

GA Tent Camping is included with a GA pass but Car Camping ($65) or RV Camping ($150) will require a separate pass per vehicle (available as an add on at checkout).

Very Important Alien (VIA) Weekend Passes include (1) VIA ticket with souvenir laminate, reserved tent camping in a prime location, access to a reserved viewing area in front of the main stage, access to private bathrooms, 1 hot meal each night plus access to refreshments during the day, and a free download of each Big Something set.

Supreme Very Important Alien (SVIA) Weekend Passes include (1) VIA ticket with everything from the VIA program above plus an exclusive Saturday afternoon acoustic Big Something performance in a secret location, plus (1) signed screenprint Big What? poster, and (1) signed Big Something setlist from all three nights.

Reserved TENT Camping in a prime location is included with every VIA/SVIA pass but Car Camping ($65) and RV Camping ($150) will still require a separate pass per vehicle (available as an add on at checkout).

Kids 12 and under are $30 each and can only be purchased day of show at the gate.

Please Note: a Parent or Legal Guardian must accompany anyone under 18 at all times.

The Big What? is a rain or shine event. All tickets are non-refundable. Tickets available at this link.


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Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival 2022 set for May 26-29

Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival has announced the third and final wave of music performers for the much-anticipated 2022 festival, scheduled for May 26-29 in Martinsville, Virginia.

Rooster Walk returns with a diverse bill featuring a remarkable selection of over 40 artists performing across 6 stages over the four-day festival. Grace Potter joins Little Feat and Lettuce atop the festival lineup, which features something for everyone! Many ticket options have low inventory; others have already sold out.

Purchase tickets at this link: INFO & TICKETS

In addition to four days of amazing tunes, the family-friendly Rooster Walk will offer a wide variety of kids’ activities, craft beer, great food, arts and numerous opportunities to enjoy Virginia’s great outdoors with kayak tours, bike rides, yoga, a disc golf course and beautiful on-site camping.Rooster Walk has been consistently voted as a Top 3 Best Music Festival and Best Family-Friendly Festival by the Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s Best of the Blue Ridge. It also has been voted the region’s Most Creative Charitable Event by readers of Virginia Living Magazine, among other accolades. The festival was created in memory of late Martinsville natives Edwin “The Rooster” Penn and Walker Shank, who graduated from Martinsville High School in 2000.A portion of proceeds from the festival will be donated to local and regional charities, including Rooster Walk’s own Penn-Shank Memorial Endowment Scholarship Fund for students at Martinsville High School, and the Rooster Walk Music Instrument Program for public band programs in the local city and county school systems.

Learn more at this link: https://roosterwalk.com/


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Ring in the new year on a live musical note

Still looking for ideas to close out 2017 and welcome the new year? There are myriad live music options at venues in and around North Carolina’s Triangle and beyond. The following list is in alphabetical order and in no way comprehensive so please feel free to share other options. Happy New Year!

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Experience Freedom at FloydFest 17 July 26-30

One of my favorite summer music festivals is FloydFest and this year’s lineup is one of its most eclectic ever assembled for this multi-day world music festival, FloydFest 17 — FREEDOM. Continue reading


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FloydFest 2017 tickets increase July 1

FloydFest 17 — experience FREEDOM, July 26-30, 2017!  is the latest annual offering from the Southeast’s premier summer outdoor music festival at Milepost 170.5 on the Blue Ridge Parkway just outside Floyd, Virginia.

Tickets are available now at www.floydfest.com for five days of music, magic and mountains, featuring outdoor adventure, vibrant and varied vendors, quality brews and chews, healing arts, workshops and whimsy, children’s activities, art installations and a lineup featuring more than 100 artists on nine+ stages. That said, why pay more than you have to? Ticket prices increase at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 1, 2017. Buying now saves you $25 per ticket over gate prices on a 5-Day GA ticket. Buy NOW! (Some ticket types are almost sold out!)

This year’s event lineup includes Michael Franti and Spearhead, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, Railroad Earth, Shovels and Rope, White Denim, Turkuaz, Fruition, Nicola Cruz, The Steel Wheels, HONEYHONEY, BIG Something, Shook Twins, Baskery, Zach Deputy, The Lil Smokies, Rebekah Todd and The Odyssey, Jack Broadbent, Urban Soil, Honey Island Swamp Band, The Mantras, Edward David Anderson, Dead 27s, DAVY KNOWLES, McLovins, Hayley Jane and the Primates, The Drunken Hearts, Kansas Bible Company, Trae Pierce & the T-Stones, Liver Down the River and Broccoli Samurai.

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15th annual Spring Shakori Hills GrassRoots Festival of Music & Dance set for May 4-7, 2017

 The Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance will hold its 15th annual spring festival from Thursday, May 4, to Sunday, May 7. The festival will feature more than 40 bands and performers on two big outdoor stages, a large Dance Tent and an intimate Cabaret Tent. The festival, hosted by Donna the Buffalo, is located at 1439 Henderson Tanyard Road, Pittsboro, on 72 beautiful farmland acres in Chatham County, North Carolina, just down the road from Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Durham, Burlington and Greensboro. The festival also features local crafts, delicious food, various children’s activities, healing arts practitioners, dancing and music workshops, environmental sustainability forums and much more in a family-friendly setting. To get more details, visit Tickets & Info Page.

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On Huffington Post: Labor Day Weekend provides variety of opportunities to discover new music, help struggling communities

Tired of listening to the same old music? Make plans to attend Front Porch Fest at the Spirit Haven Farm in Stuart, Virginia, over Labor Day weekend and you’ll not only be exposed to some new tunes, you’ll be helping out a struggling community. Continue reading


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Seventh annual Front Porch Fest promises new music for Labor Day weekend in Stuart, Virginia

Tired of listening to the same old music? Make plans to attend Front Porch Fest at the Spirit Haven Farm in Stuart, Virginia, over Labor Day weekend and you’ll not only be exposed to some new tunes, you’ll be helping out a struggling community. Continue reading