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Musings on folk, Americana, country, bluegrass and newgrass

Tag Archives: FloydFest


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On Huffington Post: Annabelle’s Curse turns series of accidents into pure, musical magic

The following was also published on The Huffington Post here.

Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia-based alt-folk band Annabelle’s Curse isn’t so much a curse as a happy accident. A series of accidents actually.

One of the original group’s founders guitarist Zack Edwards explains that he showed up on the porch of the other co-founder Tim Kilborne (vocals, banjo, guitar) six years ago after being introduced through mutual friends at Emory and Henry College.

“We started playing music and I just never went home,” Edwards remembers. “We did that for a little while, writing songs on the front porch and playing open mic nights.”

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Infamous Stringdusters’ 7th annual The Festy Experience to feature Sam Bush, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lee Ann Womack, Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Nicki Bluhm, Jim Lauderdale and many more on Oct. 7-9

The “King of Telluride” has been taking the East Coast by storm in recent years. Sam Bush has been a staple at Merlefest since its inception, but the mandolin virtuoso is no stranger to FloydFest and this spring played Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival for the first time.

Now, on the heels of his newest album release, “Storyman,” he’s headed to The Festy Experience, The Infamous Stringdusters music festival that benefits the Can’d Aid Foundation, set for Oct. 7-9 at the Lockn Festival property in Nelson County, Virginia, located between Charlottesville and Lynchburg.

In addition to Bush, Charlottesville resident Mary Chapin Carpenter, Lee Ann Womack, Bela Fleck & Abigail Washburn, Steep Canyon Rangers, the North Mississippi All Stars and Anders Osborne (aka North Mississippi Osborne), are among the acts at the top of the bill for The Festy.

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On Huffington Post: Don’t Miss These Acts at FloydFest 16

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The following post ran originally on The Huffington Post here:

FloydFest 16 kicks off today with headliners Greg Allman, Warren Haynes, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers, Railroad Earth, Anders Osborne, Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon and Pimps of Joytime along with newcomers Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Shakey Graves, The Wood Brothers, Elephant Revival and the Monophonics.

Other artists include Nahko and Medicine for the People, Rich Robinson, the Otis Taylor Band, The Larry Keel Experience, Con Brio, Banditos, The Legendary Shack Shakers, Dustbowl Revival, Head for the Hills, Honey Island Swamp Band and The Congress.

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On Huffington Post: Mason Via is headed ‘Up, Up, Up’ to perform at FloydFest for the first time

This story also appeared on The Huffington Post here.
Mason Via is transcending musical genres with his unique brand of what has been described as Appalachian funky folk, soulful acoustic, rhythm and bluesgrass and groovy Americana.  His debut album, “Up, Up, Up,” is an eclectic mix of Appalachian string instrumentation, world percussion and soulful vocals mixed with powerful songwriting.
But it’s his country roots that come through the loudest and clearest when he hits the stage. No surprise really when you learn that the Danbury, North Carolina, native grew up in the shadow of Hanging Rock State Park in rural Stokes County on the banks of the Dan River.
“Living in correspondence with nature is one of the main points of my music,” Via, pronounced like “sky,” explains on a new micro-documentary, “Back to the Rock,” on his website.

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Rooster Walk, Red Wing, FloydFest make Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine’s best Southern festivals list

Rooster Walk Music and Arts Festival, Red Wing Roots Music Festival and FloydFest are three of my favorites. It seems Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine agrees naming two of the Virginia festivals as well as Black Mountain, North Carolina’s LEAF among 2016’s top family-friendly festivals to attend in the South. And FloydFest was named among the most adventurous. What are your favorites? Continue reading →


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FloydFest announces 20 new bands to make your Earth Day rock

This just in from the good folks over at FloydFest:

Join us in a celebration of abundance, with the 16th edition of
FloydFest: Dreamweavin’— July 27-31, 2016.

The soundtrack to our spring is the hundreds of submissions we receive for FloydFest’s anticipated On-The-Rise Competition! Some of these are chosen by our in-house jury of talent scouts, and this year include: Dalton Dash, The Devyl Nellys, Grand Ole’ Ditch, Moonshine District, Of Company, The Wildmans, and Zoe Ravenwood. Continue reading →


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Can’t wait for Rooster Walk 8? The Rives Theatre to host several acts in April to tide you over

If you haven’t seen a show at the historic Rives Theatre in uptown Martinsville, Virginia, you’re missing out. This former movie house is celebrating its sixth year as a live music venue and community space dedicated to arts and education. Managed by the nonprofit Arts at the Rives Theatre (ART), the theater, which dates back to 1932, is run solely by volunteers.

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On Huffington Post: FloydFest’s On-the-Rise Competition opens Saturday, April 2

Mix up some Swampcandy, Annabelle’s Curse, Look Homeward and The Midatlantic in a bowl, and what you get are some of FloydFest fans’ favorite flavors.

What do you call it? Who knows, but it sure sounds good.

All were chosen as winners and runners up in the festival’s On-the-Rise (OTR) Competition in 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Now, FloydFest fans have a chance to choose who takes part in the festival’s OTR 2016
competition during an eight-week roster of shows at The Phoenix, a little “cubby-of-
cool” in Roanoke, Virginia’s Old Southwest neighborhood. The competition starts April
2 and runs through the end of May, says Kris Hodges, co-founder of the festival set for
July 27-31 off the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milemarker 170.5. Several of the bands are
alumni of other area festivals, including Rooster Walk Arts and Music Festival and Front
Porch Fest, among others.

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This is no April Fool’s joke: Will Overman Band, Annabelle’s Curse to perform at Tin Pan on April 1-2

Two of my favorite bands — Will Overman Band and Annabelle’s Curse — are playing at The Tin Pan, 8982 Quioccasin Road ,in Richmond, Virginia, April 1-2. If you’re in the area, you need to buy your tickets now because both shows are sure to sell out.

I discovered both bands at Rooster Walk 7. Annabelle’s Curse is returning to Rooster Walk 8 over Memorial Day and hosting The Howling Craft Beer and Music Festival  May 27-28 while WOB is performing at MerleFest and Front Porch Fest.

If you haven’t heard either of these bands play live, you won’t want to miss either one of these shows!

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Major and The Monbacks set to release sophomore album with internationally acclaimed producer Matthew E. White

Rooster Walk and FloydFest fans, listen up: Perennial fan favorites — psychedelic rock band Major and the Monbacks — are teaming up with internationally acclaimed producer, touring artist and Spacebomb Records founder Matthew E. White in April 2016 to record their sophomore full-length album. The new album will follow up the band’s independently produced debut album that was released in May 2015. Continue reading →