4 posts tagged “virginia bluegrass”
26 September 2009: Herndon, Virginia
"Please fasten your seatbelts!"
Pulled out all the stops - Roared in like a freight train - Brought down the house - Nonstop Excitement - Your money's worth and more - Blasted into another atmosphere - probably the best act I've seen and experienced in 2009. And we've only just entered into the 2009 Fall season of Bluegrass. Frank Solivan II and Dirty Kitchen appeared last night at Herndon's Holy Cross Lutheran Church Bluegrass series. I almost missed it. After several months of "bluegrassing" we decided we wouldn't go anywhere for the weekend - just stay home and meditate. Besides, the weather had turned colder and it had been raining all day. A sure sign that Autumn is on our doorstep. A last-minute e-mail from Bob (the Holy Cross promoter who keeps the series running,) convinced us to get in the car and drive out to Herndon. We've attended other Bluegrass concerts at this venue and knew the ropes. Metro D.C. Bluegrass Die-hards know this place, right along with the Birchmere and the Old Lucketts Schoolhouse. If a band is playing at Holy Cross, you're probably going to get a worthwhile night of entertainment - especially if you enjoy hardcore Bluegrass. I had never seen or heard this band except that after receiving Bob's "last gasp" message I got on CDbaby and the Band's website and checked out their audio uploads. Sounded very tempting - forget about staying home.
What amazes me is the lack of people who attend this concert series. I counted 34 people in the hall at 7:30 but fortunately more showed up after start-up. It's a beautiful performing space, the acoustics are top-notch, the hall would probably hold 200 to 250 people, and by D.C. suburb traffic standards it's relatively easy to get to. The price is also right for the proffered level of professionalism. Last night I would have gladly paid more for the experience.
The first thing you need to know is Frank Solivan II is another alumnus of the U.S. Navy's Country Current. The group he's put together has only been performing officially since May, according to Bass-player Stefan Custodi. Mike Munford on banjo, is a local legend here in our neck of the woods, and the line-up includes Lincoln Meyers who hails from Durham, New Hampshire. This is a dangerous combination - fair warning to every other bluegrass band out there who thinks it's an easy ride to the top of the music business. Each of these guys approach the bluegrass-style with such a level of professionalism that it's easy to understand why they caused such a stir at last year's annual Bluegrass Conclave in Nashville. Experiencing Frank's group last night I thought of Dan Tyminski, Audie Blaylock, Darren Beachley, the early Seldom Scene, the musicianship of Tony Rice and Kenny Smith, the ethereal banjo-style of Mark Johnson. The song-list was a mind-blower: original works, blues, old bluegrass chestnuts, and even an old Kate Wolf number. Frank and his group were out to convince everyone that they 'could do it all' and they did. It's rare when a group can take over a room and cause this kind of energy. Driving home we were still talking about the event. My final thoughts were, we're going to be hearing a lot more about Frank Solivan II and Dirty Kitchen. (Mike Munford also contributed to Sue Tice's CD. See story below.)
Dirty Kitchen: Frank Solivan II (Mandolin, Fiddle, lead vocals) Stefan Custodi (Bass, vocals) Mike Munford (Banjo) Lincoln Meyers (Guitar).
Evan Sands, Billy Park, Gary Cole, Michael Barton, John Relph
19 September 2009: Bluemont, Virginia.
This is God's Country. The perfect afternoon and the perfect place to catch the Dirty River Band in two hours of performance at the Bluemont Fair and Wine Festival. Although they've been on the Washington D.C. gigging scene for a couple of years now, the relatively new line-up is beginning to make some waves with some local air-play and important interviews. More to follow . . . . .
Dirty River Band: Billy Park - Guitar, Evan Sands - Banjo, Michael Barton - Dobro, John Relph - Mandolin, Gary Cole - Bass. New Graveyard Train CD is available on CDBaby. For more information and Calendar go to www.dirtyriverdc.com
2 July 2009, Fairfax County, Virginia
Nottoway Park, (near Vienna, Virginia): The Seldom Scene made its annual free concert appearance on the portable "Nottoway Nights" stage this evening and opened up with jokes about rainstorms - for good reason. Every time the group is scheduled it seems the performances are always up against monumental storms of some sort or another. Last night was a change - a perfect summer evening that got downright cool towards nightfall. The band is famous in these parts, or more to the point, famous nationally. When you consider Bluegrass three names come to mind - Ralph Stanley, The Country Gentlemen, and The Seldom Scene. The Seldom Scene probably had more to do with changing America's collective mind about the genre than any other musical force during the 70's and 80's. I remember my college days. I was working for the campus newspaper and the editor gave me the task of doing record and theatre reviews. Nobody else wanted to do it and I got a lot of free tickets and free records. We saw a lot of free ballet and opera during those times of trying to raise a child and live on the G.I. Bill. Two records came into the office one day: "Will the Circle be Unbroken" and "Old Train." That started it for me, and who would ever guess that bluegrass music would ever make such a resurgence in this country? Then come to find out I was living in the midst of some of the best bluegrass music and bands around. We are surely blessed living here in Virginia, if you dig the music. I still like my opera and ballet music - but for purity of acoustic brilliance and story-telling, Appalachian-based mountain music grounds me in my quest for the authentic. It can go astray at times - leaning toward the more crowd-pleasing modern 'country' crap and I'm sometimes disappointed when a good group will pander to the wider audience by including numbers that sound like they were just imported from Nashville. In the old days (of the 70's and 80's!) a wider audience recognized that the Seldom Scene was different - they were sticking to the basics, even if they were developing those basic bluegrass music components into a fine-tuned perfection. They remain fine-tuned perfection and that's probably why they are so nationally recognized. They are still a joy to listen to - but me? I'd rather be in Big Stone Gap listening to some locals beating out rhythms on handed-down instruments and singing gut-wrenching songs about hangings and love-gone-wrong.
(Nottoway Nights performances continue every Thursday night at Nottoway Park throughout the summer. Brought to you through County Parks funding and the generous support of local company sponsors. I was shocked to see the slim list of this year's commercial supporters - a sign of the tough economic times. Dig deep Brothers and Sisters! It would be a real community shame if the Fairfax County Parks entertainment programs had to discontinue. . . . .)
10 January, 2009 (Massaponax High School, Massaponax, Va.)
The new Bluegrass FM radio station opened its 2009 concert series on January 10th with two winners: Junior Sisk and Ramblers Choice and the duo, Kenny and Amanda Smith. This was the first time we had attended one of the performances so we didn't know what to expect. We were blown away when around 500 people showed up on a rather nasty, snowy evening to enjoy a full evening of music. The Massaponax High School Fine Arts Department provided snacks, home-baked goods and plenty of drinks for the excited crowd. The venue is beautiful, and perfectly suited for this style of music. It's not that hard to find off I-95 if you're coming from the Big City. Take the Spotsylvania/Massaponax Exit. A word to the wise - Google Maps has got it wrong on its pages. After realizing the error, back-tracking, and then two attempts at getting into the huge high school parking lot, we were ready to be entertained. The staff, Arts Department students and teachers, and personnel from the Radio Station cordially welcomed all to a great night of music. We'll definitely be back for more as the concert season progresses toward spring. Go to the radio station website for a full schedule.
Here's the really good news! the Bluegrass FM Radio events are FREE but you must contact the radio station first and apply for tickets. (My tickets came in the mail in less than a week.) Here are some more tips for this series of events sponsored by the Station: 1. Get there early. 2. Don't show up without tickets. 3. Bring money so you can support the Station, buy CD's, and support the fine arts program at Massaponax High School.
Bluegrass FM is totally, 100% non-profit and needs your support. You can donate in a number of ways. Go online at or call 540-582-9700 or 888-582-9701
