Vermont’s Twiddle played The Putnam Den, after Phish, on July 4th. Famed photographer Andrew Scott Blackstein was there to capture the show.
Category: Regions
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Luna Light Music & Arts Festival Begins This Weekend
The Luna Light Music & Arts Festival will take place in Barto, PA from July 11-13. The location is two hours southwest of NYC at Hex Hollow Farms and will be headlined by the healthiest batch of funk New York has to offer, Lettuce. Keller Williams, Shpongle, Particle, and The Heavy Pets are also among the 40+ bands on the bill in the festival’s inaugural year.While Woodstock ’94s host town, Saugerties, NY, will draw an estimated 20,000+ eclectic EDM, hip hop, and rock fans for The Hudson Project this weekend, Luna’s attendance will be capped around 1,800, including some of New York’s best live rock bands. Buffalo’s Aqueous, Ithaca’s Jimkata, and New York City’s Consider The Source will each offer unique interpretations of rock. Lettuce will play the prime-time Saturday night set.
With a plethora of festivals to choose from this summer, the intimate crowd size and rocking lineup make Luna Light Festival one to catch. Check out more details on the festival’s website and see below for the full schedule.
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Willow Creek Winery Gets Electric This Weekend
If you’re experiencing any type of power loss this weekend there is a very good chance it is being drawn to Silver Creek, NY at Willow Creek Winery. This weekend the Winery and Buffalive Productions will be hosting two days of music that will surely get everyone raging.
Friday starts things off with Conspirator, which was started back in 2004. The group was formed by Disco Biscuits members Aron Magner and Marc Brownstein and DJ Omen. The group has seen some solid success in the festival circuits and in 2012 was joined by RAQ’s Chris Michetti and Pendulum’s KJ Swaka. The group will be sure to give you the full dance treatment and a fantastic electronica experience.
Opening the show will be Buffalo’s own Funktional Flow and if anyone saw them at 2014’s Buffalove Music Festival a few weeks back will tell you, get there early to see this band, they have stepped up big time and are on the way to something big. Jamestown’s Notixx rounds out the lineup for Friday night. Ryan Sinatra will get you moving with his electronic experience that will keep you wanting more.
If Friday isn’t enough for you, and I am sure it won’t be, the weekend continues with Saturday’s Electric Odyssey. The event starts at 12pm with two stages and music from 13 acts. If your camping there is a special treat with music going until the sunrise.
Schedule Of Events
Side Stage:
12pm-1pm – JennaBeatz
1pm-2pm – Chuck Latona vs. Mix Master Bates
3pm-3:45pm – Brian TheVerdict Atzrott
4:45pm-5:30pm – Medison
7pm-8pm – NeckBrace
9:30pm-10:30pm – Space Junk
12:15am-1:15am – DJ Big BashaMain Stage:
2pm-3pm – Odyssey Superjam
3:45-4:45 – Mister F
5:30pm-7pm – The Manhattan Project
8pm-9:30pm – DrFameus
10:30pm-12:15am – NotixxLATE NIGHT AFTER PARTY (CAMPERS ONLY):
1:15am-3:30am – The Manhattan Project>Mister F (Segue Set)
3:30am-SUNRISE – Sonder Sunrise Set!It looks to be a great weekend at a great venue! Hope to see everyone out there this weekend.
Tickets for Friday can be purchased here $20/$26.50
Tickets for Saturday can be purchased here $18/$25
Onsite camping will be available for $10 per person/per night
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Venue Profile: The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Preserves History and Magnificence
Though indiscriminant from the outside, passing beyond the entry is a portal into another time. In an era during the booming peak of industrial America, Troy hustled and bustled with growth. As a result of successful patronage to Troy Savings Bank, a music hall was gifted to the public. In 1870, the Board of Trustees of the bank moved its offices to a new building, located at 30 Second St, that included a music hall on the upper floor. George Browne Post was the hired architect.
Troy Savings Bank Music Hall is an acoustic marvel with no clear reason as to why. Many have attributed the sound quality to variables like hard walls, ratio to length, width and height, stage dimensions, interior design and textures. However, it wasn’t until 1890 when an Odell concert organ was installed that the hall reached it full acoustical potential. The organ was eight years old at the time of purchase belonging to millionaire William Beldon. The organ has remained untouched since its installation with the exception of routine maintenance. According to the Troy Savings Bank website, the organ is “the nation’s largest nineteenth-century concert organ in original condition.”
Just as a nation struggled with the ups and downs of the economy over the last hundred years, so had the hall. As the twentieth century developed the advent of radio and television provided cheaper and easier means of entertainment. However, in 1979, the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Corporation was formed as a not-for-profit organization to restore and maintain the hall. In 1989, the hall was named a National Historic Landmark. Today, The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall is operational.
The Troy Savings Bank Music Hall continues to carry on tradition. Historically, a great musician of their time rarely failed to include the hall on an American tour. World-renowned performers are booked year round from singers and songwriters to orchestras and comedians. Every artist, every performance seemingly captures the essence and glory of the halls storied past. Every wooden chair is equipped with metal bars located on the back and on the underside of the seat. Hinting to the past, the bars held top hats and the scarves. Indeed, Troy Savings Bank preserves history and magnificence.
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O.A.R. and Phillip Phillips Pack a One-Two Punch at Artpark
There was a nice breeze and a stunning sunset on the gorge that Artpark sits upon on Wednesday, July 2. The venue was filled to capacity with a sold out crowd to see O.A.R. and American Idol winner Phillip Phillips.
Phillip Phillips brought an intense energy and proved to a lot of people that he is much more than an American Idol winner. He also showed the heavy influence that Dave Matthews had on him as everyone in the crowd was commenting on it. Did he sound, move and act like Mr. Matthews? Yes, but he was also very good in his own right and has the potential to be just as big with this next generation of music fans.
He played his hits “Fly”, “Gone, Gone, Gone” and “Home” as well as his own version of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On”, which all the young girls swooned over. Phillip Phillips will be much more than a former Idol winner and he produces such a great show filled with an energetic stage presence, great fan interaction and just plain great music.
The heart of the crowd was there for O.A.R., veterans at this point to the live music scene and always a band that likes to come to the Western New York area. The band wasted no time coming out to the stage and busting right into the music with “About Mr. Brown”, a song from their first album, The Wanderer, and had everyone singing right from the start.
The band dove into their most commercially successful song “Shattered” just as they warmed up, turning up the heat on a very humid evening. What makes these guys so fan-friendly is the fun they have onstage together. A clear example was Jerry DePizzo (saxophone/guitars) and Richard On (guitars) who both threw their picks into the air following a solo, giving someone in the crowd that souvenir to remember the night. Marc Roberge (vocals, guitar) loves to get the crowd up and moving with his reggae inflection, dictating the mood of the entire show. The band ended the night with their biggest fan favorite, “That Was a Crazy Game of Poker“. This band knocked it out of the park as they have many times when visiting the area, and coming off their eighth album that was released last month, their doesn’t seem to be any letting up.
O.A.R. Set List (provided by oarsa.org):
About Mr. Brown, Black Rock, Love and Memories, Dareh Meyod, Night Shift, Favorite Song, Shattered (Turn The Car Around), Old Man Time, Hey Girl, Two Hands Up, City On Down, Delicate Few, King Of The Thing, We’ll Pick Up Where We Left Off, Heaven, War Song
Encore: Peace, That Was A Crazy Game Of Poker
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Phish at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, July 3rd – A Strangely Designed Setlist
Maybe it was because the run began on a Thursday night. Or maybe it was because of the delayed gate opening from the round of thunderstorms that rolled through Saratoga just before the venue was to open, but the Latin phrase ‘Non sequitur’ for “that which does not follow” can easily be used to sum up the first night performance from Phish at Saratoga Performing Arts Center on July 3rd, 2014.
Photo by Jim Gilbert Expectations are always high when Phish comes to play at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC). Phans based in the Capital District consider SPAC to be Phish’s summer home venue. Even the band themselves have said as much in media interviews. With one night of summer tour already under their belt, a new album from which to showcase material from and rumors that few covers were to be played this tour, the hard-core phans question was ‘How would the band handle song selection and position?’ The answer: Rather oddly.
The other oddity was drummer Jon Fishman’s scaled back drum kit with fewer cymbals, snare drums and the absence of the wood blocks under his hi-hat. Phish heads were lamenting the elimination of the woodblocks and various cymbals from which Fish draws distinctive sounds for certain songs like “Walls of the Cave”, “It’s Ice”, “Reba” and “Fluffhead”. Summer tour has just begun and already phans are in crisis mode: First, there may be no covers which traditionally serve as launch pads for exploratory jamming (think “Torn & Frayed”, “Cross-Eyed and Painless”, “Boogie on Reggae Woman”) and now the possible elimination of other songs from the repertoire because of the changes to the drum kit. Or perhaps new takes on old favorites from our favorite drummer with a less is more approach? You have to love a band that knocks you out of your comfort zone.
7/4/2014 Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Springs, NY. Photo by Dave Vann © Phish. All Rights Reserved. We were certainly knocked out of our comfort zone with the odd selection of “Farmhouse” as the opening tune. First songs lay the vibe for the rest of the set and a slow tempo song about cluster-flies and swatting them on what was turning out to be a damp, cloudy, and foggy night did make for an unusual statement. “Wolfman’s Brother” was funky as usual but delivered at a sleepy relaxed pace as if the band was still warming their hands and fingers up from the lingering drizzle. The band seemed to pick up the tempo with “Maze”. It was jarring enough to get our attention but a little rough around the edges in the interplay between Anastasio and McConnell. Would “Maze” prove to be the launch pad for the rest of the set?, one that flows with synchronized dark nasty jams or would it continue to be a disjointed mishmash of singles? We got our answer with the sleepy reggae of “Yarmouth Road” and another song with lyrics about insects. So this means “Bug” is coming, right? Nope, “Strange Design” was up next. But it is clearly making sense. The set-list is just strangely designed so that is why they are playing “Strange Design”.
Now that we are all feeling strange and sleepy about this set, Trey takes us to REM sleep with “Devotion to a Dream”, the first of four songs to be played tonight from Fuego. We are on a dreamy journey of the band’s 30+ year history. It seems to now be headed in the right, albeit strange direction which is beginning to seem by design . “Ocelot” begins the wake-up call and delivers with its usually jamtastic but too short ending. The alarm clock has sounded “Chalkdust Torture”. “Mound”, the dreamlike but awesome “Roggae” and “Possum” closed out an odd strange first set.
Photo by Jim Gilbert Set Two began with a 15-minute plus “Bathtub Gin” and a 12-minute plus “Limb-by-Limb”, which was by far the highlight of the evening. The almost half hour of music in Set Two’s first two songs makes up for the sleepy weird first set. Everyone is stoked for the energy to continue. But would “2001” make an appearance in the three spot? Nope, that’s a cover. Mon dieu and Merde! Instead, the second song from Fuego, “WinterQueen” bats third and allows those of us who danced and raged silly during the first thirty minutes to dial it down and catch a breath (not that we needed it after set I). My own personal feeling is that “WinterQueen” is a first set song and will hopefully find a home there. “The Line”, the third song from Fuego (for those readers unfamiliar with the story), is about basketball player Darius Washington, Jr., who as a freshman and Conference USA Rookie of the year and a 72% free throw shooter for the University of Memphis missed two of three free throw attempts during a game vs University of Louisville. Had he made all three attempts Memphis would have beaten the then sixth ranked Louisville Cardinals.
“Tweezer”, “Prince Caspian” and the playful and fun “Sparkle” are always fun and frolicking, but a not-so-special/best all time “Antelope” ended Set II. Phish returned to the stage and performed a two song encore: “Sing Monica”, which has a throw-back 60’s vibe to it ala the Beatles era, and Tweezer Reprise.
Photo by Jim Gilbert A brief recap of night one of Phish at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) would sound like this: Interesting song selection and placement in a definitely weird somnolent first set. The Fuego material is all worthy of being added into the rotation and the songs will find their homes. The show definitely left us with questions about covers, and how Fishman will get the same sounds in songs on his stream-lined drum kit. We definitely have something to talk about and ponder and as always the carrots were dangled that leave us wanting more. Just no clusterflies please.
Phish, Saratoga Performing Arts Center – July 3rd, 2014
Setlist
Set 1: Farmhouse, Wolfman’s Brother, Maze, Yarmouth Road, Strange Design, Devotion to a Dream, Ocelot, Chalkdust, Mound, Roggae, Possum
Set 2: Bathtub Gin > Limb By Limb > Winterqueen, The Line, Tweezer > Caspian > Sparkle, Antelope
Encore: Sing Monica > Tweeprise -
Fire At Frost Ridge Campgrounds
The owners of Frost Ridge Campground suffered another loss over the holiday weekend, when they lost their home to fire early Saturday morning.
The fire started around 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning at North Road near Conlon Road, the town of Le Roy. A passerby reportedly called the Le Roy Fire Department after observing flames coming from the building.
Le Roy Fire Company respond to a Saturday morning fire at the home of David and Greg Luetticke-Archbell, owners Frost Ridge Campground. (Photo Credit: John Spaulding/Courtesy of Le Roy Fire Company) In all, more than 20 fire companies responded to the scene, mostly in the form of tanker trucks, as the location lacked an antiquate source of water.
Home owners David and Greg Luetticke-Archbell, who also own the Frost Ridge Campground, were not home when the fire started, but reportedly appeared at the scene as firefighters attended to the blaze.
An explosion at the scene knocked a firefighter down, otherwise, no serious injuries were reported. Greg was transported to Strong Memorial Hospital for monitoring.
The origin of the fire is being investigated.
The family released the following statement Monday morning:
The Luetticke-Archbells and the Town of Le Roy have been embroiled in litigation over the perceived use of the campgrounds. The events of which have been reported earnestly in The Batavian, an online newspaper that covers the town.
In recent past, the campgrounds have been used as an outdoor venue for concerts. Neighboring homeowners have since complained to the town over excessive noise. The town has since filed a lawsuit over zoning violations, claiming the campgrounds do not have the right to host such events. The town has even gone as far as to state that the land is not zoned to permit campgrounds, despite the town’s Zoning Board of Appeals twice recognizing the business existed before a master plan was devised in 1967.
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Rochester’s Party in the Park: July Details
Rochester’s annual Party in the Park concert series is well under way and is poised to offer up some top-notch acts throughout the month of July. This Thursday the 10th brings in two of the country’s top bluegrass acts: Yonder Mountain String Band and Railroad Earth. ROC-city denizens LOVE their bluegrass so make sure to hit this one up early if you want to get in. Yonder kicks things off at 6:30PM sharp and Railroad Earth will take the stage at 8:30PM for this co-headlined event. After the show is done, Florida’s The Heavy Pets will be playing a block away at The Montage Music Hall with local jam machine Haewa. (10-13$, tickets available at the door)
http://youtu.be/Myzmj4kVVjA
The bluegrass turns to newgrass on the 17th as Minnesota’s high energy Trampled by Turtles headlines the night. Joining them is the legendary funk of New Orleans’s Dirty Dozen Brass Band and local favorites The Prickers. With 30+ years on the scene, the Dirty Dozen will bring the heat no matter what the weather may be.
The 24th brings a big genre switch-up as the self-described “country-punk” of Memphis’s Lucero. Touring behind their 2013 Texas & Tennessee Lucero will be joined by the newly formed super group The Baseball Project. With Mike Mills and Peter Buck of REM fame and Scott McCaughey and Steve Wynn of Dream Syndicate, it’s hard to believe these guys aren’t headlining! The Mambo Kings will start things off. After the festivities be sure not to miss Buffalo’s hottest groove rock export, Aqueous, who will be headlining a show just down the street at The Montage. Rochester’s Ocupanther will open. (8$/10$)
Finishing out the month on the 31st is Dickey Betts and Great Southern. Best known for being a founding member of The Allman Brothers, Betts has toured with his own band since 2000 when he parted ways with the Allmans. Opening things up will be another dose of New Orleans funk: Dumpstaphunk. Featuring progeny of the original Neville Brothers, July will end with what will likely be a legendary crowd for both bands.
Rochester’s Party in the Park is held at Martin Luthur King Jr. Park every Thursday from 5-10PM. All shows are 5$ at the gate or available on Ticketmaster. Stay tuned as continues to be your prime source for Rochester Party in the Park information!
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Lake Street Dive Welcomed Warmly to the Westcott Theater
Lake Street Dive is a band on the upswing, and their Westcott Theater performance shows it. After more than ten years of playing music together, this little Boston four-piece has made a big splash and are progressively building a solid fan base. After a YouTube performance of the Jackson 5’s, “I Want You Back” that went viral (two million views) and their appearances on the Colbert Report, The Late Show with David Letterman, the Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Town Hall (NYC), they are definitely carving a niche for themselves.
Bands like theirs generally get a good turnout in hip and trend-savvy metropolitan areas like Brooklyn or Cambridge, but generally not as much in smaller cities like Syracuse. But, thanks to a soulful subculture of Syracuse show-goers, and a breathtaking performance at last year’s Blue Heron Music Festival in Sherman, NY, Lake Street Dive was about 70 tickets away from selling out the Westcott Theater – a 700 person capacity venue. This is quite a feat, and came as a lovely surprise to the band, “You are very nice,” lead singer Rachael Price said to the audience with a very appreciative and genuine tone, “we like you very much.” The show-stopping soul-queen also stated that they would definitely be back again, much to the chagrin of fans.The scene was hot, sweaty, sultry and sweet that Thursday, June 26. The Westcott Theater was packed wall-to-wall with fans and newcomers of all ages, eager to be near the now big-stage dive bar band. Rachael Price wasted no time in filling the air with impressive vocal pushes on “You Go Down Smooth” and soulful sing-along lines on the title track of Lake Street Dive’s 2014 album release, Bad Self Portraits. The evening felt a bit like it was taken from a page of Rachael’s diary; as her songs reflected on her bitter-sweet, sometimes tragic, sometimes triumphant love life. She proceeded to dive into the complexities of love, musing on the dichotomy of sad break-ups and the happy resignation of reuniting with the one you truly love in the fun and soulful rock/pop tune “Stop Your Crying”. She went on to flex her vocal muscles and impress the crowd further as she held insane sustain on the sultry and sexy “Just Ask”. Lake Street Dive demonstrated that it is much more than a front-woman band on songs like the funky soul tune “Rabid Animal”, wherein bassist Bridget Kearney and drummer Mike Calabrese sang immaculate and perfectly balanced harmonies and inspired the crowd to clap along. Lake Street Dive maintained audience attention and interest throughout a full set, and encore finished by a cover the classic rock/soul hit by Hall and Oates, “Rich Girl”. This nostalgic, feel-good hit was a perfect choice. Everyone loves “Rich Girl” and everyone left loving Rachael Price and Lake Street Dive.
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Get Ready for Some Pickin’ on the Hill at the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival
This year’s Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival, one of the country’s most well-known and well-respected bluegrass festivals, will be taking place from July 17-20 on the Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, NY, a quaint hamlet nestled in the Catskill Mountains. This event consistently draws both national and international fans by the thousands, including from as far away as New Zealand, Japan, and the Czech Republic! Located about two and a half hours from New York City, it is definitely worth winding your way up the mountain to check out the transcendental experience that is the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival (formerly known as the Winterhawk Bluegrass Festival), where the line between artists and fans seems to disappear, and where folks can truly jam with and learn from the musicians performing throughout the weekend, as well as one another.
In its impressive 38th year, having landed the #2 spot on USA Today’s “10 great places to go to bluegrass festivals”, Grey Fox features an amazingly impressive collection of musicians that is hard to beat, this year’s line-up to include award-winning musicians Del McCoury’s 75th Birthday “Delebration”, The Gibson Brothers, Carolina Chocolate Drops, Claire Lynch Band, and Della Mae, to name just a few. To top that all off, Nickel Creek, who have not toured together for quite some time, will be celebrating their 25th anniversary at Grey Fox on the opening night of the festival. In addition to the “regulars” who appear, and who are definitely appreciated, year after year, the producer of the festival Mary Tyler Doub likes to introduce new talent to the scene. Her knowledge of what the fans are looking for shines through in that many of Mary’s discoveries have gone on to become regulars at not just Grey Fox, but festivals throughout the country, so be sure not to skip seeing a band just because you don’t recognize their name, as they will be sure to delight. As has been the tradition since 1983, the Dry Branch Fire Squad will be the musical hosts of Grey Fox, kicking off the festival with a “welcome” set on the Thursday afternoon of the event, and ending with a Sunday morning gospel set that gets fans motivated for that one last trip over to the High Meadow (Main) Stage before heading back to pack up camp.
While Grey Fox is obviously well-known for the extraordinary caliber of musicians it tends to attract, it can also be thought of as a place to further your bluegrass schooling, with workshops and “directed slow jams” taking place throughout the event. Even though the music taking place on the High Meadow Stage is sure to be unbelievable, it is crucial that you check out the other stages scattered around the festival site, each offering its own distinctive fun and educational experiences. The Creekside Stage is the place to go if you are looking for some of your favorite artists who will be conducting instrumental and vocal workshops on a more intimate scale, jamming out with each other, and answering questions you’ve been dying to ask your musical idols.
The Catskill Stage can also be called the “dance stage”, as that is where you will find folks boogying down to high energy “almost acoustic” bands until the wee hours. And for those early risers, a yoga class is offered each morning on the Catskill Stage, with live acoustic music provided in the background. For those who arrive on Wednesday, there will be an Open Mic Night on the Catskill Stage from 7:00-10:00PM, followed by a screening of the documentary How to Grow a Band, featuring the Punch Brothers.
The Grass Roots Learning Tent is an open forum for musicians of all abilities who want to hone their skills. Hands-on sessions on a variety of topics, last year’s topics ranging from the banjo to improvisation to harmony, are taught by top musicians and teachers in their fields.
And finally, the Slow Jam Tent is where jamming for beginners is encouraged and fostered by Paul Dube, who patiently guides new players through familiar bluegrass tunes chord by chord, and gives a few helpful pointers along the way, so you can feel inspired to join in the impromptu jams that take place in the camping areas throughout the event.
Grey Fox is an extremely family friendly event. Many of the families who come to Grey Fox together treat it as their yearly family vacation – to note, kids 12 and under are admitted free to Grey Fox with a ticketed parent or guardian. Grey Fox sure is equipped for it, with a Family Tent providing a constant array of activities from when the festival gates open, straight through until Sunday afternoon. Activities range from crafts and games, to clowns and magicians, with some musical headliners making appearances at the Family Tent as well. Movies are shown after dark, and this year, the Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association will be on hand to present their star-gazing equipment and answer any astronomy-related questions. None of these activities are meant be treated as babysitting services, and parents are encouraged to interact and participate alongside their children.
For some fans, rather than listening to the music taking place on the main stage, they are there simply to connect with old friends (some of whom you may only see once a year at Grey Fox), meet new friendly folks, and do some good old-fashioned picking. It is truly amazing to walk through “Pickers Paradise” just one of the many camping options at Grey Fox, and just listen to what is happening around you: traditional bluegrass fans truly appreciating the music they hold so dear, so much so that most people in attendance at the festival play at least one instrument and aren’t afraid to take part in a jam and learn new things from fellow festival-goers. Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival is unique in that you may hear music that is just as good in the campground as the music happening on the main stage. On a side note, there is generally no need to feel unsafe about leaving your instruments out in the open at your campsite; one typically does not hear about people having things stolen from their campsites at this festival.
Yet another distinctive feature of the Grey Fox Festival is the Bluegrass Academy for Kids (BGA). BGA is a free learning program that takes place throughout the four days of the festival, and is open to children between the ages of 8 and 17. The program teaches participants how to play, sing, and perform bluegrass music, and consists of both sectional practices based on what instrument the child plays, and ensemble practices as an entire group. BGA also features guest appearances by several of the professional musicians playing at Grey Fox. Approximately 100-120 children take part in BGA each year, and for those lucky enough to participate in this FREE learning opportunity, the entire class performs a “Graduation Gig” on the High Meadow Stage. It is truly inspirational to end the festival on this note, demonstrating that bluegrass is still going strong, and will be for a long time, being that children are continuing to show an interest in the genre.An additional worthy activity to take part in while at Grey Fox is, believe it or not, the raffle! Thanks to the generous sponsors of the festival, including Stelling, Collings, Martin, Eastman, and Deering (which should all ring a bell for all you musicians out there), fans have the chance to win custom-built, top of the line acoustic instruments from each of these sponsors! Be sure to purchase a ticket, as you may be lucky enough to take everything you learned music-wise over the course of the festival and use it on a beautiful new instrument. Plus, by purchasing a ticket, you will be supporting companies that donate funds to the Grey Fox Scholarship, which is awarded on an annual basis to promising bluegrass students who demonstrate the need for financial assistance.
As mentioned above, there are a variety of camping options to suit your fancy. High Meadow Camping is available for tent camping without cars, and is primly located behind the seating area for the main stage. For those who choose to bring their RVs along for the ride, there is a whole section of the festival site known as Generatorville. For the families attending Grey Fox, there are a few designated quiet/family camping areas scattered throughout the site, so be sure to seek out those spots if you are hoping to get some peace and quiet, because the majority of folks tend to gravitate toward Pickers Paradise, where it is not uncommon to hear sweet bluegrass tunes coming from every direction at all hours of the day and night. This is the place to camp (or just roam around) if you are looking to soak in, or take part in, all of the amazing jamming going on all around you. Be sure to look around at all the imaginative campsites you will find at Grey Fox; that is because every year, Grey Fox gives out a Best Campsite Award, with the prize being a pair of tickets to next year’s festival, plus the pride you will gain in having your name announced during Saturday night’s show! This year, the award will go to the campsite that is leanest and greenest, taking up the smallest amount of space in the most creative way. Start thinking about those sites now and perhaps you will be the lucky winner.
Camping gates open on Wednesday, July 16, at 7:00AM for those who are eager to secure the ideal camping spot and to get the festivities started early. Some fans actually camp out for the entire week before the festival at nearby campgrounds just to be one of the first to arrive and claim their camping spots for the week. For the past couple of years, Grey Fox has been encouraging folks to drop off their gear, then move their car across the street to the Car Corral, to make more room for campers. If you choose to car camp, you can do that for a $20 fee; which will be refunded if you move to the Car Corral, which also makes you eligible for nifty prizes throughout the four days, including one lucky winner who could take home a free camping ticket to next year’s festival. Even though camping at Grey Fox is “in the rough” meaning no water or electrical hook-ups, there is always plenty of potable water available at several locations throughout the site, and the port-o-johns at Grey Fox are practically a pleasure to use, as they are kept super clean the entire time. Sometimes, you’ll even find a kind person who has left an air freshener in there to make the experience that much nicer. Plus, for those who have never attended Grey Fox, you will quickly become accustomed to hearing “I-I-I-CE” called out via a megaphone throughout the camping areas; that is because there is actually an “ice man” driving a truck around selling ice to keep those coolers chilled during your four days of camping. Man, they really think of everything at Grey Fox!
Tickets are currently available on the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival website, with camping tickets selling fast, so if you’re interested, grab them soon, as they typically sell out. Full festival tickets, which include camping from 7:00AM on Wednesday, July 16, through 7:00PM on Sunday, July 20, cost $195, with an additional $20 parking fee if you are not planning on moving your car across the street to the Car Corral. Single-day tickets are available at $65 per day (except for Sunday, which cost $30). There are very few rules at Grey Fox, which leads to a much more relaxed festival experience. Basically, you are asked not to bring glass or pets, and smoke only in designated areas. You can set up your chair in the concert area and leave it there the entire weekend, but the Grey Fox way is to share your chair until you return. The system seems to work well overall.
If you are a fan of bluegrass music in its truest form, then the Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival is definitely the place for you. While having the opportunity to see many of your favorite musicians and bands in one place, you can also attend workshops to become masters of your instrument, take part in directed slow jams, or try your hand at picking with fellow fans in the campgrounds. Grey Fox is definitely a festival where you take away way more than you ever expected, whether it’s learning a new chord progression, getting to chat with your favorite musician, or trying your hand at bluegrass karaoke, where a live five-piece band plays behind you. Expect to leave Grey Fox a more enriched person musically, and plan on coming back next year and the year after, as once you start coming to Grey Fox, it’s hard to stop! For some examples of what you can expect to hear at Grey Fox, here are some tunes for your enjoyment. Hope to see you lots of you on the hill
