The Java Brothers had a really good time playing at the Carroll County Ag Fair and played as good as we ever have. I'm listening to the tape now and want to go find the sound man and hug him. We sounded good on stage and that was good enough. I remember thinking (as I often do) with some wonder that, in fact, we do not suck. We are quite good. But now I have tape to prove it.
JBs live in Hillsville was really good and lots of fun.
And on top of that we made it back in time to catch the end of the Radford-Pulaski Bridge Battle game and the Bobcats made a real game of it.
Final score 19-7 Pulaski.
Thanks Ralph, Doug, Joe, and Wayne in no particular order.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Java Brothers in Hillsville, Friday
Hillsville is well known as the place to be, so I expect this is unnecessary, but in case you've recently had a head injury, I'll remind all that they should get down to Hillsville Friday evening for the Carroll County Agricultural Fair.
JBs are on from 6-8 playing their fuel-injected brand of bluegrass.
Be there!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Real Boss Jam at the Mill
Maybe it was cause it had been such a long time since all them JBs got together in one place, but the jam was indeed cookin' last night. The full complement of JBs, supplemented by new ace Cory and Banjo Jason Wheeler lending their talents, the jam ran through a whole stack of old favorites, and added some new ones like Sugar Coated Love and Used to Be from the dusty songbook we keep there. They sounded pretty fresh if you ask me.
Least that's how it seemed to me - I didn't get there till after 8.
Least that's how it seemed to me - I didn't get there till after 8.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Good Times at Nesselrod
Congratulations to everybody who made it out to the Hackensaw Boys/Patrick and Goorskey show at Nesselrod on the New last night. Thanks to Ian Fortier for putting the shows on. The earth mover was still present on the outer ring of the amphitheater which tells me that they're in this for at least the short term long haul and the shows will be back next year. I hope so. Maybe I'll even ask somebody who knows!
Saw lots of pals last night, and lots of families with lots of kids dancing around. Good times had by all as far as I could tell. The rain held off, Scott and Abe played the kind of music I love to hear - lots of brother duet stuff and fiddle tunes, the beer was available, and the sound was good. What more do you want in the NRV? Come on people!
Anyhoo, I was glad to see so many familiar faces supporting local music venues. Good job, folks!
Saw lots of pals last night, and lots of families with lots of kids dancing around. Good times had by all as far as I could tell. The rain held off, Scott and Abe played the kind of music I love to hear - lots of brother duet stuff and fiddle tunes, the beer was available, and the sound was good. What more do you want in the NRV? Come on people!
Anyhoo, I was glad to see so many familiar faces supporting local music venues. Good job, folks!
Friday, August 21, 2009
Hackensaw Boys at Sunken Garden
This Sunday, august 23rd - check it out!
The fun, fun Hackensaw Boys will play some thrashy old-timey music, and opening up will be our pals, Side Door vets Scott Patrick and Abe Goorskey. Don't miss it.
Those of you in the know consider visiting my pad for some pre-show cocktails.
The fun, fun Hackensaw Boys will play some thrashy old-timey music, and opening up will be our pals, Side Door vets Scott Patrick and Abe Goorskey. Don't miss it.
The Hackensaw Boys
With: Patrick & Goorskey
Sunday, August 23, 2009 - 5:00pm
Sunken Garden Amphitheater at Nesselrod - Radford, VA
Buy Tickets
Tickets: $15 In Advance, $18 Day of Show
Ticket details here
Those of you in the know consider visiting my pad for some pre-show cocktails.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
New Sam Bush Record!
That's big news for me, and it comes out on my birthday!
Buy it! Buy it!
Circles Around Me, Bush's seventh solo album and sixth with Sugar Hill, will be released Oct. 20. The album is an aurally inspiring mix of bluegrass favorites and complementary new songs. "I don't know why, but it felt right at this moment in my life to go back and revisit some things that I've loved all my life, which is bluegrass and, unapologetically, newgrass," says Bush. "After all these years of experimenting --and there's experimentation on this record too --I've come full circle."
Produced by three-time Grammy winner Bush, the 14-song set includes appearances by Del McCoury, Edgar Meyer, Jerry Douglas and New Grass Revival co-founder Courtney Johnson (posthumously). The album also employs the phenomenal talent of Bush's band: Scott Vestal, Stephen Mougin, Byron House and Chris Brown.
Buy it! Buy it!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Aug 17th Jam
Not a bad little jam last night. Started off kinda slow but got better. We started with Jason, George, Nancy, Richard, Frankie, Kendall and myself. When we figured Doug was not coming, we gave Chris a quick call and he bailed us out with the bass. After he got there, we added Joe, a new guy on the guitar, Cory, and then PJ took a turn on the bass. Kendall took one too, in order to give Chris' finger a break.
We had a good crowd, some of which looked to be new to the jam. I left at 9pm to head to work, so I can't speak for the happenings after that. I know Tim was in the house, but don't know if he played any. We missed our fearless leader, Ralph, but muddled through in his absence. Hope we are at full strength next week.
We had a good crowd, some of which looked to be new to the jam. I left at 9pm to head to work, so I can't speak for the happenings after that. I know Tim was in the house, but don't know if he played any. We missed our fearless leader, Ralph, but muddled through in his absence. Hope we are at full strength next week.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Mill Alum Wins at Fries
Down at the fiddler's convention in Fries this weekend, our old pal Matt (Fast in B) Osborne took first in the guitar competition.
Guitar:
1- Matt Osborne
2- Tony King
3- Asa Gravley
4- Gary Dalton
5- Glen Skaggs
Who's a good boy?
Guitar:
1- Matt Osborne
2- Tony King
3- Asa Gravley
4- Gary Dalton
5- Glen Skaggs
Who's a good boy?
Monday, August 10, 2009
I'm sick. How was the jam?
Hope you got some post-Galax boost! I think I got strep so even if I felt good enough to go out after staying home sick from work, I wouldn't risk youzall's health.
Hope Mr. Christian is out there pickin', or maybe our Galax winner Mister Mueller.
Hope Mr. Christian is out there pickin', or maybe our Galax winner Mister Mueller.
Better Late than Never?
Ralph suggested a couple weeks back that I do a review of FloydFest, and I had every intention of doing just that, but I have been a bit too busy.
This won't be long. Suffice it to say that I had a great time at FloydFest and I would encourage everyone round here who likes music and having a good time to check it out.
It is not a bluegrass festival, but rather a music festival with all kinds of music, including bluegrass, represented.
I spent a lot of time at the Dance Tent, as I was there to help out Blacksburg's own Jugbusters. (My job was pretty much to tell the sound man to turn down the drums. Since the sound man was good, all I really did was dance around and listen to music.)
Over the course of the weekend I saw tons of fun bands, drank a fair bit of tasty local beers, did a little hula hooping, slept 2 nights in a tent, and got fired up to see music.
Hightlights:
Jugbusters - good job guys! Please invite me again next year.
New Familiars - can't remember songs other than an awesome Who cover to end their set. For those who know what I like about bluegrass, these guys had it. Ka-bam! They had a banjo, but were not really a bluegrass band. They looked like an Amish ZZ Top, and I guess played like it, too. They were all about attack. Loved it.
The Horse Flies -
Pyschedelic Old Time band. Not afraid of a digital delay or controlled feedback jam.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Led by aforementioned GP on organ, funky rock n roll. Did an appropriate cover of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit around midnight.
Hot 8 Brass Band - Awesomely funky marching band. Oxymoron? The Tuba player played the funkiest bass I heard all weekend.
Nathan and the Zyedeco Cha Cha's - I only bother with Zydeco bands in the dance tent cause out in the open you lose that awesome feel of everything building up under the tent. Lost about 2 beers sweating dancing to these guys. (Attractive image, no?)
Peter Rowan - Sentimental favorite. Pearls before swine, maybe. When Pete played I was able to walk easily right to the front of the stage. No land of the Navajo, but a good Midnight Moonlight that made me yearn for the old JBs.
White Top Mountain Band - our old pal Jackson Cunningham sounded great with this fine old-time band.
The Smart Brothers - two actual brothers fronting a quartet that sounded like I imagine the Beatles sounded when they were in Germany. Lots of good noise and harmony = tons of fun.
I could keep on listing but why bother. The point is, there are literally dozens of acts who made it onto the festival roster by proving somewhere else they could move a crowd. I didn't see anybody I actively disliked.
So I'm starting recruiting today for next year. What made it REALLY fun was seeing lots of people I knew. The more the merrier.
This festival is not overstuffed with attendees like Merlefest. You can still hop from stage to stage with ease. There's plenty of room to roam and there's a nice vibe. I saw NO ONE having a bad time. Considering the numbers, that's amazing.
This won't be long. Suffice it to say that I had a great time at FloydFest and I would encourage everyone round here who likes music and having a good time to check it out.
It is not a bluegrass festival, but rather a music festival with all kinds of music, including bluegrass, represented.
I spent a lot of time at the Dance Tent, as I was there to help out Blacksburg's own Jugbusters. (My job was pretty much to tell the sound man to turn down the drums. Since the sound man was good, all I really did was dance around and listen to music.)
Over the course of the weekend I saw tons of fun bands, drank a fair bit of tasty local beers, did a little hula hooping, slept 2 nights in a tent, and got fired up to see music.
Hightlights:
Jugbusters - good job guys! Please invite me again next year.
New Familiars - can't remember songs other than an awesome Who cover to end their set. For those who know what I like about bluegrass, these guys had it. Ka-bam! They had a banjo, but were not really a bluegrass band. They looked like an Amish ZZ Top, and I guess played like it, too. They were all about attack. Loved it.
The Horse Flies -
Pyschedelic Old Time band. Not afraid of a digital delay or controlled feedback jam.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - Led by aforementioned GP on organ, funky rock n roll. Did an appropriate cover of Jefferson Airplane's White Rabbit around midnight.
Hot 8 Brass Band - Awesomely funky marching band. Oxymoron? The Tuba player played the funkiest bass I heard all weekend.
Nathan and the Zyedeco Cha Cha's - I only bother with Zydeco bands in the dance tent cause out in the open you lose that awesome feel of everything building up under the tent. Lost about 2 beers sweating dancing to these guys. (Attractive image, no?)
Peter Rowan - Sentimental favorite. Pearls before swine, maybe. When Pete played I was able to walk easily right to the front of the stage. No land of the Navajo, but a good Midnight Moonlight that made me yearn for the old JBs.
White Top Mountain Band - our old pal Jackson Cunningham sounded great with this fine old-time band.
The Smart Brothers - two actual brothers fronting a quartet that sounded like I imagine the Beatles sounded when they were in Germany. Lots of good noise and harmony = tons of fun.
I could keep on listing but why bother. The point is, there are literally dozens of acts who made it onto the festival roster by proving somewhere else they could move a crowd. I didn't see anybody I actively disliked.
So I'm starting recruiting today for next year. What made it REALLY fun was seeing lots of people I knew. The more the merrier.
This festival is not overstuffed with attendees like Merlefest. You can still hop from stage to stage with ease. There's plenty of room to roam and there's a nice vibe. I saw NO ONE having a bad time. Considering the numbers, that's amazing.
Galax Winners
Congrats to our friends who placed at Galax this year:
Probably had some familiar faces among the winning bands, too. Let us know if we missed anybody.
See full list of winners here:
http://www.oldfiddlersconvention.com/2009win.htm
h/t to Ralph!
Brian Muller finished second in mandolin
Tim Thornton was seventh in dulcimer
Avery Davis placed fifth in youth bluegrass fiddle
Probably had some familiar faces among the winning bands, too. Let us know if we missed anybody.
See full list of winners here:
http://www.oldfiddlersconvention.com/2009win.htm
h/t to Ralph!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Joe Abercrombie last seen flatfootin' to a buncha tie-dyed hippie fiddlers in Galax at 3 a.m. with an empty bottle of Jim Beam in his hand.
4:30, Joe? FOUR-THIRTY IN THE A.M.???
That's the way you do Galax!
That's the way you do Galax!
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Steppin' Out - American Roots
There's always lots of music at Steppin' Out, but put this on your calendars:
So say our pals Jon and Fred, and so says I.
American Roots will be performing at Steppin' Out this year on Saturday at 12:00 Noon on the Acoustic Stage. The Acoustic Stage will be at the intersection of Lee Street and Main.
Drop by if you are in the area.
So say our pals Jon and Fred, and so says I.
Radford jam, Galax bureau
Seeing all of our friends from Radford down at the fiddlers convention was way cool. We have a great traditional music community in Radford-Cburg-Bburg and our little corner of SWVa was well-represented at campsites and jam sessions all over Felts Park.
In just a few hours traipsing around the site I saw:
Vernon and Paul Elkins (picked a few with them)
Sandra Lyerly (claims she heard me on the radio while driving 460 then high-tailed it to Galax)
Brian Muller (backed up his dad in OT fiddle)
Nancy Corey (cheering on the local fiddlers)
Scott Patrick (wearing a Red Man hat)
The Thornton Family (Spoke to Curtis and Maggie, saw Tim onstage)
I heard that PJ George and some of his gang were there. Not to mention Wayne, Joe and Jason. George Smith will be there tonight. Didn't see Tim Mills, but he'll be there, too.
Plus, li'l Avery Davis placed 5th in youth fiddle on Monday, which is awesome. The young siblings who come down to the jam -- and who played a rousing "Brown County Breakdown" a couple weeks back -- also competed in the youth contest and even in the adult old-time fiddle competition. The future of the NRV's bluegrass and old-time scene looks and sounds secure.
I also saw NRV neighbors like Jack Hinshelwood and Kathleen O'Connell, who don't make it out to the Radford jam, but are key figures in the local music scene.
It's really cool to me how all these people, most of whom would have never met otherwise, have gotten to become really good friends all because of their shared love of music. Down in Galax, most of us spin off into separate little communities, which is also kinda neat because it shows how far our tentacles stretch into various musical groups all over Virginia and beyond. Because of those musical associations, many of us are separated from bluegrass big shots by just a matter of degrees.
But it's not the big shots who are near and dear to me. My friends are. Keep making those sweet ol' sounds!
In just a few hours traipsing around the site I saw:
Vernon and Paul Elkins (picked a few with them)
Sandra Lyerly (claims she heard me on the radio while driving 460 then high-tailed it to Galax)
Brian Muller (backed up his dad in OT fiddle)
Nancy Corey (cheering on the local fiddlers)
Scott Patrick (wearing a Red Man hat)
The Thornton Family (Spoke to Curtis and Maggie, saw Tim onstage)
I heard that PJ George and some of his gang were there. Not to mention Wayne, Joe and Jason. George Smith will be there tonight. Didn't see Tim Mills, but he'll be there, too.
Plus, li'l Avery Davis placed 5th in youth fiddle on Monday, which is awesome. The young siblings who come down to the jam -- and who played a rousing "Brown County Breakdown" a couple weeks back -- also competed in the youth contest and even in the adult old-time fiddle competition. The future of the NRV's bluegrass and old-time scene looks and sounds secure.
I also saw NRV neighbors like Jack Hinshelwood and Kathleen O'Connell, who don't make it out to the Radford jam, but are key figures in the local music scene.
It's really cool to me how all these people, most of whom would have never met otherwise, have gotten to become really good friends all because of their shared love of music. Down in Galax, most of us spin off into separate little communities, which is also kinda neat because it shows how far our tentacles stretch into various musical groups all over Virginia and beyond. Because of those musical associations, many of us are separated from bluegrass big shots by just a matter of degrees.
But it's not the big shots who are near and dear to me. My friends are. Keep making those sweet ol' sounds!
Galax - 8/4
No matter what the judges say, Ralph tore 'em up with his rendition of Cumberland Gap last night. The roar from the crowd (the Radford contingent) was amazing! Bunch of fine fiddler's up there, our guy included.
Not a whole lot going on jam-wise that we could get into. Ralph, Jason, Joe and myself picked for an hour or so with our old friend Vernon Elkins, his brother Paul, and several of their buddies. Had a good time with them. Joe, Jason and I looked around the grounds for some others to pick with, and even though we found some folks we knew, not much pickin going on. We stopped and listened to a couple of groups playing and then ended the evening sitting down and watching Heather Berry and some of her friends jamming at a campsite. They were mighty good.
Had a good time. May not wait 25 years before going back again!
Not a whole lot going on jam-wise that we could get into. Ralph, Jason, Joe and myself picked for an hour or so with our old friend Vernon Elkins, his brother Paul, and several of their buddies. Had a good time with them. Joe, Jason and I looked around the grounds for some others to pick with, and even though we found some folks we knew, not much pickin going on. We stopped and listened to a couple of groups playing and then ended the evening sitting down and watching Heather Berry and some of her friends jamming at a campsite. They were mighty good.
Had a good time. May not wait 25 years before going back again!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
It's Galax Time
Everybody get down there. You'll see lots of people you know, meet new ones you don't, hear enough great music to fill a campground and even get the chance to pick a tune or two.
Here's the August rundown:
Here's the August rundown:
Galax Old Fiddlers Convention
August 3-8, Monday-Saturday @ Felts Park, Galax
Big Dog and the Fat Cats
August 4, Tuesday, 7 p.m. @ Bisset Park, Radford
Steppin' Out
August 7-8, Friday-Saturday @ Downtown Blacksburg
Poison Bottom Boys
August 9, Sunday, 7 p.m. @ Roanoke Mountain Campground
Radford After 5
August 14, Friday, 5:30 p.m. @ Radford Farmers Market
Fries Fiddlers Convention
August 14-15, Friday-Saturday @ Fries Ball Park
Vinton Old-Time Bluegrass Festival and Competition
August 15, Saturday @ Vinton Farmers Market
Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain
With Southern Pride
August 15, Saturday, 7 p.m. @ Blue Ridge Music Center
Roanoke Valley Pickers
August 16, Sunday, 7 p.m. @ Roanoke Mountain Campground
Dailey and Vincent
With Ashlee Blankenship and Josh Underwood
August 21, Friday, 7 p.m. @ Blue Ridge Music Center
Rhonda Vincent and the Rage
August 22, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. @ N.R.C.C., Dublin
Sunken Garden Sundays
Hackensaw Boys
August 23, Sunday, 5 p.m. @ Nesselrod on the New, Radford
American Roots
August 23, Sunday, 7 p.m. @ Roanoke Mountain Campground
Kenny and Amanda Smith
With Bill and Maggie Anderson
August 29, Saturday, 7 p.m. @ Blue Ridge Music Center
Mountain Fling
August 30, Sunday, 7 p.m. @ Roanoke Mountain Campground
Marty Stuart
September 4, Friday, 7 p.m. @ Blue Ridge Music Center
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