All tagged Festival

Black Mountain Jamboree: A Festival Review

Off the beaten path in Monticello, Kentucky is where this story begins at a little place called Hidden Ridge. What transpired were two incredible nights filled with music, love, and all around good vibes. I was lucky enough to be camped out just a short stretch away from the stage alongside my good friends. A few of them were Austin Shuck, from WhatTheShuck Podcast, the wonderful band members from one of my favorite bands, Brother Smith and of course, nearly every band’s drummer Zach Martin. Martin definitely deserves an honorable mention for how many songs he knows and absolutely murders. It was a beautiful weekend on the hill, camped in a wonderful, shady spot listening to some of the greatest acts the region has to offer.

AmericanaFest 2022

For those headed to Americanafest, it’s important to remember one thing, you’re never going to be able to see everything or everyone that you want. For some attending, they’re there for the networking and conference sessions. For others, it’s reuniting with old friends or discovering new artists. For me, my main objective is always to photograph and listen to artists that are new to me or that I’ve known about and have yet to see, as they haven’t toured in my part of the country.

This year, the team from the Amp was able to experience Americanafest over five days. At times we divided and conquered showcases, other times we banded together and hit all the same shows in a night. At any rate, there was always a special event or showcase to keep our schedules jam-packed.

The Dancing Rabbit Music Association Puts McAlester on the Live Music Map

Sitting on the patio of Spaceship Earth, a vibey little coffee shop in downtown McAlester, Oklahoma late on a windy evening in early May, I reflected on the night’s events in a state of pleasant perplexion. Happy, indistinct chatter folded itself into wonderfully warbly melodies wafting from the singer-songwriter sized stage from the back of the establishment. A large crowd had gathered, some in business attire, some as funkily clad musicians, and some came as casually clothed rural citizens straight from a hard day’s work. All conversed freely and happily with each other, mingling in and out of groups and exchanging hugs and pleasantries in between turning to give the band a rousing round of encouragement. Earlier in the evening, and just a block or so up the street from where I currently sat, I had caught the live sets of the talented Canadian folk artist with a cult-like following, Joe Pug, who had opened for possibly the most talented lyricist Oklahoma has ever produced, John Moreland.

Bee Taylor: LIVE! At Master Musicians Festival

The Lake Cumberland Region in Somerset, Kentucky comes alive every summer - for nearly three decades - to host the area’s premiere music festival. The Master Musicians Festival reins in 3,000 – 6,000 attendees each. Their 28th year blew those numbers out of the water with a record breaking 7,500 attendees in 2021. The Master Musicians Festival features some of the most sought-after national acts to headline each year, not to mention its importance on highlighting the talents of regional and local acts.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival 2020

Typically occurring in San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Park, the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival will be switching gears to provide its attendees a virtual experience in 2020. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 virus, measures were taken to keep the fans, artists, and staff safe, as well as adhering to California’s statewide mandate against large public gatherings, while still producing a high caliber musical and community-focused event. One thing that has never changed, is the custom of this festival to remain free to its attendees. Warren and Chris Hellman initiated the festival as a gift to the City of San Francisco by sharing their love of American Roots music. Celebrating its 20th year, it was important to the Hellman Foundation, who oversees the festival, to maintain their tradition. Part of the celebration broadcast will include new performance footage, archival sets, as well as fan and staff memories from previous festival years.