Tag: Winter Wondergrass

ANNOUNCING: WinterWonderGrass California Schedule is Here

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

WinterWonderGrass 2020 is on the horizon and BGS is excited to share the official daily schedule for their California edition, taking place March 27-29th in Squaw Valley, California.

WinterWonderGrass California is excited to present not one, but two headlining sets from rising star Billy Strings, who was named International Bluegrass Music Association’s Guitar Player of the Year in 2019.

In conjunction with the daily schedule announcement, WWG plans to release a limited quantity of single-day tickets starting Thursday, January 23, and weekend General Admissin passes will move to tier 2 pricing the same day. Tickets and more info available here.

“WinterWonderGrass continues to honor the pillars of bluegrass while creating space for the evolution of the genre to flourish. I feel this lineup speaks to that ethos,” festival founder Scotty Stoughton remarks in a press release. “I’m super excited to see first time bands like The War and Treaty, Cris Jacobs Band and Twisted Pine as their jaws drop from the stunning Squaw Valley views surrounding their stage. It’s also an honor to watch Billy Strings continue to grow, and welcome back legends like Peter Rowan.”

Sentimentally, Peter Rowan himself adds, “When the music hits the crystal air at WinterWonderGrass and echoes off the mountains, we are home.”

Gates open at 1:45 PM each day during the 3-day music festival with Friday and Saturday nights’ programming will last until 10:00 PM, and Sunday ends slightly earlier around 9:30 PM. Performances across the Soapbox, Pickin’ Perch and Jamboree stages will see many artists perform two consecutive sets, and each night, performances on the Close Pick stage will close the festival.

Tickets for all three stops are now on sale and moving fast: Colorado | California | Vermont.

VIP tickets to Steamboat’s stop are already sold out, but fans are encouraged to check out the official fan-to-fan ticketing exchange powered by Lyte if they’re in search of tickets as more of the dates and tiers sell out.

See the daily schedules below:

Photo credit: Molly McCormick

WATCH: Greensky Bluegrass, “Wish I Didn’t Know”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Greensky Bluegrass
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI
Song: “Wish I Didn’t Know”
Album: All for Money
Release Date: January 18th, 2019
Label: Big Blue Zoo Records

In Their Words: “I think the panoramic views inspired our playing and put us in a good mood for a relatively cold video shoot. It was gorgeous up there! We spent about three days hiking up to this spot with all of our gear for this video shoot… it was hard, but really worth it. No, I’m just kidding. We took all of our gear up in the gondola and it was pretty easy. All the folks who work at Squaw Valley were super helpful and awesome. The only hard parts were trying to keep instruments in tune in the cold and changing weather, keeping our hands warm, hearing each other while playing on top of a mountain, and looking cool in puffy coats. That’s all!” — Anders Beck, resonator guitarist

Don’t miss WinterWonderGrass 2020 in Steamboat Springs, CO, Squaw Valley, CA, and Stratton, VT.

Photo credit: Dylan Langille

BGS 5+5: Upstate

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Upstate
Hometown: Hudson Valley, New York
Latest Album: Healing
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Honeyoye, Loudmouth, June Bug Flew, Upstate Rubdown

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

We all listen to a broad range of music, but the biggest point of overlap for us has always been the Wood Brothers. We really struggle to make music that’s both emotionally and intellectually compelling, and I think the Wood Brothers really demonstrate how to achieve that balance. All of their songs feel earnest and groove hard, but they’re also very musically sophisticated. That sort of writing and arranging is a big influence for us. — Harry D’Agostino

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

Our whole band huddles and takes a collective breath before every live performance. It’s a nice way to bring ourselves into the present moment before we play, since load-ins and soundcheck and life in general can be a bit disorienting. It gets us centered and connected to one another at least a little so we don’t phone in on our interactions on stage. — HD

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

I think everyone has a desire to do useful and meaningful work in their lives, and I spend a lot of time thinking about all the ways that music can fit that description. I love making music that people can dance to, and writing songs that people can connect with and that can help reflect the world around them. A journalist for Al-Jazeera once asked the Iraqi cellist Karim Wasfi if music was really just an indulgence given the shortage of basic necessities. He replied that “It is needed as much as food, as much as oxygen, as much as water because it refines and cultivates. Because it inspires people.” I think that’s a good enough reason to dedicate your energy and time to something. — HD

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

I think the big thing that food and music have in common I the way that different cultural styles and recipes collide and evolve together. I think the richest music and food comes from places where that process has happened the most. I’d probably like to pair a meal like gumbo or paella that mixes lots of flavors with music from New Orleans or Cuba that does the same. — HD

How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?

Both of our albums have one song written in the second person that takes the form of advice, like the reassuring voice inside your head. In both those cases I really wrote the song as a way to talk to myself, but also with the expectation that the doubts or challenges I was confronting weren’t unique and that others would appreciate it. That so many people have listened to “Old Advice” sort of validates that sentiment. — HD

Editor’s Note: Look for Upstate at the upcoming Winter WonderGrass Festival in Stratton, Vermont, on Dec. 14-16.

Photo credit: Jennifer Elrod

Six Stellar Spring Festivals

Posted on by Editor

SXSW’s Music Festival took over Austin last week, a musical milestone that marks the transition out of winter and into spring. More importantly, it heralds the coming of the spring festival season, with a number of excellent smaller festivals whetting our appetites for the big things to come this summer. Get ready to kiss those winter blues goodbye and check out six of our favorite spring festivals.

Treefort Music Festival — Boise, Idaho — 3/22 – 3/26

Treefort doesn’t limit itself to just one genre of music so, if you enjoy more than roots music, this Idaho fest is a good choice. For the roots fans, though, there’s plenty on tap — Courtney Marie Andrews, Angel Olsen, Joshua James, and many other BGS-approved artists are scheduled to perform.

WinterWonderGrass Tahoe — Squaw Valley, California — 3/30 – 4/2

Yeah, it technically has “winter” in the title, but since it kicks off 10 days after the first day of spring, this California festival gets a pass. Look for Greensky Bluegrass, Yonder Mountain String Band, Sam Bush Band, and many more of your bluegrass faves.

Old Settler’s Music Festival — Driftwood, Texas — 4/20 – 4/23

Enjoy beautiful weather and beautiful scenery at this Texas festival, which is a little over half-an-hour (by car) outside of Austin. Highlights this year include Mandolin Orange, River Whyless, and Sarah Jarosz.

High Water Festival — North Charleston, South Carolina — 4/22 – 4/23

A festival curated by Shovels & Rope? Sign us up! This is the first year the husband-and-wife duo are trying their hand at festival curation and, by the looks of the line-up — which features Charles Bradley, Dawes, John Moreland, and more — it won’t be the last.

MerleFest 2017 — Wilkesboro, North Carolina — 4/27 – 4/30

It goes without saying that MerleFest is one of our favorite festivals, thanks to consistently killer lineups, on-site nature walks, midnight jams, and so much more. This year we have Chatham County Line, Jerry Douglas, and Front Country on our radar.

Shaky Knees Festival — Atlanta, Georgia — 5/12 – 5/14

One of the biggest festivals of the spring season, Shaky Knees brings musicians from around the world to Atlanta for three days of music. Ryan Adams, Dr. Dog, Margaret Glaspy, and Shovels & Rope are among the many artists on the festival’s fifth-anniversary lineup.

Lede photo credit: theglobalpanorama via Foter.com / CC BY-SA

6 California Craft Beers to Try Now

Posted on by Editor

WinterWonderGrass Tahoe is right around the corner (April 1-3), and we couldn't be more excited to be part of it! To get ready for the festival, we've spent a lot of time researching some of the best craft beers California has to offer. Here's a handful of our favorite California breweries, all of which you'll find at the Beer Hall during the festival.

Golden Road Brewing

A presenting sponsor of the festival, you may recognize Golden Road Brewing from our monthly Brewgrass Jams. The Los Angeles-based brewery, founded in 2011, has an IPA-heavy batch of core brews, as well as a rotating cast of seasonal beers that includes Back Home Gingerbread Stout and two different saisons. 

Sierra Nevada

If you're a beer lover, there's a good chance you've already had a brew or two from the festival's other presenting sponsor, Sierra Nevada. Their extensive selection of varieties is, for the most part, available in all 50 states, with taprooms in both Chico, California, and Asheville, North Carolina. Look for year-round favorites like the Nooner Pilsner and seasonal offerings like Oktoberfest and Celebration.

Bay City Brewing Co. 

San Diego's Bay City Brewing Co. just opened last year, but it's already made a splash in the brewing scene thanks to staples like a stout, Vienna lager, session India pale ale, and an experimental pale ale. Look for more offerings from this new brewery in the future.

Lagunitas Brewing

Lagunitas Sucks! Just kidding, but that is the name of one of the Petaluma breweries best beers, a delicious brown sugar ale. Look for year-round releases like DayTime IPA and Dogtown Pale, as well as seasonal offerings including Cappucino Stout and Equinox Pale Oat Ale. 

Magnolia Brewing

This Haight Street San Francsico brewery has an extensive taproom menu (the food looks pretty darn good, too), with some of the better brew names we've seen: Old Thunderpussy — a barleywine — and Smokestack Lightning — an imperial stout — standing out among them. With several cask beers on tap, too, there's a little something for everyone.

21st Amendment Brewery

San Francisco and San Leandro brewery 21st Amendment gets its name from, you guessed it, the wonderful amendment that repealed prohibition back in back in 1933. So enjoy your freedom to imbibe with year-round beers like Down to Earth Session IPA, as well as seasonal favorites like Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale. Those unfortunate enough to have lived through prohibition would thank you.

Lede photo credit: sashafatcat via Foter.com / CC BY

6 Colorado Craft Beers to Try Now

Posted on by Editor

WinterWonderGrass Colorado is right around the corner (February 19-21), and we couldn't be more excited to be part of it! To get ready for the festival, we've spent a lot of time drinking researching some of the best craft beers Coloado has to offer (and man, does that state have a lot of breweries). Here's a handful of our favorite Colorado breweries, all of which you'll find at the Beer Hall during the festival.

In the meantime, we're giving away a pair of VIP tickets to WinterWonderGrass + a prize pack filled with two Klean Kanteen mugs, a WWG denim hat, two BGS leather koozies, two BGS stickers, and one BGS t-shirt. Click here to enter.

Crazy Mountain Brewing Company

A presenting sponsor of the festival, Crazy Mountain Brewing Company is located in the beautiful Vail Valley and is the first production brewery in the area. Run by a husband and wife duo, the brewery offers a number of year round brews — like the Crazy Mountain Amber Ale — as well as seasonal selections, like Snowcat Coffee Stout. 

Great Divide Brewing Company

Another presenting sponsor of the festival, Great Divide boasts two taprooms and a long list of delicious beers. From seasonal to year-round to barrel-aged, there's surely something to whet your whistle … like the Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout or Hercules Double IPA.

Aspen Brewing Company

A brewery that also goes to great lengths to feature great music, Aspen Brewing Company is known for a small roster of delicious brews. Check out the Vanilla Rum Porter, if you're feeling wintry, or grab This Season's Blonde, if you enjoy a funny label.

Odell Brewing Company

Not sure what beer you're in the mood for? Fear not. Fort Collins' Odell Brewing Company has a Mood Finder conveniently located on their website to direct you to one of their many offerings — from the sour Meddler ale to the seasonal Lugene stout. 

Vail Brewing Co.

Not only does Vail Brewing Co. make great beer, they give their beers great names: Wit and Nae Nae, Weiz So Serious, and Kama Citra IPA to name a few. And craft kombucha fans, there's something for you to enjoy, too!

Oskar Blues Brewing

It's impossible to talk about Colorado beer without mentioning Oskar Blues, one of the state's best-known foamy exports. Even if you aren't in Colorado, you can likely pick up a six pack of Pinner or Old Chub at your local craft beer store.

Click here to grab tickets to WinterWonderGrass.

Lede photo credit: Flying Photog via Foter.com / CC BY-ND