RockyGrass – July 24th – Planet Bluegrass Ranch

First off, I think I have an important admission to make: This was my first RockyGrass experience. I know, I know, what took me so long??? Well, I think that answer is fairly simple, I’ve done Folks Fest every year since 2006 and two trips up to Lyons in a few weeks seemed like a lot. Well, I was wrong and I’ve been missing out. There, I said it. When it really comes down to it, I don’t think it matters what’s going on at Planet Bluegrass, there’s a magic in the air that frees your soul and warms your heart. Is it the river? Is it the mountain air? Is it the people? It’s all these things and more. Planet Bluegrass is one of my favorite places in the world and now that I’ve been exposed to RockyGrass, I’ve got another excuse to go up and bask in it’s amazing vibe.

This year I drove up on Saturday morning and arrived in time to catch the fresh young faces of Fireside Collective as they picked their way through a set that mixed solid originals with some well chosen covers including “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” and “Uncle John’s Band.” While there was a sound issue as they boys were really getting into a jam during the “Uncle John’s”, these guys proved to the RockyGrass faithful that they for real and I’m sure they’ll be on another Planet Bluegrass line-up in the near future.

Fireside Collective – RockyGrass – July 24th
Devils on the Hillside > Back to Caroline, Bring It On Home, Old Wooden Ship, Don’t Stop Lovin’ Me, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Winding Road, Fish Scale, Uncle John’s Band, 40 Years of Trouble, Movin’ On Down That Line > June Apple

As the heat of the day cranked up and the river welcomed the masses seeking a way to cool their blood, Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper took the stage and proceeded to blow everyone’s mind. These guys are incredible and Cleveland himself is one of the best Fiddle players I’ve ever seen. From their covers of Julian Lennon’s “Too Late For Goodbyes” and John Hiatt’s “Tennessee Plates” to their own trippy “Mescaline,” the band showcased an amazing command of the stage and the genre. As their set wound down they pushed the energy up a notch and set the bar extremely high with an absolutely ripping take on “Long Journey Home.” I can’t wait to catch Cleveland at a club show where he and his band can really let loose.

After the fire that Flamekeeper set, it was time to cool down so we made our way to a shady spot up river a little bit and enjoyed the water rushing around us as we caught up with old friends and new and discussed the differences between Folk and Bluegrass. It was a welcome rejuvenation but it wasn’t long before we were on our way back into the festival to catch Sierra Hull and Justin Moses perform their duo set. While I didn’t really know what to expect, these two left my jaw on the floor as they swapped Guitars for Mandolins and demonstrated that they were both immensely talented on each. Their ear-to ear-grins revealed they were having as much as we were and they even entertained requests from the audience as they put together a mesmerizing medley of Fiddle tunes to cap off an electrifying set.

While the Hull-Moses duo was no easy act to follow, the powerful sound of the Lil’ Smokies was exactly what the doctor ordered. The Smokies are a Planet Bluegrass favorite and they have been doing nothing but gaining traction over the last several years since they won the band contest at Telluride Bluegrass in 2015. I’ve seen them in clubs, in the sun, and in the snow and they are always a ton of fun. They recently went through a change in their line-up as banjoist Matt Cornette and bassist Scott Parker went their own ways to be replaced by Kyle Tuttle and Jean-Luc Davis on Banjo and Bass respectively (both of whom spent time in Jeff Austin’s band before his untimely passing). On tracks like The Beatles “Paperback Writer” and the Huey Lewis classic “The Power of Love” the quintet proved they have maintained all the energy of the previous line-up (and maybe add a bit via Tuttle’s infectious stage presence) and the band’s trademark harmonies are intact. What a fun way to spend the late afternoon!

Anticipation was high for the day’s sunset performance with Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn and as they took the stage, all eyes were focused on them. The set started out hot with a little of John Hartford’s “I’m Still Here” and Fleck’s own classic “Big Country” but cooled off a little as the duo went deep into a COVID hole and focused for a while on material from their “Banjo House Lockdown” streaming show. A cute moment with their son Juno warmed some hearts as did a nod to the late Tony Rice, but I wasn’t as riveted this time as I have been in the past when I’ve seen Bela and Abigail perform together. Maybe he was letting her take the spotlight as he performed on all three days of the festival? Who knows, but Sam Bush was a welcome infusion of energy as the seemingly ageless “King of Telluride” took the stage with his powerhouse band as darkness started to creep into the ranch.

Opening with “Eight More Miles to Louisville” (Listen Here!) Bush had the crowd up and dancing to some high energy mountain music as he wove through a set that featured “This Heart of Mine,” “Great Balls of Fire,” and of course “Howling at the Moon” and an extended take on “Same Ol’ River.” Though Bush didn’t welcome any guests during his main set, the encore feature most of the McCoury clan (who were on-site for a Del Band performance on Sunday), Pete “Dr. Banjo” Wernick, and more for a jam session that pushed well past the advertised 10:30 end time of the festival and delivered great takes on “Gold Rush” and “Rolling In My Sweet Baby’s Arms” to send us all off into the campgrounds – and that’s a whole ‘nother story that could take up pages on it’s own…

While the focus of RockyGrass is obviously on the main stage performances there is a whole sub-culture that exists after the festival itself shuts down for the day. Deep into the wee hours of the morning you’ll find countless jam circles that spontaneously – or not so spontaneously – pop-up in the several campgrounds that surround the festival. Legends abound regarding luminaries showing up and picking with campers but largely these jams are focused on getting to know your neighbors and trying out some new licks you may have learned at the RockyGrass Academy or just at home on YouTube. It’s an amazing and vibrant part of the festival so if you are prone to burning the midnight oil, don’t miss out on the late night scene!

See you next year!