Festival Preview: FreshGrass @ MassMoCA, Sept. 21-23
(14 covers of John Martyn, The Pixies, The Police, tradfolk & more!)
It’s hard not to love the idea of a bluegrass festival with its own IPA, brewed and provided by Greenfield, MA locavore haven The People’s Pint. Nor is it possible to ignore the appeal of hanging out among the grand exhibits and well-curated artspaces of MASS MoCA, one of my favorite museums, which has long held my deep respect for its role in revitalizing the mid-Massachusetts contemporary arts scene, and has recently become well known among the hipster set for hosting envelope-pushing performing arts of all types, including newly-localized band Wilco, lush lo-fi hipster heroes Handsome Family, British indie-folkster Laura Marling (coming on October 26th), and others on the cutting edge of modern folk and roots music.
But the second annual FreshGrass Festival has more to offer than great beer and a quirky arts-oriented 19th century factory campus setting. Some of our favorite newgrass bands pepper the roster, with young high-energy faces and rising stars sharing the stages with some of the very founders of the genre, from Alison Brown, David Grisman and Tony Rice to Joy Kills Sorrow, Trampled By Turtles, Spirit Family Reunion, the Carolina Chocolate Drops with Haitian-American cellist Leyla McCalla, the Infamous Stringdusters, Cahalen Morrison and Eli West, the Berklee Roots Roadshow, and more. Expect a perfect mix of new and old-time music, with strings and hollers galore, and a zest for life that typifies the broad genre-span that is post-millennial bluegrass.
Multiple stages, workshops and films, pop-up performances inside and out, and innovative exhibits and food vendors selling everything from the usual hearty organic festival fare to moonshine slushies combine to deliver an experience aptly described by its organizers as a “bluegrass amusement park”, where authenticity and exploration are the name of the game. So join me on the third weekend in September in North Adams, MA, just a hop, skip and a jump from the Berkshires and the Hudson Valley. And save some time for an indoor/outdoor meander as well: festival and day passes include gallery access, allowing for a few hours out of the weather with a beautiful, grass-driven soundtrack – a stunning, envelope-pushing, multi-sensory experience not to be missed.
Here’s some coverage to whet your whistle, with previously-posted treats nestled snug among the newest performances from Bill Evans, Trampled By Turtles, Spirit Family Reunion, and more. From takes on Arcade Fire, The Police, Elvis Costello, John Martyn, The Pixies, and Dylan to old bluegrass and country standards done up with neo-traditional flair, the playlist – like the festival itself – is sure to offer something for everyone.
- Spirit Family Reunion: Green Rocky Road (trad.) [via]
- Carolina Chocolate Drops: Political World (orig. Bob Dylan) [via]
- Carolina Chocolate Drops: Hit ‘em Up Style (orig. Blu Cantrell) [via]
- Bill Evans: Mother Nature’s Son (orig. The Beatles)
- Bill Evans w/ The Infamous Stringdusters: Walk To The Water (orig. John Martyn) [via]
- Infamous Stringdusters: Walking On The Moon (orig. The Police) [via]
- Joy Kills Sorrow: I Still Miss Someone (orig. Johnny Cash) [via]
- David Grisman, Tony Rice, and Jerry Garcia: Amazing Grace (trad.)
- David Grisman, Tony Rice, and Jerry Garcia: Long Black Veil (orig. Lefty Frizzell) [via]
- Alison Brown w/ Sam Bush: Everyday I Write The Book (orig. Elvis Costello) [via]
- Alison Brown w/ Mary Chapin Carpenter: Prayer Wheel (orig. Eddi Reader) [via]
- Trampled By Turtles: Where Is My Mind (orig. The Pixies) [via]
- Trampled By Turtles: Rebellion (Lies) (orig. Arcade Fire) [via]
Yup, we’re back! Stay tuned for more features later this month, including a dip into the bulging mailbag for some great live folk recordings and more…a post which, barring technical disaster, will featuring exclusive footage from our upcoming house concert with Brooklyn duo Molly Venter of Red Molly and Eben Pariser of Roosevelt Dime. And don’t forget to check out the Cover Lay Down Facebook page for bonus streams and videos throughout the week!
Category: bluegrass, Festival Coverfolk 2 comments »
September 8th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
Just a little correction: The Dylan song covered by the Carolina Chocolate Drops should be “Political World”.
And by the way – thanks, boyhowdy, for all the gems in your blog!
September 8th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Whoops – typo! Thanks, Rolf!