MerleFest 2010

MerleFest Blog

My first MerleFest 2010–one spectacular musical extravaganza: folk, roots, Americana, bluegrass, country, something for everyone. I have so many favorites, I think I’ll just post names and websites. You may decide on your own.

North Carolina, be proud as MerleFest surely represents.

These are the group I actually heard:
Balsam Range
This North Carolina based group brings bluegrass, gospel and country all infused with their beautiful harmonies.

Belleville Outfit
Belleville outfit combines inventive blend of Western Swing, jazz, country, and pop.

The Duhks
Lead Singer is simply awesome.

Rhonda Vincent and The Rage

Taj Mahal

Donna the Buffalo

The Waybacks

Cadillac Sky

The SteelDrivers
This is full throttle contemporary bluegrass, packed with various other elements of country, pop, and soul.

The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band

Joey + Rory
Funny and cheeky lyrics.

Dailey and Vincent


Dierks Bentley
Yes, the music is really good, yadda, yadda, yadda. It's just that Dierks is so darn cute.

Sam Bush

Little Feat

Red Molly

The Wilders

Greencards

Scythian
Rousing and raucous, Scythian plays kicked-up Celtic and world music with hints of Gypsy and Klezmer, all infused with a touch of punk-rock sensibility. Take a pair of classically trained dueling fiddlers, toss in a rhythm guitar and the occasional funky accordion, then power it with the driving rhythm of a jazz percussionist, and you've got the ingredients for a show you won't soon forget. Their high-energy, adrenaline-peddling, interactive brand of music has one goal in mind; to get people on their feet and dancing. Their repertoire ranges from traditional and contemporary Celtic and folk music to the alluring and dramatic strains of Gypsy and Eastern European tunes, and then crosses back over the border to pick up some good old-fashioned bluegrass licks.

Scythian’s perfomance in the Dance Tent resulted in a RAVE! It was something.

Doc Watson (with Richard Watson, Sam Bush, T. Michael Coleman, Mitch Greenhill, and Jeff Little) Doc Watson was presented an honorary doctorate degree from the Berklee School of Music at MerleFest and he played Elvis.

Steve Martin with The Steep Canyon Rangers

Elvis Costello and The Sugarcanes
Elvis Costello

The Lee Boys and The Travelin’ McCoury’s
Playing together these two groups make one whoppin' big sound.

W. P. A.
WPA is about as close as you'll come to an Americana supergroup. Luke Bulla, Sean Watkins, Greg Liesz, Glen Phillips, and occasionally Benmont Tensch, Sara Watkins, and other guests. Superb musical skill with thoughtful, intuitive songwriting by Phillips and Sean Watkins.

The Avett Brothers


Midnight Jam with Zac Brown
Great songs have allowed Zac Brown Band to rise to the top of the country music world, but it is the amazing live performances and incredible instrumentals that set apart the six man band from the rest of Nashville.

Zac’s sense of humor is an important part of the music and he brought it to the Midnight Jam. I can’t tell you how much fun it was to hear various folk from various groups play and sing together. It was

Larkin Poe
Larkin Poe stared as the The Lovell Sisters, consisting of three sisters and three additional players. Fans of the sister band may be sad to see them go, it’s not as sad as it may seem at first. The oldest sister, Jessica, is attending college now and was recently engaged, leaving little time for traveling with the band. The two younger sisters however, Megan and Rebecca, will continue to perform as Larkin Poe.

Elvis Costello is such a fan he said, "These sisters stole the show, last year."