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Bluegrass Festival |
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Forget the outdoor concerts at DTE Energy Music Theatre (formerly known as Pine Knob, formerly known as a great place to see a show). If you want to have the best time of your life in the open air, hit a bluegrass festival. Ahhhh, the music of the Appalachian Mountains, so pure and emotional. The sounds put you into a mind set of a much simpler time in our nation’s life, and you are still only a stone’s throw distance from a corndog vendor. If you think that you have to make a trek south of the Mason-Dixon Line to experience the down-home thrill, au contraire my pessimistic friend. Two of the best nationally recognized bluegrass festivals are within a two-hour driving distance of Ann Arbor. The Charlotte Bluegrass Festival on June 24-27 and the Milan Bluegrass Festival on August 12-15 pull in some of the biggest names of the music genre, and provide an all-encompassing musical and camping experience during the entire weekend for about the same price you would pay for a ticket and parking at one of those corporate-sponsored pseudo-burlesque shows. Performers: The list spans the entire realm of bluegrass. Legendary acts like Grand Ole Opry stars The Osborne Brothers (who got their start in Detroit before hitting the big time) and J.D. Crowe; bluegrass/country crossover diva Rhonda Vincent and her band The Rage; younger traditionalists Wildfire and The Lonesome River Band; old-time revivalist Karl Shiflett and his Big Country Show; Larry Stephenson, whose amazing tenor gives you an idea of what it would be like if Pavarotti sang bluegrass; and The Larkins, two sisters whose model-quality good looks are surpassed by their musical aptitude. Add to that the number of regional bands appearing throughout each day, and you can go from breakfast to long after dinner constantly being serenaded by music. There’s no assigned seating, just bring your blanket or low-rise lawn chairs, but remember that hard-core bluegrass fans are territorial, so just because a seat is empty doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not occupied (read up on squatters’ rights and the Homestead Act). Jamming:
Take your acoustic string instrument. Something you don’t
see at those other concerts is the musical intermingling among the
concert-goers. Impromptu jams are scattered but numerous in the
parking lots and campgrounds. The skill levels vary, but you may
be surprised to find the mandolin player onstage a few hours ago
is suddenly next to you encouraging you to take a lead. Leave MTV
Unplugged at home and get familiar with bluegrass standards like
“Salty Dog” and “Cripple Creek” (get yourself
a Bill Monroe or Flatt & Scruggs CD for reference). No-no’s: Patchouli, drum circles, electric instruments, snobbiness, complaining of bad weather, overextended jam solos, and declining an invitation to clog. A2P The
Charlotte Bluegrass Festival will be held at the Eaton County Fairgrounds
June 24-27, and the Milan Bluegrass Festival is August 12-15 on
the KC Campgrounds at 14048 Sherman Rd. For more information or
tickets, call (248) 435- 2828 or (248) 813-0260.
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