Like many SCampers, nothing puts a bigger smile on our faces then dancing barefoot at a festival to some foot-stomping bluegrass music!
Each year, Summer Camp brings a TON of bluegrass / americana / folk / roots / etc. to Three Sisters Park, and 2015 is no exception – from the Thursday Pre-Party to Sunday night’s Greensky set to close out the Starshine Stage, the schedule offers a buffet of bluegrass options.
And with the 15th Annual Summer Camp just a couple of short weeks away, we’ve put together a list of 15 sets we suggest you NOT miss this year. Here, in no particular order, are the bluegrass / americana / folk / roots and related artists on our list for this Memorial Day Weekend… we hope it helps you plan your schedule!
Keller Williams & Grateful Grass
Part of
Summer Camp’s series of Daily Shows Honoring 50 Years of the Grateful Dead, this will for many be THE most anticipated bluegrass act on the lineup! Keller Williams will be teaming up with none other than The Infamous Stringdusters for an “anything-but-traditional” bluegrass spin on classic Grateful Dead tunes.
Set Time: Friday, 5:00 PM – 6:15 PM on the Moonshine Stage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekmvTSOZPkg
Fun Fact: The original Grateful Grass lineup featured Jeff Austin (YMSB) and Keith Moseley (SCI) alongside Keller for a 2008 Rex Foundation benefit show at The Fillmore in Denver, Colorado.
Chicago Farmer
Cody Diekhoff dons the stage name as Chicago Farmer, an acoustic folk singing soloist from SCamp’s home-state of Illinois. Chicago Farmer’s music a poetic story-telling journey of small-town life and values, surely inspiring enough to capture the voices of everyone in the audience to sing along.
Set Time: Sunday, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM at the Campfire Stage
Fun Fact: This will be Chicago Farmer’s EIGHTH appearance at Summer Camp! Not including moe. and Umphrey’s McGee, only 6 other bands have appeared more!
The Infamous Stringdusters
The Infamous Stringdusters are back at Summer Camp for the first time since 2012! An intensely high-energized bluegrass act, it’s no wonder how they came up with their name. The Stringdusters keep a constant upbeat tempo that is sure to get ya feet moving and ya hips shaking.
Set Times: Thursday, 1:30 AM – 3:00 AM on the Campfire Stage, and Friday, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM on the Sunshine Stage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0uukT_rAgk
Fun Fact: Their song “Magic #9” was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Country Instrumental Performance.
Gaelic Storm
Self-describing their genre as “world” music, Gaelic Storm isn’t quite bluegrass, but rather Celtic Irish music. They’re bringing their dancing jig to Summer Camp for the 3rd time, and are returning for the first since 2012!
Set Time: Sunday, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM on the Sunshine Stage
Trampled by Turtles
Trampled by Turtles have been stomping around the bluegrass scene since they formed in Duluth, MN way back in 2003. Their impressive career includes multiple headlining gigs at Red Rocks, an appearance on David Letterman, and acting as host to their own festival, Festival Palomino. We are THRILLED to see them headed for the Moonshine Stage this year for their Summer Camp debut!
Set Time: Friday, 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM on the Moonshine Stage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTovORb24UQ
Fun Fact: Before forming Trampled by Turtles, lead singer Dave Simonett, bassist Tim Saxhaug, and fiddle player Ryan Young were all members of Dead Man Winter, who still performs on occasion.
Horseshoes & Hand Grenades
Wisconsin’s Horseshoes & Hand Grenades digs into the past to develop their unique sound – here’s
Camp Counselor Carmel’s recent interview with the band. The results are an old-time, progressive folk-grass sound that is all their own. This year will be the first appearance at Summer Camp for Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, so we are doing it big with TWO performances!
Set Times: Thursday, 10:00 PM – 11:00 PM on the Camping Stage, and Friday, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM on the Campfire stage
Fun Fact: Harmonica and accordion player Davey Lynch keeps 3 beverages at his feet during every show: A canned beer to represent his home of Milwaukee, a soda to keep his saliva wet, and water to lighten the hangover.
Yonder Mountain String Band
Yonder Mountain String Band has seen a rebirth since mandolist Jeff Austin left to pursue a solo career just over 1 full year ago. Since then, famed and beloved fiddle player Allie Kral (formerly of Cornmeal) has done more than fill the void by adding a whole other string element to the Yonder sound. You won’t want to miss the new and improved Yonder show!
Set Time: Sunday, 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM on the Sunshine Stage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjaUI8ntJeY
Fun Fact: 2015 marks the 8th year that YMSB will be plucking at your hearts at 3 Sisters Park!
Edward David Anderson
Edward David Anderson is making his SCamp debut this year! The soloist brings an Americana roots rock vibe along with his one-man show routine, which will include guitar, harmonica, drums, and foot-stomping good times.
Set Time: Sunday, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM on the Campfire Stage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btZ2zV-oxOQ
Fun Fact: Edward is formerly of rock band Backyard Tire Fire.
Strung Like A Horse
We are really pumped to catch the talented Strung Like A Horse, who haven’t yet played Summer Camp before! A high energy gypsy punk grass band from the South East, this act will blow your hat of your head and it’s far more intoxicating than you would expect.
Set Time: Sunday, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM on the Camping Stage
Fun Fact: Strung Like A Horse draws inspiration from folk punk bands like the Violent Femmes, but their roots are buried in good ol’ fashioned home-made hillbilly stomp grass.
Greensky Bluegrass
This is Greensky Bluegrass’s 5th Summer Camp appearance, and a set you should NOT miss! Hailing from Michigan, this 5 piece act will keep you dancing from start to finish. Greensky Bluegrass have forged a defiant, powerful sound that, while rooted in classic stringband Americana, extends outwards with a fearless, exploratory zeal.
Set Time: Sunday, 11:00 PM -12:30 AM at the Starshine Stage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SD99z6REUic
Fun Fact: Greensky Bluegrass grew quickly from their start as a word-of-mouth underground sensation, and now play up to 175 shows a year!
Floodwood
Floodwood is a Summer Camp favorite, having played each of the past 3 years, and we’re thrilled they will be joining in on the fun once again this year. Floodwood is a 5 piece band from Upstate, NY. If you are looking for an act to dance and be impressed by, do not miss Floodwood!
Set Times: Thursday, 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM and Saturday, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM on the Starshine Stage
Fun Fact: 2 of Floodwood’s members, Al & Vinnie, also play in a little band named moe.
The Way Down Wanderers
The Way Down Wanderers are a 5 piece folk / american group from Peoria, IL. The band consists of Austin Thompson (Guitar, Lead, & Harmony Vocals), Collin Krause (Mandolin, Fiddle, Lead and Harmony Vocals), Benjamin Montalbano (Banjo, Lead and Harmony Vocals), John Williams (Upright Bass), and John Merikoski (Drums & Percussion).
Set Time: Saturday, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM on the Camping Stage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oj-kQZixLNg
Fun Fact: The Way Down Wanderers bus recently broke down, and not only had a successful campaign to get them a new ride, but in return donated 2% of all the funds to Share The Music!
Turnpike Troubadours
This is the Turnpike Troubadours Summer Camp debut! Hailing from Tahlequah, OK, this 5 piece act has been playing together for 10 years, starting out in smaller venues and eventually selling out prestigious venues across the country. With their raw energy and powerful sound, this is an act we highly recommend!
Set Time: Sunday, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM on the Starshine Stage
Fun Fact: Their band name comes from the Indian Nation Turnpike that connected so many of the smaller towns where they cut their teeth.
Caravan of Thieves
This is the 3rd time Caravan of Thieves have treated SCampers to their great music! As they put it, “
Our ultimate goal is to always thoroughly entertain our audience, in concert and on our records, and to build a community who we can feel connected to, and who feels connected to us. As we see it, or maybe just imagine it, the traveling camps of gypsies or traveling circus performers lived outside the social norms, lived a more bohemian lifestyle….”
Set Time: Saturday, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM on the Campfire Stage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwHu7Wh8KM0
Fun Fact: If Django Reinhardt, the cast of Stomp and the Beatles all had a party at Tim Burton’s house, Caravan of Thieves would be the band they hired!
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