Bluegrass Underground PBS Weekend 2016

Holy Moly!  What a weekend!  I don’t think I have caught up on sleep.  I know I have not come down from the high of the awesome music and energy of the weekend.  I’m just going to warn you, this post is pic heavy!

I’m not sure I can put into words what an incredible experience this was.  The energy of this weekend was vibrant and just buzzed in the air.

Bluegrass Underground is in Cumberland Caverns about 1.5 hours south of Nashville, TN.  You walk down a gentle sloping trail through the woods to enter the cave.

There’s a short walk before you enter the Volcano Room.  The first time you enter the Volcano Room the sight is breath taking.  This is truly one of the most magical experiences ever.   This picture does not do justice to this experience at all!

My first visit was in January of this year to see The Secret Sisters with Mr & Mrs Normal.  They had asked for tickets for Christmas, and when I saw what this was, I informed them they had a third wheel.  We were all in awe of this amazing venue, the music, and the acoustics.  I invited a friend along who didn’t think she liked bluegrass, but left with a new cd, and her photo with the band.

Once they posted the lineup, we were sold on the PBS weekend event.  Sadly Brother Normal threw his back out three days before our weekend.  We brought him lots of treats from the weekend including a t-shirt, a bottle of personally engraved Gentleman Jack, and a candy apples.  I came home with new friends and a great desire to get a better camera.  Without further ado, here are some of the music highlights I captured.  Each one has the band name and you can click to see them bigger.

The sounds, vibrancy, and acoustics were truly inspiring.  Almost all of the musicians said something about their experience of coming into the cave or their view.  It was incredible to watch the steadycam guys and the professional photographer running about.  The only downside is we now have to wait for the show to air to see how it was edited.  I would have loved a PBS Q&A session about how it all works.

One of my favorite parts of the show was while The Suffers were playing.  They stopped her to fix her makeup.  She had the self assurance to make a joke about it, and kept singing while the makeup woman fixed her runny mascara.  St Paul & The Broken Bones gave the camera man, and the photographer, an incredible workout.  He was crazy!

I’m certain you will not be surprised when I tell you, I’ve already gotten my tickets for July to see Keller Williams at BGU.  I’m probably going to see SP&BB in a couple weeks.

Here are some more amazing (and professional) pictures from the Bluegrass Underground photographer Michael Weintrob PBS weekend. Check out my new buddy Reid of Here and There Photography,  Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3.  I’ll treat anyone who spots me in either Michael or Reid’s photos to a cocktail.  Michael’s photo will get you two cocktails because that one’s tougher.

As if that weren’t enough, we also went to Jack Daniels Distillery and Lynchburg Winery.  You know we didn’t come home empty handed.  Cheers Y’all!

The Cox Family, drivin’ n’ cryin’,  Sierra Hull,  Jason & the Scorchers, Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen, Mac McAnally, Hurray for the Riff Raff, David Rawlings Machine (feat. Gillian Welch, Willie Watson,Brittany Haas & Paul Kowert), The Lone Bellow, The Suffers, JJ Grey & Mofro, St. Paul and The Broken Bones