Tag Archives: Bluegrass Underground

Toast Tuesday: Bluegrass and Booze

28 Tuesday Mar 2017

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A long weekend wrap-up in pictures.  There are both too many, and not enough, words to describe the amazing weekend we had at Bluegrass Underground.  Thank you to the awesome people that put on this show and make it all happen and to the incredible musicians who trek into a cave and share the experience of a lifetime.  Thank you PBS for giving us an amazing opportunity to see a tiny glimpse behind the curtain.

 

 

 

#protectpublicmedia. I ❤ PBS

Toast Tuesday: a boozy bluegrass weekend

26 Tuesday Jul 2016

Posted by in Toast Tuesday

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This is week 30 in my year of drinking adventurously and I have veered off course.  This week’s selection, per the author, is geuze.  I just didn’t have the time or patience to go on this week’s quest since I  knew I’d be going on one of my own.

Our guide

Our guide

A couple of girlfriends and I piled in the car Saturday morning to go to Bluegrass Underground.  There are several wineries and distilleries in the area we were going to, so I let the map be our guide.

Our first stop was Beans Creek Winery in Manchester, Tennessee.  We tried a few whites, a red, rose, and a port.  You may recall, I skipped ports a few weeks ago, so I’m counting this as a makeup.  I came home with two bottles.  One of which, the Cynthiana  is “a Tennessee grown varietal.  This wine has hints of tart cherry, cedar, cracked black pepper, and spice.”  At first sniff you get the tart cherry and it immediately reminds you of port.  Our tasting guide Lynn told us that this is the wine they use for their port.  I enjoyed this wine so much, I couldn’t wait to try the port.  The same nose of cherry came across, but with the sweeter, more fortified finish and now some cinnamon and coffee notes come through.

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Saturday night we hit the caves for some Bluegrass Underground to see Keller Williams.  We had a brief moment of excitement when a fuse blew and the entire cave went dark for a second.  Quickly back in action, the show went on.  I discovered Zach Deputy whose music style is something like a cross of reggae and bluegrass.  What energy and an amazing sound!  These two are touring together into early next year.  Go see them!!

Sunday morning we enjoyed a leisurely start.  We stayed at a beautiful home I found on Airbnb.  We were surrounded by fields and flowers, with the sounds of doves and chickens, and one very friendly cat.  Once we got on the road we drove a short way to Jack Daniel’s Distillery.

When I was there last time, we didn’t have time to do the tasting tour.  This time there was  no rush and good thing.  They just opened their new tasting building the week before and  it is beautiful.  While I’ve had several of their whiskeys, and have some on my bar, I’ve never tried them side by side.  Our tasting included Gentleman Jack, Old No.7, Single Barrel Select, Tennessee Honey, and Tennessee Fire.  The Honey and Fire are things I would never have tasted on my own and I can say they don’t suck.  The Honey was quite nice actually and I may try and find a way to play with it for some cocktails.  The Fire tastes just like eating a bag of cinnamon imperials or red hot candies, which are my favorite, but not in a drink.  I don’t know what you’d do with this other than purely for entertainment.

The other tastes were quite good.  Tennessee Whiskey is made by doing a charcoal filtration before it’s aged.  Gentleman Jack goes through the charcoal again after the maturation process to take out some of the color and woody flavor, giving it a much more mellow flavor.  Without this extra step, we have good ole’ No. 7.  Tried and True, same recipe Mr Daniel started using all those years ago.  The Single Barrel Select was the winner for me with hints of vanilla and this beautiful natural sweetness that came through.

A wonderful weekend with good friends enjoying good music, good food, and good booze.  It can’t get much better.  Be sure to see what Meg drank this week.

Here’s to Toasting Tuesday!

Bluegrass Underground PBS Weekend 2016

13 Wednesday Apr 2016

Posted by in music, vacation

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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.

Cumberland Cavern entrance

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!

The Volcano Room

 

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

My hiking boots 

04 Monday Apr 2016

Posted by in just a thought

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At one point, my ex-husband could tell you how many miles he had put on his hiking boots. I don’t know if this is still the case, since once the ink was dry, I said see-ya. I, on the other hand, can tell you my hiking boots have seen Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, British Columbia, Hawaii, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, and prob a few more I’m not recalling at the moment.

  
What I can also tell you definitively after this weekend, the days of 4 day hikes wearing the same pair of boots, is long gone.

The first backpacking trip I went on with ex, I am convinced, to this very day, was a test. He was adamant to the end it wasn’t. It was a 3 day backpacking trip in the Columbia River Gorge, up hill both ways. We camped among beautiful wild flowers, with Mt Adams in our view. Each day my feet hurt a little more and each time it got a little harder to put my boots back on. He kept saying “it can’t be that bad”. I kept saying something’s not right. The day after we got home the bruise showed up, in the coming weeks, my pinky toenail turned black. Over-share, I know. It never fell off, but it took awhile for me to put the boots back on. The ex listened to me a little closer the next time I told him a hike didn’t feel quite right. My toes know.

Don’t blame the boots. It’s really not their fault. I tried many boots before I settled on these and these boots were made for walking. Thank goodness for REI’s liberal return policy because I lost track of how many I returned. The issue is I am a delicate tenderfoot. Long gone are the toes that spent years walking on gravel and dirt, long days in soccer shoes, and cowboy boots. I now have the delicate toes of a woman, best spent in flip flops, running shoes, or barefoot on plush carpet.

  
Be assured, an amazing weekend was had! I’ve got pictures and stories to sort. Some of the most incredible music, great people watching, and sights like no other. But my next stop will be a pedicure for some pampering and much needed foot rubbing.