The 23rd annual Greater Downstate Indoor Bluegrass Music Festival, to be held through Sunday at the Crowne Plaza is keeping things fresh after all these years with input from attendees on musicians they’d like to see.
“There’s always emerging new talent within the industry, awards that are won each year at the major convention,” said event producer Terry Lease.
“You try to stay abreast of those changes within the music. Of course, there’s a movement for some youth-oriented types of bands, and that’s a nice attraction for an audience. You try to put all those things together.”
Helping to keep a fresh outlook for this year’s event are groups such as Dailey & Vincent, the 2009 International Bluegrass Music Association Entertainers of the Year.
Jamie Dailey was a lead singer with Doyle Lawson. Darrin Vincent was a key member of Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder.
“So, they’ve left those two former employers as side people for several years and formed their own band, and they’ve been an exciting interest,” Lease said.
The festival will feature six separate stage shows, including multiple International Bluegrass Music Association award winners.
“It’s more of a band presentation overall than it is maybe separating the country field where there’s primarily a named artist and they have a backup band whose members kind of rotate quite often,” Lease said. “(For) at lot of people, this is modern acoustic country.”
Other festival activities will include a guitar trade show, an open stage talent showcase, 24-hour “pickin” areas, and instrument and clogging workshops. Roland White will present a mandolin camp on Friday.
Attendees are expected to come from all over, including people from Australia who timed their visit with relatives to be able to attend the festival.
“It does bring a lot of folks to town. We’ll have 2,500 to 3,000 people total through the doors during the weekend total,” Lease said.
Tamara Browning can be reached at (217) 788-1534 or tamara.browning@sj-r.com.
Greater Downstate Indoor Bluegrass Music Festival
When
Through Sunday
Where
Crowne Plaza, 3000 S. Dirksen Parkway, Springfield
Tickets
Weekend pass: $60 reserved seats, $55 general admission. Discounts available for ages 6-17. See performance schedule below for daily rates. For more information, visit www.bluegrassmidwest.com.
Saturday ($30 all day, $25 for 7 p.m. session only, $5 for open stage only)
10:30 a.m.: Open Stage & Showcase
1 p.m.: Art Stevenson & High Water
1:40 p.m.: Joe Mullins & Radio Ramblers
2:25 p.m.: Rhonda Vincent & Rage
3:15 p.m.: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
4 p.m.: Dry Branch Fire Squad
7 p.m.: Art Stevenson & High Water
7:40 p.m.: Joe Mullins & Radio Ramblers
8:25 p.m.: Rhonda Vincent & Rage
9:10 p.m.: guitar drawing
9:15 p.m.: Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
10:05 p.m.: Dry Branch Fire Squad
Sunday ($10 for 10 a.m. concert)
10 a.m.: Art Stevenson & High Water
10:40 a.m.: Dry Branch Fire Squad
