Looking back at Del Fest 2016, I must admit that this was one of the best weekend camping music festivals I've ever attended. It was obvious from the time of my arrival to the time I left that the McCoury family would be a big part of the experience. When the headliners are actually camped amongst the festival attendees, you know you're in for an intimate weekend. It's also one of the few bicycle friendly festivals and it is at the intersection of two long distance bicycle trails on the banks of the Potomac River. The bluffs overlooking the river create some beautiful shadows and echoes. Yoga and river tubing were offered as well as free shuttles into the town of Cumberland. The music is predominantly bluegrass, but there were other genres represented too, such as blues, folk, jam band, and R&B.
One of the highlights of my festival was an interview I had with 13 year-old banjo phenom G Rockwell. I was able to hear him picking the previous two nights in the campground. He leads a band called the Still River Ramblers back home in Connecticut. I shared some of that interview with 'OZ listeners last Sunday on the Acoustic Blues show.
Day three began with a yoga class led by an old friend, Caroline Cooley. It was an awesome way to start the day. Thanks, Caroline! Next, I stumbled on a group that would be a festival favorite of mine, Dustbowl Revival, from Venice Beach, California. Wow, what an energizing show they put on at the main stage! They had a lil' NOLA flavor in their horn section, and they credit the Del McCoury & Preservation Hall album and collaborations as the inspiration to start Dustbowl Revival. I couldn't wait to see them again on Sunday! The next band that I saw came highly recommended by many. Horseshoes and Hand Grenades played on the Potomac stage. The Wisconsin-based band placed in the 2012 Telluride Bluegrass Festival band competition. They had the crowd dancing from the beginning to the end of their set.
One of my musical and bluegrass heroes, Sam Bush, along with the Sam Bush Band, played a rip-roaring set that didn't disappoint. They covered everything from classic bluegrass to reggae, and a couple of popular covers to round out the set. Sam had us howling at the moon on a sunny afternoon. Things were now fired up for Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers. This is a new project where Bruce is focusing on the dulcimer. They have a record coming out this summer. It's so nice to see Bruce continue to stretch his musical horizons even further than he has done throughout his amazing career.
I found the time to briefly see Broomestix, a 12-piece ensemble from Nashville whose oldest member is a mere 21 years old. I only caught one song but they had a second set coming up on Sunday which quickly moved to the top of my list. Evan McCoury, son of Ronnie McCoury, played the electric guitar in this band. He and the band's founder just graduated from high school last week! Keep your eyes open for Broomestix.
This is the night I would finally get to hear Railroad Earth, a band I'd heard so much about but never had the opportunity to see. They are a rocky, jammy blend of Bluegrass like nothing I've ever heard and very, very enjoyable. Railroad Earth rocked the house on Saturday night at Del Fest! The final act of the evening was The Traveling McCoury's, which is basically Dell McCoury's band without Del. This was a project Del's sons started to allow them to branch out a little more and take a few more gigs and play to some different audiences. So it was filled with standards, but for me the highlight was a very haunting version of the John Hartford classic, "Back in the Goodle Days," and Guy Clark's "Homegrown Tomatoes." They returned to the Hartford catalog for their encore, "With a Vamp in the Middle," which had the crowd dancing so much they stirred up a small dust storm. This was the end of the music on the main stage for Saturday, but the campground was just beginning to get lively and the late night show would soon begin. Being a big John Hartford fan, the covers were one of the highlights of my weekend. The late night show was Greensky Bluegrass and Cabinet. It had sold out many moons earlier so I just meandered through the campground searching for jams. The quality of music you find in the campground late at night is one of the most beautiful things about this festival, and would've been a fulfilling festival experience in and of itself.
Sunday morning would bring a little fog into the valley, but with the morning sun it burned off before the 11:30 yoga class started. There's something to be said for a festival that has yoga and bike riding in the morning. What a perfect way to get the body warmed up for a day of dancing! The Brothers Comatose got the crowd going early in the day. They are a very entertaining string band hailing from San Francisco. Since it was Sunday, spiritual music by Rock My Soul, featuring the Fairfield Four and the McCrary Sisters, was on the mainstage. This is a touring show that was featured recently on PBS. I also took in some of Cabinet's set. But the highlights of the afternoon were about to come.
Broomestix, who I caught briefly the day before, would be followed up by Dustbowl Revival on the Potomac stage. The festival was anything but a dustbowl, as it was very wet and muddy from the rain, but both bands had the crowd rocking. I also ran into a fellow New Orleanian and loyal WWOZ listener at this set. A shout out to Jen! As the festival started to wind down, the Del McCoury band took the stage for its final set. It is obvious that this is a family reunion, as the band acknowledged members of their family and their joy resonates from the stage through the crowd. Many bluegrass standards as well as originals are woven into an amazing set. The final band to take the main stage would be Greensky Bluegrass out of Kalamazoo, MI. Self-described as a bluegrass band and a rock band, they provided a rocking picking set. I don't know of another place on earth were you could walk around and hear so much amazing acoustic music in one evening.
The final day would conclude by strolling the campground until the wee hours of the morning, listening to some of the best bluegrass music for miles around. I've already made plans to be back next year and hope to also attend the music Academy. If you're a fan of bluegrass and acoustic music, I recommend heading to Cumberland, Maryland next Memorial Day weekend to enjoy the 13th annual Del Fest!
Next stop on Ol' Man Rivers summer festival tour is Bonnaroo 2016. See you on the farm!
