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The Aiken Bluegrass Festival: A Truly Special Tradition May 14, 2018 22:57


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Words + Photos by Nicholas Lintz: Live & Listen
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The Aiken Bluegrass Festival is located down in the Sandhills of South Carolina, nestled on the edge of Georgia. This is prime Equestrian country and home to some incredible music culture. What better way to kick off festival season? This was the 14th annual festival, but you would never even know it because of how well the loving members and volunteers have maintained the grassroots feel. Augusta's Friends With Benefits Productions would also play a hand in this year's festival, which seems like a recipe for continued growth.

It felt like a family reunion, with campground pickings, local vendors, and a variety of local food. This year's festival mainly benefited the SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare, and it was a pet-friendly occasion. Beautiful dogs large and small roamed the grounds all weekend. We've included a few of our favorite pups in the photo gallery below. 

This year's Aiken Bluegrass Festival also added a new inside beer hall and stage on the grounds; where you could get out of the mid-day heat, grab a cold drink, and listen to some music. After every show outside, there was immediately a show inside, so you were never forced to miss any bands or be in the heat too long. With massive groups like Greensky Bluegrass, Leftover Salmon, The Larry Keel Experience, Jon Stickley Trio, Billy Strings, and many more playing the festival it still felt homey. While Bluegrass was the focus, many of these groups can't help but push the envelope on this genre. We heard classic rock, Dead tunes, and even 90's covers.

Friday night was headlined by Leftover Salmon while the late-night show on Friday involved Vince Herman's Leftover Jam where as many as 12 + members from both the Friday and Saturday shows joined Vince up on stage at one time until 1:30 in the morning. Saturday drew in some last minute heavy rainstorms, but nothing stopped the music or dancing. There were great tunes all day then Greensky managed to draw a massive crowd at night as they blew our minds with their "rock-n-roll" bluegrass mentality. Then late-night Billy Strings took us home with a 'Psychedelic Circus' that left many speechless.

To be completely honest, it was extremely difficult for me to pinpoint what made Aiken Bluegrass Festival so beautiful and special this weekend. I am not sure if it was the intimate shows with some of the biggest acts in bluegrass, the incredible layout and land, the home-grown volunteers and vendors, or all the beautiful dogs and people. All I know for sure is that I "Love ABF" and will be sure to never miss it again.

Watch a clip of Billy Strings' performance here:

Watch a clip of Love Canon performing "Solsbury Hill" here:

 

Win Two Weekend Passes to Aiken Bluegrass Festival 2016 April 19, 2016 18:51

Live & Listen and The Mischief Collective are offering you the chance to win two weekend passes to Aiken Bluegrass Festival.  Fill out all areas below to enter.  You may re-enter once per day, so keep coming back to increase your chances to win.  We will select one lucky winner on May 4th!

Celebrating 12 years of The Aiken Bluegrass Festival
Friday, May 13th & Saturday, May 14th, 2016  

 

WHAT MAKES A FESTIVAL SPECIAL? THAT’S A QUESTION WE HAVE ASKED OURSELVES MANY TIMES AT THE AIKEN BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL.

ULTIMATELY WE HAVE DECIDED THAT WHAT MAKES OUR FESTIVAL SPECIAL IS THE FOCUS WE HAVE AN OUR ARTISTS, ALWAYS TRYING TO BOOK BANDS THAT WE KNOW HAVE A HISTORY TOGETHER THUS ENSURING THAT WE PROVIDE OUR PATRONS WITH A ONE OF A KIND EXPERIENCE. THIS YEAR WE ARE TAKING THAT CONCEPT ONE STEP FURTHER. INSTEAD OF JUST BOOKING BANDS, WE HAVE WORKED WITH INDIVIDUAL ARTISTS, HAND PICKING MUSICIANS TO PLAY TOGETHER. AND WE WILL HAVE SOME BANDS TOO! THIS WAY WE CAN GUARANTEE YOU WILL HAVE A ONE OF A KIND EXPERIENCE AT THE 2016 AIKEN BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL WHERE YOU WILL FIND MANY OF THE FINEST NAMES IN NEW-GRASS AND BLUEGRASS ALL SHARING OUR STAGE. WE HOPE THAT YOU WILL SHARE IN OUR EXCITEMENT AND THAT YOU WILL JOIN US AT 13TH AND 14TH, 2016!

AIKEN BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL SCHEDULE & LINEUP

FRIDAY, MAY 13TH – GATES OPEN AT 4:00 PM

  • Larry Keel Experience – 8:10pm
  • Josh Daniel & Mark Schimick Project – 7:15pm
  • Mountain Express Band (reunion show!) – 10:30am
  • Doug and the Henrys – 6:00pm
  • Blackwater Deep – 4:30pm

SATURDAY, MAY 14TH – GATES OPEN AT 11:00 AM

  • Phoffman & Anders Beck Quartet – 8:00pm
  • Paul Hoffman (Greensky Bluegrass)
  • Anders Beck (Greensky Bluegrass)
  • Travis Book
  • Jay Cobb Anderson (Fruition)
  • Keller (Williams) and the Keels – 4:00pm
  • Larry Keel’s Aiken Experience / Super Jam – 6:00pm
  • Larry & Jenny Keel
  • Keller Williams
  • Vince Herman (Leftover Salmon)
  • Paul Hoffman (Greensky Bluegrass)
  • Mimi Naja (Fruition)
  • Fruition – 10:00pm
  • Greg Burns and Friends – 2:30pm
  • Gipsy Moon Band – 1:00pm

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The Aiken Bluegrass Festival: A Truly Special Tradition Posted on 14 May 22:57

Win Two Weekend Passes to Aiken Bluegrass Festival 2016 Posted on 19 Apr 18:51

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