The Hide and Wides (Photo by Walter Bowie)
More like a tuneful evening under the stars rather than a true festival, the Pocahontas Premieres: Bluegrass Festival brings together three up-and-coming practitioners of the “high lonesome” aesthetic, each with a slightly different approach.
Maryland’s The High & Wides have earned national raves and hit the Bluegrass Top 10 charts for their playful deconstruction of hillbilly boogie. Richmond’s young South Hill Banks quartet mixes its rowdy breakdowns with classic rock and jam band flourishes, and the River City Band puts its own stamp on classic tunes by Ralph Stanley, the Carter Family and Bob Dylan.
These acoustic masters twang up Pocahontas State Park as part of its Pocahontas Premieres series on Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 plus parking fee.
