Event Type : Festival Concert

The Dirty Grass Players, a four-piece new-grass band from Baltimore, is known for having one toe-tappin’ foot in traditional bluegrass while pushing boundaries with their blazing musicianship. Composed of Connor Murray on bass, Alex Berman on vocals & banjo, Ben Kolakowski with the guitar & vocals, and Ryan Rogers on mandolin, this group has been giving their growing fan-base a down and dirty performance for over five years. 

Their ability to seamlessly transition from down-home bluegrass to spirited improvisation makes each performance unique. Mix in some Allman Brothers, Pink Floyd or a dash of southern rock and you’ll quickly understand what they mean by “Dirty Grass”. 

Entering into their sixth year together, The Dirty Grass Players released their 2nd studio album, “Beneath the Woodpile”. Put together with alluring harmonies, lyrics, and melodies, the band presents a sound precisely at the crossroads of traditional and progressive bluegrass. This isn’t just another run-of-the-mill bluegrass album or band; it’s cathartic and dirty grass. 

The newly formed five-piece Shelf Life String band immediately began developing their sound, taking on every show possible. Weekly rehearsals lead to additionally weekly engagements and opened the doors to a myriad of high-profile performances. They have shared the stage with Greensky Bluegrass, Cornmeal, Pokey LaFarge, Mac Martin, Gangstagrass and more. The quintet also had the honor of performing for Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto’s campaign at events throughout his election run and was featured during his inauguration party at the Senator John Heinz History Center.

The Shelf Life String Band recently recorded their long-awaited debut LP, “Another Evening and Other Tales,” which will release on March 20, 2014, at Howler’s Coyote Café in Bloomfield. Releasing in tandem with the album will be a new beer brewed by Rock Bottom Brewery and head brewer Brandon McCarthy called “Shelf Life India Pale Lager.”

“Everyone says it, but we truly are eclectic…” says  bassist Greg Thurman about his band,18 Strings – an acoustic string trio
based out of Morgantown, WV. The three members– Andy Tuck (vocals/guitar/harmonica),Chris Jones (mandolin/fiddle) and Thurman (bass) – come from different musical backgrounds spanning everything from jazz to folk, and rock to classical.
The result is a seamless fusion of styles that incorporates smart songwriting,tight harmonies, refined technique, and an airtight groove uniquely defined as Appalachicana (part Appalachia, part Americana).
 

The band released its self-titled debut album in mid-2016 and have since signed with Mon Hills Records, West Virginia University’s record label, with whom they’ve produced their sophomore full-length album, Single Wide. Appalachia is a culturally rich region that 18 Strings is proud to call home.
 

Their aesthetic draws from the people of the mountains and their stories. The organic sound of voices, a guitar, mandolin, and upright bass matches the miles and miles of rolling hills that hide centuries of musical tradition. The band considers making music in West Virginia to be an amazing experience. With a cultural backdrop so rich in tradition and an ever-evolving scene,
it’s a wonderful place to be a musician.
 

While the band’s music is rooted in Appalachian musical styles,  the musicians themselves are influenced by other American types of music, including acoustic classic rock songs like Going to California by Led Zeppelin and Fearless by Pink Floyd and artists like Bob Dylan, John Prine, Lead Belly, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Allman Brothers Band, and The Beatles. Appalachicana is geographical in location, but American music in scope.