Come join us, Saturday, February 22nd, from 4-7pm, for another night on the Sprague Farm! Doors open and beer flows at 1pm.

Any donation that you can make will go directly in the pockets of Sprague’s and paying the musicians. We’ll just do an honor system- no wristbands or hand stamping will be used. It’s not required to donate but greatly appreciated to help keep lights on!

Sunday at the Station was formed in 2009 by Donny Consla (vocals, guitar, and mandolin) and Matt Marr (vocals, banjo, and guitar) in Meadville, PA. The duo, inspired by The Avett Brothers, Doc Watson, Rancid, and Lucero started writing songs and performing locally. Soon, they were joined by Scott Stearns on upright bass and the group’s sound started to take shape. Lastly, Josh Shaffer joined the band on drums and washboard.

Sunday at the Station’s sound has been described as a blend of high-energy Americana, folk, and bluegrass with a touch of punk melody and bluesy soul. The band has been performing in the Tri-state area for over a decade and is always a crowd favorite, providing an entertaining and interactive performance. In the spring of 2022, Sunday at the Station will release their third full length album, “Revival”.

Treebeard returns to Big Rail!

I have been playing the Blues for over 35 years starting with the
Zipper City Blues Band,with Dave Steele, Dennis Wieland,Brian Whitney we ran for 9 years in 1992 i formed the Rodger Montgomery Blues Band and have had it since. Along the way I had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Johnny (Clyde) Copeland,Otis Rush, i spent a year in the trenches playing with Big Jack Johnson and the Oilers, Lonnie Shields,and John Brim. I released the critically acclaimed Album Rodger Montgomery Blues Band in 1993 which has been heard all over the world. In 1996 I played on Big Jack Johnson’s Album “We got to stop this killing”
2002 I wrote the Song “The Forgotten Ones” for the NAACP video production company the whole video is accompanied by My Music.
2012, and 2014 Winner in the Blues category for the Rock Erie Music Awards REMA’s

Join us for Trivia Night, with DJ Trivia Mercer County every Wednesday at 7pm!

$1 off drafts till 7pm.

Our good buddy Seth Verba will be the host of our open mic nite.

ALL INQUIRIES email [email protected]

-Property open at 5pm.
-Sign up starts at 5:30
-Music 6pm-8pm
-NO DRUMSETS – Hand drums/percussion ok.
-No foul language or content. We love our family environment.

No hidden ticket fees!

Our winter bluegrass festival returns, with a jammy twist! Join us for a full day of great music, vendors, fires, and food trucks.

Don’t forget, this is an outside event… but we’ll have plenty of fires burning all day, the heated pavilion, and our new tap room to warm up in.

2025 Lineup:

• The Plate Scrapers (7:30 – 9:00pm) — MD/WV/VA Tri-State Area
• Dirty Blanket (5:55 – 7:10pm) — Finger Lakes Region, NY
• Folkfaces (4:20 – 5:35pm) — Buffalo, NY
• Widely Grown (2:45 – 4:00pm) — Jersey City, NJ
• Jakob’s Ferry Duo featuring Gary & Libby (1:30 – 2:30pm) — Western PA

Vendors

• Nucleus Mead (Jamestown, PA)
• Forged In Kol (Slippery Rock, PA)

Food Trucks

• J&C Brick Oven Pizza
• Vintage Cafe

Need Lodging?

Holiday Inn Express, Grove City PA Big Rail Bluegrass Festival Room Block and Shuttle Service:
Call Direct: 724-748-5514. Ask for the “Big Rail Bluegrass Festival Room Block”
Shuttle service is included with your reservation. This must be scheduled prior to your arrival date
Easy Booking Link: Big Rail Bluegrass Festival Room Block-Holiday Inn Express Grove City, PA
Note: once you enter the dates and choose your room type, the discount code for the festival room block will automatically pop up.

Don’t miss Jane & Max in the taproom!

Who is ready for spring? The Brewery in The Woods and the Gallery in the Woods is bringing you these cute wild baby ducks to paint.

Becca with The Gallery In The Woods will guide you through the steps of this beginner-friendly painting. You’ll use high quality materials to craft your masterpiece. One complimentary drink will be provided by Big Rail Brewing. Reserve your seat at the easel. Allow for a 2 hour dedicated paint and sip.

Join us for Trivia Night, with DJ Trivia Mercer County every Wednesday at 7pm!

$1 off drafts till 7pm.

Our good buddy Seth Verba will be the host of our open mic nite.

ALL INQUIRIES email [email protected]

-Property open at 5pm.
-Sign up starts at 5:30
-Music 6pm-8pm
-NO DRUMSETS – Hand drums/percussion ok.
-No foul language or content. We love our family environment.

The six-stringer song singer from Erie, PA.

Blues/rock guitarist Jeff Fetterman delivers the promise to keep the blues alive and well. Influenced by blues greats such as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and BB King, he plays with a fiery passion that has earned him the nickname “Boss of the Blues”.

“Fetterman is literally unstoppable. The American guitarist and singer/songwriter confirmed once again, through his new album Southern Son, to be one of the most inspired, talented, and versatile blues/rock and funk artists of the current generation. Jeff Fetterman at his absolute best!” Gio Pilato Bluebird reviews

Born and raised in small-town America in Bradford, PA, Jeff began his musical journey at age of 13. Decades later he has received numerous awards for his playing and writing.

Jeff has also received endorsements with Zemaitis guitars and Nicola brand strings. He has played with some of the greatest blues musicians in the business that include Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Ana Popovic, Joe Louis Walker, Jimmy Vaughan, Samantha Fish, Chris Duarte, Steven Stills, and, Robert Randolph.

For Jeff, the end of the road is nowhere near in sight as he continues to play and write music and tour.

BSY is taking this fun and feisty mixed level yoga class to Big Rail Brewing! The brewery will be opening early just for us, but space is limited and tickets will go fast, so grab your spot now! 

Join us for Trivia Night, with DJ Trivia Mercer County every Wednesday at 7pm!

$1 off drafts till 7pm.

Our good buddy Seth Verba will be the host of our open mic nite.

ALL INQUIRIES email [email protected]

-Property open at 5pm.
-Sign up starts at 5:30
-Music 6pm-8pm
-NO DRUMSETS – Hand drums/percussion ok.
-No foul language or content. We love our family environment.

Way more details coming soon!

🍀Ruari’s Irish Stout on NITRO!
🍀Our classic Red – Wrought Iron!
🍀Green jello shooters!
🍀Music by Gallatin Hall!
🍀Novotny’s Pizza Street Eats will be on site!

Gallatin Hall is a 3-piece acoustic act that blends rock, folk, and bluegrass to give a modern take on a classic Americana style. With rich harmonies, rotating instrumentations, and vivid songwriting, Gallatin Hall delivers an engaging performance that constantly offers new styles and sounds.

Join us for Trivia Night, with DJ Trivia Mercer County every Wednesday at 7pm!

$1 off drafts till 7pm.

Our good buddy Seth Verba will be the host of our open mic nite.

ALL INQUIRIES email [email protected]

-Property open at 5pm.
-Sign up starts at 5:30
-Music 6pm-8pm
-NO DRUMSETS – Hand drums/percussion ok.
-No foul language or content. We love our family environment.

DJ’s The Lone Rangers will be spinning everyone’s favorites from the 80’s!

We’ve teamed up with Neshannock Creek Fly Shop from Volant, PA for Fly Tying Night at Big Rail. Please note that this is not a class, but simply a chance to bring your own gear, grab a brew and Tie some flies! (Tie one on?) 

The taproom will open at 5pm. Event will run from 6pm-9pm, but anyone is welcome to come earlier and get started after 5pm if they wish.

This will be a great opportunity to meet some fellow fly fisherman in our area. All Fly Tying skill levels are encouraged!

Join us for Trivia Night, with DJ Trivia Mercer County every Wednesday at 7pm!

$1 off drafts till 7pm.

Our good buddy Seth Verba will be the host of our open mic nite.

ALL INQUIRIES email [email protected]

-Property open at 5pm.
-Sign up starts at 5:30
-Music 6pm-8pm
-NO DRUMSETS – Hand drums/percussion ok.
-No foul language or content. We love our family environment.

Bill Deasy and Dave Brown, the founding duo behind the beloved folk-rock band The Gathering Field, bring their signature blend of heartfelt songwriting and masterful musicianship to Big Rail Brewing April 4th. As the band’s lead singer and songwriter, Bill Deasy has captivated audiences with his evocative lyrics and soulful voice, while Dave Brown, the band’s lead guitarist, has shaped their sound with his dynamic, expressive playing. Together, they strip their songs down to their essence, delivering an intimate and powerful performance that showcases the deep musical chemistry that started it all. Whether revisiting Gathering Field classics or sharing new material, Bill and Dave create a night of music that resonates long after the final note.

A traveling troubadour born and raised in the hills of rural western Pennsylvania. Alyssa’s music is unmistakable, with influences that span across many genres. Her lyrics bring you into the heart of the steel mills and the bucolic landscape of rural America.

Raised on country music in a working-class family, Alyssa started playing guitar at the age of twelve and writing songs throughout her high school years. She attended college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she studied fine art and graphic design. While attending college she began performing original songs at local open mic nights. For a few years after college, Hankey worked as a graphic designer and began playing solo acoustic shows on the weekends.

In 2018, she decided to quit her job and pursue music full time. Since then, Alyssa has released various albums and embarked on several cross-country tours. She also formed the Alyssa Hankey Band, a four-piece band that combines folk, country and rock. You can find them playing in and around the Pittsburgh area. Hankey has also shared the stage with artists such as The Clarks, The Steel Wheels, The Wildwoods, Warren Zeiders and Charles Wesley Godwin.

Influences: Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, John Prine, Tom Petty, Chris Stapleton, Johnny Cash, Allman Brothers Band, Neil Young and many more!

You’ll find her music on Itunes, Spotify, Bandcamp, Google Play, Youtube, etc.

BSY is taking this fun and feisty mixed level yoga class to Big Rail Brewing! The brewery will be opening early just for us, but space is limited and tickets will go fast, so grab your spot now! 

Come join us, Saturday, April 12, for another night on the Sprague Farm! Open 1-7pm.

Big Rail Brewing & Sprague Farm did a beer collaboration! Brian Sprague helped us recreate the old Spragues Favorite “Spraguer Logger”. It will be available on draft and available in a very limited amount of 4pk bottles.

Live Music Featuring:
Company Townes 4-7pm

Any donation that you can make will go directly in the pockets of Sprague’s and paying the musicians. We’ll just do an honor system- no wristbands or hand stamping will be used. It’s not required to donate but greatly appreciated to help keep lights on!

Company Townes

Company Townes is a cosmic country & western band from rural Northwestern Pennsylvania. Following their debut album, Canyon(2016), Co.Townes released a collection of reimagined Townes Van Zandt classics entitled “Van Zandt” in April 2019. In 2024 the band completed their second run supporting Dwight Yoakam and opened for Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives. They are currently recording their third full-length album of original songs brimming with psychedelic visions and Western myths.

Influenes: Dwight Yoakam, Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, The Byrds, Ennio Moriccone, The Flying Burrito Brothers, Johnny Horton, Marty Robbins, Townes Van Zandt

Always gritty, soulful, and sweet, this Pittsburgh-based guitarist is a respected performer who continues to expand his journey and make new fans and friends along the way.

Jimmy Adler is a bandleader with charisma and magnetic stage presence who has played many styles that are always steeped in the blues, yet always stamped with his unmistakable touch.

As a curator and bandleader of weekly Blue Monday performances, Jimmy has supported many of the region’s most well-respected musicians showcasing his ability to organize and deliver exciting shows with a variety of guests.

As a singer and leader of his own band, Jimmy plays mostly original songs from his 5 CDs that are steeped in the roots of Americana music.

Although based in Pittsburgh, Adler has thrilled audiences from the West Coast, over the pond to France, and many points in between. Jimmy is a live-wire entertainer who packs passion and energy into every performance!

Simply put, Jimmy Adler has great style, tone, and feel, and his playing is very satisfying.

“Bill Toms is a poet, a soul-shouter and guitar slinger with one foot in the gutter and an eye on the heavens above. And man, does he front a great rock n’ soul band!” – Will Kimbrough/

While it’s hard to put a finger on any one sound that defines “American music,” the compositions of Bill Toms are as close a template as any. The Pittsburgh native, along with his band Hard Rain, delivers a sound that takes the greatest of America’s most beloved genres and melds them into a poetic representation of the best the country has to offer. Bill Toms captures the American conscious with thoughtfulness, honesty, and a groove that keeps the tail feathers moving. 

Toms launched his musical career in 1987 as lead guitarist of Pittsburgh’s legendary band Joe Grushecky and The Houserockers, During that period, he opened for and played with such legendary names as The Band, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Little Feat, and Stevie Ray Vaughn. While playing guitar, co-writing, and adding backup vocals for the Houserockers, Toms and the band recorded six studio albums and one live concert album. In 1995, The Houserockers released American Babylon, which was recorded and produced by Springsteen himself.

As a solo artist, Toms has opened for the likes of Buddy Guy, Levon Helm, Marshall Crenshaw, , Steve Forbert, and Dan Baird.
He’s plotting a string of regional east coast dates to support the release of the single “I Fulfilled My Dream“, in 2024.
For more information and tour dates, please visit www.billtoms.com

Big Rail will not be open for business on Easter Sunday.

We’re happy to be hosting East Main Church for their Easter service again this year!

Details will be forthcoming.

With a nod to the past and glance to the future the Dirty Grass Players are keeping alive the long history of bluegrass while pushing the traditional genre into the next generation.

The Dirty Grass Players are an energetic explosion of old-time pickin’, coloured with an inventive, newgrass hand, that is given lyrical life by their soaring vocal harmonies that exist on an ethereal plain. They live at the crossroads between the traditional, which is the backbone of what they do, and the progressive with their innovative forward-thinking approach. The Dirty Grass Players, with their steady, workman-like precision and loose adventurous spirit are a band that can both confound Bill Monroe and cause him to smile uncontrollably. Their music is progressive, traditional, experimental, imaginative, and at its core, Dirty.

The Dirty Grass Players formed in 2015 with guitarist Ben Kolakowski and mandolinist Ryan Rogers at a series of informal picking sessions in the Baltimore area. The band quickly started to garner attention in the area, culminating in them winning the competitive Charm City Bluegrass Festival Battle of the Bands in 2017. The band’s original bassist and fiddler left shortly after and they solidified around the addition of bassist Connor Murray. In 2024, Sam Guthridge joined on banjo and the band reemerged as a powerful four-piece.

Since then they have released two albums, 2020’s Beneath the Woodpile and 2023 Shiny Side Up and established themselves as one of the most exciting young bluegrass bands around. With their high-octane shows they have become a mainstay on the festival circuit, being invited to play at some of the the most prestigious gatherings from coast to coast including Delfest, Grey Fox, Kingman Island, Hot August Music Festival, Dark Star Jubilee, Ramble Fest, First Class Music Fest, and many others.

Their latest album Shiny Side Up, produced by The Travelin’ McCourys’ Coldy Kilby, continues to further the evolution of bluegrass with its hard-driving sound that showcases the progressive, darkside of bluegrass with its forward-looking, non-traditional playing and songwriting. In its praise of the album, Bluegrass Unlimited says, “Shiny Side Up validates the arrival of the Dirty Grass Players onto the scene and shows bluegrass is in good hands going forward.

Blues/rock guitarist Jeff Fetterman delivers the promise to keep the blues alive and well. Influenced by blues greats such as Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and BB King, he plays with a fiery passion that has earned him the nickname “Boss of the Blues”.

“Fetterman is literally unstoppable. The American guitarist and singer/songwriter confirmed once again, through his new album Southern Son, to be one of the most inspired, talented, and versatile blues/rock and funk artists of the current generation. Jeff Fetterman at his absolute best!” Gio Pilato Bluebird reviews

Born and raised in small-town America in Bradford, PA, Jeff began his musical journey at age of 13. Decades later he has received numerous awards for his playing and writing.

Jeff has also received endorsements with Zemaitis guitars and Nicola brand strings. He has played with some of the greatest blues musicians in the business that include Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Ana Popovic, Joe Louis Walker, Jimmy Vaughan, Samantha Fish, Chris Duarte, Steven Stills, and, Robert Randolph.

For Jeff, the end of the road is nowhere near in sight as he continues to play and write music and tour.

Jim Donovan and The Sun King Warriors are best described as a blend of rhythm heavy roots rock, with a strong dose of big barreling drums. Think bluesy Zeppelin-esqe bombast, Santana style percussion with wild Avett Brothers energy.

At a Sun King show, you can expect to dance, sweat and have the time of your life.

The band’s music has garnered radio airplay throughout the US and Canada, and has appeared on Billboard’s Americana chart multiple times.

The band plays regionally at festivals and clubs throughout the mid-atlantic and have opened for 10,000 Maniacs, Donovan’s former band Rusted Root and many others.

Jim Donovan, the band’s founder and writer brings almost three decades of experience to the Sun King Warriors. As a member of the popular 90’s band Rusted Root, he helped shaped the group’s sound and toured with legendary including The Grateful Dead, members of Led Zeppelin, Carlos Santana and the Allman Brothers.

He also co-authored the band’s biggest hit, “Send Me on My Way,” which has been streamed over 100 million times on Spotify and used as the wakeup music for NASA’s Mars rover.

Press quotes:

“Jim Donovan and Sun King Warriors are one of the most eclectic and exciting bands to come out in some time…” -The Washington Times
“Sun King Warriors channel unabashed enthusiasm into a series of songs that are both rowdy and rejuvenating…” -Relix Magazine

FREE SHOW!

Chet Vincent and the Music Industry:

Bio –

Chet Vincent and the Music Industry is a rock n’ roll band from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For fans of George Harrison’s soul, Neil Young’s dirt, Gram Parsons’ country, and Tom Petty’s jangle.

https://chetvincent.bandcamp.com

Molly Alphabet:

Bio –

Molly Alphabet is a country singer-songwriter from the backwoods of Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh, PA. She and her band play original music inspired by the sounds of classic country, folk, and honky tonk. Her full-length album Broken Record was released on vinyl in December 2022 as part of the Get Hip Folk Series. Stay tuned for a new album in the next year – for fans of Dwight Yoakam, Dolly Parton, and John Prine.

http://www.mollyalphabet.com/

Billy Price first attracted national attention during his three-year association with guitarist Roy Buchanan. Price is the vocalist on two of Buchanan’s LPs, That’s What I’m Here For and Live Stock. Since then, with the Keystone Rhythm Band, the Billy Price Band, and solo projects, Billy Price has recorded and released a total of 20 albums, CDs, and DVDs.

Price’s album This Time for Real, with the late Chicago soul singer Otis Clay, received a 2016 Blues Music Award in the category of best soul blues album. He was nominated seven times for BMAs between 2019 and 2024 and won the 2024 Bluebird Reviews Lifetime Career Award in the U.K.

The Billy Price Band, based in Billy’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa., consists of Dave Dodd (drums), Tom Valentine (bass), Lenny Smith (guitar), Jim Britton (keyboards), Eric Spaulding (sax), and Joe Herndon (trumpet).

His latest recording is Person of Interest, on the Little Village label.

Gallatin Hall is a 3-piece acoustic act that blends rock, folk, and bluegrass to give a modern take on a classic Americana style. With rich harmonies, rotating instrumentations, and vivid songwriting, Gallatin Hall delivers an engaging performance that constantly offers new styles and sounds.

Music has guided Driftwood to hallowed ground many times since its founding members, Joe Kollar and Dan Forsyth, started making music as high schoolers in Joe’s parents’ basement. Whether the Upstate New York folk rock group—which today also includes violinist Claire Byrne, bassist Joey Arcuri, and drummer Sam Fishman—are converting new fans on a hardscrabble tour across the country or playing to a devoted crowd at hero Levon Helm’s Woodstock barn, the band’s shapeshifting approach to folk music continues to break new ground. And yet in many ways Driftwood’s latest work, the transformative December Last Call, finds the group coming home. 

Recorded in that very same basement where the Driftwood dream began, December Last Call lyrically reflects on the recent past, musing on the ways the group grew up, together and apart, through curveballs like new parenthood or pandemic shutdowns. But sonically, the band’s sixth album looks confidently to the future, experimenting with new sounds while staying true to the bluegrass roots that built them. Across the album’s nine tracks, the band often leans into hard-rocking electric guitars and driving percussion: On “Every Which Way But Loose,” we get a foot-tapping beat and a sweeping chorus, and on “Up All Night Blues,” the band shines with an ambling, sing-along-able reflection on the challenges of new motherhood. But other tracks, like standout closer “Stardust,” take a simpler route, allowing bare-bones vocals and acoustic instrumentals to underpin a deeper emotional message.

One of Driftwood’s biggest differentiators—and perhaps its biggest strength—is the sheer breadth of talent in its lineup, with Claire, Joe, and Dan all contributing as songwriters and vocalists. This creative push-pull, where each selects songs to share with the group and record together, bakes vulnerability and collaborative spirit into every recording. “It’s at the heart of what we do,” says Dan. “Everybody has a strong love for songs, for songwriting, and we each appreciate everybody else and the way that they contribute to that.” 

While 2019’s acclaimed Tree of Shade tapped Simon Felice as producer, the band opted to self-produce this latest effort, leaning into their creative impulses and striving to capture their distinctive live energy. Figuring out how to channel that on-stage intensity into a recording has actually, in many ways, been a lesson in restraint. “When I look back at the things we were writing and playing, oh, I don’t know, 10, 12 years ago, they were really arranged: a lot of you do this here, we’re going to do this there, we’re going to break down, we’re going to do a big build,” Claire explains. “These days, it’s more like, ‘Let’s play the song and just see what happens.’”

This approach makes all the more sense when you consider Driftwood’s live shows, which operate not only as effervescent, twang-studded musical parties, but also as reunions for their throng of devoted listeners—folks who have started to feel less like fans and more like something bigger. “They’re supporters. They’re friends,” explains Joe. “It’s crazy how much love we’ve got and how many wild situations on the road we’ve gotten out of because of those people.” Many of them are quite literally invested in the band’s future: December Last Call was a crowd-funded effort, and it wasn’t the band’s first. It’s as if every listener, ticketbuyer, album backer, and general band evangelist is in on Driftwood’s biggest secret: this whole band thing has endured for nearly two decades because it offers a kind of community you can’t get just anywhere.

“Driftwood is basically a beautiful friendship that happens to play music together,” says Joe. “I know it’s rare. I know I’m lucky to know these people and lean on them and go through these massive life changes together.” For Driftwood, each song is like a journal entry: cathartic to create, yes, but capable of unlocking new lessons—and when shared—forging new bonds. “We’re communal, right? Humans need to be connected,” Joe says. “And we get to have this special thing.”

“Joe Kaplow and his group follow in the footsteps of Wilco, Dr Dog and Kurt Vile, in that Kaplow’s poignant writing is elevated to a powerful, swirling sonic forest of interesting choices.”