I'm a big fan of Lyons. I like the vibe there and the area is simply beautiful. The Planet Bluegrass HQ did not disappoint. The venue is intimate and the acoustics are amazing thanks to Mother Nature. One edge of the grounds is a beautiful crescent of red rock while the other is bordered by a thick area of trees and the St. Vrain River. The stage is unimposing allowing the audience to focus on the music and the artists, and its smaller size limits the crowd so you really feel like you're part of a special experience. Folks Fest also has a heavy dose of new artists, likely the future lineup of larger festivals.
Maine was well represented on Saturday thanks to Catie Curtis and Ray LaMontagne, and Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch were a highlight as well.
Our personal favorite performance of the day was Arthur Lee Land. The guy is a whiz and is made even better thanks to songwriting help from his wife Carol Lee. His sound is Afrograss, and he pieces together songs on stage overlaying loops of percussion, bass and guitar.
I had been looking forward to seeing Judy Collins as she had a lot of play time in our house growing up. She reminds me of Saturday nights in front of the fireplace, my dad playing his guitar and my brother and me singing along. Dad, have you been practicing? I think she was excited to be playing back on her home turf as there were equal parts reminiscing and singing. I would have recognized that hair anywhere.
The rain was intermittent throughout the afternoon, but started to come down fairly heavily as Ray LaMontagne was closing out the day. Walking back to the parking lot, we could hear his voice cutting through the rain. A perfect ending to a perfect day.
1 comment:
Thanks for the wonderful photos and update of your weekend. Judy is always worth it. M :)
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