Smouse
As the temperatures continue to go down and the holidays are fast approaching, the 9th annual Blue Ox Music Festival has dropped their initial lineup for June 22nd-24th. The Eau Claire bluegrass festival promises warmer temps and another sizzling lineup from perennial favorites and new discoveries. If you’re still searching for gift ideas, this could be the perfect stocking stuffer as tickets are already on sale here.
No Blue Ox lineup would be complete without two nights of co-founders Pert Near Sandstone performing to their family of fans. Next year will see The Avett Brothers take the coveted top spotlight, with staple Sam Bush Band and Mike Gordon (founding member of Phish) rounding out the heavy hitters. We also see the delayed return of Charley Crockett, who had to pull out of the 2021 lineup last minute.
Blue Ox comes with the heavy traditional foundation of being a bluegrass festival, and beloved artists like Charlie Parr, Kitchen Dwellers, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Henhouse Prowlers, and Them Coulee Boys are familiar comforts in that genre.
But the joy in Blue Ox is the expansion of the genre and seeing new faces mixed in. Last year we witnessed the power of two young rising stars Daniel Donato play two exceptional sets and Sierra Hull support Bela Fleck. They both return for a pleasant case of Deja Vu and another chapter in their growing careers.
New names that spark interest include guitar virtuoso Yasmin Williams, honky-tonk cowboy Joshua Ray Walker, and female empowering trio Rainbow Girls; described as “a gang of sweet angels punching you in the heart.” Other unique additions include folk poet Jason Dea West (member of Intuitive Compass) and the Minnesota-based Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, a clog troupe of 13 energetic dancers.
If you’re looking for genre pushing bluegrass options, then Pixie & The Partygrass Boys, Sicard Hollow, and Big Richard provide that umph in breaking the walls of tradition. Finally, if you’re looking for local Minnesota artists to enjoy, look no further than Barbaro, The Last Revel, and The Foxgloves. Each stand on their own with spirited past performances at Blue Ox.
The festival is limited to 5000 tickets to preserve the intimacy and magic that comes with The Pines Music Park in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Find all the information for the festival by clicking the link RIGHT HERE.
Comments
0 comments