July 18th from 8-10pm
The DC Bluegrass Union is partnering with the District Fringe festival to put on a Bluegrass Jam at the UDC Amphitheater, on July 18th from 8-10pm. This is a free and family friendly event, open to listeners of all ages. Fiddler Mari Carlson and I will lead the jam and we are inviting bluegrass players of all instruments and skill levels to join us on stage, crowd around the mic and put on a show.
If you’ve been to the DCBU jam at the O st Mansion in Dupont Circle, or the jam that Mari and I run in Takoma Park then you’ll be familiar with the big song circle jam format. This jam will be a little different in that we will be on stage playing and singing into a hot mic. Bring a strap because we’ll be standing and everyone has to be mobile so they can get up to the mic to take a solo and get out of the way when it’s someone else’s turn. I love jams like this because anything can happen. All of the spontaneity of the jam session with musicians communicating, and responding to each other in real time makes for a dynamic show, and having an audience that responds to the music amplifies the excitement for the players.
The venue is a beautiful Amphitheater nestled in a little wooded area on the campus of UDC, just a short walk from the Van Ness metro station in North West DC. You can find directions to the Amphitheater from Connecticut ave Here. It is pretty cool playing on a stage like this because the Amphitheater is designed to direct the sound towards the audience.
District Fringe was created by artists for artists to promote and propel the strong independent theater tradition in the D.C. area. Like fringe festivals in cities around the world, they celebrate the weird and wonderful in the realm of performing arts. I’m proud to take part in this festival and share some of the weird and wonderful music that we love so dearly. From the subject matter of the songs, to the improvisational and spontaneous nature of of a live mic jam session, to the mere fact that bluegrass is a tradition that continues to invite fans to participate in music rather than just consume it, I think we qualify.
Let us know if you plan to join!
And consider becoming a member of the DC Bluegrass Union to help support events like this and promote a thriving Bluegrass scene in the DMV for generations to come. Go to www.DCBU.org to learn more.
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Justin Heath 