Long Beach concert promises an Appalachian flavor
Published 9:44 pm Tuesday, February 3, 2026
LONG BEACH — Dale Adkins expects toes to tap when he performs his Appalachian-style music.
He also hopes people will get up and dance.
Adkins leads the Old Time Machine to the Peninsula Arts Center at 504 Pacific Ave. N., in Long Beach 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7.
The group features Appalachian music with vocal harmonies, plus swing, honkytonk and bluegrass.
“As with any group I play with, we focus on excellent vocals and tight two- and three-part harmonies,” he said. “So to sum up what folks will hear, I would describe it as foot-stomping, danceable, acoustic string-band music with top-notch energetic vocals and harmonies.”
And dancing is welcome.
“We love and encourage anyone who feels the urge to get up and dance to our music,” added Adkins. “In rural communities in the mountains of Appalachia today, it is still very common for people to dance at music concerts. Here in the Pacific Northwest, dancing at concerts isn’t very common — although we encourage it — but we do play for contra and square dances in local communities.”
Adkins has played the Long Beach venue five times, all with different groups. He writes songs and plays banjo, guitar and sings with his partner Suzanne Adkins on string bass and also vocals.
The Old Time Machine, based in central Oregon, formed about a year ago.
The group showcases fiddle player Darin Gentry. “He is from Western North Carolina and has Appalachian string band music in his DNA,” Dale Adkins said. “We knew the first time we met him that we wanted to play music together. We also knew right away that we wanted to include Joe Ellingson (guitar, mandolin, vocals) in the group.
“Joe is a young guy with an old soul musically and his vibe fits right in. He is a gifted player and singer and he brings so much to the group.”
Their set list reflects history and research.
“With the Old Time Machine, we will be playing a mix of Old-Time string band music, bluegrass, with a little bit of country and swing,” Adkins said. “This will be a high-energy show with a lot of variety, so there should be something for everyone.
“We like to think of our show as a reflection of the direct evolution of traditional American roots music, and we do like to focus on some of the history of the music we play. Old-time music evolved in the Appalachian Mountains by the descendants of English, Irish and Scots-Irish who emigrated to the U.S.”
Some songs from Europe are drawn from past centuries, traveling the Atlantic and spreading through the American South, including isolated communities.
“Old-time music eventually morphed into Bluegrass by Bill Monroe and his peers. Country music can also trace its roots to the Carter Family and other Old-Time musicians who recorded records in the 1930s.”
Adkins is full of his praise for his hosts, the Svendsens.
“Peninsula Arts Center is easily one of my favorite places to play for a live audience. Bill and Sue take such great care of musicians and the audience is always fantastic.”
Admission is $25, online at www.peninsulaartscenter.org/concerts.