The Bay Area may be known, musically speaking, as the birthplace of psychedelic rock, but its long and vibrant bluegrass scene shares roots with psychedelic rock. Many major players (like the Grateful Dead, New Riders of the Purple Sage and Moby Grape) during the formative years of psychedelia and jam-rock in 1960s and ’70s had bluegrass in their foundation.
This weekend, some Bay Area 21st-century bluegrass standard-bearers as well as talented musicians from out of town play The Freight music hall at the Berkeley Bluegrass Festival. The event offers workshops, demonstrations and an impressive lineup of performers. Saturday features the sensational fiddler Jason Carter, best known for his work with the Del McCoury Band and the Travelin’ McCourys; Chris Jones and the Night Drivers; Berkeley icon Laurie Lewis and her band The Right Hands; and the East Bay-based Critical Grass.
On Sunday, the lineup includes Tatiana Hargreaves, a rising star in the bluegrass fiddling scene, with her band and special guest Michael Daves; the honky-tonk duo Caleb Lauder and Reeb Wllms with their band the Cali Cutups; and Pleasanton native and all-world strings player Tony Furtado.
Shows are 7 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; tickets are $64-$69, $115 for a two-day pass. Go to thefreight.org.
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