Great High Mountain Tour

[Clamdigger]

A nearby University is advertising a "Country" concert they call Great High Mountain Tour for June 1st. #Allison Krauss, Ralph Stanley, Norman Blake and many others. #Anyone had a chance to see this concert? #Thanks # Clamdigger

[Cogger]

No, but I am buying my tickets tomorrow when they go on sale!

[VaFrank]

Clamdigger,

I saw them during the Down From The Mountain tour and it was one of the best concerts that I've attended. Be sure to be close enough to hear Norman Blake. His guitar didn't project as loudly as I would have prefered. He is probably one of the unsung accomplished guitarists around.

[wildrose]

How does one get in on the internet presale? It starts Monday, and general sales start a week later. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[garryh]

Saw the show Friday night in Cincinnati. Had 4th row seats....Wow!! It lasted 3 hours, 10 minutes with a 15 minute intermission. Well worth going to if you get a chance.

[Billy Mack]

Wildrose, if a local radio station isn't doing a promotion, you should be able to just buy the tickets online. I have bought several tickets, including Down from the Mountain, by going to Ticketmaster.com the morning of the presale. No special login needed. I would check the local area for promos just to be sure.

[John Flynn]

garryh:

I am going this coming Wednesday night in St. Louis. In St. Louis, they have all these acts on the bill:
Alison Krauss & Union Station, featuring Jerry Douglas
Ralph Stanley
The Whites
The Cox Family
Norman & Nancy Blake
Nashville Bluegrass Band
Tim Eriksen
Riley Baugus
Dirk Powell
Reeltime Travelers
Ollabelle
Sacred Harp Singers

I have a couple of questions: Did your show have that many acts? How did they get through all that in 3 hours?

[garryh]

John,

Yep...all the same people were in Cincy too. Each group played 3 or 4 songs plus, mixed in, select performers from each group took turns and did a bunch of other songs.

[dudlebug23]

My wife and I are going to see the show on June 2 at Wolftrap in VA! I got free tickets from the students I taught last year. Talk about a great gift for a teacher! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Lynn Dudenbostel]

I saw the opening night show in Knoxville last Wednesday night. It was tremendous! Check out the web site for tickets http://www.thegreathighmountaintour.com Mike Compton played with Nashville Bluegrass Band and several other groups, including the Cox Family. Great mando playing all over the place. Besides Mike, Buck White really played some great, tasteful mando. Nancy Blake did a fine job with her old white face Gibson A, and the Reeltime Travelers also had some good mando playing. Compton played his Gilchrist F-5 with everyone except Ralph Stanley. Ralph's band consisted of Mike (with a new Gilchrist F-4), Stuart Duncan, Norman Blake, and Dennis Crouch. In addition, at least for the Knoxville show, Sierra and Cody Hull performed. Not sure if they are on the road tour or not, but this was my first time to see her in person. She is incredible! Took my 15 year old daughter to the show as she's a big AKUS fan. On the way home she started asking for a copy of the Cold Mountain soundtrack!

Like someone else said, everyone pretty much comes out and does 3 to 5 songs, then after intermission, you don't know who's coming out with who. It's like a big jam. Alison comes out with Suzanne Cox and Cheryl White, then Alison and Tyminski, then... well, you get the idea. If you like mandolin, or even just good music in general, this is a "must see".

Lynn

[babymedic]

I was at the Chicago concert last night, and wow! I enjoyed it more than the down from the mountain tour--a lot more mandolin, and a lot more AKUS. Sierra Hull was amazing--I just started playing in January, so I spent most of the time staring gaped-mouth at Mike Compton, Reeltime Travelers, and the rest. Ralph Stanley wasn't there, which was dissapointing, but it was completely enjoyable.

[AKUS fan]

Exactly one month from today and I'll see the Great High Mountain tour from the front row in Branson! I hope they let me in with my mandolin, because Sierra's going to sign it at the show! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif I can't wait to see my favorite musician: Alison Krauss!

[garyblanchard]

Just my luck it isn't coming close enough for me to make it. Oh well. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[WV Mike]

Great to hear good reviews of the show. I enjoyed the Down from the Mountain tour. I plan to catch this show in Roanoke.

I tell you the band that I'm really excited to see.. the Reeltime Travelers. The play old-time style and they are awesome!

What did some of you that have attended the show think about their performance?

Mike

[John Flynn]

I just got back home from the Great High Mountain Concert. I am soooo pumped! I can't remember ever enjoying a concert more than this one. My recommendation is: Get to this concert, somewhere, sometime!

High points for me:

> The four-way "quartet" mandolin solo with Nancy Blake, Mike Compton, Sierra Hull and Dan Tyminski on the tune "Angel Band" sung by Ralph Stanley. Now you don't see that every day!

> Reeltime Travelers. It was a coincidence I had just gotten thier CD a few weeks ago on a recommendation on the message board here. I didn't even put two and two together and realize they were on the bill. They are incredible. I have discovered a new favorite group!

> Ralph Stanley: I have to confess I had not been that familiar with his work. That guy is incredible!!!

> Got to meet with Mike Compton after the show. Curtis Buckhannon, my instructor, and he are friends and he arranged it. He talked about his new Gilchrist F4. BTW, he was doing some chopping and bluegrass leads with it in the show. He played the F4 more than the F5 and it sounded great. So much for the myth that ovals can't do bluegrass. I also discovered in the show that Mike is a really fine bluegrass singer! I had no idea.

> Everything: There was not a bad act or a bad tune in the show and the whole production was planned and executed incredibly well. It did not drag for even a minute.

[frets1]

We are going to see the show next week in Huntsville, Alabama. Got seats center stage, 4 rows back. I can't wait!! (But, I guess I'll have to)

Lifes short - PICK HARD!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[dixiecreek]

My friend has front row tickets.

I'm not jealous. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[wannabethile]

i think you are!!!http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[dixiecreek]

you know me too well. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[mbtk]

I'm going in a few weeks in Austin...can't even express how excited I am!!! Especially after reading your posts!

[Chris "Bucket" Thomas]

I saw the show in NYC last night.

Ralph Stanley.......no words can do his powerful justice. He also played claw hammer banjo....

After the encore Alison K whispered to him. #He asked everyone to stand and hold hands and he led the audience thru Amazing Grace.....you could heaar a pin drop.

It was worth every penny from "row D"(down front).

Also, all of the performers came out for the encore: #Dan T., Sierra Hull and two others (I can't remember thier names) all had a great mando solo together.

Chris

[levin4now]

i'm embarassed to admit this but I was in Raleigh (a 2+hr drive from my home) when I found out that this concert would BE in Raleigh that evening. However, we'd been there since early (my wife and two young children) and didn't stay. Sounds like I missed something!