Bass Mtn fest

[AlanN]

Terrific jamming, music, food, fellowship. Here's Band Of Ruhks (Ronnie Bowman, Don Rigsby, Kenny Smith) and the lovely and talented Mike Aldridge on my Gilchrist.

Today is Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Russell Moore & III Tyme Out, others

[outsidenote]

Looks like a lot of fun. I think it's called Little John's festival now. Can't believe I never made it to that one when I lived in NC.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Don't do that again Alan !. I know you were there & i know what your Gil. looks like - i thought you'd ''aged'' a bit & grown a moustache . I'm fine now,my pulse rate's going down.
It sounds seriously good & looks like folk have time to spend doing a bit of jamming.That was always my reason for going to any festival. Us ''pickers sans band'' grab every opportunity to play with others,that's what it's all about,
Ivan

[Willie Poole]

I`m so confused....couldn`t make heads or tails out of what was said by Alan....Carolina humor I guess....

[AlanN]

Unsure what the issue is here, Willie. My post was pretty simple. You ain't a banjer picker, is you?

[Russ Jordan]

How was Band of Rhuks?

[AlanN]

I caught 1/2 of their set. These guys are pros, have been doing it forever, know how to play in a band. Well-presented material - originals, some standards, they did Cold Va. Night. Banjo picker was 23, new to the band, I think. Always good to see KS play.

One thing: and heard it from a few, is their dress (and on other bands, too). In a word, grubby. It's not too much to think clean, pressed shirt, slacks, no dirty sneakers. Maybe their wives, SOs ain't paying attention. The crowd is.

[outsidenote]

They didn't look too grubby on the picture - quite typical really. Sign of the times though, the suits are really the exception now. It's easier to pick out the ones that play with suits like Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver than the ones that don't. It doesn't bother me as long as can't smell them or it looks like they slept in their car. I have to say that I don't dress up to go to a festival - blue jeans, T shirt, hat, glasses and work boots are my staple. It often gets muddy.

[AlanN]

We've had this discussion before. I'm no stickler for dress, but a little spiffiness on stage is good. You're a pro that people have paid money to see. I don't need suits, but some nice threads is better than garb that you or I would wear as festival go-ers. The Lost & Found, Bibey's Grasstowne, many other bands dress up a bit. I think it shows class. ymmv.

Agree it's come to be this way. Monroe and his era would never take the stage looking like many of the bands do these days.

[Willie Poole]

I do agree with Alan, looking decent is a must as far as I am concerned...My band don`t wear suits but we all wear the same color shirts and pants, to me it makes me think the band has got their stuff together and they care about putting on a good show....It also shows pride in what they are doing...

Willie

[Ivan Kelsall]

From AlanN - "Monroe and his era would never take the stage looking like many of the bands do these days.". Knowing what we do about Bill Monroe,it's doubtful if he'd have stepped onto the same stage. I agree with Alan,if you're out in front of folks that have paid to watch you play,have the courtesy to look as though you've put some effort into looking decently dressed. There really isn't any excuse for not doing so (IMHO). It does detract from how a band is perceived & also,how they'll be 'remembered',
Ivan

[Willie Poole]

I also want to add that when I hear a new band play on a CD and then go see them at a show and they are not dressed decently I really get turned off about them, maybe I should just listen and not watch....

Willie

[outsidenote]

I respect your viewpoints and don't disagree at all. It is all relative though. Some of the bands I listened to as a kid would take their shirts off on stage and cavort around madly. I was never into that visual at all and I too was often put off when I saw some of these guys (on video) for the first time. The Jazz guys I like to see would play in dark suits and white shirts and the drummers would often wear shades for some reason - even at night. The Earls of Leicester looked good at Merlefest. It's true that standards more often go down than up.

[Ivan Kelsall]

It's one thing to look 'relaxed & casual' & another thing to look scruffy. 2 of my favourite non-trad. bands, ''The Infamous Stringdusters'' & ''Greensky Bluegrass'' wear jeans & casual shirts,but no way do they look anything other than 'clean' in the same way that 'Newgrass Revival' did years back. I still like to see bands in 'similar' clothing,they just look more like a band,but my old liking for ''bands in suits'' is maybe now for bands of more 'mature' persons should we say. If either of the 2 bands i mentioned above,appeared on stage in 'suits' i think they'd cease to have 'their own' stage presence. Let's face it,it was Bill Monroe's idea to have his band dress in suits,but when he started off,the band was casually dressed as were many members / bands appearing on the Opry at that time. Most of the musicians were from a very rural background & dressed accordingly. For any of them to wear a suit would maybe be getting ''a bit above their raisin' ''. If you look at the early pics.of Bill Monroe with Lester & Earl in the band,many of them show the band with open neck shirts. I think Bill Monroe was the only one wearing a tie - the music was pretty darned good though !!!,
Ivan

[Beanzy]

Definitely picking opportunities make a festival and finding people eager to play with new faces as well as old pals is what makes Bluegrass and OldTime weekends better than run of the mill festivals where you just get served the music.

For me I'm not too fussed if the band choose a look that is completely removed from the suit theme, but I like it to look like they've thought about what look they're going for and agreed it beforehand. It could be full leathers, Florida shirts and slacks (spare us the knees) or kaftans and looms, but at least make it look like someone has decided. Otherwise it's the visual equivalent of everyone playing a different setlist for the night.,

[Rex Hart]

I would much rather see a band the looks bad but sounds good as opposed to the opposite. As much as we may or may not like it, styles change. The new style is wearing a shirt with tails out and a sport coat over the top. Tight fitting clothing turns me off

[Drew Egerton]

Agree with you Alan in most cases. I think it does depend on the venue a bit, but still. Steep Canyon for instance will wear very sharp suits in some venues and then be much more casual in others.
I personally enjoy wearing a suit and if anybody else in my band did at all I'd love to wear them. I guess playing at Randy's BBQ in a suit would look a little bit out of place.