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West Coast wonder brings bluegrass fest to Brackendale

What: Brackendale Bluegrass Festival Where: Brackendale Art Gallery When: Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4 Hot dang, there’s a bumper bluegrass weekend coming up in Brackendale. Yee-har, let’s load up the wagon.

What: Brackendale Bluegrass Festival

Where: Brackendale Art Gallery

When: Saturday and Sunday, May 3-4

Hot dang, there’s a bumper bluegrass weekend coming up in Brackendale. Yee-har, let’s load up the wagon. Coo-wee it’s a jamboree and workshop, chock-a-block with some of the west coast’s Bluegrass greats.

You’ll hear blues sure, but also elements of jazz, folk, rock, and gospel throughout the weekend. Dance, sing and pick up tips well into the night, in a mystical place back dropped by the star speckled sky. Whether you’re a music-maker or just a music-lover, expect the unique vibe that comes with acoustic open style festivals – passion from the players, inspiration from the atmosphere and enthusiasm from the crowd.

Stay close by in the Dryden Campground or get a reduced rate at the Rainforest Hostel in Squamish because the lineup has two days of tunesmiths you won’t want to miss.

On Saturday will be Shannon Saunders and the Splinters plus the Mountain Bluebirds and a banjo class by Don Dirksen. Sunday will be Five On a String and the Tragically Hick, plus a guitar class with Five On A String’s Gary Stevenson, who is the undefeated western Canada flat picking champion.

The inaugural bluegrass bash is the brainchild of Whistler music man, Cam Salay, who plays in the Splinters, the Bowen Boys and the Paper Boys. The bass and banjo legend had been mulling over the idea with Brackendale Art Gallery owner Thor Froslev, for years.

"There’s so much talent and interest in bluegrass in the corridor but there’s not really a venue for it," Salay said.

He credits festivals as being the inspiration behind his own bluegrass craft.

"You get exposed to styles that you normally can’t see too often and certainly won’t hear on radio so it’s a whole new world of music that you didn’t know existed," he said. "The bands are really user-friendly because they have time and space to play, making them really eager to share their craft with you. Through workshops and jam sessions, you can learn so much and make many contacts. I just love folk festivals for that."

Both evenings of the Brackendale Bluegrass Festival start at 6 p.m. with an open stage for all those keen to perform. The headline acts will come on at 8 p.m. Banjo and guitar classes each day will start at 3 p.m. and cost $20. To pre-register, call 604-898-2338 as space is limited.

Ticket prices for the Bracky Bluegrass Fest are $15 for one day or $25 for a two-day pass. To purchase tickets call 604-898-3333.

The Rainforest Hostel in downtown Squamish is a big supporter of bluegrass and they’ll be giving festival-goers rooms for $30 a night. Call 604-815-4125 for reservations. Otherwise, the Dryden Creek Campground is very close by to the gallery on Depot Road off Highway 99. The Brackendale Art Gallery is at 41950 Government Road.

Here’s a bit more on the bands and Bluegrass:

What Is Bluegrass?

Originating in the south-eastern USA, it is white blues music. It is tragic music that sounds ridiculously happy. Thanks to the popularity of the Grammy-winning O’ Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, bluegrass has never been so popular. In addition to the classic style born in the 1940s by the likes of Bill Monroe and his band, bluegrass is now influenced by a variety of sources including jazz, contemporary country, Celtic music, rock & roll (also known as newgrass or progressive bluegrass), old-time music and Southern gospel music.

Shannon Saunders and The Splinters

At the heart of this acoustic group is the song-writing talents of the fiddler and multi-instrumentalist Shannon Saunders and the rare musical kinship she shares with sister Julie on rhythm guitar and banjo player Cam Salay. Pushing the boundaries of traditional music, including bluegrass, Celtic and gospel, Shannon Saunders and The Splinters is a band on the rise in the alt-country scene, redefining the boundaries of acoustic music and introducing it to a whole new generation of listeners.

Five On A String

One of Vancouver’s longest lasting bands, these guys are a traditional bluegrass outfit with members coming from all over North America. Mandolins, banjos, fiddles, plenty of vocal ranges mixed in with witty life philosophies make Five On A String one of the premier acts in North America. They take much of their repertoire from Bill Monroe, the Stanley Brothers and Flatt and Scruggs. The musical pace is varied with originals from most of the band members, as well as a wide variety of sources from Fats Domino to Merle Haggard.

Tragically Hick

From Whistler and Pemberton, these guys are also known as Oongakka Chang, a country blues dance band. In the Hick format, they are a stripped-down acoustic and bluegrass band playing homage to the old and new bluegrass greats through their covers and originals. You can also expect swing music, sweet country songs and popular songs from the Grateful Dead and Lyle Lovett.

Mountain Bluebirds

Four girls singing beautiful harmonies in their unique modern style. They are very excited to be a part of the show and can’t wait to show bluegrass fans old and new what this music is all about.