The Bearcat Stringband – hailing from Oakland, California – play old time music that drives hard. Influenced largely by southern style old time square dance music, they know how to hold the groove and throw a party.
Equally comfortable when playing raging dance tunes, quirky rags, or “old time does country” honky tonk numbers, the Bearcat Stringband is excited to represent the vibrant and thriving California old time music scene at the 50th Father’s Day Festival.
The Bearcat Stringband features Bay Area traditional music compatriots Robin Fischer on fiddle (also doubles as square dance caller – but not at the same time as when she is fiddling!); Rowan McCallister on banjo and mandolin (you might recognize him from bluegrass bands the Town Howlers, and Hey Lonesome, besides being a sought-after sideman); Katy Hill Harris on guitar (the Barn Owls, KC and the MoOnshine Band); and Allegra Thompson on bass (Thompsonia, Skillet Licorice). Everybody sings.
The Bearcat Stringband has appeared at the Berkeley Old Time Music Convention, the Los Angeles Old Time Social, and has held down a monthly residency at Cato’s Alehouse in Oakland for over ten years. The last time the Bearcat Stringband played the Father’s Day festival it was 2015!