Bluegrass music has long been a family affair. This includes sibling duos or trios, husbands and wives, and entire pea-pickin’ families. There are lots of various permutations with uncles, aunts, cousins, in-laws, and outlaws, whatever. Some bands come out of a tradition passed on from previous generations. Others discover that playing bluegrass music is a way to bring the family closer together.
Well, we’ve got a family value for you. A free night of bluegrass and Americana music at the friendliest little coffeehouse this side of Stanyan Street.
Free Range Fridays
Presented by Jeanie & Chuck
March 21st
At the Velo Rouge Café
798 Arguello Blvd. @ McAllister
7 to 9:30 pm
Free/All ages welcome
Go to this page and Like us, whether you like it or not.
https://www.facebook.com/FreeRangeFridays
with The Dim Lights
Jeanie & Chuck
Plus special guests
The Powell Sisters (from Colorado)
https://www.facebook.com/TheDimLights
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Phoebe-and-Harper-The-Powell-Sisters/275535375884083
Jeanie and Chuck (that’s us) have been making music together for over 30 years and show no sign of giving it up anytime soon. We specialize in sad, bitter, lonely songs that in no way reflect the state of our marriage. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it.
We’ll be aided and abetted by good ole reliable, rockin’ Pat Campbell on bass, along with Nate Levine, our friend and neighbor who’ll be pickin’ a couple numbers on his guitar.
Playing the tweener set are teen sisters Phoebe and Harper Powell from Colorado. The Powell Sisters come with an enthusiastic recommendation from our friend Heidi Clare (Reeltime Travelers, The Wronglers), which was all we needed to hear. But we went ahead and checked out some YouTubes of the sisters and we were really impressed. It’s a fortuitous turn of events that their visit to San Francisco aligns with the Free Range Fridays cosmos.
The Dim Lights are a fine example of a family band that doesn’t hail from any particular hill or holler (they’re from Pacifica, not Paducah) but has enthusiastically embraced playing bluegrass music together as an exercise in togetherness. Vicki and Avram Frankel, along with daughter Dana are joined by master banjo ninja Larry Cohea. We’ve known the Frankels for years and have jammed with them on many occasions, here in the Bay Area and at various festivals around California. They have a regular gig at the Moose Lodge in Pacifica – we’ve been, and the experience is a big meaty slice of Americana covered in a hearty bluegrass sauce. Mmmm. Mmmm.
You know, we like to play lots of different types of music, but we’ve just been on a bluegrass jag lately. Maybe it’s because this balmy spring weather has got us thinking about outdoor festivals and parking lot pickin’. Well, it’s a little early in the year for camping out, but we’re going to do what we can to spread the good news to our fellow citizens. With some events designed to get out some crowds promote the California Bluegrass Association.
The Bluegrass Spring Jubilee
Sponsored by Chuck Poling, your CBA representative for San Francisco
Sunday, April 6
Bluegrass Jam and Show
with One Lane Ahead
at The Lucky Horseshoe
453 Cortland Avenue
Jam 4 pm – Show 8 pm
FREE
Saturday, April 26
Jubilee Concert & Jam Session
Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick sing the Music of Vern and Ray
Windy Hill
at St. Cyprian’s Church
2097 Turk Street
Jam Session 5 to 7:30 FREE
Concert 8 to 11 pm/$15 Adv/$18 Door
For tickets, go to: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/599067
FREE PARKING at Turk and Masonic
Saturday, May 10
Bluegrass Pickin’ Picnic
in Golden Gate Park/Dahlia Picnic Area
Just east of the Conservatory of Flowers
Noon to 5 pm
FREE
http://sfrecpark.org/destination/golden-gate-park/dahlia-dell-picnic-area/
