Dom Flemons of the Carolina Chocolate Drops--but not at Bristol. Photo by Jonas Hart via a Creative Commons license.
I was hoping but in no way expecting that Paul Koptak, the winner of our Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion ticket giveaway, would check in after the weekend was over. So I was tickled, pleased, and just genuinely happy when Paul’s wife, Linda, sent a full-on post-festival wrap-up my way. Sounds like it was a perfectly Flyover-esque festival weekend. I’m definitely going to check out the bands the Chicago-based Koptaks recommended. Without more hulabaloo from me, Linda Koptak’s Rhthm & Roots wrap-up…
“Normally, our weekend plans do not include driving 1,200 miles for a getaway, but since we won tickets to the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion from Flyover America [and VisitSouth Nashville], we embraced the adventure. After driving all day and making a brief stop to take pictures at the Carter Family Fold in Hiltons, Virginia, we arrived at our hotel, jumped on the BRRR shuttle bus, and made it in time to enjoy Missy Raines and The New Hip. Is The New Hip a reference to musical sophistication? No! It really is the new hip that Missy received at the same time she was developing her new group. Inspiration can come from anything!
Attending BRRR required hard work because there was a 48-page festival guide to sort through. With 22 stages and more than 150 performers, we had to make choices as to which groups we wouldn’t get to see. We enjoyed hearing our old favorites like The Del McCoury Band, James Hand, and Blue Highway. Then there were the new discoveries like The Carolina Chocolate Drops, Sarah Jarosz, The Gibson Brothers, Darrell Scott, The Boxcars, Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, Father Richard & the Holy Mountain Bluegrass Band, The Snyder Family Band, Red Molly, and plenty of others.
Strolling down State Street was fun! Lots of good (but hardly healthy) food to choose from (love that yummy BBQ). Fascinating that the north side of State Street is in Virginia but that anything south of the center line is in Tennessee. We were tired when we arrived home on Monday at 3:30 am, but were very happy we made the effort to go.”
Red Molly performing Sweet Carolina at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2010
We love it when folks have a good time and glad you won the tickets and made the 1200 mile trek. The date for 2011 are September 16-18. Hope to see you then.
Thanks for stopping in, Leah. And, next year, I’m not going to miss it either. (See you there Koptaks?) Life getting in the way be damned!
Jenna
That sounds like a great time–and a lot of bands I want to see. On the list it goes–Bristol or Bust. (I actually have friends from Bristol…)