Category: Events

Great Thursday Bluegrass Shows Coming Up At The Summit House Atop Highway 17 In The Santa Cruz Mountains

The Goat Hill Girls

Great live bluegrass music is coming up over the next few weeks at the Summit House Thursday Bluegrass Series.

The series is presented by the Summit House Beer Garden & Grill and welcomed by the Northern California Bluegrass Society.

The Wildcat Mountain Ramblers

The Goat Hill Girls will perform on February 2, the Wildcat Mountain Ramblers on February 9, and Blue Summit on February 16.

The FREE shows run from 6:00-8:30pm at the Summit House Beer Garden & Grill, 23123 Santa Cruz Highway, located six miles south of Los Gatos on Highway 17.

The views are endless and the food and drink are good.

Robert Cornelius organizes these ongoing concerts.

Blue Summit

The 2017 Stanley Sing Set For March 18 At La Promenade Cafe In San Francisco

The La Promenade Cafe
The Stanley Sing

The 2017 Stanley Sing will be welcomed by the Northern California Bluegrass Society. It has a new home at La Promenade Cafe, 3643 Balboa Street, San Francisco.

Bluegrass musicians will gather to take turns singing Ralph & Carter Stanley-related  songs to celebrate the memory of The Stanley Brothers band and and its progeny.

More information will be announced soon.

Dr. Ralph Stanley in his "Oh, Death" song days.

Peter Rowan Added To Spring 2017 Brookdale Bluegrass Festival Line-up March 10-12

Thanks to everyone who came out for tonight’s NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival, especially folks who came all the way from Arizona and San Diego! Great films and excellent talks by the filmmakers. The 10th annual Bluegrass On Broadway Festival is now in the books. See you next year!

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Peter Rowan has been added to the line-up for the March 10-12, 2017 Brookdale Bluegrass Spring Festival.

An extra day has been added to the event, which will be held for the first time at the Mt. Cross Camp in Felton. The Northern California Bluegrass Society has welcomed this gathering to our area since the first festival was held in 1998.

Other bands at the event will include Snap Jackson & The Knock On Wood Players, Faux Renwah, Coffee Zombie Collective, Stoney Mountain Ramblers, Toby Gray & Hiway Budda, and the Brookdale Bluegrass Band.

A wide variety of accomodations is available onsite at reasonable prices. There will be plenty of jamming all around the place all weekend.

10th Annual NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival Set For Monday Evening, January 30 In Redwood City

The Northern California Bluegrass Society will present the 10th Annual NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival on Monday, January 30 at the Redwood City Main Library from 6:30-8:30pm.

The FREE event will screen three films by California filmmakers.

Filmmaker Herb Moore

San Diego filmmaker Rick Bowman of Backyard Green Films will premiere his newest project about the history of San Diego bluegrass music, “Banjos, Bluegrass & Squirrel Barkers” to open our show.  He will Q&A with our audience. The festival previously screened Bowman’s “Herschel Sizemore: Mandolin in B” to an appreciative audience.

“How To Make A Guitar In Two Minutes” — a short that is, in fact, two minutes long — will be our second offering. Herb Moore will come up from Los Gatos to talk to our audience about his film.

Ella & Henry Warde

Finally, we will screen Aptos-based Curtis Leslie’s “The Whippoorwill’s Cry,” a portrait of the master of Swampgrass music, Larry Gillis. South Georgia’s Gillis tours nationally with two bands. His West Coast unit includes local bluegrass luminaries Henry & Ella Warde and Curtis & Meghan Leslie and appears frequently at area festivals.

Filmmaker Curtis Leslie with Meghan Leslie

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NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival

6:30-8:30pm — Community Room, Redwood City Main Library, 1044 Middlefield Road, Redwood City.

Banjos Bluegrass & Squirrel Barkers (Rick Bowman, Backyard Green Films, CA)

How To Make A Guitar In Two Minutes (Herb Moore, CA)

The Whippoorwill’s Cry (Curtis Leslie, CA)

The film festival will conclude the 2017 Bluegrass On Broadway Festival, presented by NCBS and supported in part by a grant from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission. The weekend-long event is held at the end of January each year.

National Press Coverage — Bluegrass Today

Spanish Language Video Coverage of Bluegrass On Broadway

Larry Gillis

Surprise Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Michael Hall Says Thank You!

Saturday evening offered an opportunity for everyone to relax after an all-day bluegrass concert and awards show. 27strings did the early show in the local German beer hall and then the Edgewood Mountain Boys closed out the evening at a local craft brewery. Everyone had a great time! We get Sunday off (due to a venue scheduling snafu) and then we close out the festival with an all-California bluegrass film festival on Monday night. It will be fun!

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In the midst of the Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show yesterday in Redwood City, I was the recipient of a surprise Lifetime Achievement Award that was presented by Joe Weed. I am deeply honored by this award, and want to thank Joe and his co-conspirators for their efforts.

My first reaction was “Hey, I’m the one who gives out the awards around here!” I didn’t really say everything that needed to be said yesterday — especially that absolutely everything that I have done for bluegrass has been done as part of a team of dedicated volunteers. Working together, I think we have made a difference for the music in our area and beyond. We can all be proud of that.

It is very nice to be thanked, and I am still enjoying the moment. Thank you!

— Michael Hall

Video by Chip Curry

Bean Creek Repeats As Top Northern California Bluegrass Band, While Young & Old Split Individual Honors

Bluegrass Traditionalists Bean Creek of Santa Cruz repeated as Best Bluegrass Band at the Tenth Annual Northern California Bluegrass Awards, held on January 28, 2017 in Redwood City, California. Meanwhile, younger and older musicians split the individual honors at the ceremony.

Two college students from Santa Cruz took the vocalist honors. Sullivan Tuttle was named Best Male Vocalist, while A. J. Lee was named Best Female Vocalist. The two were longtime bandmates in The Tuttles With A. J. Lee and are now in the newly-organized Blue Summit.

Sullivan Tuttle also won Best Guitar Player, while his younger brother Michael Tuttle, also a college student, won Best Mandolin Player. Santa Cruz’s Luke Abbott was named Best Banjo Player.

More mature musicians were also tapped by the voters. Jim Mintun added to his burgeoning collection of Dobro awards, while family patriarch Jack Tuttle won for Best Fiddle Player. Bassist Paul Knight was named the top player on that instrument.

Knight was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award. He was joined by fellow bluegrass sound specialists Dave Nielsen, Mike Russell, & Joe Weed. All have made many other contributions to the bluegrass world.

In the midst of the scheduled program, NCBS president and awards program organizer Michael Hall was surprised with a special Lifetime Achievement Award presented by Joe Weed.

The Northern California Bluegrass Awards are presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society as part of the Bluegrass On Broadway Festival in Redwood City. The festival is supported by the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission and by other Redwood City-area businesses, agencies, organizations and individuals. NCBS would like to thank these partners for their steady support of bluegrass music in Redwood City over the initial decade of the BOB venture.

The BOB festival also includes the NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival. That event will conclude this year’s festival on January 30, ending a fun weekend of free bluegrass music all around Redwood City.

Winners — 2017 Northern California Bluegrass Awards

Band — Bean Creek, Santa Cruz

Male Vocalist — Sullivan Tuttle, Santa Cruz

Female Vocalist — A. J. Lee, Santa Cruz

Guitar — Sullivan Tuttle, Santa Cruz

Mandolin — Michael Tuttle, San Luis Obispo

Banjo — Luke Abbott, Santa Cruz

Fiddle — Jack Tuttle, Palo Alto

Dobro — Jim Mintun, Santa Cruz

Bass — Paul Knight, Marshall

Lifetime Achievement Awards:

Paul Knight, Marshall

David Nielsen, Gilroy

Mike Russell, San Mateo

Joe Weed, Los Gatos

Michael Hall, Redwood City

National Press Coverage — Bluegrass Today

Spanish Language Video Coverage of Bluegrass On Broadway

BOB Festival Photo Essay

Saturday At The FREE Bluegrass On Broadway Festival In Redwood City

Friday night was a fun time at the BOB kickoff show with the Stoney Mountain Ramblers. Great crowd and great music! Looking forward to day 2!

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SATURDAY, January 28

Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show & Concert

10:00am-5:00pm — Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre, 1455  Madison Avenue.

10:00am — Special Film Presentation: The Waltz To Westphalia (Joe Weed, CA)

11:00 — 35 Years Of Trouble

Noon — The Wildcat Mountain Ramblers

1:00pm — The Blue Js

2:00pm — Bean Creek

3:00-5:00 — Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show with additional musical performances.

6:00-8:00pm — 27strings, Gourmet Haus Staudt, 2615 Broadway.

8:00-10:00pm — Edgewood Mountain Boys, Freewheel Brewing Company, 3737 Florence Street.

The Northern California Bluegrass Society’s 10th annual Bluegrass On Broadway Festival runs January 27, 28, and 30, 2017. All programs are FREE and in Redwood City.

All You Need To Know To Go To The FREE NCBS Bluegrass On Broadway Festival This Weekend

Festival Fun: The Northern California Bluegrass Society’s FREE Bluegrass On Broadway Festival is this weekend, January 27, 28 & 30, 2017, at various venues in Redwood City. Here is All You Need To Know to enjoy the 10th Annual event:

The Festival: Bluegrass On Broadway includes both the Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show & Concert (Saturday) and the NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival (Monday), as well as other shows.

Tickets: NO tickets are needed. All shows are FREE and held in Redwood City.

Festival Schedule:

FRIDAY, January 27

8:00-10:00pm — Stoney Mountain Ramblers, Freewheel Brewing Company, 3737 Florence Street.

SATURDAY, January 28

Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show & Concert

10:00am-5:00pm — Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre, 1455  Madison Avenue.

10:00am — Special Film Presentation: The Waltz To Westphalia (Joe Weed, CA)

11:00 — 35 Years Of Trouble

Noon — The Wildcat Mountain Ramblers

1:00pm — The Blue Js

2:00pm — Bean Creek

3:00-5:00 — Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show with additional musical performances.

6:00-8:00pm — 27strings, Gourmet Haus Staudt, 2615 Broadway.

8:00-10:00pm — Edgewood Mountain Boys, Freewheel Brewing Company, 3737 Florence Street.

MONDAY, January 30

NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival

6:30-8:30pm — Community Room, Redwood City Main Library, 1044 Middlefield Road.

Banjos Bluegrass & Squirrel Barkers (Rick Bowman, Backyard Green Films, CA)

How To Make A Guitar In Two Minutes (Herb Moore, CA)

The Whippoorwill’s Cry (Curtis Leslie, CA)

Directions:

Bluegrass On Broadway is held at various venues in Redwood City (mid-Peninsula in the middle of the Bay Area), easily accessible from Freeways 101 and 280, via the Woodside Road exit.

Downtown Redwood City is about a half-mile north of Woodside Road via Middlefield Road. Little India, Gourmet Haus Staudt, and the Redwood City Main Library are located downtown.

The Veterans Memorial Senior Center is about 2 miles west of downtown off of Jefferson Avenue. Turn left on St. Francis, which leads directly into the VMSC parking lot.

To reach the VMSC from I-280, exit at Farm Hill Blvd. and go east, Farm Hill becomes Jefferson Avenue. Go past the Alameda de Las Plugas, then right on St. Francis, which leads directly into the VMSC parking lot.

To reach the VMSC from Woodside Road, go north on Alameda de Las Plugas then right (east) on Jefferson Avenue. Turn right on St. Francis, which leads directly into the VMSC parking lot.

The Freewheel Brewing Company is located in the Marsh Manor Shopping Center, not far from the Marsh Road exit off Highway 101 at the southern edge of Redwood City. From 101 go west a short distance, then right on Florence Street. The shopping center is on the left.

Redwood City Weather:

All festival events are INDOORS with close-in parking. High 72, Low 72.

FRI: Sunny, High 58 Low 37. SAT: Sunny, High 59 Low 38. MON: Partly Sunny, High 65 Low 42.

Community & Fun: Remember, All Of Your Friends Will Be There!

Great Musical Line-Up For FREE Saturday Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show & Concert In Redwood City

The FREE Northern California Bluegrass Awards Show & Concert, set for this Saturday, January 28, 2017 at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center Theatre, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City, will have a great line-up of bluegrass talent.

The program will begin at 10:00am with a screening of The Waltz To Westphalia, a film by Joe Weed, who will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award later in the day.

Live music will begin at 11:00am with a performance by the San Francisco-based band 35 Years Of Trouble, followed by The Wildcat Mountain Ramblers from Los Gatos, The Blue Js from Vacaville, and Bean Creek from Santa Cruz.

The awards show will take place from 3:00-5:00pm with additional short performances by Bill Hunter (Aromas), Jack Tuttle (Palo Alto), and by the four bands that played earlier in the day.

The Lifetime Achievement Honorees are: Paul Knight, David Nielsen, Mike Russell, & Joe Weed, all outstanding sound technicians who have made numerous other contributions to the Northern California bluegrass community.

There will be two shows on Saturday evening. From 6:00-8:00pm, 27strings will entertain at the Gourmet Haus Staudt, 2615 Broadway, and The Edgewood Mountain Boys will hold forth at the Freewheel Brewing Company, 3736 Florence Street, from 8:00-10:00pm.

The will make a great Saturday of FREE bluegrass music in Redwood City.

The Saturday program is part of the FREE weekend-long 10th Annual Northern California Bluegrass Society Bluegrass On Broadway Festival in Redwood City, which is supported in part by a grant from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission.

Full January 27, 28 & 30 BOB Festival Schedule

Complete List Of Awards Finalists

NCBS Bluegrass Film Festival

BOB Festival Evening Entertainment

Strong Community Support For 10th Annual Northern California Bluegrass Society Bluegrass On Broadway Festival

This weekend’s Bluegrass On Broadway Festival, presented by the Northern California Bluegrass Society, receives strong community support.
Civic Cultural Commission

The FREE festival receives a base grant from the Redwood City Civic Cultural Commission, which has supported the event from the start 10 years ago. The Commission helps make Redwood City a cultural mecca on the San Francisco Peninsula. Additional help is provided by the Redwood City Department of Parks Recreation & Community Services and by the Redwood City Public Library, both of which provide important venue support for the festival. John Dabney and Debbie Weiner are strong individual supporters for the BOB Festival.

Bluegrass On Broadway

Redwood City’s Freewheel Brewing Company and Gourmet Haus Staudt are local businesses that provide additional support.

Looking back at our first decade, NCBS remains grateful for critical early assistance from the Tapestry Church, the Redwood City Friends of the Library, Woodside Road United Methodist Church, Murphy & Weiner, Little India Restaurant, the International Bluegrass Music Museum, Provident Credit Union, One World Montessori School, and the Fair Oaks Community Center, among many other area businesses, organizations and individuals. The fledgling event would not have survived without their assistance.

Thanks also to Patrick Weldon, co-founder emeritus of Bluegrass On Broadway. Michael Hall has served as the festival director.

The 2017 festival will be held on Friday & Saturday, January 27-28, and on Monday, January 30 at various Redwood City venues.

Complete Bluegrass On Broadway Festival Schedule