American bluegrass band to give backyard performance
A bluegrass band from Virginia are stopping off to play and stay at an O¯ hau backyard next week while on a tour of New Zealand and Australia.
The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee are a five-piece group that plays harddriving old-time mountain music and will put on a backyard concert at the invitation of Dale’s Acoustic Live Events. Local music lover Dale Webb and husband Don were thrilled to have the band play what will be an “oldtimey concert and potluck dinner” at their home in O¯ hau on Wednesday, January 31. The couple started organising concerts during the Covid-19 period as a way of supporting musicians and have just carried on. They want to do what they can to support the local live music scene and musicians.
“We love music and sharing music with people and supporting musicians . . . there is a certain amount of joy having artists in your backyard,” she said. “We offer them a bed and a meal and the artists are happy with that arrangement.”
The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee cut no corners when it comes to real, hard hitting, old time country music — an approach that is gaining them loyal followers far beyond the reaches of their Virginia mountain home. Mining the fertile common ground between bluegrass, early country music, and traditional mountain music, The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee are torchbearers for dynamic, deeply grounded old-time music.
Their powerful harmony singing and energetic instrumentals have captivated audiences around the country and helped the band to win many awards including blue ribbons in the old-time band contest at the 85th Annual Old Fiddlers’ Convention in Galax, Virginia, and the bluegrass band contest at the 51st Mount Airy Fiddlers’ Convention in North Carolina. Deep knowledge and appreciation for traditional music enables the band to craft tasteful original songs and instrumentals that blend seamlessly alongside the classics.
The evening will start at 6pm with contributions to a potluck supper and getting to know the band, followed by acoustic music from abuot 7pm on the deck if fine. BYO seating or picnic rug — koha at the door for the band. Dale and Don said anyone was welcome to participate by visiting ohaufolk@gmail.com for more details and upcoming concerts.