Fans braved the cold and flurries on Friday, February 6 and got out to see DC locals Marilyn Hucek and MADDIE during the last show of Hucek’s first-ever headline tour. The show was originally scheduled for January 24, but was cancelled due to the snowstorm.

Opening up the show was MADDIE, power pop singer-songwriter with Barbie energy in the best way possible. Joined by Trey Sorrells on the keys, MADDIE performed originals "Horoscope", "Tell Me What To Do", "Breakfast in Bed", and "Flirty Little Fling", as well as a cover of Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter. Flirty Little Fling got the crowd jumping, and MADDIE’s music is definitely best enjoyed while wearing big hoop earrings.

Hucek opened the last performance of her debut headline tour with "Rebound" and "I Tried", both songs about trials in love set to catchy melodies. She was joined by Daniel Geiss on the bass, Hays Dowdy on the electric guitar, and Izik Raphael on the drums. Hucek’s music takes on an acoustic pop sound, reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s early-2010s sound with storytelling at the core of her writing. Her debut album, MARILYN, is about celebrating “girlhood, womanhood, and everything in between,” Hucek said during the show.

Two songs in particular stood out to me: "Man of the House" and "Neil Young". Man of the House is just one song in Hucek’s catalog that showcases the intersection of her musical and personal influences. She dedicated the song to “anybody who’s ever had to grow up fast, who’s ever had to take on a lot more responsibility than they’re ready for.”

Neil Young is an homage to Hucek’s father who struggled with early-onset Alzheimer’s before passing away three years ago. Hucek shared with the audience that one significant way she stayed connected with him was through music, even after he couldn’t recall her name. Hucek performed the song and left several in the audience misty-eyed. After leading the audience in the bridge, she announced 5% of all proceeds from her streams and $3 of every vinyl purchase goes to the Alzheimer’s Association.

This show in particular was special for several reasons, Hucek revealed halfway through the show: not only would Hucek celebrate her birthday at midnight, but it also marked the celebration of life for her father. The night itself was marked by bittersweet moments, and yet they only added to the power of Hucek’s performance.

The whole night felt vulnerable yet passionate, especially since it included covers of Pink Pony Club by Chappel Roan and Vivir Mi Vida by Marc Anthony. Hucek is American-Chilean, and she introduced Vivir Mi Vida by promising the crowd that they were going to have some fun with it. Both songs had the crowd singing along and dancing, and it was a fun and heartwarming display of how music can bring people together in both joy and vulnerability.

Hucek also performed her song "Me Salvaste El Alma", a song with lyrics in Spanish that translates to “You Saved My Soul.” She said the song is about someone who comes into your life and saves you in ways you never expected, following the theme of vulnerability and joy in that vulnerability.

The core of each song was rooted in a story or directly related to something bigger than Hucek herself, which is a part of the reason why I feel her music feels so authentic and powerful. Hucek joked during her performance that “we’re gonna get vulnerable, it’s all about healing,” but that’s just what makes her storytelling so raw. Whether you typically enjoy pop or not, you can’t deny that there is true artistry in Hucek’s music and even more so in her performance.

The first track from MARILYN is called "I Made It", and Hucek wrote it on a road trip to Nashville. Hucek told the crowd that she doesn’t listen to music or podcasts when she drives and she quite enjoys silence, but it was getting to her on this trip—she ended up writing I Made It during that roadtrip as she was thinking about how to define success. Hucek’s mother was present in the crowd, and Hucek sang the last chorus directly to her mother at the front of the crowd, which was a powerful triumph, especially on the last night of her debut tour.

Hucek capped off the night with several unreleased songs: "Polar Plunge", "Animal House", and "Self-Destruct". Before performing “Self-Destruct,” Hucek commented that she was convinced she was “sitting on gold” and couldn’t wait to release it. Given the reception by the audience, Hucek is right, and these songs are going to be the next hits from Hucek.

The crowd sang Happy Birthday to Hucek at the end of the show and begged for an encore, but the band swore they didn’t have one prepared. We’ll just have to look out for Hucek’s next live show.  

Tucked away in the quiet rolling hills of Darlington, Maryland, between rows of soy and corn readying up for harvest, The Ramble Festival has become one of the East Coast's most beloved independent gatherings — a three-day blend of music, art, and family that feels less like an event and more like a homecoming. In our years, the festival has grown from a COVID-19 lockdown-inspired project into a can't-miss stop for touring musicians and fans alike.

Each October, as the air turns cool and the leaves catch fire, hundreds upon hundreds of fans roll into Camp Ramblewood to celebrate the season and the scene.  The lineup mixes national headliners with rising talent, and the atmosphere is all heart — food trucks serving local favorites, pop-up art installations scattered through the trees, and that unmistakable Ramble energy where everyone feels like part of the same big, joyful family.

At the Ramble, spontaneity is part of the design. The mighty Naptown Brass Band leads a parade through the campground to the opening act at The Moon Stage and through the fields after a headliner's encore. A secret acoustic set could break out by the pond under the moon. Kids dance beside parents, artists join each other's sets, and everyone seems to know the lyrics by the second chorus.  The Ramble campground is filled with buskers and is alive with art and a kaleidoscope of kinetic art.   It's a place that thrives on connection — between people, between sounds, and between the moment and the music.

As much as we may try to highlight what happened on-stage at The Ramble Festival, the true magic of The Ramble Festival is the vibe, the sense of community, the sense of Ramble Family, and having something for everyone - from wee infants to those who have worn their knees out from decades of music.  To go to The Ramble Festival is to find your home away from home, your community, and connect with everyone from a Vibe Tribe volunteer to an artist, a vendor, or a busker.  This connection and community are built into the very fabric of The Ramble Festival and will endure, no matter how large the festival grows.

Now in its fourth year, The Ramble continues to evolve, finding new ways to bring people together while maintaining its small-festival soul.  The 2025 edition proved once again why fans return year after year: the music was world-class, the community was strong, and even a looming Nor'easter couldn't break the spirit that makes this weekend special.

Part I: The Calm Before the Ramble

After months of anticipation and the buzz of a growing storm, Ramble Festival 2025 finally arrived in Darlington, Maryland. A Nor'easter was climbing the East Coast, kicking up anxiety from Maine to the Chesapeake, and no one knew if it would hit Camp Ramblewood. In true Ramble fashion, though, no one let it stop them. The vibe was clear: stay cool, trust the weekend, let the music and vibe instilled in the heart of the festival handle the rest.

By Thursday, the storm still hadn't landed. Instead, Ramblewood woke to blue skies and air so crisp it almost hummed. The fields stretched open and golden, the tree line bending just enough to catch the wind. It felt like a good omen.

This year, the Ramble crew introduced something new: the PreAmble to the Ramble, a soft opening just fifteen minutes down the road at Hopkins Farm Brewery. Fans arrived with broad smiles and cold beers, kicking off the weekend with Uncle Kunkle's One Gram Band and The Dirty Grass Players. The grass was green, the sunset spectacular, and the energy had that familiar mix of anticipation and ease that always comes before something special. The sound of music rolled across the field as people danced barefoot, bundled in flannels, and toasted to fall.

By Friday morning, Camp Ramblewood was in full motion. RVs lined the roads, tents bloomed in clusters, and the smell of camp coffee mingled with woodsmoke. The festival had officially outgrown its parking lots, and most guests parked offsite and rode in on shuttle buses. Waiting in line, they were serenaded by buskers who played to smiling faces and tapping feet.

When the buses arrived, Brick and Jay, the Ramble founders and soul of the operation, were right there greeting everyone.  They handed out high-fives and shouted "Welcome home!" to every new arrival. It wasn't marketing — it was genuine. The kind of small touch and heartfelt personalized authenticity that sets Ramble apart from bigger festivals.

The storm still hovered somewhere out to sea, but no one seemed to care. There was too much light, too much laughter, too much sound. The festival had begun, and Ramblewood was alive again.

Part II: Day 1 — The Honeydrops and the Baptism of Joy

Friday arrived bright and clean, with a sky so wide and blue it felt like the festival had willed it into being. The Nor'easter that everyone had been worried about was still spinning somewhere out at sea, and the only wind in Darlington was the kind that carried music.

By midmorning, Camp Ramblewood was fully awake. On the Ramble Stage, The Moran Tripp Band, presented by Heady Wax Fiends, opened the weekend with an easy confidence that set the tone. Their set drew the very first of those to arrive at Ramble from tents, cabins, and RVs, shaking off their arrival at the festival to head over to the Moon Stage.  

Baltimore's own Caleb Stine brought a quieter warmth—his songs rolling out like conversation among old friends.  Stine, a stalwart of the Baltimore music community, showed why he is ever-present in the community - he is a tremendous human and a tremendous musician.

Inside the Beer Hall, Dizgo launched into their first set at Ramble, and it was clear why festival co-founder Brick had booked them.  Their groove was deep and hypnotic, a mix of jam and dance that filled the hall and left people buzzing.  The Ramble creatives once again found lightning in a bottle before the rest of the world knew what was about to hit them.

Later, TreeSap, a stripped-down trio from Cabinet, delivered a tight, acoustic performance that let every note breathe.

Outside the Beer Hall, the first of the now-infamous and cherished Ramble secret set popped when Sneezy cranked the Ramble dial to 11. Their mix of funk and soul spilled across the campground, attracting Ramblers like moths to a flame.

Then came Cris Jacobs, another Baltimore legend, playing with the ease of someone who knows the crowd is on his side. Midway through his set, members of The California Honeydrops drifted onstage, smiling and unannounced, turning Jacobs's show into a spontaneous collaboration. The brass section gleamed in the late-afternoon sun, and the field roared in approval.

By sunset, Ramblewood had settled into that golden-hour calm—the short pause before the main event. When The Wilson Springs Hotel finished their set, the crowd shifted toward the Moon Stage, ready for the first of the weekend's headliners.

The California Honeydrops came out swinging. Their frontman, Lech Wierzynski, led the band through a groove-heavy opening set that felt more like a celebration than a performance. The Honeydrops don't just play shows—they throw parties, and this one hit full stride right away. Lech announced that the second set would be all fan requests, and the band rolled effortlessly through deep cuts, crowd favorites, and spontaneous jams.

Down at the front rail, a member of The NapTown Brass Band stood with a washboard, playing along from the crowd with an ear-to-ear smile. Lech spotted him, laughed, and waved him on. During one of his many onstage laughs, he must have thought to himself, "Guess we don't need ours tonight." The California Honeydrops showed why they were the headliners - they shine best in concert. At a music festival, that is where their legendary performances are created, and Ramblers will be talking about this set for years to come.

When the Honeydrops closed their second set, the music didn't end. Instead, the NapTown Brass Band fired up their horns and led a parade through the crowd, marching everyone from the Moon Stage down to the barn. It was pure joy—trumpets, trombones, and drums turning the night into a moving street party under the stars.

In the barn, the celebration only grew louder. "Noodles at the Dizgo", a mashup of Natalie Brooke's Band and Dizgo, picked up the energy and ran with it. Natalie, celebrating the release of her new double vinyl "Measured In Moments", was unstoppable on the keys. The Honeydrop infusion was not over yet, just a few minutes from getting off-stage, Oliver Tuttle from the Honeydrops joined in on trombone, and suddenly there were three horns blasting through the walls of the fabled Ramble Barn. When The Naptown Brass band tore into "I Miss You Baby," the room erupted in euphoria. The NapTown Brass Band capped it off with "When the Saints Go Marching In," turning the barn into a full-on brass revival.

Meanwhile, outside by the firepit, an acoustic jam formed around the flames—buskers, friends, and strangers sharing songs deep into the night.

Back near the main field, the Honeydrops were spotted again, laughing with fans at Steph's Cereal Bar, bowls in hand as old cartoons flickered on a sheet behind the bar. It was that kind of night—music everywhere, joy around every corner.

And still, it wasn't over. Around 1 a.m., Joe Marcinek and an ever-changing lineup of guests kicked off the Late-Night Super Jam, an improvisational marathon that stretched well past 4 a.m. Rumor had it Joe wanted to play until sunrise, but even Ramble has to sleep eventually.

Part III: Day 2 — The Flock Comes Home

Saturday morning arrived with a soft, silvery light that crept through the trees and across the dew-soaked fields of Camp Ramblewood. The crowd was moving a little slower, heads fuzzy from the Honeydrops' marathon of funk and joy the night before, but smiles were everywhere. Coffee cups clinked, and the sound of a distant guitar eased the campsite awake.

The first thing on the schedule was quickly becoming a Ramble tradition: Greg Ormont's Scrambled Greg Kids Show in the barn. The Pigeons Playing Ping Pong frontman, known for his boundless energy, swapped the stage lights for the glow of morning and an audience half his usual height. Parents packed in with their kids as Greg strummed through classics like "If You're Happy and You Know It," only to flip it into an interactive, laugh-filled workout. "If you're happy and you know it, jump up twenty times!" he shouted, counting along as kids bounced and giggled. Midway through, his daughter joined him onstage, smiling shyly as she sang along. For a moment, it felt less like a performance and more like a family singalong — which, in the Ramble world, is exactly the point.

Outside, the sun climbed higher.  Underground Springhouse, visiting from Georgia, hit the Ramble Stage with a punchy, confident set. Their blend of funk and southern jam carried a swagger that fit the mood perfectly.  Underground Springhouse really brought the crowd alive and we really cannot wait for them to travel up to the DMV again - once again, the Ramble creatives find magical acts we have never heard of.

Children who once frolicked in the barn had moved onto the dedicated kids section of the Ramble Festival and were now painting and engrossed in dedicated activities.  With the children gone, Nester brought the festival's heavier edge, all low-end growl and grit. In the Beer Hall, The Deer Creek Sharpshooters returned to Ramble after two years, greeted by a crowd that welcomed them like old friends.

The buzz of the day built steadily toward one of Ramble's biggest breakout stories: Sneezy. After their surprise late-night set on Friday, their Moon Stage debut was one of the weekend's must-see shows. They delivered a tight, electrifying set full of horns, harmonies, and raw joy. Near the end, frontman Brett O'Connor called festival co-founder Brick onto the stage to thank him for building a place where a band like theirs could thrive. The crowd roared its approval.

Meanwhile, out in the quiet of the labyrinth, TreeSap performed a secret acoustic set under the trees. There were no lights, no amplification — just strings, harmonies, and the faint rustle of wind through the leaves. A small group of wanderers stumbled upon it and stood in silence, taking it in like a secret they'd never share.

The afternoon rolled on with more stellar performances.  The Plate Scrapers brought their bluegrass finesse to the Ramble Stage, drawing an enthusiastic crowd of dancers and pickers. Then came Infinity Tribe, a collaboration between Natalie Brooke and Alex "Gator" Petropulos of Pigeons. The Beer Hall shook as they tore through a blistering set that blurred the lines between jam, rock, and dance music.

The Brothers Comatose arrived, decked out in silver NASA-style jumpsuits, joined by their newest "sister," Addie Levy. They tore into their set with playful energy, and Addie's soaring rendition of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon" sent shivers through the crowd.

Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for. As the sky turned purple, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong took the stage. For Baltimore's hometown heroes, fresh off the release of their eighth studio album "Feed The Fire", this felt like a victory lap, just a stone's throw from where it all began. From the first burst of color and sound, the Flock was in full flight. The first set was tight and funky, full of favorites, but the second was pure magic. The Ramble creative team strutted in front of the stage dressed in full pigeon onesies, pulling out paddles and a ping pong table to rally glowing balls back and forth in front of the stage. The crowd howled with laughter as the band fed off the chaos and eventually launched into a spectacular cover of the Pixies' "Where Is My Mind."

Midway through, Natalie Brooke reappeared on keys, adding her signature swirl of funky synths to the mix. It was the kind of moment Ramble specializes in — spontaneous, joyful, completely unrepeatable.

When the set finally ended, the crowd was still buzzing when they heard it: the blare of horns cutting through the night. The NapTown Brass Band was back, leading a late-night parade from the main field to the barn. Inside, Underground Sneezhaus — a hybrid of Sneezy and Underground Springhouse — kept the energy burning. The jams were loose, wild, and fearless, spilling past midnight without ever losing steam.

But even that wasn't the end. In the wee hours of the morning, for the super-late night set, Jeremy Schon, Pigeons' guitarist and one of the weekend's Artists at Large, appeared in the barn for his own late-night session, joined by Luke Walker from the Natalie Brooke Band and Uncle Kunkle's One Gram Band, decided to burn their magical match at Ramble a little longer than anyone might have expected as they played until 4:30 in the morning, running through a mix of deep jams and crowd-pleasers that blurred into sunrise.

By dawn, Camp Ramblewood felt timeless — a place outside ordinary life where sleep and time had lost their meaning.

Part IV: Day 3 — The Ramble Ascends

Sunday morning at Camp Ramblewood was a picture of calm. After two long nights of nonstop music, laughter, and motion, the festival grounds exhaled. Mist hung low over the grass, and sunlight began to filter through the trees in soft, gold patches. You could feel that the weekend had already become something special, but the Ramble still had one more day to give.

The morning kicked off on the Ramble Stage with Pappy, who turned the early hours into something gentle and warm. His kid-friendly set drew a big crowd of families. Parents sat on blankets with coffee in hand while their kids clapped and danced along to his bluegrass tunes. The songs felt like sunshine — easy, familiar, full of love.

Not long after, the distant rumble of brass began to build. The NapTown Brass Band was on the move again, their sound winding through the grounds like a joyful summons. They led a parade of festivalgoers past food trucks, art installations, and the now-famous Ramble See-Saw, which had already needed repairs twice thanks to nonstop use. The scene was pure happiness: people spinning in circles, kids perched on shoulders, everyone smiling.

Then it was Natalie Brooke's turn to take over the Ramble Stage. If Saturday night had crowned her one of the festival's brightest stars, Sunday confirmed it. With her keytar slung low, she tore into her set with total confidence, blending funk, synth rock, and prog with fearless energy. Towards the end of the performance, Jeremy Schon arrived as he always did as artist-at-large, joined her, and together they delivered one of the festival's standout jams. The crowd loved every second of it.

Inside the Beer Hall, Muscle Tough kept things tight and experimental, their rhythmic precision a sharp contrast to the looser outdoor sets. Back outside, Cisco, last year's busking competition winner, showed exactly why he'd earned his spot on the official lineup. His soulful voice carried over the crowd like it belonged there all along.

Then came High Fade, a trio from Edinburgh, Scotland, who stunned everyone with their sheer force of sound. The band looked like three regular guys but played with the intensity of twenty. Their set was fast, fierce, and overflowing with energy. When they finished, the applause was deafening.

Over at the Beer Hall, Yarn followed with a honky-tonk set that got people two-stepping. Their mix of country grit and jam-band looseness hit perfectly on a Sunday afternoon.

In the barn, the 2025 Busking Competition took over next. The festival's best street performers faced off under glowing string lights, playing for a chance to earn a real set next year. It wasn't about prizes so much as heart — each musician leaving it all out there in front of a roaring, appreciative crowd.

Then came one of the weekend's biggest surprises: The Ramble Band Plays Dead, featuring Cris Jacobs. Nobody knew what to expect until the band walked out and the secret was revealed. Backing him was none other than Dogs in a Pile, alumni of earlier Rambles and fan favorites. The pairing made perfect sense. From the first notes of "Scarlet Begonias," the chemistry was obvious.

A few drops of rain started to fall, but no one moved. After three days at Ramble, the crowd had learned to trust the weather, to let the music carry them through anything. The drizzle became part of the show — just enough to cool everyone down as Cris and Jimmy Law traded guitar lines like old friends. For a few minutes, the whole field seemed to hang in balance between the music and the rain. When it ended, applause rolled like thunder.

Out by the pond, away from the noise, The Deer Creek Sharpshooters played one last secret set — just acoustic instruments, quiet voices, and the reflection of moonlight on the water. It was simple, peaceful, and the perfect way to close three days of chaos and beauty.

The night carried on inside the Beer Hall with The Tan & Sober Gentlemen, who brought a rowdy blend of Celtic folk and Southern grit. Midway through the set, their bassist stood balanced on top of his upright bass, beer in hand, playing without missing a note. It was ridiculous, hilarious, and perfect for Ramble.

Finally, the Moon Stage lights came up one last time for The Infamous Stringdusters, who were celebrating twenty years as a band. They spoke about how they'd heard stories of this little Maryland festival from fans across the country, and how now they understood the hype. Their set was equal parts technical mastery and soul, closing with a brand-new song from their upcoming anniversary record.

But Ramble doesn't end quietly.  While many festivals start to wind down on their last day, The Ramble Festival keeps the vibe, music, and spirit alive to the very last minute.  When the vibe is this strong in a festival, why not keep it Ramblin' all festival long! 

When the Stringdusters finished, the NapTown Brass Band appeared once more to lead the crowd toward the barn for the grand finale: The Ramble Fam-Jam. Practically every musician still on site joined in — Natalie Brooke, Jeremy Schon, the Dogs, Sneezy, Underground Springhouse, The Fitzgee Brothers, and more — all packed onto the small stage, swapping solos, laughing, shouting, and playing like they never wanted it to stop.

The jams stretched late into the night, until the air inside the barn was thick with heat and the rhythm of the music.

Epilogue: After the Music Fades

By Monday morning, the fields of Camp Ramblewood were quiet again. The sky was clear, the air smelled like wet grass and woodsmoke, and the only sounds were zippers, laughter, and the thud of tent poles coming down. After three days of music, it was hard to believe it was over.

The Nor'easter that had threatened all week barely brushed past. The storm came and went like an afterthought, leaving only a few sprinkles and some dramatic clouds. What stayed behind was something much bigger: the feeling that the Ramble Family had built something that couldn't be shaken.

Everywhere you looked were small reminders of the weekend's energy. The Ramble See-Saw stood at rest, scuffed from nonstop use. The stages were quiet now, but you could still picture the lights and the crowds. The barn smelled faintly of beer and brass, and the path to the pond was stamped with footprints from those who'd found the Deer Creek Sharpshooters' secret set.

The 2025 Ramble had pulled off the impossible again — three days of near-perfect weather, stacked music, and the kind of community that most festivals only dream of.

The vibe leaving camp was pure afterglow. No one seemed quite ready to let it go. The conversations were already about next year — the lineup, the art, the possibilities. Ramble had set a new bar for itself, and everyone knew it.  

For those who were there, it was more than just another festival. It was proof that good music, good people, and a focus on vibe and community will turn a weekend in rural Maryland into something unforgettable.

The Ramble family will return October 9-11, 2026. Get the cheapest tickets for the 2026 edition right now with your 2026 Ramblin' & Gamblin' Pass.  Based on the trajectory of the festival and the continued rise in energy and lineups, there is no doubt that the Ramble creatives will strive to surpass the 2025 edition, making it the must-attend festival of fall 2026.  One can only imagine what new treats, additions, and Rambling Shenanigans await us next year.

A Slight Post-Script, with the spirit of helping our music community and others:  

As many of you know, The Ramble Festival is deeply committed to making the world a better place - especially off the stage.  We, too, embrace making the world a better place and would point out some of the organizations who worked tirelessly at The Ramble Festival this year.

• For those who ate at Stefs Cereal Bar, this was not just a refuge serving hungry festival goers 24/7, but also one that is deeply committed to feeding at-risk youths.
• Please also consider giving back to 5 Points Music Sanctuary, who provide music therapy, hearing loss advocacy, and hearing accessibility to those attending live music events.
• Did you win any raffles by Positive Legacy at The Ramble Festival?  They integrate music and service to benefit people and the planet, providing grants to environmental and humanitarian service projects.  They fund these endeavors through raising money at live music events around the world.  

Do Good – Every Jam Saves The Bay

A saying on a sticker someone gave me (at a music festival of course) that I try to actively incorporate into life as much as possible.  The Annapolis Baygrass Festival, for the third year in a row, made that entirely too easy.  Including all three elements into the foundation of the event that has continued to grow, is what organizers managed to execute flawlessly at the 2025 rendition.

Do Good – Every Jam Saves The Bay

Not only does a portion of every ticket, drink purchase, and Baygrass merch sold go directly to the non-profit partners recognized repeatedly throughout the weekend, but the setting also raises awareness.  Organizations working to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay could provide actual proof and evidence of the needs, impact and results of their efforts all around Sandy Pointe.  Workshops to further educate attendees and even a giant balloon  flying high in the sky reading weather patterns were just a few of the opportunities available to learn more about the Chesapeake Bay waters and why we all need to ensure it is well taken care of.  Baygrass makes its mission a living, breathing part of the weekend that locals take notice of and appreciate wholeheartedly.  Making the festival green by having a zero plastic motto as well as volunteers standing ready to help sort compostables, trash and recycling paid some good karma forward in the eyes of Mother Nature. 

DCMR had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Kyle Hollingsworth, who himself is home-grown and familiar with all the life that depends on the water source, being from Maryland.

DCMR: “So you’re from the area, what was your favorite venue to go to growing up?”

KH: “Well, my first band Black Friday, played at the 8 x 10, many years ago, this is in the 80s, when Giles was actually the owner.  We would play there because we would have a draw,and he'd pay us, but we were not legally old enough to be in the club.  I was the oldest at eighteen and the other guys, some of the other guys were only sixteen.  So we would play and then immediately have to leave.  In DC, we played 9:30 Club and then we also played The Bayou.”

Feel Good – Beach Yoga & Mental Health Awareness

You have to take advantage of being in such a beautiful spot so not only did we learn how to keep the Chesapeake healthy for years to come, we also made sure that we do as well.  Yoga sessions on the beach with toes in the sand while bands played not even fifty feet away is an activity that doesn’t come along every day.  

Organizers of the event are also big supporters of Mental Health Awareness and held a workshop focusing on how it’s sometimes “ok to not be ok” lending understanding and support on how to get through some of the struggles. Both Saturday and Sunday also had several reserved times for Sober Gatherings to further incorporate and provide for the attendees who chose to take that route.

Make it Fun.  Music and People.

There wasn’t a single person that I saw or spoke to the entire weekend that wasn’t having the kind of time that we all wish for more of.  The lineup this year brought in some artists that expanded past just Bluegrass like LaMP, but also had the staple festival regulars playing all over the musical map.

Larry Keel’s Electric Larry Land and the Grateful Ball featuring the Travelin McCourys got downright funky and Kyle Hollingsworth really turned it up with his mid-afternoon set on Sunday.  Paying homage to a wide variety of artists from all over the musical map, bands went left, right and center with some of the covers they brought out for the weekend.  

Hollingsworth just released a new album and described it as a mash up of different sounds throughout.

DCMR: “So the new album is out and it’s called All We Are.  So what all are we – is it sugar and spice and everything nice?  Or more like Jameson on ice?”

KH: “So, it's the title track of my album, and so I was looking for the way to represent all the songs on the album. The first song is a little bit Death Cab For Cutie, a little bit indie rock. I was a little nervous to put that one first, but then everybody at the record company really liked it, liked that style.  Then I do like a funky number and then I'll do a Paul Simon type of thing, so it’s all we are - it’s a concept of all the musical influences in my life.”

Not only are his musical influences a long, diverse list but so are his musical instrument playing capabilities.  

DCMR: So a lot of instruments that you play - accordion, keys, ukulele – the list goes on. So, what is one that you don't know how to play yet that you want to still learn?

KH: Oh wow, good question. I was thinking about this just the other day because I just started playing ukulele, and that's really fun to write on. Something that I would love to play…. well, I definitely want to play accordion better, but maybe something like a Dobro or something that has, like, the way you can be emotional and bend notes that the piano players don’t really have a way to do that too easily.

As always, old friends reconnected and caught up, and new friends were made just the same.  That goes for off-stage in the crowd, but on-stage as well, where ticket holders were once again blessed with Holly Bowling joining Kyle Hollingsworth and making even more music magic during their Saturday night set.  Both Bowling and artist-at-large Kyle Tuttle shared stages a-plenty throughout the weekend, dazzling us all over and over again.  

Baygrass has improved their lineup, experience and environmental awareness as well as impact year after year and provided a late-Summer/early-Fall event that we cannot wait to continue being a part of and see what they’ll give us in 2026!

Gender-Diverse Lineup to Feature National and Local Artists on July 26 and Pre-Fest Events from July 21-25.

The inaugural This Could Go Boom! Music + Culture Festival will take place on Saturday, July 26 at Bladensburg Waterfront Park and on stages across Hyattsville, Maryland. Headlining artists include Speedy Ortiz, River Shook, and Crys Matthews, as well as local performers. Streetcar 82 Brewing, Maryland Meadworks, and Sangfroid Distillery will host satellite stages with performances on the day of the festival. 

This Could Go Boom! (TCGB!) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to empower and advocate for gender diverse marginalized musicians through community engagement and education to dismantle barriers, promote diversity, and ensure that everyone can express themselves and enjoy music without discrimination.  

“TCGB! is truly a grassroots effort. We were founded around a kitchen table where women and nonbinary musicians spoke freely about feeling defeated, harassed, left out, and manipulated by the industry. We put our feelings into action—350+ artists in paid performances, gallery talks, records released, and a skills-sharing program. TCGB! is truly grown from the ground up,” said Erin Frisby, co-founder of TCGB! and festival organizer. “We can't wait to see everyone at the inaugural festival because the way forward is through community. Join with these necessary and powerful voices of diverse experiences, connections and histories as we imagine an irresistible future.” 

“Before I ever knew how to write songs, I thought I was going to be a high school band director,” explains Americana artist and social justice music-maker Crys Matthews, a festival headliner. “And in band, as in any type of music, it's always sweeter with other voices present. Being part of a festival where this idea is not only understood, but that advocates loudly for diverse voices is so refreshing. As a woman who is also Black and a lesbian, I have worked hard to be comfortable enough in my skin to show up as my fullest self on and off stage. It means a lot to an artist like me when festival organizers see and celebrate my full humanity.” 

In addition to headlining artists, more than 35 local and regional artists will perform on four stages and at pre-fest events, showcasing the breadth of talent across the Washington, DC metro area. Performers will include 50 Foot Woman, Alena Ciera, Ammonite, Ari Voxx, Be Steadwell, Cynthia Marie, Flora and the Fauna, Kinda Evil, Lightmare, Mac N' Toss, More AM than FM, Neon Habits, Petrichor, and Witch Weather. 

Leading up to the main festival, pre-festival events will be held from July 21-25, 2025, including:  

• Open Mic Night at Denizens Brewing on July 21 at 7 p.m., hosted by Flowerbomb’s Abby Rasheed. FREE. RSVP on Facebook or Eventbrite. 
• Youth Night at Colmar Manor Community Center on July 22 from 5:30-7:30 p.m., in collaboration with Girls Rock! DC and Music and Arts featuring Petrichor. FREE. RSVP on Facebook or Eventbrite. 
• DC Bushwick Book Club, at the Bladensburg Library on July 23 from 6:00-8:30 p.m., will be hosting live performances inspired by the book Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki. The event will feature BBC founder Susan Hwang with Mya Byrne headlining. FREE. RSVP on Facebook or Eventbrite. 
• A Punk Show at Colmar Manor Community Center on July 24 from 7:00-11:00 p.m. with Professor Goldstein and other acts. FREE. RSVP on Facebook or Eventbrite. 
• A one-night-only revival of beloved DC spoken word series mothertongue at Joe’s Movement Emporium on July 25 from 7:00-9:30 p.m., featuring mothertongue co-founder Ruth Dickey. Music by Mya Byrne and Be Steadwell. Tickets available on Eventbrite. 

“As a trans woman in music, it’s often hard to get heard, and I’ve found myself bubbling under more often than not—so I’m excited as heck to get up to a full-on boil headlining at the inaugural TCGB! It’s important to champion undersung and overlooked voices in art—especially trans ones—not just for equity’s sake, but because our art can carry a gravitas of life lived in process and discovery; our personal tales are not niche; they are universal, and I’m thrilled that TCGB! recognizes that," said singer-songwriter Mya Bryne who is headlining both the mothertongue and Bushwick Book Club events leading up to TCGB! Fest. “We’re more than diversity quotas. We are diverse artists with diverse, relatable stories.” 

The festival will also feature a variety of vendors, community organizations, and food trucks, as well as family-friendly activities. 

The TCGB! Music + Culture Festival is funded in part by a grant from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority. "Maryland invests in cultural tourism through the Heritage Area program, and we're thrilled to see the program support a unique new cultural festival in Prince George's County,” said Meagan Baco, executive director of Anacostia Trails Heritage Area. 

In addition to the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority, the festival is made possible through the support of sponsors and community partners Art Works Now, Denizens Brewing, Girls Rock! DC, Jersey Mike's, Lil’ Bowl Thai and Japanese Cuisine, Maryland Meadworks, Music and Arts, Patent Brewing, Roxplosion, Sangfroid Distillery, Streetcar 82 Brewing, Takoma Radio WOWD LP, and The Port Towns. To become a sponsor, email support@thiscouldgoboom.com. 

The festival will take place on July 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and is free for all ages, with accessible facilities. For more info and to subscribe for updates, visit https://www.thiscouldgoboom.com/.

To learn more about This Could Go Boom!, please see the following web resources:

• Webpage
• Facebook
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• YouTube
• Spotify

DC Music Review had the opportunity to talk to Brian Roy (bass) and Louis Smith (vocals, guitar) of Kendall Street Company after an ambitious and creative year before wrapping up 2024 with five spectacular performances.

For those that are unfamiliar with Kendal Street Company, they are a DMV band based out of Charlottesville, Virginia.  This five-piece genre-fluid, eclectic rock ensemble has a pedigree of jacked-up rock, folk, heavy metal, and jazz that swirls in like a hurricane of fun and then leaves with a wave that crashes straight into the deep, guttural funk of soul.  Their live performances at venues and festivals across the country are legendary and include elements of crowd participation, off-the-cuff comedic bits, haphazard choreography, musical improvisation, and outstanding music.   Simply put, if you have not seen them, they are a must-see act.

For those in the DC Metro Area who do not already know, they will be performing with Pigeons Playing Ping Pong on Friday, December 13th, at the 9:30 Club, and if you keep on reading, you will find out about their holiday performance at The Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, Virginia, which sounds like a must-see performance.  Tickets to both events can be found after the interview.

Between their relentless touring, hilarious stage antics,  and incredible body of work, it was a true pleasure talking with them on a cold winter night in the DMV.

DC Music Review: Hello!  Good to talk to you.  Where are you guys right now?

Brian Roy: Hey, we are on our tour bus.  Good to talk to you, too.   We're just in Charlottesville, so we just finished a day of making content and had another radio thing earlier, so we're at home.

DC Music Review:  Okay, I'm gonna make you all really big in Germany.  (Alluding to their companion/alter-ego Sauerkräut)

Brian:  Oh yeah. I've always wanted to be really big in Germany.  Actually if you could even just get us into the Netherlands, that would be phenomenal. Like, I've always wanted to get into the German market, but, like, I've heard it's cheaper to fly into Schiphol airport in Amsterdam and then take a bus to Germany.

DC Music Review:  But, you know, Sauerkräut, we're going to talk about them in a little bit.  But we wanted to first talk to you about 2024. You guys have had a pretty exciting year, and 2024 is almost over. Tell me how it's been. How's it going? Where do you feel like you have gotten to where you wanted to? Have you achieved what you wanted to achieve this year?

Brian:   This year has been awesome. 2024 has been super awesome for us. We've achieved a lot. We set really high goals for ourselves to keep us working and busy and creating.  We went into this year with a lot of material that we wanted to record, that we had written, that we'd played even a little bit live; some of it we hadn't played live. We decided that we're going to do a single every month, and we're just going to keep that train rolling all year. And it was a really fun, illuminating experience, just sharing an amount like that. It's definitely different than hunkering down and putting together a full album, which we've done in the past.   In the past, we have done a retreat, where we go for a week or two and hunker down and get everything written.  This was much more of a bring a song to the band, let's work on it, workshop it, get into the studio, record it, get it mixed, get art, you know, go through the full process over and over again.

Louis Smith:   The goal was achieved. The 12 months and 12 singles were achieved. We really, we did it. We released them. It's done.

DC Music Review:  I think you first announced your Final Friday of every month of 2024 initiative at The Atlantis in Washington, DC, in December 2023

Brian:  Um, I'm not certain that may, that may

Lous:  I think we had been talking about that in the lead-up to that performance.  It may have been the first time.

DCMR: You guys kicked it off by playing "Truckin' Trees for Christmas."

Brian: Yeah, and that song just came out this week.  Yeah, we played that back in December 2023.  We had decided sometime around November or December 2023 that we were going to do this project.   I do think the Atlantis show might have been the first time that we mentioned it live.  We had the idea together and we wanted to release a new song on the final Friday of each month.

DC Music Review:  We wanted to ask, how did you start the project?  You alluded to not wanting to just go into the studio and spending two weeks off the road coming up with an album. Did you just decide this would be a fun, fun project for the band?

Louis:  Well, we were in Charleston, South Carolina, and we were thinking about how do we want to do our releases for 2024.   We had a performance in Charleston, and so we had a bunch of material and a bunch of songs.  We looked at these songs and said they don't really fit together necessarily.  We've got a snow day, and we got "Porridge," so how do we release these? So we just decided we're just going to do a single a month. That's kind of how it came to be. We weren't like, "Oh, we've got this body of work that has to be in an album or on an EP."  We did toy with some ideas of releasing different EPs, like a metal EP, and there was, like, a folk EP, that kind of thing.  Instead of doing that, we liked the idea of releasing them as singles, and we did sort of group the heavier stuff together, and we sort of grouped the folky stuff together, and the funky stuff to like, the funky stuff was like the March, April, May, and the more folky stuff was in another part of the year, and then the heavier later in the year.  So we sort of or tactical, in a way, about how we released each month, sort of like we wanted one thing to kind of lead into the next in a nice way.  

And we're actually releasing a compilation vinyl called "Singles Going Heady 2024."

DC Music Review: I love it. What is your lead track? Is it going to be  "Catz in Zeh Haus" and release it in in Germany first before other markets? 

Louis:   Yeah man. (Laughs)

Brian: We are going to put them on the album in the order they were released, January through December, which actually worked really nice as six and six and will actually fit on the vinyl.  It actually flows.  But for "Catz in Zeh Haus,"  it is certainly on there. I think it might kick off side two.

Louis:  No, I think it's the last one on side one.

DCMR: I think we are just going to have to let fans come out, buy it, and find out for themselves.

Brian: You know, Sauerkräut is awesome because they're always on tour with us.  We met these guys. We met these guys at a club in Berlin.  Well, it might have been Munich.  I forget, but we met these guys at a club, and they're great, and they just decided, "You know what, we're just going to go on tour with Kendall Street Company." You know, permanently.  It actually says this on their website.  If you've been to their website they are just permanently on tour with Kendall Street company.

Louis:  Yeah.

Brian: I think they called us their best friends. 

Louis:  And the best band.

Brian: So we have to tour around in this small minibus that falls apart all the time while they go around in a jumbo jet. 

Louis: They fly in a private jet. But because they're just really wealthy, they're incredibly wealthy.

Brian:  They are incredibly wealthy because they invented the whole, you know, you know, the Dave. It's short for The Ze-Dave. It's a contraction, it's the Day Rave - but it's the Dave.  I know it's confusing because we're from Charlottesville, so when you say Dave, here, people here think Dave Matthews, which, you know, we love Dave Matthews. But the Dave is just, it starts at dawn and then goes until dust every day, one time, every day -  there's Dave.

So they tour around with us. Sometimes we call them up on stage, and they play their one song - because it's really a great song.  Yeah, most bands need to write, like, we have to write a lot of songs to keep people interested.   Probably the most amazing thing about Sauerkraut as a band is that they just wrote one song that's probably the greatest song ever written, right? Then they just said, “Well, it's all downhill from here. Why even let's just stay at the top of the hill? This is a good vantage point, yeah, for our careers, let's just keep playing this one song.” 

Louis:  Yeah, I wonder if they write another one. 

Brian: Yeah, maybe they could, I wonder. They're very creative guys.

DC Music Review:  I was going to ask before you told me about this new compilation LP if sauerkraut was going to release a debut album? Or are you going to make one contribution to your album and then, once again, leave on a high note?

Louis: Yeah... I don't know.

Brian:  I don't know.  Those guys party a lot on their jumbo jet, so it's kind of hard getting them to get down to business. 

Louis:  They don't get a lot done.

Brian: Kendall Street Company gets a lot done. But sauerkraut is, you know, they kind of turn it up to 11 on the party side, yeah, constantly. So we don't know if they're going to be writing more or releasing more. You know, you'd have to talk to them. 

DC Music Review: I wanted to talk more about this upcoming album. It's just great.  There's jazz, metal, psychedelic, just a bit of everything.  I thought I heard some "You Enjoy Myself" by Phish, influences on "El Perro Triste.”

Brian: Actually, "El Perro Triste" was one of the two a little bit older songs of ours that ended up on this compilation. We had some songs in the bag, and we were like, these don't fit on any projects we're working on now. So they kind of sat in the bag, and we want to take these out of the bag and put them out there for people to hear.  So that one we actually started recording in 2020, and and then tabled it for a while, and then picked it back up earlier this year and put it out. 

Louis: We were actually going to release "Catz in Zeh Hause", and "El Perro Triste" together as an EP. Call it "Cat Dog,” but it just didn't work out that way. So, we decided to release them as part of this project.

DC Music Review:  Well, you are all some of the most creative people on stage, and the number of artists you cover is incredible.  For Halloween this year, you covered ZZ Top.  You have also covered System of a Down, Jimi Hendrix, The Cranberries, and The Grateful Dead.  You name it, and it seems like you have covered them.  So the question is - is anyone who's off limits to you, and you say, "Nope, not going to cover them."

Brian:  It's funny that you mentioned that.  When we just started together as young, strapping students at the University of Virginia, we played a lot of Dave Matthews Band songs, and we are all big fans of Dave Matthews Band.  We even have a saxophone in our band (Jake Vanaman), and we are from Charlottesville, and we didn't want to be thought of as the next Dave Matthews Band or have that comparison.  So, for the longest time, we've not really done any Dave Matthews Band songs, but we've shied away from doing it because we want to carve out our own identity in this music scene.

Louis: Phish never did the Grateful Dead because it was too close.  So, we’ve never done a Phish song, and we don’t do the Dave songs anymore.  But I could see there is a situation where we pick one Phish song and one Dave song that we really like and would be a cool cover that we could lean into.

Brian:  Sometimes learning covers is a learning experience.  Sometimes, we just want to learn a song and play it on stage and do a "throw-in.”  We have a section in "Cars" where sometimes we throw in a funny cover or a new thing, depending on where we are.  We just played in Syracuse, which is the first place of Tom Cruise, so we played the theme from Top Gun and "Danger Zone," just a little snippet of it that we learned at sound check. 

But sometimes, we try to learn a cover, and then we'll work through it. We decided we didn’t really want to play it live, but the process of learning the song was a good learning experience.  It is a good way to get a lot of different influences on the sound of what you're putting out. I’ve always thought about how the idea of jam music because, in some ways, we're a jam band, and in other ways, we're not. But with the idea of jam, if you go to a jam band show, it's almost like an encyclopedia of music where you have all these different influences.  If you just listen to a jam band and then play that music, like listening to Phish cover Phish, you're like writing an encyclopedia entry from an encyclopedia entry, and then that's where you get into secondary sources, you know, tertiary sources. You need primary source material to be really, you know, getting those creative juices flowing, so to speak. 

DC Music Review:  Have you ever done covers where you are learning the song and learning the techniques in the song or chord pattern, and you think, "That's something that we're going to bring into our toolbox or our permanent canon, or somehow has affected you?

Brian: Absolutely.   It happens all the time.  I like more of a football analogy of adding plays to the playbook. I'll say, like, that's a play that we should be able to call. We should be able to audible to that play on stage without talking or communicating, beyond looking at each other or hearing what somebody cues a cue into it, right? You want to be able to call the audibles there. So sometimes you're learning a song, and it's like, ”Damn, I love how they go to the six here after that three instead of going back to the one after they've gone through it three times.” 

Louis:  It's the same with language, too. When we immersed ourselves in learning the ZZ Top record, it was a different dialect - a different language.  So when you immerse yourself in that, you pick up on things, and you start to incorporate them into what you're doing. "Checking Out" was inspired by Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club.  So, you hear these things, and then you think we're going to learn that, and then we'll kind of dig into that and try to write something.  After we did a Carlos Santana tribute, we wrote a song that was inspired by Santana. Then, after learning the ZZ Top covers, we wrote "Petrified" and incorporated the riffage that ZZ Top excels at.

Brian:    It could be really sudden, though, as well.  In the case of "Porridge," that came from just we played at this venue where they were playing Tool and Trent Reznor on the house sound system before the show.  So that just got me in a Tool headspace, and that song came out of the soundcheck at that show.

DCMR:"Porridge" is one of our favorites from this year's project.  We loved them all equally, but that song.

Brian:  Having songs. It's like having it's like kids; you love them all the same, but some of them go to better colleges. You know, it's, it's, you can love them all the same but still have a favorite one.

(All laugh)

DC Music Review: So, where did some of the heavy metal influences come from in this year's songs?  Who contributed to that? 

Brian: We all listen to a lot of different things.  I personally am a big fan of some of the heavier, louder rock that exists out there. We are also big fans of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, who also do this kind of flipping through genres. On "Planet B,” they released some really heavy stuff that also influenced us a lot. So "Porridge" came a little bit more from the Tool side of things, and "Marijuana Time Warp" came a little bit more from the King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard side of things. But it's all stuff that we're kind of all playing sometimes, too.  Our tour manager is into some hardcore music that they sometimes play in the van that we travel to shows in.

So, the influences come from all over, but I would say that I personally can bring a little bit more of the heavy stuff to the bands, maybe a bit more often. But, you know, it depends on how we're feeling on whatever day. I think everybody kind of does a little of everything.

DC Music Review:   So, all in all, 2024 has been great for you guys.  What plans do you have for 2025?

Louis :  Yeah, we were going to Colorado in January, doing two nights in Denver, two nights in Steamboat Springs, and then St. Louis, two nights in Chicago, two nights in Chicago, and then two nights at Grand Caverns in Grottoes, Virginia.  Then we're doing our Kendall Street is For Lovers tour.

Brian: (Emphasises) Fourth annual, fourth annual. 

Louis:  And then, you know, the tour will continue. And we've got some cool songs that we just recorded.  We're definitely releasing music next year. We don't know exactly what it's going to look like as far as EPs or full-length albums.

Brian:  It's probably not going to be the single every month thing. Again, it was a really fun experience, and maybe we will do it again in the future.  The work and energy that goes behind doing a single every month and makes it harder to sit down and make a cohesive EP or album, in some ways. So we're thinking we're going to move back a little bit to try and focus on making some albums and making some EPS but still having singles as well.  We have some other songs that we've been playing live for a long time, like "Dust Mites."

Louis: Another one is called  "Song for Colorado."

Brian:  Yeah, so we already have some stuff that'll be coming out, and a lot more material always will be coming out. We have to constantly pare down what we want to record because we do the ideas come from every direction. That's it's a blessing to be in a band where there are five members of the band, and all five of us write music, and we write together, and we write separately, and we bring it to the band, and we learn parts and teach each other parts, and, you know, give it like a song as a gift to the band.  So it's a blessing, but also, in some ways, it can be very difficult because we have a lot of material that we need to sift through right now, and we can't just go record 40 songs and put them all out there.  I mean, I guess you could if you had unlimited money. 

DC Music Review:  So you are doing this massive tour in your van there.  Colorado, Midwest, the Northeast.  What is your van's name anyway - "Old Bessie" it is?

Brian: So, for our last van, we had a serious problem and were in a crash.  We had to get a new van - so we did a GoFundMe to help us get money for this one.   So we put in the GoFundMe that the largest donor got to name the vehicle.  So our van's name is...

Brian and Louis at the same time:   "Bus a Nut"

DCMR: Wait, what? Bust a nut?

Louis:  "Bus a Nut"

Brian:  I think it sounds like an ancient Egyptian pharaoh, you know, like Pharaoh Bussanut.

DCMR:  For a band like you guys, I think that is the perfect name for your bus.

Brian: (In shock) You like the name Bus A Nut for a band like us.

(Both laugh)

DCMR:  You guys are so creative. You guys wouldn't want to have a van called Wilbur or Jermaine, right? 

Louis: Yeah,

Brian: Well, I've always thought it was funny when people give their pets a human name. It's like, you go, you're like, "Oh, who's the cute little puppy?" And they're like, "That's Frank."  You know, like, so I do think that's kind of funny, "It's like, oh, that's Bob, Bob the bus." 

Louis:  I mean, we probably wouldn't have named it "Bus a Nut" on our own.

Brian (Interrupting):   But when you adopt.

Louis: But when you adopt somebody that someone else has already named it.  Well, we're rolling with it.

DC Music Review:  That is the one problem with the internet. There are some really creative people out there.  

Well, you've toured all around. Is there a certain place that you just love, and you're like, gotta keep going there? Or is there a place that you want to go to besides, of course, Germany and The Netherlands with Sauerkräut?

Brian: Well, touring is so fun because you get to see so much of the world around you. But at our stage, the world around us that we're touring is mostly the United States?  It would be wonderful to get out of the United States. Maybe you would just go to Canada. I've always thought Latin America would be super fun. I'm not sure what the scene is like in some of those places.  I know there's a great psychedelic Latin scene in Mexico City.  Gettting out of the country would be really cool, and getting out west a little bit more.  Usually, we kind of stop at the Rockies. So getting out to California would be great, abd getting out there again would be really nice. 

But for me, the favorite that we go to regularly has got to be the great State of Colorado. Yeah, Colorado is just so beautiful, wonderful in the summer, in the winter, it's beautiful, wonderful and treacherous (giggles), but still a great place to be. And it's inspiring. The nature is inspiring. People are really positive. 

What more can you want? It’s fun to go up in the mountains and play in some of those mountain resort towns where you can go in the natural hot springs.  There's nothing like a natural hot spring, honestly,

DC Music Review:   Thanksgiving just passed, and Christmas is coming up.  Questions - Cranberry Sauce. No cranberry sauce? Turkey, no Turkey?

Brian:  I hate cranberry sauce.

Louis: I like cranberry sauce and I like turkey. It's good for Christmas and for Thanksgiving,

Brian:   Yeah, I can't do cranberry sauce, but I love turkey. Absolutely love turkey.

DC Music Review:  Speaking of the holidays, does Kendall Street Company celebrate the holidays together, or do you just go your separate ways?

Louis:  We are celebrating Festivus together.  That's December 23rd in Charlottesville at The Jefferson Theater.  We are doing our second annual Festivus show, and it's a really unique show because we air our grievances and we do feats of strength. So, like, the set is selected by pulling the grievances out of a hat, and it'll say, "You guys played 'Porridge' too late in the set."  Something like that - song-related grievances that people have and can be submitted to us. If they have grievances like "The break in 'Crab Surprise' isn't long enough."

(everyone chuckles)

Louis: So, you know, then we will play the song that's related to that grievance. We also collect out of the hat who will be arm wrestling one another in the band for feats of strength.  We might also have different beats of strength this year.  So it's a very unique show, and I don't think anybody's seen anything like it, really. 

DCMR:: So, is the show sold out yet? 

Louis: Not yet. 

(Editor Notes:  A ticket link to their Festivus performance can be found below.)

DC Music Review: You guys are great and wonderful to talk to you both. It's been a pleasure.

Brian and Louis: Thank you.  See you soon!

If you don't already have your tickets to what will be an unforgettable Kendal Street Company Festivus or Pigeons Playing Ping Pong show - what are you waiting for?  Both shows, like every KSC performance, are going to be unforgettable, with shenanigans, improvisation, throw-ins, and great music abound.

In the heart of Hagerstown, Maryland, lies a new music venue - Hub City Vinyl. Attached to the state’s largest record store, the venue welcomes musicians from all over to take the stage. On the night of December 6, the venue hosted two special musical guests- ViRG and Oh He Dead. 

The night kicked off with ViRG, whose unique blend of angelic vocals, funky synths, and whimsical stage presence captivated the audience. The band, a four-piece ensemble decked out in sparkly capes featuring drums, keyboards, and a vocalist, Piano Whitman, who effortlessly alternated between singing and playing synths, delivered a set that was both ethereal and dynamic.

The lead singer’s whispery, angelic voice filled the venue, creating an intimate yet otherworldly atmosphere. Highlights included the band’s newest song, "Feels Right," which was released on December 5th and seamlessly combined 90s pop-rock undertones with smooth synth work.

The set’s playful energy peaked during "Deja Vu," where an unexpected dog bark sample delighted the crowd, causing giggles and awe. The band’s lighter moments were balanced by introspective tracks like Sing for You, an ode to the challenges of being a musician in a relationship. Meanwhile, the live artist “Rat King” quietly assembled a LEGO camera on stage, adding a quirky and memorable touch to the performance.

The venue’s ambient lighting, cozy seating, and stocked bar enhanced the dreamy experience, making ViRG's set the perfect soundtrack for a relaxing end to the week.

Following ViRG, Oh He Dead brought the house down with their high-energy, soulful performance - something that fans have come to expect. The five-piece band exploded onto the stage with a jammy intro, transitioning into the lead singer’s raspy and passionate vocals, supported by the harmonic talents of their lead vocalist who joined the band on keys and synth. The band’s five-part harmonies and electrifying guitar solos set the tone for an unforgettable show.

One standout moment came during "Cover Me", a soulful ballad that featured a tender guitar intro by another member shared between the two bands Alex Salser, organ-like keys, and a crescendo of powerhouse vocals. The crowd erupted during a guitar solo, only to be put back into awe by the bassist’s smooth vocals leading the next verse. The song’s emotional depth was matched only by its technical brilliance.

Oh He Dead’s ability to flow seamlessly between songs kept the audience entranced. A track with bossa nova undertones explored heartache, resonating deeply with its poignant lyrics, while another song took a personal turn, addressing the lead singer’s complicated relationship with her father. The band’s chemistry was undeniable, especially as they danced and laughed their way through an energetic cover of Sledgehammer that rivaled the original. 

Oh He Dead wrapped the night with a thrilling drum solo that segued into their groove-heavy anthem, "California". The band’s encore performance of Amy Winehouse’s "Valerie" was the perfect closing note, leaving the crowd hooting for more.

Both bands have upcoming December shows that are guaranteed to end the year out with a bang.  ViRG can be seen at their upcoming show for Fine Tuned in Westminster, Maryland, on December 12th (Ticket Link). Oh He Dead can be seen back in the DMV on December 31st at The Anthem for a New Year’s Eve celebration you will not want to miss (Ticket Link).

The air outside carried a nip of December that tingled on the edges of scarves and ears but stopped short of bone-chilling. The night brought a briskness that reminded you it was nearly winter without driving you into despair. Winter had the region in its bitter grasp, but that would not deter bluegrass fans from making their chilly pilgrimage to see two of the best progressive bluegrass bands perform at The Recher in Towson, Maryland, on December 6th, 2024.   

The Recher hosted The Dirty Grass Players, Baltimore's beloved bluegrass band that continues to make a name for themselves nationwide, and Sicard Hollow, the psychobilly newgrass band from Nashville, Tennessee, that continues to extend their reach and win new fans with each performance.

There is a time and a place for bluegrass purists. On a cold winter night, nothing beats an absolute rager of progressive bluegrass with flat picking raging into the air, mandolins, and banjos, like sirens, luring fans ever closer to the stage, and a light show that captures the frenetic energy and delight of the evening. Once in a while, you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you look at it right - and that moment was The Recher with The Dirty Grass Players and Sicard Hollow on a chilly December eve.

Anyone who has built a fire knows that to get a fire going has to start with good kindling. The kindling was provided by none other than Sicard Hollow - the torchbearers of progressive bluegrass's new dawn, and delighted to light the matches and let their ferocious style of bluegrass rip into the night air. Sicard Hollow came to the region on a special two-day run with The Dirty Grass Players. Alex King, his guitar slung low like a gunslinger, shared lead vocals with Will Herrin, wearing an Iron Maiden tour shirt, and whose mandolin exuded an energy that seemed too big for its small frame. Matt Rennick's fiddle was the band's restless heart, soaring and piercing the venue walls. At the same time, Parrish Gabriel and his curled maple bass stood to the left, guarding over the rhythm of their performance.    As time would tell, this trusty bass and its bubble gum sound would be a formidable launch pad for the other instruments this evening with each passing note.    This motley crew of bluegrass rapscallions were ready to forge a trail inspired by, but a distinct departure, from the road Bill Monroe laid down so many years ago. Just as Monroe spoke to his generation, Siccard Hollow speaks to the new generation of music fans with songs, sounds, and influences of today with a firm grasp on past traditions.

They lit the fuse with "Forged in Fire," a fitting entry point for a band that doesn't just play music—they wield it. Alex King's voice cracked like a whip as the song roared to life, Rennick's violin slicing through the air like sunlight breaking through clouds.  Herrin's mandolin, deft and intricate, laced the melody with just enough wildness to make it dangerous.    Sicard Hollow is not a band that slowly turns up the heat of their performance - this band and their sounds are the pure thoroughbreds of newgrass.

"Grass is Greener" followed, and Gabriel's basslines were deliberate and allowed the other instruments to crash over one another as the songs of sirens filled the air and drew even the shyest of fans straight up to the rail to behold their energy. The crowd, now fully in Sicard Hollow's grasp, danced and cheered with abandon, their collective energy swelling like a tide. Then came "Blackberry Blossom," a tune as old as the hills but electrified with the band's signature flare. Rennick's fingers blurred as his violin transformed the melody into something both timeless and immediate while King and Herrin traded licks with a swagger that left no doubt they were reimagining tradition in real-time.  

Sicard Hollow continued their fiery display for forty-five minutes before pausing to take a breath and introduce themselves and their members to The Recher. When you come to see Sicard Hollow, be forewarned - this band will keep you on the edge of your soul's delight from the moment they take the stage until the moment they finally put down their instruments.

After introducing the band, Alex King introduced their newest song, "Demons at Bay," admitting some Tim Burton influences after binge-watching the Netflix series "Wednesday" recently.    They ended with "Raleigh and Spencer," the traditional closer that turned the room into a raucous, stomping celebration. Gabriel's bass thumped like a heartbeat, anchoring the frenetic energy of Herrin's mandolin and King's guitar as Rennick's violin soared overhead.

Sicard Hollow isn't merely part of bluegrass's next wave; they are its crest, barreling forward with unrelenting force, redefining a genre with every fiery note.

For those attending Billy String's New Year's Eve Run in New Orleans, be sure to see Sicard Hollow perform two afterparties on December 29th and 30th this year at Chickie Wah Wah.  (Ticket Links: Dec. 29, Dec. 30).  They sold out last year's afterparties, and if you wind up in New Orleans this New Year's Eve - this is your notice.

The Dirty Grass Players hit the stage next. They have been a fixture of the DMV bluegrass scene for the best part of the last decade, having performed at nearly every music festival in the region, culminating in a main-stage performance at DelFest this past year. The question on everyone's mind was how the band would sound after the departure of longtime banjo and vocalist Alex Berman.  Before continuing our review, the quick answer is - stunning, not missing a beat, and like a caterpillar emerging from its cocoon - transformed and magical.  Banjoist Sam Guthridge replaced Berman. Guthridge's name might sound familiar to fans of the band as he replaced Berman during their maiden European Tour earlier this year and provided a seamless integration into the band's lineup.

The Dirty Grass Players didn't stroll onto the stage - they arrived. The kindling that Sicard Hollow started with emerged to be a roaring fire by the end of their performance, and The Dirty Grass Players were not about to let that fire subside. The fuse had been lit, and the Dirty Grass Players were about to put on a party of their own. From the very first note, they showed no bellows were required to reignite the ferocious energy of the room.

Ben Kolakowski's guitar work — oh, it was like watching a magician conjure melodies from thin air.  Connor Murray, with his sequined jacket, held down the low-end groove with a bassline so warm it could've melted any frost outside.  Ryan Rogers on mandolin? He wasn't just playing; he was telling stories, each note a tale unto itself.  Sam Guthridge wielded his banjo with surgical precision, each pluck and roll was a word in a magical incantation. This band was ready for tonight, rising to the occasion to greet their hometown fans.

The opener, "Shiny Side," came in hot—plucky, frenetic, as if it were written for the sole purpose of shaking off the week's accumulated dust.  The band played like they'd just struck a deal with time itself - fast but unhurried, urgent yet precise. "Pockets In Retrograde" and "Carlos" soon wafted through the venue - two songs from their latest album, Shiny Side Up.