Old Crow Medicine Show – Baltimore Magazine

Cumberland’s DelFest: Bluegrass Meets Bicycling

Ron Cassie — Wed, 20 May 2015 09:58:00 +0000

Go for the music.

Started by the Grammy-winning, York, PA-born Del McCoury eight years ago, DelFest offers some of the best bluegrass in the country each year, including Old Crow Medicine Show, Trampled by Turtles, Railroad Earth, and Jason Isbell this Memorial Day weekend. (Jason Isbell and his wife Amanda Shires’ recent performance on The Late Show was one of the highlights of David Letterman’s closing run of musical guests.)

But spread over four days and nights—and late nights—music starts Thursday afternoon and goes to 3:30 a.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the 8th annual DelFest in Cumberland also offers a rare chance to mix Western Maryland camping, hiking and biking with music.

Sitting along the Potomac River at the base of the Appalachian Mountains, Cumberland was once an important railroad and canal junction and western gateway. Today, at the nexus of two of the top bicycling trails in the eastern U.S.—the C&O Canal, which begins in D.C., and the Great Allegheny Passage, which runs to Pittsburgh—downtown Cumberland has experienced a rebirth of sorts as a bicycling and recreational sports hub.

Stringing the two trails together, bicyclists literally come through Cumberland from all over the world today to ride from the Nation’s Capital to the Steel City (or vice versa) on 330 connected, car-free miles, either camping or staying in small town lodging and B&B’s along the way.

At DelFest, hosted at Cumberland’s Allegany County Fairgrounds, all multi-day passes include on-site, walk-in camping with RV hookups also available. The family friendly environment includes activities for kids, including, of course, biking or hiking on either one of the two trails.

There are a ton of bike shops situated on or near the two trails, including the Cumberland Trail Connection, which is seated right where the two trails come together downtown. Most shops rent bikes and provide shuttle service, if necessary. Many of the lodging facilities, including Cumberland’s The Inn on Decatur and Frostburg’s Trail Inn, offer bike and hike-friendly services as well.

We’re going to be doing some biking and camping ourselves this weekend in Cumberland, looking forward not just to the scenic mountain air—the weather looks great, by the way—but DelFest’s great music, too.

We should probably note that the local legends and festival namesake, the Del McCoury Band, won a “Best Bluegrass Album” Grammy in 2014 for their work, The Streets of Baltimore.

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Hot August Music Festival Boasts Stellar Lineup

Jess Mayhugh — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:30:00 +0000

Brad Selko has been deciding Hot August Music Festival‘s lineup for the past 22 years.

“It’s not easy,” says the 64-year-old Baltimore native, who founded the festival. “I study everything and listen to everything, talk to family and friends both young and old.”

This year’s festival—August 16 at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville—features bluegrass-folk band Old Crow Medicine Show, Americana band Nickel Creek, and indie rockers Dr. Dog. There will also be local acts like electronica quartet ELM, soul band Bosley, rock trio Jordan August Band and blues rockers The Solicitors.

The one-day event focuses primarily on bluegrass and country music, genres that Selko holds near and dear. That being said, he doesn’t shy away from bringing in different genres to diversify the musical offerings, inviting bands such as Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Gov’t Mule, and Trombone Shorty to play in past years.

“People like [Nickel Creek and Dr. Dog] down here,” says Selko. “I think they’re great rock and roll bands. I don’t choose straight down the line of bluegrass and country—I like to go left and right a bit.”

That kind of go-with-the-flow attitude has defined Hot August Music Festival since the days it was held in Selko’s barn. But the festival still remains largely intimate and revolves around what Selko prefers as a music fan, first and foremost.

“One thing that I don’t like about festivals are the short sets,” says Selko. “At festivals with hour-long sets and shorter, sometimes the bands take 15-minutes just to warm up. I make sure that Old Crow is the last band and that they have a full two-hour set.”

His fan-first philosophy also spills over into the other areas of the festival, as well.

“I hate lines,” he says. “That’s why I’ve hired extra beer staff, got more bathrooms, and brought in more food vendors. You’ve gotta keep people happy.”

This year, concession options include organic falafel wraps, pit beef, and beer offerings like Natty Boh and Magic Hat.

And, although the festival has grown in size and brings in bigger, more nationally recognized acts, one thing that hasn’t changed is Selko’s pre-show ritual.

“Every year, my sister or my wife picks me up a box of Berger Cookies,” he says. “It’s the only thing I can eat during the festival. I even turned [blues musician] Susan Tedeschi and [Gov’t Mule drummer] Matt Abts onto them. And, the funny thing is, I never want to eat them any other time of the year.”

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August Concerts in the Region

Jess Mayhugh — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 12:00:00 +0000

Now Playing

2014 Summer Spirit Festival
Aug 2: Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy.,
Columbia. 3 p.m. $46-125.

merriweathermusic.com

David Gray
Aug 7: Merriweather Post Pavilion, 10475 Little Patuxent Pkwy.,
Columbia. 3 p.m. $46-125.
merriweathermusic.com

Heart
Aug 9: Pier Six Pavilion,
731 Eastern Ave.

6:30 p.m. $35-75.

piersixpavilion.com

Silopanna Music Festival
Aug 16: Anne Arundel County Fairgrounds, 1450 General’s Hwy., Annapolis.
11 a.m. $59.50-175.
silopannafestival.com

Hot August Music Festival
Aug 16: Oregon Ridge Park, 13401 Beaver Dam Rd., Cockeysville.

11 a.m. $59-169.

hotaugustmusicfestival.com

Boston
Aug 26: Pier Six Pavilion,
731 Eastern Ave.

6:30 p.m. $35-350.

piersixpavilion.com

Liner Notes & Key Tracks

Ms. Lauryn Hill, Janelle Monáe, and Talib Kweli are billed to play this festival of hip-hop and R&B heavyweights.
Key Tracks: “Doo Wop (That Thing)” (Lauryn Hill) and “Tightrope” (Janelle Monáe).

Multi-platinum British songsmith David Gray burst onto the scene with his album
White Ladder, and continues his tradition of thoughtful songwriting on his new album Mutineers. Key Tracks: “This Year’s Love” and “Babylon.”

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame sisters Nancy and Ann Wilson deliver hard-rock hits spanning their four-decade career. Key Tracks: “Barracuda” and “Crazy On You.”

Alt-rock greats The Flaming Lips, Dashboard Confessional, Matt and Kim, and more gather at this Annapolis summertime show. Key Tracks: “Do You Realize??” (The Flaming Lips) and “Hands Down” (Dashboard Confessional).

Join Old Crow Medicine Show, Nickel Creek, Dr. Dog, and other Americana, funk, soul, and blues bands at this eclectic Baltimore County festival. Key Tracks: “Wagon Wheel” (Old Crow Medicine Show) and “Shadow People” (Dr. Dog).

These classic rock legends have earned their stripes with their multi-platinum albums and slew of sing-along hits. Key Tracks: “More Than A Feeling” and “Foreplay/Longtime.”

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