Just got back from my first Green Mountain Bluegrass and Roots Festival. Mountain Grass Unit melted my face.
The festival itself was wonderful. The grounds were beautiful, nestled in the green mountains just outside Manchester, Vermont, and there was a lively jam scene in the campgrounds. The lineup was a nice balance between traditional artists like Tim O'Brien and Darol Anger and more progressive acts like Watchhouse and Railroad Earth. But the real highlight in my eyes was Mountain Grass Unit. Their first set on Thursday was an hour of balls-to-the-wall hard-driving traditional bluegrass that had the whole tent hooting, hollering and stamping their feet. The whole band was absolutely locked in and going 100 miles an hour, yet their stage presence was casual and they were clearly having a great time. Their set the next night closing out the main stage showcased their jammier improvisational side, including covers of songs by the Dead, Allman Brothers and even Bob Marley. It was amazing seeing a bunch of young guys so easily make the transition between the neo-traditional and jam-grass scenes. It reminded me very much of a younger Billy Strings back when he was tearing up the festival circuit.