BRING HOUSE BAND BACK ON SUNDAY!!!

[walfredo]

Robert Plant was good, but, who missed the House Band on Sunday?!?! Thursday night just didn't seem right for those guys. Who doesn't love leaving Bluegrass after an encore performance from the House Band and all their buddies to wrap up a great weekend!?!?

[GonePickin]

Personally, I liked having the house band on Thursday. Having them close on Sunday is such a bittersweet experience, and listening to musicians of that caliber together should be nothing but joyful.

Plus, I'm not a big Mumford or Band of Joy fan, so we got a jump on travel after Punch Brothers this year and beat most of the snow.

 Listening to: Blind Leaving the Blind (1st Movement) - Punch Brothers

[wngsfn99]

I 100% AGREE!  I said the same thing while we all there!

It almost felt like too much too soon...you need the weekend build-up to what is the best jam of the weekend  

Just my $.02

 Listening to: Sailing Shoes -> Crossroads -> Sailing Shoes :)

[Cindy Lou]

I would like to see them back on Sunday, but considering the weather on Sunday night this year, I'm glad they had already played as I couldn't be out in the rain that long. I still think though, that they are the best way to end the festival.

[helixer]

I heard a girl next to me put it best: " Having the house band on Thursday? That's like premature ejaculation!" I think I have to agree. I suppose it's difficult to decide the lineup. Robert Plant was 10 times better than I expected (and I had high expectations) but I think he should have played Friday or Saturday night or something. You wanna party when the headlining rocker takes the stage, (Ryan Adams, David Byrne, Plant etc) and when the House Band comes on, you really just wanna shut up and listen, and Sunday is generally not a big party day. Seeing the House band perform is always historic, and I can't think of a single more talented group to be on stage simultaneously, nor can I think of a better way to leave the Festival Grounds on Sunday night...

 Listening to: My new Thile/Daves disc....FANTASTIC!

[Bevin]

Let's give the House Band a year or two off and get someone new in that slot - whenever it happens to be.  Seems to me that the number of repeat performers has grown slightly each year.

Just my $0.02.

[fundirector23]

Boy, I gotta agree with this.  Robert Plant I am sure probably either demanded a headlining slot, or had a schedule that just worked out that way.  That being said, the only thing that disappointed me about the house band, was the lack of special guests.  I remember in past years there being about 10 people on stage picking--that is special!  Thursday just doesn't allow enough time (did anyone notice how long it took them to get going?) for artists to forge those relationships and ideas that make the house band set so special. Why not Saturday?  Afterall, this is the TBF--why not have the BEST bluegrass in the BEST slot? 

[FaceOnMars]

I agree .... having 3-4 days under their belt can help tremendously in so far as being able to be primed and ready to play.   I realize they can all get up there and pretty much crank out anything they want and make it sound good by simply going through the motions - they're just THAT good, but I think to elevate things to that 'next level', the odds are better if they've had a chance to loosen up and get comfortable in their own sets & sitting in with others.  This is not to say it can't happen on the first night, I just think the odds/numbers aren't quite in their favor to be "visited".

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing the deck get shuffled a bit ... from year to year.  It was nice to see Peter Rowan sit in last year, would also be nice to see him be a full house band member for one of these festivals too!

[Debbiefromtucson]

Honestly, I prefer the House Band and other headliners to play sometime other than Sunday night... By Sunday Night, I'm usually exhausted and working hard on the pack-up ( this year especially).. Also, on Sunday night I want to get those last visits with friends in etc- just hanging in camp.

[helixer]

Seems the consensus is that maybe not Sunday, but definitly not Thursday! But as stated above, while these guys can crank it out on demand, the few days of warmup and comraderie has to make for a better jam session. (Not to mention adjustment to the cold and the altitude!) I too miss the multiple guests of days past. My theory? They've become so good, so anticipated that they don't want to take the chance of messing things up with a surprise 'guest'. I play music, and sometimes a new guest gets everyone outta sync. Then again, sometimes great things happen unexpectedly...Hell, what do I know?

 Listening to: A box of wheat thins being opened

[Capt. Telluride]

The Houseband always rocks and THEY are always primed and ready no matter when they play. I do think the Houseband set is better received by the audience after we've had a chance to warm our ears  up.  I would prefer that they be on sunday, but I realize that with rock stars like Robert Plant, you take what you can get as far as their schedule.

GREAT festival this year Planet Bluegrass!!!!
(although I STILL don't see the attraction for Mumford & Sons. Pixies were doing that YEARS ago)

 Listening to: nothing. no shows have been posted yet.

[loosejello]

They can't go on Saturday, as Sam always has his band's set on Saturday at 8. (Not that I'd mind 4+ hours of Sammy, but I'm sure he'd get tired!)

[tycho_brahe]

What was that song Sam played solo on the acoustic guitar?

 That was absolutely breathtaking.

[Jen17]

I think the song Sam sang was: The Ballad of Spider John.  Happy to be corrected though.

I like the House Band on Sunday. I think it is a nice way to end the festival.

Thanks, Planet Bluegrass, for another great time!

[tycho_brahe]

 

Thats it!

Thanks Jen, I couldn't think of it. Gosh darn that was so beautiful.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0qLqh8ilxM