Tahoe Onstage photos by Rachel Lopez
It’s a shred fest.
After three years, WinterWondergrass California is finally here! Great bands delivered with full force to a huge crowd to welcome them at Palisades Tahoe. This event is bluegrass at full force, with every mandolin player playing faster than the latter. On opening day, Friday, April 1, you could hear whispers of how excited everyone was for headliner Billy Strings. -Rachel Lopez
Keller and the Keels: Barefoot Keller Williams and flat picker Larry Keel and his rock solid, in-the-pocket bass playing wife, Jenny Keel, gave us some jammy picking tunes that started the main stage off right.
Twisted Pine: This Boston-based quintet creates a sound unique sound . With badass women one playing a wicked flute and another on the fiddle, it’s something I personally haven’t seen before and it blew me away.
Rapidgrass: Why not a new name for a new style? Rapidgrass embodies the notion that nature, and particularly mountains, can bring out the best in their art, and they have dedicated much of their creative energy into bringing that art back to the people of the mountains.
Old Salt Union: Their sound is super grassy with rockabilly tunes that get the crowd dancing. Lead vocals and now playing guitar on this set, instead of his normal upright bass instrument, Jesse Farrar pumped up the crowd even more by jumping off stage and playing in the audience getting up close and personal.
The War and Treaty: This husband and wife duo mashes gospel and bluegrass. Their stage performance was off the chart with Michael on keys throwing in funny jokes here and there and starting the set off right with an upbeat attitude. Joking about how he’s the future Billy Strings, Michael has an undeniable talent.
Pixie and the PartyGrass Boys: Here we have rowdy picking and pop-punk, just what we wanted to hear.
