Spire Center to Host Bluegrass Festival, 4/11

Plymouth's Spire Center for Performing Arts presents a festival of the beloved genre of American Roots music with a Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, April 11, 5:30 pm at 25 ½ Court Street, Plymouth. Four top acts present their own spin on bluegrass touched by overtones of country and Appalachia.

Fresh, hard driving and innovative, Mile Twelve has made the rounds in New England bluegrass and folk circles. This young quartet brings their own spin on original and traditional bluegrass with Evan Murphy on lead vocals and guitar, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes on fiddle, Nate Sabat on bass and Catherine (BB) Bowness on banjo. Original captivating songs and daring instrumentals draw from a diverse set of influences, including bluegrass, jazz, folk and old-time music. The four award-winning musicians have performed in New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, France, Canada and the United States, delivering their infectious groove and intricate melodies to audiences around the globe.

Banjo-wielding singer/songwriter Mark Whitaker amazes audiences with his innovative take on everyday emotions and heartbreak through a range of folk, blues, pop and bluegrass. His music is delivered via the texture of traditional bluegrass through banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and upright bass, but imposes no restrictions on the styles of music that can be explored with that instrumentation. With rich vocals and thoughtful lyrics, Mark's songs offer a fresh and introspective take on everyday emotions, as well as heavier subjects like crisis, heartbreak, heartburn, and heart repair. He was named favorite Male Songwriter, Banjoist, and Duo (with Eva Walsh) for the 2014 Redline Roots Awards. He is an active banjoist in the Boston music community and regularly works with other artists as an accompanist and recording artist. In addition to his own project, he also plays banjo with the modern bluegrass band, The Whiskey Boys.

Chasing Blue plays original and traditional bluegrass with unique arrangements, hard-driving style and strong lyrical sound. Formed in 2008 at Berklee College of Music, Chasing Blue plays a mix of original and traditional bluegrass repertoire with unique arrangements and hard-driving style. Their original material holds true to the bluegrass tradition, but strong lyrical insight and progressive musical ideas blend to make the unique Chasing Blue sound. The Lonely Heartstring Band combines instrumental virtuosity, 3-part harmonies, and a deep understanding of traditional bluegrass and Appalachian music. Born as a wedding band, The Lonely Heartstring Band, was hired for one wedding to play only Beatles repertoire on traditional bluegrass instruments, inspiring them to explore other sounds through original songs, retaining the initial flame of the bands love of songs, arrangements and music that feels good.

Tickets for the Bluegrass Festival are $20. Advance ticket purchases are recommended, seating is limited due to capacity. The Spire is handicap accessible, public parking is available street side, and in public lots in close proximity. For more information, to order tickets online, or to learn more about The Spire, please visit our website at www.spirecenter.org, or follow Spire Center for Performing Arts on Facebook.

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