Now that MerleFest, presented by Window World, is only one week away, annual festival-goers have surely begun planning their weekends. For those who have not, however, here are five sure-to-be epic experiences that shouldn’t be missed. Make a note or two and join a welcoming legion of music fans in Wilkesboro, N.C., from April 25th to 28th at MerleFest.

Who's up for a revolutionary evolutionary ride? DAVE'S PICKS VOLUME 30: FILLMORE EAST, NEW YORK, NEW YORK 1/2/70 captures the Grateful Dead as they make their first foray from the experimental 60s into their early 70s acoustic Americana period. Yes, this one is a little bit country and a little bit (psychedelic) rock and roll.

Legendary blues band Downchild are celebrating 50 years of the blues – and taking the party across North America. Announced U.S. dates thus far include June 21 at Rochester International Jazz Festival (with special guest Dan Aykroyd); and August 17 at Chenango Blues Festival in Norwich, New York. Additional US tour date announcements are forthcoming.

Watch the trailer for the Downchild film documentary, Flip, Flop and Fly, here:

Freekbass, hailed by the legendary Bootsy Collins as “the new spiritual warrior for the funk,” is ready to serve up his new album All The Way This. All The Way That. on the exciting new Color Red imprint on May 31, 2019. The highly anticipated album embodies the past, present, and future of funk music from the creative minds of Freekbass and co-producers Itaal Shur and Color Red founder Eddie Roberts.

In celebration of Joni Mitchell's 75th birthday, the fiftieth anniversary of the Woodstock music festival, and in continuation of her ongoing seven-year exploration of the music of Joni Mitchell, New York pianist and vocalist Hannah Reimann presents a feature-length concert performance of Mitchell's work entitled Both Sides Now, running April 22 to May 4 as part of Fort Green, Brooklyn's Irondale Center On Women festival.

Carlos Xavier is proud to announce the release of his debut album Vive Todo Ahora featuring nine songs that embody the rich history and diverse nature of Salsa music, but with Carlos’ unique take on the genre he loves. From first listen, you can tell Carlos has created an album that will stand the test of time in the same caliber of artists that he was influenced by including Marc Anthony, DLG, Frankie Negron, Luis Enrique, and Michael Stuart.