As Tim O’Brien and Friends kicked off the final set of RockyGrass 2012, I planted my feet a couple of yards behind the elevated stage. The canopy of treetops overhead, awash in color from the stage lights, absorbed a light drizzle. To my right, the deity of all double bassists, Edgar Meyer, calmly warmed up next to the main stage staircase.

On Friday night at All Good Festival in Ohio, Yonder Mountain String Band took the stage for a raging set of blue grass. Several hours before they hit the stage, guitarist Adam Aijala and mandolin player Jeff Austin sat down with Bobby Martin of Grateful Web in the backstage artist area.

Catskill Chill Music Festival is getting the party started early with Catskill Chill Wednesday Jams, live at Sullivan Hall in New York City every Wednesday in August (there are 5!). As official house band of the celebration, FiKus will play each week and the lineups will be filled in with Chill Family artists who are slated to play this year's Catskill Chill Music Festival at Camp Minglewood in Hancock, NY.

The All Good Music Festival has been around for 16 years, but for the first time since 2003 it was held away from Marvin’s Mountaintop in West Virginia. Once again the festival held up to its reputation for inspiring acts to put on big things.

Hello Festivarians! This is Dylan Muhlberg of Grateful Web coming at you from the 17^th Annual Gathering of the Vibes Festival held for its fifth consecutive (and eight total) year at Seaside Park in Bridgeport, Connecticut. This is festival enjoyment down to a science. Ken Hays and the production people with Vibes work each year to make the extremely logistically complicated and expensive Seaside Park venue a safe, assessable, and kick-ass party for all.

Back for a second straight year the Harvest Festival will feature the 2nd annual Fiddlin' and Pickin' Contest! Categories include mandolin, fiddle, banjo and flatpicking; winners receive a cash prize and gift basket.

Submissions are available online in advance and will also be accepted up to 15 minutes before the competition begins.  Even if you aren't a Fiddler or Picker be sure and stop by The Roost to check out all the talent!

The All Good Festival is right around the corner… this weekend to be exact. While the location has changed, the lineup has remained incredible with acts spanning across a wide spectrum of musical genres.

Following a sold-out festival in 2011, the 11th Annual Northwest String Summit cranks the volume up to 11 as they present the finest acoustic pickers and standout electric bands to commemorate the anniversary of Jerry Garcia's passing (August 9, 1995) at Horning's Hideout in North Plains, OR. Northwest String Summit is happening from August 9 - 12, 2012.

Grateful Web’s Dylan Muhlberg recently had an opportunity to speak with Yonder Mountain bassist Ben Kaufmann and banjo player, Dave Johnston.  Ben and Dave talked about their busy summer festival season, how they tweak their set lists a touch for different festival demographics and the re-emergence of their hometown festival, Kinfolk Celebration, happening later this summer, in Lyon

I spent my entire weekend at DelFest thinking of a musician who wasn't even on the lineup:  Doc Watson.. I had heard of his declining health just before I departed for the festival.  I overheard many at DelFest expressing their own concern.  It appears we all had a feeling, sadly.  I wish we'd have been wrong.