The Sweetwater 420 Festival rolled on Friday, April 29th with another hot lineup and more delicious jams for day two. The weather cooperated perfectly, and the crowds were relatively calm for this session, though more intense than the day prior. Today's festivities were led by The String Cheese Incident, Gary Clark Jr., and Lotus.

The Sweetwater 420 Music Festival returned after a three year hiatus, and kicked off on Thursday, April 28th with a pre-party to get the festivities going. Bands played on one stage only, which limited the options but packed in the fun. While the line up for this night shifted a number of times prior to the event start, the day went off without a hitch.

An animated, serene warmth swept through the Red Rocks Amphitheatre audience night one for highly-anticipated—and two year delayed—Rising Appalachia, Trevor Hall, Citizen Cope, and Gone Gone Beyond this past Thursday, April 28th.

Ahead of a jam-packed cross-country summer tour that includes festivals and concerts, Kitchen Dwellers released their latest album, Wise River, on Friday, April 29.

The quartet - Shawn Swain (Mandolin). Torrin Daniels (Banjo), Joe Funk (Upright Bass), and Max Davies (Acoustic Guitar) - twist bluegrass, folk, and rock through a kaleidoscope of homegrown stories, rich mythology, American west wanderlust, and psychedelic hues. 

Talented. Inspired. Spontaneous. Fresh. These are but a few of the descriptors being thrown around the conversation about the up-and-coming bluegrass talent the Big Richard Band. Touted as a neo-acoustic supergroup, the word on the street from the venues they have played reinforces they have all this and more. From the chops to the vocals and a camaraderie that just won’t quit, it is no surprise that their phones have been ringing off the hook to get them scheduled for festival sets and headlining slots across the land.

The jam rock icon Phish triumphantly returned to Madison Square Garden for the first night of a four night stand, rescheduled from December 2021 because of complications with the COVID-19 pandemic. The show kicked off with a bang, including a type II jam in the first song, despite not having played since February 27th, 2022. The band didn't stop there, and brought a mix of old and new songs, each elevating the show in a uniquely exciting way.

The Boston, Mass based power trio Lespecial delivered their signature blend of "heavy future grooves" at the Gramercy Theatre in New York, NY last Saturday night. Their performance included a full set dedicated to Primus, where they covered "Frizzle Fry." They were supported by the jam rock quartet, Peak.

The Denver, Co based funk and soul ensemble The Motet brought a fiery dance party to the jam friendly Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY last Friday night as part of their Don't Keep On Stoppin' tour. They were accompanied by percussionist Mike Dillon, who is a veteran of the jam rock scene. Currently, the band is focused on instrumental sounds and reconnecting with their jazz improvisational roots.

Saturday night, relative new kids on the psychedelic block Ghost Light made Fort Collins the final stop of their short but sweet spring tour. Hitting the road for the first time since early 2020, this group set out to trip the sound fantastic once again for eleven shows over 16 days.

Celebrating the moment and not wasting time on unimportant things is what Pigeons Playing Ping Pong does best. Living life to the fullest and elevating friends in the process is their mantra. The quartet brought this vibe to Brooklyn Steel in Brooklyn, NY last Saturday night, where they reveled in their new, appropriately titled album release, Perspectives.