Joe Val Bluegrass

[Dan Johnson]

Who's going?

[RI-Grass]

Will be there.

Sal

[Dave Reiner]

I'll be there... Teaching a fiddle workshop ("A Bluegrass Fiddler's Bag of Tricks") at noon on Sunday.

Maybe we can have a little Mandocafe get-together right after one of the mando workshops, as we did last year. I don't have the workshop listing in front of me (and they haven't posted it to the website yet), but I'll take a look tonight and suggest a time/place.

Dave

[Joe Singleton]

I'll be there and be playing Friday night as Joe Sings Joe with Dave Dillon. I am excited to be doing many of Joe Val's favorite #'s with two of his long time band mates. The fine gentleman playing mandolin with us has one of the finest sounding instruments I have ever run across, check it out and see if you agree! -Joe

[J.Albert]

I'm hoping to be at Joe Val, if this broken wrist (surgery Wednesday) doesn't get in the way.

Will there be a mandolincafe get-together, by any chance?

- John

[Man of Wax]

I'm considering going on Saturday. I've been told if I miss Dry Branch Fire Squad I might as well pitch myself off the Prudential. As an aside, and not to derail the thread, do you any of you Boston-area people know of jams that are sympathetic toward novices? I guess with enough people I would just be ignored (which is fine; got to learn somehow).

[Dave Reiner]

Mandolin Cafe meetup at Joe Val? Looking at the workshop and stage schedule, the two best times on Saturday seem to be:

- 3PM right outside of Wayland North room, after Ron Thomason mando workshop
- 5PM right outside of Middlesex West room, after Ashby Frank mando workshop (dinner break)

What do you prefer?

Dave

[R. Kane]

I'll be there for the Adam Steffey workshop on Friday, probably not for the rest of the weekend.

[Tom C]

I was there last year but I did not like NOT being in the main hotel. And with the politics involved--becoming a member of BostonBluegrass... for a 1 time a year festival is bogus. I feel they are trying to keep outsiders away.

[woodwizard]

Sounds like a great place to be. Now why can't those things happen closer to Arkansas? All the workshops sound wonderful. I hope you guys know how lucky you are.

[Man of Wax]

I've never been to one of these events before, and I was planning to go mainly for the acts, but are the workshops useful for relative beginners (enthusiastic, dedicated beginners, but beginners nonetheless)? Many of them don't indicate skill level. "Pentatonics & Beyond for Mandolin" is probably my speed, but it's not too clear otherwise.

Also, I'm fairly sure you don't have to be a BBU member to go to the festival. The tickets are just a little more expensive.

[Joe Singleton]

Hi Tom- Sorry you did not get into the Sheraton last year. There are 350 rooms, and obviously a lot more people who want them and they do/did go very fast and not without some glitches. If by politics you mean that BBU menbers get first shot, at $10 or so for a years membership that gets an informative newsletter sent 1/4ly, it doesn't seem like a very exclusionary policy given the fact that they are virtually certain the event will sell out. If there was a bigger, better hotel was available I think the BBu would use it. Hope you attend this year and have a great time. -Joe