The Low-Tech Times

Darren Murph of Gizmodo.com wrote an alarming post about a hi-tech laser damaging the eyesight of Russian dance music fans:

Dozens of individuals that attended an all night dance party near Moscow have been “partially blinded after a laser light show burned their retinas,” according to Russian health officials. Apparently someone responsible for erecting the equipment decided to aim a few lights powerful enough to brighten the night sky down at the crowd (after rain necessitated a makeshift roof, we’re told), with some of those who stared too long losing up to “80%” of their vision.

This is another reason to listen to low-tech acoustic bluegrass music. Chatham County Line is one bluegrass band I recommend. I’ve seen them on three occasions and they always put on great shows. None of the shows involved dangerous hi-tech lasers or psychedelic light shows. The band simply plays traditional instruments and sings around a single microphone.

Last Thursday, I went out of my way to stop at the Birchmere on the way home from work to purchase tickets for an upcoming bluegrass show featuring Chatham County Line and Crooked Still.

While buying the tickets in person took a little of my time and some gas to get there, I refuse to pay the $8 service charge per ticket that I would have had to pay if I ordered through Ticketmaster.com. It was a principled decision.

Bluegrass is an old-fashioned, low-tech genre of music played on acoustic instruments. Typically, the sound features bass, guitar, banjo, mandolin, fiddle, and harmony vocals.

This weekend, a friend of mine working for the Prince William County, Virginia government is putting on a bluegrass festival to benefit historic preservation efforts at Bristoe Station Battlefield. The lineup for the show includes:

• Skystone — a great traditional band I’ve seen many times at Tiffany Tavern in Old Town Alexandria
• The Blue Ridge Ramblers — a band originating from southwest Virginia. I’ve never heard their music, but I have heard good things about them
• The Page County Ramblers — another band I’ve never heard perform
• Leon Morris — I’ve never heard him perform, but I understand he’s a longtime local performer

Here is additional information on the festival:

Prince William County Bluegrass Festival

Phone: 540-895-0247, Email: mwmdjm@aol.com
PWC Fairgrounds Route 234 , Manassas, Va
Phone: 571-749-7156
Time: 11a-4p Saturday, June 14, 2008

Also, the DC Bluegrass Union calendar is showing that Dr. Ralph Stanley and The Clinch Mountain Boys are playing on Friday, June 13, 2008 at the Strasburg Theater in Strasburg, Va and on Saturday, June 14th, 2008 at The Birchmere in Alexandria, VA. Dr. Ralph Stanley is truly a living legend in bluegrass music whose popularity has surged in recent years after the success of the Oh Brother, Where Art Thou movie. I’ve enjoyed seeing their shows on several occasions.