Just like that festival season begins. With the new season comes the 10th Charm City Bluegrass Festival. This year in a new location. Although it has been held at Union Craft Brewery before, it was not held in Union Crafts newest location.
Friday
The bands performed both inside the brewery on the main stage and outside on the porch. Some of the porch performers included Hat and Hair and Hazel Raven, who played in between the main stage sets. The show kicked off on the Brewery Stage with Parker Zelter ZmcCown and Friends, delivering a perfect start to the festival. Grateful Dub paid tribute to the Pizza Tapes, and Twisted Pine left us in awe, especially Anh Phung with her flute skills.
One of the standout moments of the event happened on Friday thanks to The Steel Wheels. They performed an impressive A Capella song that generated a lot of excitement among the festival-goers. I overheard someone saying it was the coolest thing they had ever seen at CCBF! The indoor festivities on Friday concluded with a performance by Magic Beans.
Saturday
Saturday was fantastic full day event, featuring bands performing both inside on the brewery stage and outside on the main stage. In between sets, there was delightful music playing on the porch. The grand finale of the festival was delivered by the incredible Infamous Stringdusters, who showcased their impressive musicianship and left the audience in awe.
Prior to the thrilling Saturday finale, the festival treated us to exceptional performances by various artists. The Wildmans, Hazel Raven, The Hamden All-Stars, The High and Wides, Justin Trawick, and The Way Down Wanderers all contributed to the excitement. Additionally, Pert Near Sandstone and Cris Jacobs delivered outstanding sets, including a remarkable tribute to John Prine. The tribute show featured special appearances by Allie Kral and Chris Luquette, who were artists at large for the festival. Caleb Stine also joined in, and the highlight of the set was the rendition of Prine’s song “In Spite of Myself,” featuring Cris’s wife Kat. It was truly a treat to witness.
The Magic Beans delighted the audience and even invited Cris Jacobs to join them for a jam session, which was absolutely stellar. Saturday’s lineup also included Caleb Stine, Honey Dewdrops, and the High and Wides, ensuring an incredible day of music. Finally, the festival came to a close with a phenomenal performance by the exceptional Infamous Stringdusters. As expected, they were simply awesome and provided a fantastic ending to the day.
The Charm City Bluegrass Festival has always been a well-organized event, featuring great music and vendors. Phil Chorney, Adam Kirr, and their team did an exceptional job this year, ensuring that everyone had a memorable experience. Personally, I thoroughly enjoyed myself this year, as well as every year at the festival.
Enjoy these photos from the performances on Friday and Saturday at Charm City Bluegrass Festival 2023 on May 5-6.
