Smile Politely

CU Folk and Roots Festival in pictures (and video)

The CU Folk and Roots Festival celebrated its second year last weekend. Here are some of the highlights:


The Hot Club of Cowtown put on one of the best shows I’ve ever witnessed on Saturday night to a standing-room only crowd in the IMC (we moved the main stage into the IMC after it started raining). I haven’t met anyone yet who attended that concert who hasn’t ranked it in the top five concerts they’ve EVER seen. Wowsa.

The family shows on the Common Ground front porch on Saturday morning were absolutely wonderful. Nothing better than a crowd of kids boppin’ up and down to funky folk-rock. Over 100 folks at each of those performances.
 

Various workshops were a blast, especially the ukuele workshops and the udderbot marching band.
 
The Amasong community sing was unbelievable. Folks were standing in a giant circle and creating a sound-scape that was hauntingly beautiful…almost like Gregorian chanting.


The Viper made a last-minute appearance at the parking garage bus stop. The City of Urbana parking garage, by the way, has incredible acoustic properties. The Viper’s yodeling bounced back a thousand times richer and more resonant than a sound system could ever accomplish. That was an amazing moment.

More pics:

AKGI Guitar Duo


Bossa Nuevo


Bruiser and the Virtues


Candy Foster and Shades of Blue


Chicago Farmer


David Llewellyn


Mike Meadows Kevin Elliott and Kelly Durley

Miriam Larson’s Puppet Show


Paul Kotheimer Trio


Scott Miller’s bones workshop


storyteller Marilyn Kinsella


The Hillbilly Jones


The Tornado Alley Cats


bluegrass jam


Dale Evans and his Swedish nykelharpa


And here are some daily video roundups:

(All pictures orignally posted on the CU Folk and Roots Festival’s Facebook page. Used with permission.)

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