The new ensemble, Crary, Evans & Barnick, combines three outstanding musicians in a band that gives a lot of latitude to bluegrass and folk music. Dan Crary’s name is right up there with Doc Watson, Norman Blake, and Clarence White in establishing a fundamental role for the flat-picked guitar in bluegrass. He has toured extensively (over 30 countries) and is known equally for his solo work as with his associations with Byron Berline, Beppe Gambetta, and others. He has performed in our series in various combinations and we are always glad to have him back. Bill Evans is a master of the 5-string banjo, and he, too, has performed and recorded with many of the greats in bluegrass and folk music today. He performed at Caltech for us with Jody Stecher in a show entitled Secret Life of Banjos” back in 2006 where they performed bluegrass, rags, blues and old-time playing on an array of banjos. Equally comfortable in traditional and contemporary styles, Bill is also a banjo teacher, both one-on-one and at festival workshops. He wrote Banjos for Dummies, now out in a second edition, and one of the bestselling and most highly rated banjo books. Wally Barnick, who plays bass and sings lead and back-up, is a founding member of the Cache Valley Drifters, as well as a cornerstone of numerous other bands, such as the Hay Dudes and Bluegrass Etc., all of whom have performed in our series. He’s a true workhorse in the bluegrass/folk world and other niches with his own bands, as well as performing with others. His fine vocals define any group that he performs with, and there is plenty of good singing in this group, as Dan and Bill also sing lead and harmonies as well. Hear Dan talk about his career and his new relationship with Bill and Wally here. Don’t miss this fine show!
Tickets for this show are $20 for adults, $5 for children and Caltech students. You can purchase tickets at the Caltech Ticket Office, 1200 E. California Blvd (southeast corner of Wilson Avenue and California Blvd) between 10AM and 4:30 PM, Monday-Friday or by phone with a service charge at (626) 395-4652. You can get them online (for a fee) until Thursday here. You can also buy them at the door (cash or check). Beckman Institute Auditorium is located at 400 South Wilson Avenue in Pasadena, but be sure to read about parking, below.
A note about parking for our concerts if you haven’t been to a show for awhile: There will be the usual limited parking right behind the large Beckman Auditorium- It is OK to park in slots with names on weekends and evenings, but the lot may fill up, depending on what other events may be taking place on the Caltech campus. This is the best place to park for the handicapped (try to come a little early- email us at [email protected] if you need help planning your visit). The parking lots between Michigan and Wilson have been mostly closed- a new building will soon begin construction. The most reliable parking will be on Wilson Avenue, either on the street or in the two parking structures just south of Del Mar Avenue, across the street from Beckman Institute. One structure is just north of the Institute at 341 S. Wilson Avenue, and the other, 405 S. Wilson, is just a bit south of the Institute. Rest assured that after 5PM on weekdays, and all day on weekends, you can park for free in these structures, despite signs that allude to the more restricted parking rules during the day on weekdays. You are permitted to park in slots that have names on them here as well. From the structures, walk around the big lawn (much of which is currently fenced in for the building projet to the north) in front of Beckman Institute and you will recognize where to go. On this map, we are suggesting that you park in structures #123 and #124 in the upper left. Beckman Institute is building #74, just to the east (right). If you need help figuring this out, try calling (626) 616-4559
Festivals and free music series coming up through the end of summer:
Some have not announced exact dates or performer schedules as of yet. Three great events are coming up this weekend. The Los Angeles Old Time Social will be held 2 nights and a day in 3 separate locations, featuring concerts on Thursday and Friday nights, and music workshops, folk, square, Cajun dancing, and shape note singing during the day on Saturday. Also on Saturday is the return of the Claremont Folk Festival, after they skipped last year. There will be workshops, music throughout the day on two stages, and a night concert in a very interesting venue, the outdoor Sontag Greek Theater. Sunday is the Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival, a wonderful event held out in the Paramount Ranch, near Agoura Hills in the Santa Monica Mountains. The ranch, set among pastoral hills within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, features an an old west town movie set, 3 stages with continuous music, lots of high quality jamming, food and craft vendors, instrument raffles, and folk dancing. During the contestant portion of the performances, there is some great talent and variety. The enthusiasm of family and friends of the contestants creates a convivial environment. Current predictions seem to indicate fairly mild weather, but you might want to bring a hat and sunscreen, along with a low lawn chair for the main stage area. The Pasadena Folk Music Society will have a booth at the festival, so stop by and say hello to us!
May 17-19 (Thursday-Saturday) The Los Angeles Old Time Social (formerly the Los Angeles Old Time Festival)
May 19 (Saturday) Claremont Folk Festival
May 20 (Sunday) 58th Annual Topanga Banjo Fiddle Contest & Folk Festival
May 26 & 27 (Saturday & Sunday) Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Music Festival
May 24-28 (Thursday- Monday) Strawberry Spring Festival, May 24-28 (Thursday- Monday) up at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, CA.
May 24-June 10. Kerrville Folk Festival (Texas)
June 1-3 (Friday-Sunday) Lummis Day Festival (Northeast Los Angeles- free)
June 3 (Sunday) Monrovia Music Festival (free)
June 2-August 18 Grand Performances (downtown Los Angeles- free)
June 7-10 (Thursday-Sunday) Ojai Music Festival (near Ventura)
June 9- September 2- 2018 schedule just released! Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles
June 23-24 (Saturday- Sunday) Arroyo Seco Weekend (Pasadena)
June 29 beginning last year, dates not yet set for 2018 Culver City’s Boulevard Music Summer Festival (free)
June 9-10 (Saturday-Sunday) The Big Irish Fair and Music Festival (Irvine)
June 14-17 (Thursday- Sunday.) Father’s Day Bluegrass Festival (Grass Valley, CA)
June 15-17 (Friday-Sunday) Live Oak Music Festival (northwest of Santa Barbara)
June 23-24 Long Beach Bayou Festival (Saturday-Sunday)
June 28-July1 (Thursday- Sunday) Kate Wolf Festival Laytonville (Northern California)
June 29- Sept. 3 last year, we’re still waiting for 218 schedule Levitt Pavillion Pasadena (Pasadena’s Memorial Park- free. When schedule is finalized, it should be here
June 29? (Last year’s date) Route 66 Bluegrass Festival (Victorville) – sorry to say it looks like this one might not be happening this year, still checking
July 7- September 8 last year, no schedule for 2018 yet Twilight Concert Series Santa Monica Pier (Free Thursday evening concerts)
August 17-19 (Friday-Sunday) Summergrass San Diego (in Vista, CA)
August 30- September 3 (Thursday- Monday) Fall Strawberry Music Festival (Tuolumne, CA)
September 21-23 (Friday-Sunday) Millpond Festival (Bishop CA) No daily 2018 schedule yet
October 5-7 ( Monday-Saturday) The Huck Finn Jubilee It’s coming back! In Ontario. No daily schedule yet
October 5-7 (Monday-Saturday) Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (San Francisco Golden Gate Park- free) No 2018 schedule as yet
October 14 (Sunday) Santa Barbara Old Time Fiddler’s Festival (Stow House, Goleta, CA) No daily schedule for 2018 yet