October Shows

What do you get when you mash up a virtuosic bluegrass mandolinist, a traditional Irish fiddler, and an old-timey songster?  Old-time bluegrass trio Little Black Train will be performing two local shows on October 1 and 2.  The band will appear at Plaza Linda Mexican Restaurant on Friday, October 1 at 8:00 p.m. The band will present a fun, refreshing fusion of vintage fiddle tunes, blazing mandolin, and songs of old-time Americana, for a $10 donation at the door. Reservations are recommended, call 831-659-4229.

For South Monterey County residents, they will also be appearing at the historic Hesperia Hall in Bradley on Saturday evening, October 2 free of charge at 7:30 p.m.  The trio of bluegrass mandolinist Kenny Blackwell, traditional Irish fiddler John Weed, and old-timey songster Stuart Mason will again fill the Hall in the Bryson-Hesperia area with their lively music.

Hesperia Hall is located at 51602 Bryson-Hesperia Road in Bradley (93426), just over a half-hour drive north of Paso Robles. Historic Hesperia Hall was constructed as the Shiloh Baptist Church in 1894 using native redwood timber, and has survived virtually intact from that time due to the dedication of the local community. For more information contact Lois Lindley, 805-472-9556.

Kenny Blackwell (mandolin and guitar), John Weed (fiddle), and Stuart Mason (guitar, banjo, and mandola) are the bluegrass-roots trio Little Black Train. From Depression-era gospel and blues to Appalachian and Celtic dance tunes, they dig up the roots of bluegrass that traveled to America from Ireland and Scotland in the 19th century. Avid practitioners of the time-honored folk process, these boys combine new words and melodies with traditional songs from sources such as the Carter Family, Doc Boggs, and Charlie Poole. On the instrumental side, they mine fiddle tunes from archival sources in West Virginia, Ireland, and Scotland. Band members Weed and Mason are also members of the popular Celtic group Molly’s Revenge.

“Each of these three is amazingly accomplished, but something magical happens when they play together, their instruments swirling around one another like curls of smoke from a smoldering fire. This is old-time music at its most riveting!” –Glen Starkey, New Times SLO