12th Annual Pondstock is way out there in Trenton Nebraska about two miles east, exists one of the coolest festivals I have never been to yet, pondstock At Lake Hedke is now under It’s 12th annual run. I have heard independent acts like St. Christopher (who is a friend) speak VERY excitedly about this event. This is one of the few festivals I have very little information about right now and as I learn more about this festival I will be including it into this series and continue to cover this festival for years to come.
I recently talked with the festival director of this event and he said this is a one hundred percent independent festival on a venue called Pondstock and it is on Lake Hedke Nebraska, thus the name. This will be a Thursday, Friday and Saturday event and for a full schedule you can click on the link above.
There is a food vendor and also band merch areas where you can buy the albums and shirts you love so much! For all other questions and where to purchase tickets please contact the festival team at the above link.
The Peculiar Pretzelmen
Whiskey Dick
Saint Christopher
Urban Pioneers
Reverend Deadeye
Super Moon
The Ditchrunners
JawKneeVee
Freight Train Rabbit Killer
SS Web
Leonhardt
Dig Deep
Randy Olinger
Smokestack Relics
Kiel Grove
Lorin Walker Madsen and the Hustlers
Mr. Smith
el Jefe
Alex Culbreth
Country Rebels
The Devil’s Cut
Matthew James and the Rust Belt Union
Free parking and camping, no dogs or glass bottles. 21 and over ID required. Food vending provided by Grinders.
Music is Thursday through Saturday. Price is $15 for Thursday, $25 for Friday, and $25 for Saturday.
A limited amout of early bird tickets (100) will be available for $40 which will take care of all 3 days. Price goes up after that.
Now I’m sure there will be a number of folks like myself that just cannot (or don’t) camp, so like every festival edition I have indeed researched local area hotels for you:
This one is really just a huge party thrown by my friend out there in Kansas City Dylan Thomas Dorrell who runs a shindig called Double D Productions. Along with the folks over at Muddy Roots whom are some of the top contributing folks to my website present the tenth annual Dylan’s Big Birthday Blowout Bash 2017. This transpires Feb 9-12th 2017 at three venues in Kansas City, and the separate dates will have the band AND venue links available for you to click on to do some research if you’d like to.
I’ll be down there in May for the Westport Roots Festival if all goes according to plans sometimes with me the old body cannot always do it all anymore and I’m just taking life one day at a time. As long as I can do this, I plan to I can promise you that much. as far as festivals go, I try to change up some of them every year so I can juggle many of them but I’ll be honest I have my favorites and a few of them are just juggernauts on the scheduled bands.
I have literally over 100 current lineups POURING into my inbox from California to New England with Americana, Red Dirt, Bluegrass, Country, and Bluegrass..and other genres as well. There are quite a few things I would like to bestow upon all of you concerning this event, some news about a few of the bands here on this list I don’t always get to write about as much as I would like to.
I recently had an enlightening conversation with Mr. Travis W.T. Newton from a band I covered a few years back at Muddy Roots Main festival in Cookeville, County Graves. If you will recollect my previous coverage from Muddy Roots, they performed a damn fine set in what was their last performance together in that juncture. Back in 2015 HERE is my write up from their performance on stage 3. I shall NEVER forget that incredible gospel medley they closed their set with last time, now for the first time in awhile they are returning to Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club on the Sunday leg of this festival type deal.
I recently spoke with Mr. Travis Newton concerning the ordeal and here is what he had to tell Gary Hayes Country:
This is going to be an interesting one for us, because the lineup is going to have two of our best friends that never played with CG before on top of the original three piece that is Nate McReynolds (Upright), Benjamin West (Mandolin), and myself. The two new guys are Baker McKinney from Shawn James & The Shapeshifters playing banjo, and Tyler Giles playing pedal steel. It’ll be a really fun and really intense show and I can’t wait.
As far as the future goes, I can’t really say what’s gonna happen. We always plan to play at least once a year and have a damn blast when we do. It’s sort of difficult because we’re all so spread out, but worth it when it all clicks. Nate and Ben are two of my best friends in the world and my two favorite folks to play music with. There’s gonna be something more for County Graves down the line at some point, I’m just not sure what exactly yet, there’s something on the horizon though.
Here’s the set list:
Sometimes They All Come Back
Part II
Calvary Hill
Arkansas
Dry Counties
Dust
Illinois Blues
Home Fires (WTN)
Old Pine Grove (WTN)
Bloody Williamson
Hellfire Victory
St James Infirmary
No Mansions
The Urban Pioneers will be appearing on the Friday leg of this event and Their latest album “Feast Or Famine” made my TOP 50 OF 2016. I recently was interviewed by Mr. Dustin Doug from Pirate Farm Radio where I briefly elaborated on all 50 of my choices, also they are busy filing their new variety television show “High On The Hog” which I’ll write more about at a later time.
I’m positive as they embark on their latest tour that we will be treated to some more wild onstage antics and offstage mischief by this trio. Also if you may not have heard they will be rejoining Mr. Jayke Orvis for a Broken Band reunion ONE TIME ONLY EXCLUSIVELY at the Westport Roots Festival that you can read more about HERE.
Currently I am busy checking out NEW albums released in 2017 and Roots Music Legends Split Lip Rayfield are no exceptions. “On My Way” is a twelve song masterpiece that is high up on my suggestion list for 2017 already. I got to see them last year at Muddy Roots on stage 1 and they killed it out there, I spent a lot on cd’s during this set.
Dates are set.
I’m thrilled to be once again be teaming up with The Westport Saloon to bring you this party. 4 days of cheap fun.
As usual, Friday and Sunday are FREE thanks to the good folks at the Westport Saloon.
Saturday price kept as low as possible thanks to Davey’s Uptown Ramblers Club!
Thursday will be cheap. Think $1.25 a band or so.
The greatest hotel IN THE WORLD, America’s Best Value Inn on Broadway has offered us a deal this year if you book directly through the hotel and don’t use the internet. THE GREATEST HOTEL IN THE WORLD!!! AKA…it’s kinda shitty but closest to both venues in Kansas City and they like us and never give us shit for party rockin…
AMERICA’S BEST VALUE INN!!!
816-531-9250
Call direct (don’t book online) say you’re coming for DYLAN’S PARTY and get 10% off an already cheap room!!!
I do not believe I need to go over any “rules” as with my other festival articles to be honest, this is not a camping event and it’s all indoors as far as I know. Each venue has it’s own rules and it’s mostly just common sense PLEASE just observe rule number one “Don’t Be A Dick”.
