PUTNEY-The Next Stage Bandwagon Summer Series presents an odyssey of American music with Bristol Lightning, on Saturday, June 8, at 6 p.m. at Cooper Field, 41 Sand Hill Rd.
"Bluegrass from Tennessee from Grammy-award winning musicians - what's not to love?" asks Keith Marks, executive director of Next Stage Arts, in a news release. "Dave Eggar has been on stages around the world in pop, classical, jazz, and so many more settings. He's an award-winning cellist who infuses a sense of virtuosity and freshness into the Bluegrass genre."
In 1927, the first country music records were cut in the twin cities of Bristol, on the Virginia and Tennessee border, by ordinary people with ordinary stories and the courage to create, organizers say. Now, almost 100 years later, Bristol Lightning is born in the same town, celebrating the American stories of today.
"From Aaron Copland to American roots music, blues, bluegrass, and beyond," notes NextStage's website, "Bristol Lightning's live shows take the audience on a high-energy adventure of bluegrass cello and mandolin, blues guitars, tap dance, and storytelling, weaving a powerful and poignant tapestry of the true creativity and resilience of the American spirit."
Bristol Lightning is the baby of cellist Dave Eggar. He's a student of the American composer Aaron Copland and the cellist Yo Yo Ma. Eggar has performed, recorded, and arranged for artists across genres, including Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Coldplay, Frank Ocean, John Legend, Lewis Capaldi, Tony Bennett, and Andrea Bocelli, to name a few.
He is a Grammy-nominated composer, has scored multiple films, and regularly performs in the classical and American roots music worlds. Dave teamed up with two-time Grammy nominee Phil Faconti (who has worked with Norah Jones and Foreigner) and Bristol locals Blake and Jamie Collins to form Bristol Lightning.
The Bandwagon Summer Series is a family-friendly outdoor cultural performance series running from early May through mid-October at ballfields, farms, and parks throughout Windham County.
Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the gate. Kids under 12 always get in for free, and a dedicated play area will be available at all shows. Refreshments are sold onsite. Bring a picnic and a blanket or fold-up chair to enjoy the concerts. Advance tickets are available online at nextstagearts.org. For more information, call 802-387-0102.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.