Down and Out Bluegrass Band to make their Dunmore debut

Following on from the BIB post of 16 July, thanks again to Karen Cheever of B2B Communications for the news that one of the finest - and busiest - bands on the Irish bluegrass scene, the Down and Out Bluegrass Band (above), will this year make their first appearance at Ireland’s largest free bluegrass festival - the 20th Guinness International Bluegrass Festival (21-24 Aug.) at Dunmore East, Co. Waterford, where they will be playing at a total of six venues during the event. Festival organiser Mick Daly considers it a coup to secure the band for the twentieth year of bluegrass in Dunmore East:

The Down and Out Bluegrass band is a great group of talented musicians and have built up a massive following in Ireland and the UK. Their music is perfectly suited to the Dunmore East bluegrass festival, as their sound is heavily influenced by classic artists such as Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers.

They have been touring extensively this year, and the committee was delighted that they will be making their inaugural appearance during our twentieth year. With members hailing from Counties Armagh, Antrim, Down, and Dublin, the band plays traditional bluegrass straight out of the foothills of Tennessee and North Carolina, so visitors to Dunmore East are in for a real musical treat.

Richard Leeman, vocalist and guitar player with the Down and Outs, adds:

We’ve had a really busy schedule over the last few months, but we really wanted to play in Dunmore East. The festival draws a fantastic crowd of bluegrass and country music lovers, and it has endured so well. It’s particularly significant that we are making our debut in its twentieth year. We’ve only heard great things about the festival and are looking forward to a warm Waterford welcome.

The Festival kicks off on Thursday 21 August at the Azzurro Restaurant and heralds the start of three days of bands, playing almost fifty gigs in the village's pubs, restaurants, and hotels. The full 2014 lineup appears on the poster image below. There will also be family entertainment on offer including face painting, a bouncy castle, and food stalls in the village. More information about all free events at the 20th Guinness International Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival in Co. Waterford can be found here.