US bands in Europe, May-June 2022

The BIB mentioned two days ago that this year's Bluegrass Omagh festival (28-9 May) will be the one chance for bluegrass fans in Ireland to see the fine Tennessee band Seth Mulder & Midnight Run (above; photo: Miranda Goff). Thanks to mygrassisblue.com for this poster image (right; click on it to enlarge) showing all eighteen dates on the European tour organised for them by mygrassisblue.com, extending from 12 May to 6 June, and including major European bluegrass events.

Bluegrass Omagh is the fourteenth on this list; the second on the list is the 18th International Bühl Bluegrass Festival (13-14 May) in Bühl, Baden-Württemberg, south-west Germany, a bluegrass-friendly city. Also on the bill at Bühl are two US bands who have played in Ireland in the past: Chatham County Line (below; photo: York Wilson) and the Hackensaw Boys (bottom; photo: Paul van der Blom).

Both bands are on European tours, and Chatham County Line will be playing in the Workman's Club, Dublin, on 4 May, their only scheduled date in this island.

The organisers of the 10th Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival (24-26 June), presenting 'the best of bluegrass and far beyond' have issued a preliminary press release on the lineup for this year's event, which includes from the USA Gangstagrass, the Legendary Shack Shakers, Possessed by Paul James, and former visitors to Ireland the Henhouse Prowlers. The Dutch contingent are headed by our old friends who have been away far too long, the Blue Grass Boogiemen (below). Yes, they're not a US band, but Tim Knol's photo is too good and evocative to leave out.

© Richard Hawkins