Bear Shadow 2024 Unfurls Thrilling Fourth Edition: Recap
[Feature Photo Credit: Andy Feliu]
With its fourth edition in the books, Bear Shadow music festival has earned its place among the country’s preeminent boutique celebrations of music, revelry, camaraderie, and nature. Flanked by the Blue Ridge Mountains of the Highlands-Cashiers Plateau in western North Carolina, the festival came alive May 11 and 12 with the guitar-driven sounds of JJ Grey & Mofro, Black Pumas, North Mississippi Allstars, Future Birds, American Aquarium, White Denim, and Grace Bowers.
Staged on the grounds of bucolic Winfield Farms on Scaly Mountain, NC, the festival’s purposefully small size (under 2,500 attendees) meant their was plenty of room to spread out with nary a bad vantage point for the near-capacity crowd that was dotted with lots of appreciative young music fans. Falling on Mothers Day weekend, the family-friendly festival went out of its way to thank the moms in attendance by allowing kids under 18 to participate for free with the purchase of an adult ticket.
The sun shone brightly all weekend over scenery that was bursting with spring’s brilliant greens crystallizing the festivals light-hearted vibe. These is what we saw and heard over the course of two near-perfect days.
Day 1:
North Mississippi Allstars opened the festival with a smouldering set of Southern-spiced rock and Delta Blues. Led by brothers Luther (guitar) and Cody (drums) Dickinson with Ray–Ray Holloman laying down fat grooves on bass, the trio drew from a catalogue spanning nearly 30 years along with new music from Cody’s solo album Homemade set for release on June 21.
They eased into the set with the simmering funk of “Set Sail Part 1,” a spellbinding tune about rising waters caused by climate change. With the Dickinson brothers sharing vocals, North Mississippi Allstars showed up in the only way thy can – joyful, authentic, raw and compelling. At one point the breadth of their talent stretched beyond their assigned roles as they mischievously switched instruments with Cody taking on the guitar, Luther playing bass and Ray Ray killing it on the drums.
If the crowd expected to take their time settling in during the first set, they were happily mistaken. Many soon learned it’s impossible to sit still during a North Mississippi Allstars’ performance. Whether recounting the youthful pleasures of growing up Mississippi hippies “tripping LSD/ smoking stems ‘n seeds and drinking mushroom tea” on “Up And Rolling” teasing strains of “Blue Sky” in homage to the late Dicky Betts or conjuring the spirits of Mississippi juke joints of old with “All Night Long,” the trio continues to cement their place among the most compelling bands of their time.
American Aquarium: Alt-country innovators American Aquarium never miss a chance to play before before an audience in North Carolina, their home state. The Raleigh-bred sextet drove for 30 hours straight from a gig in Colorado to make it to Bear Shadow. Exhausted as they might have been, there was no hint of it during their high-energy set before the festival’s appreciative fans.
Beginning with “Crier,” the latest single from The Fear of Standing Still produced by music royalty Shooter Jennings and set for release on July 26, the band dished out a potent mix of Southern rock, country, progressive folk, and Americana with just a pinch of punk. “Casualties,” a classic barnburner, was ripe for a raucous sing-along along with fan favorite and rollicking country-rock anthem “The Luckier You Get.” There were also more sentimental moments including new tracks “Cherokee Purples” and “The Curse of Growing Old,” a song inspired by lead singer/songwriter BJ Barham’s 92-year-old grandmother.
While American Aquarium is as tight a band as they come, they are clearly a joyful vehicle for frontman Barham, who delivers his craft with all the zeal of a rock god in love with music, the audience, and storytelling. His songs touch on everything from the mundane everyday trials of life to addiction and sobriety and to love, loss, and the complexities of the wider world. Barham proudly wears his heart on his sleeve, making him and his band unapologetically authentic. After almost two decades, American Aquarium stands head and shoulders above a country scene littered with homogenous, manufactured, pop-country performers.
Futurebirds: After 15 years together, Futurebirds live in a quirky musical ecosystem of their own making. As singer/guitarist Carter King has explained, the band has always been “too indie rock for the jam festival, too country for the indie scene, a little too psych-rock to feel… Americana.” Futurebirds romped through a jubilant set pulsing with joy. Hailing from Athens, GA, the septet came to party, delivering what their fans (affectionately called the BirdFam) have come to expect – pure unadulterated fun.
Led by triple threats guitarists/vocalists Daniel Womack, Carter King, and Thomas Johnson and galvanized by keyboardist Spencer Thomas, pedal steel wiz Kiffy Myers, bassist Brannen Miles, and drummer Tom Myers, the rock-solid ensemble eased into their performance with 2015’s “Rodeo,” a plaintive tune about the ups and downs of love. Frontmen King, Johnson, and Womack rambled around the stage in a loose passel of guitars, harmonies and Southern rock rhythms with rowdy solos piled high – one on top of the other.
The career-spanning set revealed Futurebirds’ moxie for creating catchy narratives, including “Virginia Slims” (from 2013’s Babba Yaga), the crowd-pleasing “Olive Garden Daydream #47” (from their 2017 EP Portico II), and the rousing strains of “Put Up, Keep Up” and “College Try” (the products of the band’s collaboration with My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel). Fans were also treated to a couple of tasty covers, including The Grateful Dead’s “Bertha” and an entirely unexpected rendition of ’Til Tuesday’s “Voices Carry.” Coloring outside the lines is what Futurebirds do best, which makes them one of the most unpredictable and engaging bands around.
JJ Grey & Mofro: With two decades, ten full-length albums, and countless live shows under his belt, JJ Grey has attained a level of success and maturity that affords him an expanded touring ensemble numbering nine musicians who mirror the richly layered compositions of his studio works. Olustee, his latest album and first new release in nine years, features as many players and more, including an orchestra and five backing vocalists. While the orchestra did not appear at Bear Shadow, JJ Grey & Mofro’s touring members included Craig Barnette (drums), Eric Mason (percussion), Todd Smallie (bass), Marcus Parsley (trumpet), Kenny Hamilton (saxophone), Charles Brigmond (keys, brass), Pete Winders (guitar), and the wonderful vocal stylings of backup singers Katie Dutton and Linzy Lauren.
As the setting sun turned the surrounding mountains to deepening hues of green, JJ Grey & Mofro came to the stage to the thundering cheers of the crowd, unleashing the feverish title track from Olustee, a tale of the devastating fires that engulfed parts of eastern Florida in 1998. The song was punctuated by the furious call of Grey’s harmonica – almost as if it was warning of destruction to come. Grey and company produced more choice cuts off the new album including the “Rooster,” John Anderson’s “Seminole Wind,” “Top Of The World,” and “The Sea,” a plaintive tune with Grey and Katie Dutton sharing soul-stirring vocals. With the gentle strains of Kenny Hamilton’s flute floating in the background, Grey stretched his vocal chops to soaring heights as he contemplated his place in the universe on the pensive and touching “Deeper Than Belief.”
A hallmark of Grey’s performances is his impassioned delivery of familiar songs that have been known to bring grown men to tears and induce the rhythmically-challenged to get up and dance; there was plenty of that. Fan favorites like “A Woman,” “Orange Blossoms,” “99 Shades of Crazy,” the ever-present sing-along “Lochloosa,” the ubiquitous encore “Brighter Days” and more were on the menu. But Grey seemed keenly aware that introducing new material into a tried-and-true repertoire might need a little time to grab fans’ imaginations. He acknowledged as much, thanking the audience for their open ears and open hearts. He needn’t have worried. Audience reaction to the new tunes was enthusiastic and heartfelt, guaranteeing their place in the JJ Grey & Mofro pantheon for years to come.
Day 2:
Grace Bowers: I’ve see the future of soulful blues/rock, and her name is Grace Bowers. Just 17 years old, Bowers has been delivering jaw-dropping performances around the country, including at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads, Newport Folk Festival, and BottleRock. She’ll also be hosting Grace Bowers & Friends at the Brooklyn Bowl on June 10 in her adopted home of Nashville, TN. The concert will benefit MusicCares and Safer Voices for Tennessee and features heavy hitters John Osborne, Lucie Silvas, Butch Walker, and Maggie Rose among others. She has also amassed a huge and growing Instagram following, starting with streaming her guitar practice sessions at the tender age of twelve.
Backed up by her brilliant young band The Hodge Podge (vocalist Esther Okai-Tetteh, guitarist Prince Parker, bassist Eric Fortaleza, drummer Brandon Combs, and keyboardist Joshua Blaylock), Bowers brought her considerable talents to bear on an audience that fell dumbstruck just long enough to absorb the fact that they were witnessing greatness in the making. Comparisons to Bonnie Raitt, Ana Popović, and Sister Rosetta Tharpe could be heard floating through the crowd. Picture Samantha Fish’s and Susan Tedeschi’s little sista from another mista, and you’ve got Bowers.
During her hour-long set, Bowers’ explosive string and fret work conjured up the spirits of blues, R&B, and funk greats such as Robert Cray (“Holdin’ On”), Buddy Miles vis-à-vis Thudercat (“Them Changes”), and Parliament-Funkadelic (“Red Hot Mama”). With impressive backing from her band including sublime vocals contributed by Esther Okai-Tetteh, she also showcased original work including the R&B- and reggae-inflected “Tell Me Why U Do That” and “Wine On Venus” – an onslaught of funk and guitars from Bowers’ upcoming debut album of the same name. The goosebump-inducing performance left us with the definite feeling that Grace Bowers’ star will continue to rise at a meteoric rate.
White Denim: Nothing keeps Austin-based psychedelic, progressive alt-rockers White Denim from chasing their joy. Nearly 20 years and a dozen albums after their first riotous shows as a trio founded by core members James Pertanlli (vocals/guitar), Steve Terebecki (bass), and former drummer Joshua Block, the band continues to tug at the edges of rock and roll.
Diving headfirst into prog territory, the band opened their expansive set, stuffed with more than a dozen hard-hitting tunes, with 2011’s “Anvil Everything.” Celebrated for their signature crunchy guitar riffs and manic energy, White Denim sailed through their exuberant performance on the backs of high-energy songs such as “Pretty Green” and “Double Death.” Inspired by the grooves of legendary drummer Bernard Purdie and hip hop luminary and fellow Texan the late DJ Screw (Robert Earl Davis Jr), “Crystal Bullets” hit the mark.
When James Pertanelli suggested that the band “play fast and confuse everybody,” happy young fans were not dissuaded from blissfully twirling in front of the stage. Mission accomplished, White Denim went out with a flourish with “Had 2 Know You (Personal)” and the playful “Fine Slime.”
The Record Company: The Record Company strips rock and roll down to its essence, which can be distilled down to “three cords and the truth,” so said gentleman philosopher and rock god Bono. The Record Company lives that truth whenever they step on stage to unfurl their highly-charged live performances. Band members Chris Vos (vocals/guitar/slide guitar/harmonica), Alex Stiff (guitar/bass/vocals), and Marc Cazorla (drums/vocals) dig deep to unearth the roots of ’70s blues and rock while putting their own modern stamp on the art forms.
Foot-stomping blues were in the house with the band’s opener “In The Mood For You” and Hard Day Comin’ Down,” which took on the qualities of an old spiritual. Alex Stiff and Marc Cazorla provided the thunder for the set’s heart-pounding rhythms on “Life To Fix,” “How High,” and the hair-raising “Off The Ground” while lending supporting melodic accents to “Rita Mae Young” and acoustic versions of “Talk To Me” and “I Found Heaven (In My Darkest Days).”
A compelling a frontmen as there ever was, Chris Vos pushed the band’s sound to multi-dimensional heights – far beyond the boundaries of a traditional power trio. Whether blowing the harmonica, deftly thrumming electric, acoustic, or Fender Champion Lap Steel guitar, or decanting raw magnetic vocals, Vos served up an abundance of musical stylings. The Record Company’s versatility was on full display during a bluesy version of the Beastie Boys’ “What’Cha Want” and a rowdy cover of “All Day and All of the Night” by The Kinks – “the original punks,” Vos said.
Since their humble beginnings in 2012, Vos, Stiff, and Cazorla have spent their careers building a following one fan at a time. So it seemed fitting ending their set with an uproarious rendition of “I’m Getting Better (And I’m Feeling It Right Now),” sending the ecstatic crowd right over the edge.
When psychedelic soul sensations Black Pumas rocketed to stardom in 2019 on the wings of their critically acclaimed debut album of the same name and a Grammy Nomination for Best New Artist in 2020, it seemed they were just getting started. But then, unexpectedly, the Austin-based duo made up of singer/multi-instrumentalist Eric Burton and guitarist Adrian Quesada abruptly pulled back from touring in 2022, leaving heartbroken fans to wonder if they’d ever experience the band’s genius again. Fortunately, they resurfaced last October with their highly-anticipated sophomore album Chronicles of a Diamond.
Now in the middle of an extensive cross country tour in support of their new release, Black Pumas’ stop at Bear Shadow felt like a joyous homecoming. Fronted by singer Burton and guitarist Quesada and backed up by a wonderful six-member ensemble (vocalists Angela Miller and Lauren Cervantes, keyboardist JaRon Marshall, bassist Brendan Bond, drummer Stephen Bidwell, and percussionist Terin Ector), the band drew heavily from Chronicles of a Diamond.
All eyes were on the charismatic Burton, who commanded the stage for the duration of the 90-minute set. The band detonated the start of the set with the incendiary opener “Fire” to the roar of the crowd. Playfully plunging into “Ice Cream (Pay Phone),” Burton’s slinky falsetto floated atop the band’s bright rhythms along with masterful backing vocals from Miller and Cervantes. Leading the crowd in a swaying sing-along on “Know You Better,” Burton inched closer to fans while Quesada’s guitar riffs and Bond’s bass line delivered the funk.
Black Pumas saved the chart-topping “Colors” for the finale, with every voice on the mountain joining Burton and the mighty vocals of Miller and Cervantes for this gospel-infused gem. But neither the band nor the crowd were done yet. After briefly leaving the stage, the band returned for Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car,” bringing down the heavens and the festival to a close.
Thanks goes out to producers Eleven Events and the non-profit Highland Festivals, Inc. for gifting fans and the region as a whole with one of the more civilized and unique festivals in the country and a success by every measure. Good memories were made that weekend. We look forward to making new ones with each Bear Shadow to come.
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