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Eclectic music mix to be part of April 29 Greening Up festival
By Justin Goble
Music fans will have an eclectic lineup to choose from during this year’s Greening Up the Mountains festival.
Sounds of rock, jazz, blues and country will fill the air as Ashley Chambliss and Chris Cooper, the Matt Stillwell Band, Moolah Temple String Band and The Sky and Myself appear on the festival’s main stage next Saturday, April 29, starting at 10 a.m. The Timber Rattlers will headline the day’s activities.
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Ballew
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Chambliss
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Stillwell
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Timber Rattlers’ guitarist Marshall Ballew, who has been choosing the festival’s Main Stage acts for the past four years, said he tries to give festival attendees an interesting mix of music.
“We made a conscious decision to make it a variety of stuff,” Ballew said. “It’s grown every year. This year, we’re just praying for nice weather.”
As for choosing the bands, Ballew said it’s usually a simple process. He receives requests from some and asks others he feels would be good to have.
“It’s not difficult for me to choose the bands,” he said. “I always have to say ‘no’ to people since we get booked up really quick, and I hate that. But I always want to make it a mixed bag.”
One of the deciding factors is the amount of time and space needed for a band to set up their equipment. Since the performers play on a tight schedule, Ballew said he has to factor these things in so there’s a continual flow of music.
“There has to be an economy to it because we don’t have the money or the facilities to get acts like Bele Cher (in Asheville). We do have to tell people they must set their stuff up and get going in 10 minutes. We don’t want a whole lot of down time It’s logistically impossible to have five rock bands with complete amp and drum setups. Many times I’ve had a loud rock band between two acoustic bands just so its easier to set up.”
Despite the truncated time frame and lack of equipment, Ballew said he and other organizers do their best to make things easier for the performers so they can play their best.
“We don’t have much time for soundchecks, which can be a bad thing,” Ballew said. “But we’ve had the same sound guy for the past few years. His name is Chad Stewart, and he does a real good job.”
In an area where the majority of people listen to bluegrass, it’s interesting to note its absence from the bands chosen to play the main stage. Ballew said he concentrated on other styles since bluegrass is so prevalent in the mountains.
“Some people would be happy if there was nothing but bluegrass (at the festival),” Ballew said. “But you can always find that in local jam sessions. This stuff we’re having is harder to find. I’m glad a band like Moolah Temple is playing because I think everything they do is interesting. Music to me is like food – there’s so many flavors to choose from. You can’t stick with just one.”
Ballew also said his decision to make the music a variety of styles and genres reflects the diversity of music in the area. While the bluegrass pickers usually get the most attention in Western North Carolina, he was quick to point out that there is a surprisingly varied selection of music to choose from.
“That’s the thing that surprised me when I moved up here,” Ballew said. “I thought it would be mostly bluegrass. But there’s a great alternative scene up here. The college is bringing in kids, and they bring their musical tastes with them. I mean, I like bluegrass as much as everyone else, but I also like Led Zeppelin.”
Though he is used to choosing the bands for each year’s main stage, this is Ballew’s first time as a headline act. It was a request from organizers he was a little surprised to hear, but he said he’s glad to oblige.
“The people who organized the whole event asked my band to headline,” he said. “I’ve never headlined before, so I’m looking forward to it. I’ve played solo and a couple of times with the band.”
Despite some stiff competition, Ballew said he is optimistic about the turnout for this year’s Greening Up.
“It should be fun,” Ballew said. “We’re going up against MerleFest this year (in Wilkesboro). But some people come to Greening Up because its free. You don’t have to pay an arm and a leg to bring your kids and spend the whole day. People can park close by as well, and they like that. That, and you really couldn’t pick a more beautiful place to have a festival.
“I’ve been to a lot of places where the downtown area is in dire straits,” Ballew said. “The ones that have had revitalization projects were able to do so because they had street fairs and festivals. Anything that gets people out in the street instead of the mall or Wal-Mart is a good thing.”
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