Bluegrass Revival to stage takeover of Mother Stewart’s brewery

Traditional to progressive forms of the music genre will be on display this weekend in Springfield.
Dayton bluegrass band Stringus Khan will co-present and perform at all three days of Mother's Bluegrass Revival at Mother Stewart's Brewing Company, Friday through Sunday, featuring Grammy Award-winning and nominated bands. Courtesy photo

Dayton bluegrass band Stringus Khan will co-present and perform at all three days of Mother's Bluegrass Revival at Mother Stewart's Brewing Company, Friday through Sunday, featuring Grammy Award-winning and nominated bands. Courtesy photo

In the season where orange is the primary color along with a little brown, Mother Stewart’s Brewing Co. is opting for blue this weekend.

Mother’s Bluegrass Revival, today through Sunday, includes a diverse lineup highlighted by Grammy Award-winners, nominees and potential future nominees or winners.

The Revival is presented by the band Stringus Khan and Mother Stewart’s. Shows will be rain or shine and this is a ticketed event and entrance is by paid admission only; tickets cost $20 per night and will be available at the door.

Due to the Revival, Mother Stewart’s will be closed to the general public today through Sunday, except to those attending the shows.

Building off a winter bluegrass event just before the pandemic hit, Mother Stewart’s co-owner Kevin Loftis was ready to try the genre again only on a larger scale.

“We felt like with the new stage, we wanted to see what we can do,” he said.

Each night will include two to three acts and a headliner, ranging from traditional to progressive forms of bluegrass. The Travelin’ McCourys, the 2019 Grammy Award for Best Bluegrass Album for “The Travelin’ McCourys,” are the big draw and will close the Revival on Sunday.

Co-presenters Dayton-based Stringus Khan will play all three nights, 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and 5 on Sunday, after having performed all over the area this past summer.

Doors open at 5 p.m. today with The Repeating Arms opening at 6 and two-time Grammy nominees Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen headlining at 7:30. This act may be familiar to local audiences, according to Loftis.

Solivan played here several times in the 1990s and several young performers from here moved to Alaska where Solivan was based and formed a band there called Clark County in tribute to their former town.

Saturday opens at 4 p.m. with Blue Moon Soup leading off at 5, The Devil Doves at 6:15 and headliner Chicken Wire Empire at 9, a younger five-piece group that plays a mix of traditional and progressive bluegrass and likes to jam and get the audience in on the fun.

Stringus Khan will be the only opener on Sunday in anticipation of The Travelin’ McCourys, led by brothers Ronnie and Rob McCoury, sons of Del McCoury, one of the most successful and influential bluegrass artists of all. Loftis said the group is a frequent headliner at various bluegrass festivals and members have earned various bluegrass awards.

Loftis is excited for this as the season-closing event for the brewery’s outdoor stage, installed this past spring.

“Having the stage has brought us a more diverse crowd and we’re excited to take it up to a higher level next year,” he said.


HOW TO GO

What: Mother’s Bluegrass Revival

Where: Mother Stewart’s Brewing Co., 102 W. Columbia St., Springfield

When: 6 p.m. today, Oct. 8, 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9, and 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 10

Admission: $20 each day

More info: www.facebook.com/MotherStewarts/

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