Shakori Hills Spring 2014 Itinerary: Saturday/Sunday

 It's important to remember that festivals are marathons, not sprints. It's something you see far too many people forgetting, and then when you reach day three people look like unkempt, dirt covered, hungover zombies. I mean I guess if there's a time and a place for everything then Shakori is a pretty solid place to be unkempt and dirt covered at least. Shakori is a festival unlike many others, as you walk onto the festival grounds all pretensions are shed and your city of origin seems to fade from importance. Shakori is a festival that revels in the now, fostering a tightly-knit community of eclectic individuals from all walks of live. When you come across a Shakori attendee in the "real world" you feel an immediate connection, they understand the same things you do and you've got an immediate talking point. It's a wonderful, transcendental feeling that I look forward to feeling when I see all of those familiar faces out in Pittsboro this coming weekend. Thursday and Friday boast pretty stacked lineups from top to bottom, but that marathon mentality comes into play when you start considering all of the awesome shows that will be going on throughout the rest of the weekend as well. Some of the festival's most revered acts won't be taking the stage until Saturday and Sunday, so gear on up for a long weekend of singing, dancing, rock-stacking and food-binging awesomeness.

Saturday

Saturday will surely be a slow start for a lot of festival goers, as Friday night will host a pretty dance-heavy late-night lineup. For those that make it out of their campsites in the morning, yoga is always a nice way to ease into the day. However, many folks may be more likely to soak up some of the Sugar Shack's phenomenal breakfast and take it easy until the festivities really get going for the day. Greg Humphries Trio will serve as a nice way to start the day off on Saturday, Humphries is a bit of a local staple around the Triangle, playing within both Hobex and Dillon Fence, to widely loved acts from the days of yore. This low-key take on poppy roots rock will be an excellent way to get your Saturday going. At 12:30 folks can take in another dazzling set from The Last Bison, a band that will surely be the talk of the festival for those smart enough to catch their sets. I'll likely check out quite a bit of this before heading over to the Dance Tent for MC Yogi's Yoga Workshop. Workshops are an awesome aspect of Shakori that make it standout from other similar festivals, there's a wide variety of things you can learn from these events and this MC Yogi fronted Yoga Workshop will serve as a nice warm-up for his highly engaging set later in the evening. After the workshop folks will be in prime position to watch the Puppet Parade trek across the festivalgrounds, which is one of the most exciting events of the weekend. One of the acts from the festival leads a parade of adults and children alike, donning the zany masks and puppets of the Paperhand Puppet Intervention, as they happily careen through the farmlands, toting about cheerful smiles and more good vibes than you can possibly soak in at once. Even when it's raining festivalgoers come out in droves to check out the parade, it's simply something you can't miss!

After the parade it'll be nice to take a trip back to the campsite to get a mid-day break from the action. However, there's plenty of awesome tunes to hear as well, local singer-songwriter Kamara Thomas will be in the Cabaret Tent while Big Fat Gap will be sharing their traditional bluegrass sounds at Carson's Grove. Around 4:00 it'll be nice to check out yet another Driftwood set and perhaps heading to the Dance Tent for a bit of the Latin Dance Workshop. The best part of these dance workshops is that they're usually immediately followed by a highly energetic act that will allow you to show off your newly learned grooves, this time Cortadito will be bringing their traditional Cuban music to the tent for folks to dance their afternoon away to. After one form of traditional tunes you can head over to check out another traditional outfit, but of a vastly different variety. The legendary Del McCoury is back on the farm and if their set is anything like the one I saw at the IBMA last September then it's something you'll definitely want to check out. McCoury plays with mind-numbing precision, he plucks, strums and shouts with ease as the rest of his band performs awe-inspiring fills and provides beautiful harmonies. Even if bluegrass isn't your thing you'll want to check this out, McCoury is a living legend unlike any other and his talents are absolutely undeniable. Check this out and be swept away by how lively and energetic this 75-year old performer is.

After a bit of the Del McCoury Band it'll be off to the Dance Tent for MC Yogi, one of the most unique performers I've ever seen at Shakori. Yogi combines dance music with yoga mantras and soothing mindsets, whether he's rapping about the overwhelming powers of Hindu god Ganesha or driving listeners to a dance frenzy, he'll surely have the crowd in his hands throughout this performance. After Yogi I'll most likely grab some of the incredible food from the vendors (the Indian food is especially fantastic if you're bold enough to go there whilst camping), but there's plenty of great musicians performing as well like the harmony-driven Barefoot Movement. After some nommage, it's off to Meadow Stage to dance those calories off to Baloji & L’Orchestra de la Katuba. This Congolese hip-hop artist is one of the festival's marquee headliners and when you hear his incredibly rhythmic style of delivery and instrumentation you'll immediately understand why. Shakori's artists brush away language barriers, making acts like Baloji just as accessible as folks like Ben Sollee. Speaking of which, I'll be cutting out of Baloji to check out the virtuosic cello stylings of Sollee around 9:30. Sollee blew me away at a Hopscotch Day Party a few years ago with a cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" and I've been hooked since then. He's like a cello-playing Andrew Bird, mixing some incredible instrumentation with his brilliant lyricism and insanely soulful vocals. From there it'll be off to see JP Harris & The Tough Choices, a gritty take on the honky-tonk stylings of yesteryear. Harris is one of the most captivating and engaging performs to perform at Shakori and he always brings along an incredibly excitable crowd. After Harris the rest of the night is really a toss-up based on your musical preference. Donna will be playing late into the night at Meadow Stage with their instantly accessible zydeco jams, Big Something will get the jam-band kids bobbing, swaying and loosely dancing the night away at Carson's Grove and Chit Nasty will bring an overwhelming amount of funk and soul to the Cabaret Tent. Saturday's late-night festivities provide a bit of something for everyone, so there's no excuse not to dance your ass off!

Sunday

Sundays at Shakori are nothing short of magical. The weekend is dying down, festival goers are usually pretty worn out from the non-stop good times, but the music wastes no time in picking up bright and early. Given the Easter sunday, the day will begin with morning communion and those that don't partake in the celebration will most likely be eating candy in the woods and celebrating a different sort of holiday. Barefoot Movement will be at Meadow Stage at 11:30, serving as an incredible start to a day full of slow-packing and slow-moving fans. Bring your lawn chair or blanket out to the Meadow Stage, kick off your shoes and lose yourself in the beauty of this simplistic, barefooted folk quartet. After that you may as well stay where you are and take in the last Driftwood set of the weekend, because hell...why not?! Driftwood are one of those bands that it's easy to see three times in a weekend, their set usually varies quite a bit and there's always a handful of instantly relatable covers that everyone can shout and sway along to. Donna The Buffalo will be performing with Preston Frank at the Dance Tent shortly after Driftwood, so if you find yourself recovered and ready to dance then definitely head on over there, but fear not they'll also be closing out the festival with a monumental superjam of sorts.

After Donna it'll be nice to bounce between the soothing sounds of Morning Brigade and the late afternoon pick me up from Diali Cissokho. The Sunday afternoon world music sets are always a highlight of the weekend for me, the performers are usually radiating positivity and compel even the most exhausted of attendees to get on their feet and clap, shout and sing along to the infectious tunes. JP Harris and Baloji will have their second sets of the festival as well, so it'll be nice to stagger between the two whilst slowly packing up the campsite and preparing to trek back into the real world. Before leaving though it will be crucial to check out the sounds of Rising Appalachia, a soulful interpretation on Appalachian music that blends gospel, folk and even hip-hop to create a unique brand of music all their own. The Mint Julep Jazz Band will be at the Dance Tent at around 7:30 to rope in those that are leaving for one last swing-driven dance party as well. And as always, Donna will be closing out the festival with their All-Star Revue, a set that usually runs deep into the night and features some of the most beloved artists to perform on the farm throughout the weekend. I usually never make it this long into the festival, but something in me is really aching to stay and check out this widely beloved set to close out my evening.

All in all this Spring's Shakori is one of the most impressive lineups I've seen in a few years. There's an even mixture of beloved locals and high-profile headliners to draw in fans of all varieties. Plus, the celebration of Shakori's recent land purchase is more than enough reason to trek out to the farm once more. Whether you're a first time attendee or a long-running Shakori-ite (is that a word yet? It's got to be), this Spring will serve as an excellent escape from the daily drudgery that is everyday life.

Shakori Hills Spring 2014 Itinerary: Thursday/Friday

The Unknown Tongues at Shakori Hills in 2012

It's that time of the year where all I can think about is napping in the middle of a field surrounded by fantastic people and even better music. Shakori Hills is a mere three days away and if you're anything like me you've already begun to work out exactly who you'll be seeing on a day-to-day basis, leaving a few wildcards up your sleeve of course to check out the next Shakori buzz-band that you'll surely miss on your first glance. The weather looks absolutely incredible for a laid-back weekend of grassroots goodness, and I for one can barely contain my excitement for the stellar lineup that will be out in Pittsboro this weekend.

Thursday
The festival always kicks off with a celebratory opening ceremony, consisting of festival reps taking the main stage and giving a run-down of the general housekeeping items on the line for the weekend. Surely a focal point of this weekend's festival will be the recent purchasing of the Shakori grounds, a massive cause for communal celebration from folks that have long been viewing Shakori Hills as a cultural institution here in the Triangle-area. After the ceremony things will get off to a slow, but serene start with acts like Home Remedy and Driftwood filling up the early evening hours. Home Remedy is an acoustic trio that blends traditionalism with a modern sheen while Driftwood brings some ineffable harmonies and soothing melodies to the farm for their first of three sets. Driftwood has become a Shakori staple in recent years and they'll be playing three of the four days of the festival, it's always nice to catch a bit of Driftwood here and there throughout the weekend, it keeps everything fresh and allows you some pretty nice anchoring points for your schedule so that it isn't such a swift change in musical stylings. After Driftwood comes the first of many Donna The Buffalo sets of the weekend. Checking out at least one Donna set is almost obligatory, they're the folks that helped organize the grassroots festival circuit and pretty succinctly sum up what it means to be out at Shakori Hills. "The Herd," a name that Donna fans have lovingly adopted for themselves, will swear by the band, surely converting hundreds of newcomers to the jangly, dance-tunes of this zydeco-driven group. The sounds of washboards and accordions will fill the air plenty of times this weekend, but it's usually worth checking out at least a few times. Their late night sets are quite frankly where it's at, so I'll likely be soaking this set in from the comfort of Camp Honeybadger.

As Donna ends at 9:00 pm, the first day of music makes its transition into the nighttime, one of absolute highlights of the festival. While it's always incredible to soak in the gorgeous weather and laid-back tunes, the night-time is when the festifreaks come out and the dancing gets "turnt up" as the kids are want to say. Theres tons of excellent stuff to choose from on Thursday night, starting out with afrobeta at Carson's Grove. Afrobeta is a dance-duo from Miami with exuberant dancebeats and poppy song structures to make for a high-energy kick off to the night's festivities. This will be an excellent set, but it's probably best to check out something else instead of hitting up the whole set, as they'll be tearing it up late-night on Friday. There's two big conflicts for night one, and the first one strikes after afrobeta in choosing between the notorious Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the swiftly rising Dr. Bacon. Dirty Dozen Brass Band bring absurdly danceable jazz stylings to the masses, gaining fame from their work with acts like Modest Mouse, Widespread Panic and Elvis Costello. Coming straight from New Orleans, their style meshes funk, swing and bebop together for a positively incredible sound. Dr. Bacon on the other hand will be melting faces in the Cabaret Tent with their self-described "Appalachian soul-grass sounds." The band contest winners played to an ever-increasing crowd last fall and that popularity will surely bleed over into their late-night debut this Spring.

Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba

The next big decision comes in the form of two standout local acts of incredibly different sounds. Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba hold a special place in my heart, they're the first world music act I ever saw at Shakori and it left me totally enamored with the genre. After finding out that they're from Carrboro my mind was blown and my heart was set in checking them out at every possible chance. These guys bring incredibly passionate music to the stage that contains as much joy for your heart as it does for your dancin' shoes. However, this vivacious blend of west African rhythms will be going up against the heart-wrenching stylings of Des Ark at the Cabaret Tent. The last few times I saw Des Ark at Shakori it was absolute serenity, Aimée Argot has a voice that tugs at your heartstrings with lyrics that contain visceral emotionality, simultaneously gorgeous and downtrodden. Des Ark may not be your typical late-night set, but since this is their only performance of the weekend I'll most definitely be winding down my night with Argot's sweet sounds.

Friday
Things get off to a mighty early start at Shakori, or at least it feels like such when you've woken up from a night filled with late fireside chats and drum circle jams. But the early morning yoga is a nice way to ease yourself into the day. I've never gotten the chance to make it out there, but dammit do I want to this time! After your early morning routine is over, Ranford Almond will be taking the main stage at 10:30 am. Almond represents one of the most interesting parts of Shakori, the wildly diverse lineup. He's a thirteen year-old guitarist with smooth fingerpicking and a weathered voice beyond his years. The young guitarist has already honed his chops at MerleFest and various other high-profile performances and he'll surely become a Shakori staple. Seeing this young artists year in and year out provides an awesome experience of watching these acts grow as musicians. Don't miss out on these unique performances! After Almond comes one of the most promising young bands in North Carolina, Morning Brigade. They pull heavy influence from orchestral folk acts like Lost in the Trees and produce an entrancing blend of music that's full of passion, intensity and most importantly, talent. This is one of their two sets of the weekend and will serve as an excellent transition into the early afternoon events. Checking out Morning Brigade should surely be on your to-do list if you're out at the farmlands this early. Hopping over to Carson's Grove for the Fiddle/Banjo/Guitar/Mandolin competition always provides an awesome excuse to lay out a blanket and soak in the sun, so take that opportunity whenever you can get it! Things are pretty low-key throughout the afternoon, but there's another must see one-time set that takes place at 3:30 on Carson's Grove from the Virginia based folk group The Last Bison. The Last Bison are similar to Morning Brigade in their grandiose folk leanings, blending chamber-leaning instrumentation with beautiful lyricism to make for an incredible aesthetic experience on these dazzlingly gorgeous farmlands. The band brings anthemic choruses to the table, further driving home their intense dynamism and awe-inspiring compositions.

Phil Cook

After The Last Bison, festival goers are left with a wide array of local choices. Tonk takes the stage at Carson's Grove at 5:00, bringing their classic honky-tonk style to what'll surely be a wildly excited group of fans. Tonk are a band that's got a pretty dedicated following around the Triangle, so don't be surprised to see some folks that are totally enamored by this jangly act that brings classic country stylings to a modern fanbase. At 5:30 Clockwork Kids will bring their brand of atmospheric indie-rock to the Cabaret Tent, showing off their melody driven tunes from their recently released full-length Rememory. But my attention is drawn straight towards the local all-star jam of Phil Cook & The Guitarheels at 5:30 on the Meadow Stage. Cook is a member of the folk-giants Megafaun and his solo work combines a bit of the traditional folk stylings with contemporary compositions, bridging the gap between fans of classic and modern tunes. Phil Cook will be joined by Andrew Marlin (Mandolin Orange), Matt McCaughan (Bon Iver), his brother Brad Cook (Megafaun), Bobby Britt (Town Mountain), James Wallace (Mount Moriah), and Terry Lonergan (Hiss Golden Messenger) to make for a band filled with some of the region's most talented and renown musicians. This is one of my can't miss sets for the weekend and I'd recommend you put it on your shortlist as well.

After Cook it'd be wise to retreat to the campsites and prepare yourself for a long night of high-energy tunes. I'll likely stuff my face with some duck fat tots and lounge around Honeybadger for a few hours before checking out some of the Indigo Girls. I never got too into this group, but it'd be criminal to miss out on a Grammy-winning folk group when you get the chance. After that the evening will kick into full effect with the Bulltown Strutters, a massive 20-person band that will be filling the Dance Tent with positive vibes and infectious dance grooves. From there it's off to Spam All-Stars at the Main Stage, a 9-piece "Miami fusion" band that blends Latin stylings with funk, hip-hop and electronica for an amalgamation of styles that results in one possible reaction...mindless dancing. It'll be nice to take in a lot of this high-energy act and then bounce on over to Carson's Grove for Toon & The Real Laww, one of the Triangle's premiere hip-hop acts. The duo frequently performs alongside an incredible live band, and while I'm not sure as to whether they'll be doing so for Shakori, they still produce a highly energetic brand of hip-hop that's as lyrically driven as it is rhythmically. After Toon & The Real Laww bring their engaging hip-hop to Carson's Grove it'll be back to the Meadow Stage for Afrobeta's late-night performance, one that's sure to be a festival highlight. But don't get too wrapped up in their entrancing dance-grooves, as DJ Gonzo and Napoleon Wright II will be spinning classic hip-hop records and performing some highly danceable rap and R&B tunes back over at Carson's. There's a ton of music to check out on Friday night and the close proximity of the stages at Shakori lends itself to seeing a bit of everything, so step out of your comfort zone and soak in a ton of new music!

Check back in tomorrow for a round-up of Saturday and Sunday's festivities!

Shakori Hills announces full Spring lineup

Shakori Hills' spring festival will take place on
April 17-20 in Silk Hope, N.C

Back in February we reported on the initial lineup announcement for Shakori Hills' spring 2014 festival, one that boasted a stunning array of both local and national acts including everyone from Ben Sollee and Morning Brigade to Dirty Dozen Brass Band and the effing Indigo Girls. Since then the festival has been slowly and silently adding artists to the lineup with little fanfare involved. Acts like Des Ark and Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba were added alongside folks like Phil Cook & The Guitarheels and DJ Gonzo, bulking up the local anchors for this already excellent lineup. But earlier this week the good people of Shakori Hills have unveiled the full festival lineup for their April 17-20 festival. With a remarkable combination of world music, funk, Americana, folk, soul and dance music, Shakori Hills has once again proved to be one of the most consistent festivals around.

It feels like with each festival Shakori Hills tries to expand their reach a little bit more, and when they're adding invigorating acts like Miami's Afrobeta, an avant dance-duo and Congolese-Belgian hip-hop artist Baloji & L’Orchestra de la Katuba, one can't help but get excited. Shakori is a festival of exploration, dabbling into new musical territories that may seem a bit overwhelming at first but end up welcoming you in with open arms. I'll never forget my first brush with Afrobeat, my first dance party lead by the Latin funk crew Suénalo or my first (of many) encounters with the washboard slappin', festi-freak rousing antics of Donna The Buffalo. Shakori Hills radiates positivity, and when it falls on Easter weekend it always makes for memorable camping stories. Whether you're waking up to the Meadow Stage's morning musings or cheerfully greeting every passerby, it sure beats the hell out of chocolate binging until you vomit (which no doubt would still probably be pretty awesome at Shakori).

This Spring's headliners are packing quite the punch, Shakori is usually a festival that gets by on its solid undercard. While you may not be jumping at the bits to check out folks like the Indigo Girls or last fall's headliner Yonder Mountain String Band, there's always a few high-tier acts that will rouse up some new and insanely dedicated fans on the farmlands. Ben Sollee's virtuosic cello skills will be a certainly soothing excursion (here's to hoping for an evening set-time) while Dirty Dozen Brass Band will lead a wildly exciting dance party filled with their amorphous blend of jazzy tunes. But artists like The Last Bison and J.P. Harris & The Tough Choices are just as excitable as the top-tier acts, which is arguably the best aspect of the festival. Lump all of those in with some of the finest locals from across the state and baby you got a stew goin'!

Tickets for Shakori Hills are available for purchase at shakorihillsgrassroots.org, a 4-day weekend pass is $100 with individual day passes ranging from $23 to $43. Shakori Hills takes place in Silk Hope, North Carolina on a semi-annual basis. Check out the full lineup on the website and be on the lookout for our regular series "Shakori Spotlights" to find out who we're most excited for at Shakori.

Show Preview: Shakori Hills Fall 2013

Mason's Apron @ Fall Shakori 2012

Few things in life get me as excited as Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival. That's not even an exaggerated statement, the two weekends out of the year that I get to spend camped out on the gorgeous farmlands out in Pittsboro, NC are always the happiest days of my year. Perhaps it's because my dearest friends that are now spread across the state all reunite for a weekend filled with fantastic music, but I think there's more to it than that. The festival is--to quote Das Racist here-- a "pos-vibe emanator." Basically the minute you drive into that dirt-filled parking lot you feel like you've become a part of the family. After attending the festival a few time you grow to recognize the faces, make dear acquaintances, and the entire thing feels like a gigantic reunion of kindred spirits. Maybe I'm just wrapped up in the hippy-ness of the whole thing, but if so I've got zero problems with that.

The festival takes place from Oct. 10-13 and provides an awe-inspiring blend of music from all across the globe. Shakori Hills can somehow maintain a local focus while providing an outlet for highly acclaimed artists from a wide array of backgrounds ranging from Ethiopia to Canada. Shakori Hills is filled with laid-back vibes, it's a festival that allows you to roam around aimlessly and catch some incredible music that you may have never even thought to listen to. I know when I first started attending the festival I had a small interest in Afropop stylings, but after I saw acts like Diali Cissokho and Fatoumata Diawara I began to immerse myself in the throughs of African music. This festival is a chance to broaden your musical horizons, to leave your cell phone behind and wind down--or let loose! Shakori has a bit of both quite frankly, if you want to have a chill weekend filled with low-key acoustic acts then you've got a slew of options. However, if you're looking to release your inhibitions and dance away your troubles, there's plenty of that too.

Show Review: Shakori Hills Spring 2013

Paperhand Puppet Parade on Saturday at
Shakori Hills

Once again, eager festival goers made the trek to the gorgeous grounds of Shakori Hills for one of the most intimate and unique festivals on the circuit today.  Through tornado warnings and rapidly changing weather conditions, fans rallied for the music.  From April 18 - 21 a diverse array of incredibly talented musicians graced the multiple stages of Shakori Hills for one of my favorite festivals in recent memory.  There's something about the unity that comes from weathering a massive storm inside of the woods that makes for an incredible festival experience.  To hell with the muddy pants, to hell with the soaked clothes, last weekend was about the beautiful experience of connecting with individuals through the power of music.

That's one of the most fantastic things about this bi-annual festival, they've shed all of the pretensions that come with the festival circuit, nobody is vying to be the hippest, nobody is trying to shed light on the most obscure bands of the weekend.  These people are out here to share the timeless experience of witnessing live music from all over the world.  Acts came from lands as far away as Zimbabwe and Brazil and as local as Pittsboro and Chapel Hill to create a wonderful festival filled with good vibes and good times.

Thursday

Keller Williams and The Travelin' McCourys

You couldn't ask for more perfect weather to kick off this long weekend of festivities.  I arrived just before the opening ceremony and got to catch a bit of the opening act of the festival Cyril Lance, but the first group that I was truly excited for was Hindugrass, an invigorating and fresh blend of bluegrass and Indian-fusion featuring string players from Lost in the Trees backing up the insanely talented John Heitzenrater as he took listeners on a musical adventure through various cultures.  Hindugrass was a fantastic start to the festival and served as a wonderful way to get prepared for the weekend's events.  Shortly after Hindugrass ended I made the quick transition to the main stage to check out Keller Williams & The Travelin' McCourys.  A sizable crowd gathered to see this blistering bluegrass crew that features of one of the jam-band scene's most adored guitar players.  It was fantastic to get the chance to see Keller work his acoustic magic live, but I stayed for a few brief songs before taking in the sounds from the comfort of my camp site.  Being able to relax in the woods and still have all of the music be perfectly audible is just another one of the fantastic perks of Shakori.  Shortly after Keller and The McCoury's ended I headed back to Carson's Grove to see Onward, Soldiers as their raw Americana tunes provided a sharp burst of energy to the evening.  Rambling through favorites like "Watery Grave" and "Monsters" Onward, Soldiers captivated the crowd with their energetic set of gritty and powerful tunes.  After Onward, Soldiers tore down the house at Carson's Grove I passed on the festival's staple set of Donna The Buffalo and headed back to the campsite where I ended up making the biggest mistake of the weekend and falling asleep before I got the chance to see Diali Cissokho.  I was kicking myself all weekend for missing this Dance Tent set, but thankfully I got to make it up with their second set later on in the weekend.

Shakori Spotlight: Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba

Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba will be performing
on Thursday April 18 and Sunday April 21 at Shakori Hills

There's two weeks left until Spring Shakori begins and if you're anything at all like me then you've been counting down the days since you left the gorgeous farmlands last fall.  This year's lineup boasts a powerful, diverse lineup filled with mesmerizing acts from all over the globe.  While it's always great to check out your favorite locals performing, one of the joys of the festival is the new sounds that you can immerse yourself in.  Never in a million years would I have imagined myself blissfully dancing to the sounds of Arrested Development at the first Shakori I attended.

I shared a similar experience the first time I saw Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba.  The tantalizing sounds of Cissokho's kora lured me into a trance, I was lost in the foreign yet focused sounds that were coming from this vivacious group.  I look around the stage and spotted Jonathan Henderson of Midtown Dickens rocking the upright bass and was perplexed to realize that this was a North Carolina act.  Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba combine the best parts of Shakori, a fantastic local act that has the capacity of taking you to a far-away land like that of Cissokho's home of Senegal.  Diali brings his traditional West African influence into this group, expanding the Carolina music horizons by bridging these cultural gaps between Western and non-Western music.

Shakori Hills announces spring lineup

Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival of Music
and Dance is on April 18-21, 2013

Twice a year festies from all over the area travel to their mecca, the four-day paradise in Pittsboro, NC known as Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival.  The spring and fall installments fall within the perfect timeframe, six months apart and right as the weather is finally settling in to a consistent temperature.  To be honest the lineup barely matters at this point for me, Shakori Hills is a guaranteed great time filled with old and new friends and fantastically diverse music.  This spring gives us much of the same, as Shakori Hills announced their lineup yesterday much to my excitement.  While Shakori always brings in a couple of unique headliners, this year's pull feels like a truly special event.  From April 18-21 festival goers will be enjoying the sounds of Keller Williams & The Traveling McCourys, Oliver Mtukudzi & The Black Spirits and countless local and international acts that will get your feet stompin' and your hands clapping.

Known for it's wide-spread diversity, this year's festival brings back some Grassroots favorites and welcomes some new members to the family as well.  Late night sets from acts like Noot d'Noot, Dirty Bourbon River Show and Equanimous Minds have given way to vivacious dance parties while local standouts like The Tender Fruit and Sarah Shook & The Devil provide intimate shows that showcase the connections that these artists are capable of making with their music.  Sitting on the floor of the Dance Tent or Cabaret Tent while listening to a stripped down set from your favorite local folk artist is a feeling that's absolutely incomparable.  Shakori offers the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, with wild sets from Diali Cissokho & Kaira Ba and The Beast (a special big band performance with trumpets, saxophones, trombones and more!) fitting in perfectly alongside the deep country acts and low-key folk artists that are found throughout the festival.