11th annual Spring Festival Willisau, Switzerland

11th annual Spring Festival Willisau, Switzerland

May 8th, 2010

Last Saturday the biggest Swiss indoor Bluegrass festival took place in a sold out Farmer Museum Burgrain near Willisau.

There were seven bands performing.

Two from the States: Kathy Kallick Band and Uncle Earl, two from Canada: Red Grass and Viper Central, Sacred Sound of Grass from Germany, Bluegrass Cwrkot from Czech Republic and a young great Swiss band Moon Rise.

Like the last year (I was not there) there were two stages, what was new for me.

If I should tell the truth, that was the only thing on this festival, I did not like very much.

It supposed to guarantee music without interruption, but for me it brought some confusion instead.

Sacred Sound of Grass, one of the most authentic European gospel bands with the Hain Brothers, Thilo on banjo and Sam on mandolin, Alfred Bonk - bass and on fiddle Lody van Vlodrop, with it’s beautiful vocals opened on the main stage at half past one in the afternoon.

At 2 p.m. started also a program on the second, little stage upstairs with the young Swiss Moonrise. They shined like a stars with a lot of temperament.

Because the Canadian Redgrass was not here yet, Bluegrass Cwrkot, who supposed to play on the little stage first came on the main stage at 2.45 p.m. The band with a very difficult name to pronounce by foreigners are: Jan Hombre Lzicar - guitar and vocals, Petr Brandejs, who took over after the tragically dead of their late banjo player Milan Leppelt, his brother Pavel on bass, David Koutsky on fiddle and Marek Macak on mandolin, guitar and high lonesome voice, what brought him on the end a nickname – the most beautiful girl of the band…

The audience loved their very traditional performance in style of Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs. They showed with a big portion of humor, how the bluegrass was played many years ago.

Some people were in the meantime waiting upstairs for them and missed them.

Everybody loved the Moonrise band, around the gifted female singer and guitar player Ruth Wagner and the banjo player Tom Bodenman. Chris Hugenin on Dobro, Robi Brunner on bass and Ezra Bussman on the mandolin. It was their first really big performance. I see a big future for them, if they’ll stay together.

Afterwards I saw just a part of the Redgrass performance upstairs on the little stage and run down to see the next band, Uncle Earl. The all girls band won the audience hearts after their first tones. Old time music, perfect harmonies, a variety of instruments and even some clogging and dancing were very refreshing.

The big break started at 6 p.m. and some people, including me were counting it will last one hour and missed the 6.30 p.m. beginning of Kathy Kallick Band on the little stage.

Kathy came with a new band, the young, beautiful exotic looking fiddle virtuoso Annie Staninec, with a slavic name (who to our surprise is a half Czech!!!), Greg Booth on banjo, Dan Booth on bass and Martino Coppo from the Italian Band Red Wine on the mandolin.

While they were playing, I missed the big part of the Canadian Viper Central performance, what started at the main stage at 7 p.m. I just caught the end, but liked them very much.

Then came Kathy Kallick Band and Bluegrass Cvrkot at the main stage again, with even more success like in the afternoon. Also the second set of Uncle Earl was great. They brought their friend Ezra Bussman as guest for couple songs. After many encores the audience finally let them go and the great festival was over.

I was very sorry to miss the Sacred Sound of Grass and Viper Central on the little stage again, but for sure, you can’t be everywhere.

A big thanks belongs to Bruno Steffen, the festival organizer, and all his helpers. Good job!

I am already looking forward for the next festival in 2011!

Lilly Pavlak in Buelach, May 10^th, 2010