Author Archives: Chester Simpson

Live Review: Hot Tuna @ City Winery — 11/27/18

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Hot Tuna Acoustic at the City Winery
Hot Tuna performs at City Winery in DC on Nov. 27, 2018. (Photo by Chester Simpson)

Hot Tuna and Hot Plates at City Winery DC

Upon my arrival in San Francisco in August 1975, I heard of a free concert by Hot Tuna in Parkside Square. So with my friends, I traveled to see my favorite Jefferson Airplane musicians — guitarist/vocalist Jorma Kaukonen and bassist Jack Casady.

During that first time I saw them, the gents shared a sort of mystic chemistry, which remained in tact at their recent show at City Winery.

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Music Park: Mary Chapin Carpenter @ The Birchmere — 10/29/18

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Mary Chapin Carpenter performing at the Birchmere on Monday, Oct. 29, 2018

Mary Chapin Carpenter performs at The Birchmere on Oct. 29, 2018. (Photo by Chester Simpson)

“Passionate Kisses” awaited eager fans that packed The Birchmere for two sold-out nights recently to hear a hometown troubadour with a voice strong and true! Mary Chapin Carpenter had come home.

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Music Park: Sweetheart of the Rodeo 50th Anniversary w/ Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman of The Byrds and Marty Stuart @ Jefferson Center (Roanoke, VA) — 10/10/18

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50th Anniversary of
Roger McGuinn and Marty Stuart perform at the Jefferson Center in Roanoke, Virginia, on Oct. 10, 2018. (Photos by Chester Simpson; Words by David Edwards)

There were two overriding themes to the Sweetheart of the Rodeo concert at Roanoke’s Jefferson Performance Center recently — a theme of Americana music and a theme of Tom Petty.

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Music Park: Sleepy Creek HarFest @ Sleepy Creek [Berkeley Springs, WV] — 10/5-10/7/18

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Sleepy Creek Harfest

(Empire Strikes Brass and Danny Moore in a red mask lead a parade at Sleepy Creek HarFest 2018 on Oct. 5, 2018. Photos by Chester Simpson; Words by Michael Tucker)

When I look back at every festival I attend, there is a definitive moment where everything clicks, and I have an epiphany of sorts wherein I come to understand what that festival means to me.

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Snapshots: Watermelon Park Festival @ Clarke County Fairgrounds (Berryville, VA) — 9/20-9/23/18

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Watermelon Park Festival

Marty Stuart and Watermelon Park owner John Miller Jr. at the Watermelon Park Festival in September 2018. (Photo by Chester Simpson)

Watermelon Park, located in Berryville, Virginia, on the banks of the Shenandoah River, is a local haven for camping, tubing and kayaking all summer long. It hosted the 15th annual Watermelon Park Festival recently, and we’ve got pictures of the performing bands to prove it!

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Music Park: Appaloosa Festival @ Skyline Ranch Resort — 8/31-9/2/18

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Appaloosa Music Festival-9-1-18-279
Scythian performs at the Appaloosa Festival over Labor Day Weekend. (Photo by Chester Simpson)

“The Appaloosa Festival is like building a giant tree fort as a kid, and it keeps growing!” said Dan Fedoryka of Scythian.

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