The Annapolis Baygrass Festival has helped make Maryland’s capital a hub for bluegrass music, but thanks to Naptown’s longest-thriving venue, bands, duos, and solo players have an intimate venue to visit at any time of the year, not just for the end-of-summer Baygrass gathering.
A couple of acts on the rise, North Carolina’s Chatham Rabbits and East Nash Grass out of the Music City recently embarked on a series of co-headlining shows, offering concertgoers the chance to enjoy two different takes on string-band music in the same sitting.
The night of March 2, Chatham Rabbits — performing as a duo — and East Nash Grass — rolling as a quintet — teamed up to treat a packed Rams Head on Stage with two terrific sets of songs.
Chatham Rabbits is the project of wife-and-husband singer-songwriters Sarah and Austin McCombie, and this past Sunday night in Annapolis, ticketholders enjoyed the couple in pure form: Sarah with her banjo, Austin on the guitar, serving up stripped-down versions of the heartfelt tracks they’ve been recording since they became partners in the mid-2010s.
Listen to Chatham Rabbits’ latest studio album, Be Real With Me, via Spotify:
Since 2019, Chatham Rabbits has put out four studio albums, including Be Real With Me, released in February, and fans in Annapolis were delighted to hear some of their favorites along with some of the McCombies’ newest tunes.
Bringing the small stage to life with energy and amusement to start the night, East Nash Grass featured guitarist James Kee, Cory Walker on banjo, mandolinist Harry Clark on mandolin, Maddie Denton on fiddle, and Jeff Partin on bass.
Listen to East Nash Grass’ 2023 studio album, Last Chance to Win, via Spotify:
The band released its self-titled album in 2021, with its sophomore offering, Last Chance to Win, dropping in 2023. In short time, the group’s made appearances at major festivals, including DelFest 2024, and developed a reputation as a must-see bluegrass bonanza.
Below are color digital shots along with home-rolled/processed/scanned black-and-white 35mm film photos of Chatham Rabbits and East Nash Grass performing at Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis the night of March 2, 2025. All images copyright and courtesy of Casey Ryan Vock.
Chatham Rabbits
East Nash Grass
