(First published in the July 19, 2018 issue of City Pages)
Moon Dance Music Festival
THURS.-SAT. 7/19-21 | MC FESTIVALS, CTH H, GLEASON
Jeff Austin Band performs at the Moon Dance Festival
Dance under the stars this weekend during one of the biggest bluegrass fests in the area. Moon Dance is mixing things up for their 5th anniversary with a new location. For the past four years the fest was held in Fremont, but organizers decided it was time to move the event to a venue that better suited their needs. The MC Festival Grounds in Gleason is a perfect match with its permanent stages, a music hall, onsite bathrooms with showers and plenty of power. Midwest bluegrass, folk and Americana acts perform all weekend long on two stages for three nights of high-energy, toe-tapping fun with camping, vendors, food and more. While the location may be different this year, the Moon Dance spirit will remain the same. $120 three-day pass in advance, $140 at gate; $65 Saturday only ticket in advance, $70 at gate. All tickets includes camping. Details, lineup and tickets at: brownpapertickets.com, wijam.net.
THURSDAY
4 pm | Red Ben & the Missing Miles
6 pm | River Valley Rangers
8 pm | Sloppy Joe
10:30 pm | Useful Jenkins
12:45 am | Kind Country
FRIDAY
1 pm | 2nd Strings
2:30 pm | Shoestring Joe & the Star Thief
3:45 pm | Insomniac Gypsy
5:15 pm | Dig Deep
6:30 pm | Joseph Huber
8:15 pm | Liver Killers
10 pm | Jeff Austin Band
12:15 am | Monsters of Grass
SATURDAY
Noon | 2 Little Willies
1 pm | Still Shine
2:30 pm | Burnt Toast & Jam
3:45 pm | Black River Revue
5:15 pm | Ginstrings
6:30 pm | Feed the Dog
8:15 pm | Split Lip Rayfield
10 pm | Railroad Earth
12:15 am | Armchair Boogie
1 am | Acoustikar
River Valley Jazz Festival
FRI.-SUN. 7/20-22| BULL FALLS BREWERY AND DOWNTOWN WAUSAU
Janet Planet performs Saturday during the River Valley Jazz Festival
For nine years, this festival has been held as a tribute to the late Sid Kyler, who founded a popular Dixieland Jazz band in Wausau. The festival showcases the Wisconsin musicians, drawing hundreds of old and new jazz fans. It’s a wide range of jazz all weekend long with solo and big band performances. This year, the festival is expanding with shows at downtown Wausau venues as well as Big Falls Brewery. Hosted by the River Valley Jazz Society and Bull Falls Brewery. Free admission, scholarship donations appreciated. 715-842-2337, bullfallsbrewery.com.
FRIDAY
City Grill: Denise Sauter 6:30-8:30 pm
J.Gumbo’s: New Orleans Hot House 5-7 pm
Daly’s: Tim Buchholz Quintet 8:30-10:30 pm
Bull Falls Brewery: Scott Koehn 6-7:30 pm, Sid Kyler Jazz Band 8-10 pm
SATURDAY AT BULL FALLS BREWERY
Biergarten John Greiner’s Swing Shift Big Band 3:30-5 pm
Taproom: The Jazzberries 4-5:30 pm
Biergarten: Zach Finnegan Quintet 5:30-7 pm
Taproom: Restoration Jazz 6:30-7:30 pm
Biergarten: Janet Planet 7:30-9:30 pm
Taproom: Open Jam Session 9:30 pm
SUNDAY
Malarkey’s: Sara Rifleman 10:30 am-1 pm
Kickbusch Plaza (Jazz on the River) John Greiner Quartet 5-7 pm
Concert in the Clouds: Green Bay Pickers
SATURDAY 7/21 | RIB MOUNTAIN STATE PARK
ELMER SPARKS 2017
Hot picking and cool singing is guaranteed with this country-styled bluegrass and Americana band. This quartet has an old-time sound with a modern attitude. Plus, the guitarist is top-notch. According to Real Country, “Eddie Biebel is one of the most innovative guitarists in the industry today. He plays with a natural fluidity that defies belief. The man can honestly perform the work of three different players simultaneously.” 6-8 pm. Free, but state park sticker required for park admission. Ribmountain.org, 715-842-2522.
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