Close out July with Diamond Creek, a band that plays “straight up bluegrass with no apologies.” And they have just recently released their debut CD, Where Do I Go From Here. Winners of the 2013 Got to be NC Bluegrass Band Contest, Diamond Creek plays traditional bluegrass from the music’s pioneers like Bill Monroe, The Stanley Brothers, Flatt and Scruggs, The Osborne Brothers, and Mac Wiseman. They also mix in favorites from second generation greats like J.D. Crowe and Del McCoury, and they play some original tunes, too. A Diamond Creek show starts fast and doesn’t let up till everyone has had a heapin’ helping of North Carolina flavored bluegrass. The band is Emily Kirsch (vocals) Spencer Mobley (guitar), Matt Hooper (fiddle), Julie Elkins (banjo), and husband-and-wife team Russell Johson (mandolin) and Kandis Johnson (bass). Season & Snare kicks off the evening at 6 p.m.; The Carmonas perform at 7:15 p.m.; Diamond Creek takes the stage at 8:40 p.m. Before the music starts on-stage, bring your instruments out for a pre-show jam on the plaza – all are welcome!
Multi-instrumentalists Casey Austin Allen & Autumn Rose Brand formed Season & Snare in March 2014, performing soul-searing, upbeat indie-pop music with unparalleled vocal harmonies that have garnered local attention in Raleigh by winning the annual competition at Deep South the Bar’s Open Mic and by performing at a number of events for local charities, such as Band Together and The Jamie Kirk Hahn Foundation. They recently released a new single, “I Never Wanted.”
The Carmonas recently released their first full length studio album, The Carmonas, the follow-up to their debut EP, Oh, Alice. This band blends a wide range of musical styles into a cohesive, original sound. With fiddle, guitar, mandolin, banjo, and upright bass, one would expect a traditional bluegrass sound, but what you hear is something much more complex, incorporating cut-above song crafting, strong vocal choruses, and ear-grabbing harmonies. The natural blend of the voices of primary members and siblings Chad, Alison, and Aaron Carmona is what really draws attention to the talent apparent in this Americana group. They have performed at a variety of venues across the country from New York to Nashville and California to the Dakotas. In addition to stateside touring they have had the chance to tour Europe, South and Central America, and the Middle East. They have shared the stage with Emmy Lou Harris, Marty Stuart, Dale Ann Bradley, Band of Heathens, and the Blind Boys of Alabama among others.
The event is rain or shine, but should severe weather cause a cancellation at the primary event site of City Plaza, it will be posted here and at PickinInThePlaza.com, and the live music performances will be moved indoors to Deep South The Bar at 430 S Dawson St in Raleigh – just 2 blocks from City Plaza.
