Blog Archives

See Gangstagrass Perform at a Benefit on Staten Island

I am so sad to have to miss this event – Gangstagrass is one of my favorite bands – but I am covering a festival at home so this is not in the cards for me. You, however, should go! It’s a worthwhile cause and a chance to have fun with some of my favorite people! You won’t be sorry. What follows is the official press release for the event.

Staten Island, NY – Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is excited to present a fun-filled day of live music with the Emmy-nominated bluegrass/hip hop fusion band Gangstagrass, previously seen on America’s Got Talent. The event takes place on Saturday, April 29 from 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM on the South Meadow of Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden at 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301. Admission is $40.00 and children under 5 are free. More information, including the schedule of events and tickets, is at https://snug-harbor.org/event/gangstagrass2023/

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Gangstagrass Blew The Roof Off Hill Country BBQ!

Anyone who has been reading this website for long enough knows my love of Gangstagrass, the only hip-hop bluegrass band around (I think)! I had not seen them in a long time, so I traveled to New York to see them at Hill Country BBQ.

Gangstagrass

This was a special show because they were joined by a number of other musicians who added even more depth to the music than is always there.

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This New Blues Album Is Worth Your Time – And Money!

I have had the privilege to see Dan Whitener, the terrific banjo player with hip-hop bluegrass band Gangstagrass as well as with the newgrass band Man About a Horse, a number of times (only with Gangstagrass) and thoroughly enjoy his style and versatility. I am thrilled to review his new solo album, Crossover.

Crossover Album Cover

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My Top Ten Shows of 2015!

I saw 224 shows in 2015. Yes, I know, that sounds like an insane number considering I have a day job that is completely unrelated to music. How would I choose my top ten, with another fifteen as runners-up? All the shows except one were at least very good, and I thought that narrowing the list would not be easy.

no music

It turned out not to be difficult at all. The top ten (or eleven as you will read below) were clear to me, as were the runners-up.

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Gangstagrass Rocks My World!

Hip-hop bluegrass you’re saying to yourself – how could that be? I said the same when I saw them on Johnny D’s schedule for April 2014. I went to the show not knowing any of their music and walked out of that show knowing I had stumbled onto something amazing.

Gangstagrass

Gangstagrass

This, my fourth Gangstagrass show and their final show at Johnny D’s (because it is closing in March 2016), was no less stellar than my first, second or third shows! And truth be told they probably get better because I know their music so well (and consider them to be friends). Prepare yourself to read a biased, glowing review!

Rench, R-Son the Voice of Reason, Dan Whitener

Rench, R-Son the Voice of Reason, Dan Whitener

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Hitch Your Ride To These Rising Stars

If you have been reading this website for a while, you might recall that a year ago I fell in love with the hip-hop bluegrass group Gangstagrass. Our love affair continued over the weekend at Johnny D’s where they appeared in support of their latest release, American Music.

Gangstagrass

Gangstagrass

Nobody was more surprised than the band when the album debuted at #5 on the Billboard bluegrass chart! They deserve to be known for more than the theme song for the television show Justified, and maybe now they will be!

Rench

Rench

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My Top Ten Shows of 2014

Wow, how am I going to choose only ten shows – out of 177 – as my top shows of last year? So many of the shows I attended were terrific so narrowing the list to ten is not easy.

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You Need to See Gangstagrass!

I am in love with Gangstagrass!  There, I’ve said it… This writer, who has seen a lot of bluegrass bands but never a hip-hop band, loves the hip-hop bluegrass that is Gangstagrass!

R-Son the Voice of Reason and Dolio the Sleuth

R-Son the Voice of Reason and Dolio the Sleuth

They performed to a less than sold-out, but very enthusiastic, crowd at Church of Boston on Saturday night. Read the rest of this entry

Who Knew Hip-Hop Bluegrass Would Be So Good

The concept of combining hip-hop and bluegrass music fascinated me. I love bluegrass, but knew almost nothing about hip-hop.

Gangstagrass

Gangstagrass

Last week, the hip-hop bluegrass band Gangstagrass performed at Johnny D’s, one of my favorite venues in the Boston area.

Gangstagrass (Adriel, Rench, and Dan, l to r)

Gangstagrass (Adriel, Rench, and Dan, l to r)

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