Honestly, what goes better with bluegrass music than some good country barbecue and an ice-cold beer?
That seems to be the formula they’ve worked out at Ryan’s Smoking Rotisserie, where the Friday and Saturday night bluegrass concerts are being expanded into a full day of “bluegrass, barbeque and coolers.”
“It’s a bluegrass barbecue, and people can bring their coolers and just have pretty much an all-day jam session,” Ryan’s Smoking Rotisserie owner Ryan Eckles said.
Set for Saturday, April 25, the show runs from noon until well into the night and will feature acts like Mike Anderson of The Deputies, Craig Davis, and Jed Watts of Woodenwire. The restaurant is located at 6605 Lascassas Pike. Aside from the acts on the bill, the organizers said the show was open for all to come and play.
“We’re trying to turn it into an open jam session for all the pickers and grinners to come out and play together,” owner of Def Kat Music and event organizer John Salaway said.
The show doubles as a CD release party for artist and organizer Aaron Raitiere. The album, Kissin’ Machine, is Raitiere’s second solo release.
With shows twice weekly, the restaurant is quickly becoming a haven for bluegrass artists.
“We’re trying to provide a good venue for bluegrass because there’s really no outlet for that right now, and we’ve got some amazing bluegrass musicians in the area. The restaurant has real casual, comfortable country cooking that goes well with the bluegrass sound,” Salaway said.
Eckles was encouraged to host the concerts and all-day session because of his long-time love of the music and the people it attracts.
“It’s always just been good moving music. People really enjoy it and I love it. I just grew up with it all around me and it stuck. It brings really nice people together, and I like that aspect of it just about as much as anything else,” Eckles said.
The event organizers encourage anyone to come out, either to play or just enjoy the show.
“It’s really kind of in the spirit of the Dave Macon Days festival, with a bunch of people just playing, singing, and enjoying themselves. Oh, and the barbecue is pretty incredible too,” Raitiere said.
