Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Recap: Day 3 (Ft. No Fog)
On its final day, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass wrapped up with a phenomenal set of DJs and group acts — and there was no fog to be seen.
For all the pride I take in my openness to different genres and approaches, one conservative thread lingers from my days as a classic-rock kid: I like to see technical skill when I see an artist or a band perform. DJs and rappers tend to bore me live, because what they’re doing in most cases is essentially hosting a party with their own music on a big sound system, and I prefer parties where I can actually hear over the music and talk to people. And I don’t much care for bands that can’t play; indie rock’s cult of amateurism exalts ethos at the expense of music. Of course, devoting the time and energy to an instrument required to master it is a steep challe...