Allegheny RiverStone Center for the Arts’ Bluegrass Mini-Fest at Riverstone Estate with The David Mayfield Parade & Echo Valley on Sunday, August 4 was a Joyous Musical Celebration – with SPECTACULAR Virtuosity, Musical Variety, Personality, Charm and Outrageously Joyous Comedic Entertainment.
We were BLESSED by a GORGEOUS August day in the middle of a week of rain in this most scenic location in the Allegheny-Clarion River Valley!
ARCA is grateful for the generosity of the new owners of beautiful Riverstone Estate who opened their stunning venue for this wonderful concert and welcomed the audience to this popular community event.
The first set presented the young, multi-talented members of the Anderson family in Echo Valley who opened the hearts of the audience with their charming introductions and eclectic mix of Bluegrass, Rock Americana, Folk and Grassicana.
They delighted their fans and first time audience members that gave them a standing ovation – wanting more – and asking for them to come back. A photo montage reel follows.
In the front row were ARCA bluegrass favorites who sold out Lincoln Hall for fifteen years, Bob and Karen Artis-recently retired from The Allegheny Drifters. In recent years they’ve provided guidance on ARCA’s bluegrass artists and programing and served as an inspiration to Echo Valley. The Drifters guitarist, Bernie Cunningham, has been providing instrumental coaching to Echo Valley members for many years.
In back of them was ARCA’s founder and president, Dr. Arthur Steffee with his wife Marybeth, who built Riverstone Estate and hosted ARCA’s outdoor Riverstone Scottish Festivals and concerts, beginning fifteen years ago,
The David Mayfield Parade‘s combination of blazing virtuoso instrumentals, soaring vocal harmony and gleaming moments of unforgettable comedic genius was Over-The-“DAYTIME-MOON” Bluegrass Entertainment in Sunday’s Mini-Fest. They received TWO standing ovations evoking two encores!
Continuing with their own combination of down-home-country goodness and joy, David Mayfield and Parade members shared their dazzling musical magic and ensemble shenanigans in David’s signature song-writing originals and songs from their soon-to-be released album. A photo montage reel follows.
The brilliant comedic talent of David Mayfield is an original – as this bearded bluegrass jester does what Charlie Chaplin or Buster Keaton might have done if they were a bluegrass guitar virtuoso!
It’s the twinkle and the kindness in his baby blues that hint at the outrageously athletic and joyous physical comedy he displays as he continues to WAIL on his guitar and charm his audience while leaping and diving before landing in the grass (and STILL strumming)… exuding a beneficence that one always felt with both silent movie legends.
Bravo for the Parade’s AMAZING Steven Moore, Ryan Wallen, Keith Wallen, and Graham Bell – and their ensemble showmanship as they joined David, coming out from under the tent to share their virtuosity and joy while playing on the grass in front of the audience — just as they have charmed Lincoln Hall audiences in the last two seasons, at the close of the concert, leading them out of the hall to the patio for a post-concert serenade.
What a rare treat it was hearing a section of an a cappella gospel song the Parade is working on for a future album – that they sang after enjoying a light supper following the concert. Great people all – and fabulous artists.
ARCA is grateful to its fabulous concert audience as well as its Members who attended the pre-concert members’ pig roast in the H-Barns.
Their JOY and enJOYment is what it was ALL ABOUT – on that miraculous golden afternoon in the beauty of Riverstone Estate.
We look forward to welcoming our audience to concerts for the rest of the season in Foxburg’s Lincoln Hall and back to Riverstone Estate next summer for another memorable evening of music in one of the most scenic places in western PA and Clarion County.