Bluegrass Roundup October 2026 by Brendan Gosson
So long summer! Autumn is in full swing and outdoor gig season is on its last lap. In this month’s edition of the Bluegrass Roundup, we re-cap Borderland Fest, Dale Watson’s return to Sportsmen’s Tavern, Folkfaces Fest, and a look ahead at bluegrass and acoustic music in Buffalo and beyond.
Borderland Festival is an event that regularly brings big names to big stages at Knox Farm State Park, and this year was no exception. From September 18- 20th bands such as Alabama Shakes, The Pixies, Jack White and Lord Huron performed for tens of thousands of music fans here in Western New York.
Leftover Salmon, who performed Sunday afternoon on the Homespun Stage, formed in Colorado in 1989, and they describe their sound as “poly-ethnic Cajun slam-grass.” Their lineup is Vince Herman on vocals and guitar, Drew Emmit on vocals, mandolin, fiddle and slide guitar, bassist Greg Garrison, banjoist Andy Thorn, Alwyn Robinson on drums and Jay Starling on dobro and keys. The festival crowd were treated to a seventy-five-minute musical journey, with listeners carried by song from Colorado and California to Kentucky, Louisiana and even the Caribbean. The setlist included several songs from “Let’s Party About It (2025)” including “Big Wheel,” “Salmon Scales” and the title track whose lyrics remind us all not to take our own opinions too seriously to just have fun. Other hits included “All Night Ride” and “Lost Lover’s Eyes,” solo tracks from Drew Emmitt and Vince Herman respectively, and closing out the evening was a cover of “Up on the Hill Where They do the Boogie” by John ArtHa Hartford.
The earlier-performing band at Homespun Stage had much to offer for folk, bluegrass and country fans, Clay Street Unit is a Colorado-based band made up by guitarist Sam Walker. Scottie Bolin on Mandolin. Brad Larrison on pedal steel guitar, Brendan Lamb drums, Jack Kotarba on bass and Dan Andree on fiddle. Walker’s soulful gravelly voice led the band through stories of longing and struggle told in the songs “Drive,” “Rolling,” and more upbeat numbers such as “Engine Trouble” and a cover of the MGMT song “Kids,” a major crowd pleaser for the millennials in attendance. Several members of Clay St. Unit also sat in later with their Colorado compadres Leftover Salmon for the last few songs of the set.
I was unable to attend the full weekend, but I had the honor and privilege to perform three times at the festival: with Creek Bend and Folkfaces on Saturday and Sunday mornings, and as a sit-in guest with Lord Huron Sunday evening. It was humbling to have been invited to play with Lord Huron, they have included local fiddlers to play for the song “Twenty Long Years” as part of their recent tours. I am grateful for the opportunity to represent the Buffalo music community on stage, and it was a thrilling moment in my musical adventure. Thank you to Borderland, Lord Huron and crew, Folkfaces, Creek Bend, my friends and festival staff for your encouragement, support and hard work.
On Tuesday September 29th, Dale Watson & His Lone Stars with special guest India Ramey, packed the Sportsmen’s Tavern with their adoring fans. The air was filled with the sounds of trucking songs, drinking songs, soaring steel guitars, and blistering chicken -picked telecaster guitar.
India Ramey’s set was charming and full of personal tales as well as homage to classic country heroes. Here’s a description from her YouTube page: “India Ramey blazes a trail through cinematic spaghetti western landscapes to wood floored Honkytonks and the Appalachian foothills. Saving Country Music describes her as “like Loretta Lynn grew Betty Page bangs, and a habit of using bad words”. New Album “Villain Era” out now!” Highlights for me were the songs “Silverado” and “Dead to Me” and her cover of Ernest Tubb’s “Drivin’ Nails in my Coffin.”
Dale Watson has been performing at Sportsmen’s Tavern for decades and referenced its humble beginnings on Amherst Street and congratulated the Hall family on the amazing upgrades to the building while thanking the community at the heart of this storied venue. His setlist reflected the depth of his prolific career, opening with “She Was My Baby” from his newest release, followed by “Carryin’ on This Way” from his album “Blackjack (2017).” Within ten seconds of asking for requests, the band launched into “Sit and Drink and Cry” from “God or Whiskey (2014),” and another new track that sounds old entitled “If You Really Love Me (Outlive Me).” The audience was then treated to a riveting story about a radio station manager who took offense to the language on the song Dale was pitching to be added to rotation “Truck Stop in LaGrange.” Later in the set was the song “I Lie When I Drink” featuring Dale’s impersonations of classic county stars by repeating the chorus in the way that Buck Owens, Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, George Jones, and Don Williams might have done. Another highlight of the evening was Watson’s cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You.” India Ramey and her band joined for the grand finale with “Jackson” from Johnny Cash and June Carter. For me this is a show that represented so much of what makes Sportsmen’s Tavern such a special place and set a high bar for musicality and professionalism among original roots musicians in Buffalo and beyond.
Folkfaces Festival is an event near and dear to my heart, founded and run dutifully by Tyler Westcott, one of my closest friends and music buddies for nearly a decade and a half. The festival celebrated ten years of community and connection among its dedicated fans, volunteers and local, regional, national and international musicians with its boldest lineup yet. It will take me too long to list all the incredible acts I heard and saw this weekend so I will try to keep it brief and bluegrass adjacent.
Thursday Night featured local and regional acts from New York State on the Gage Stage, named in honor of the late Josh Gage. Helen and Paul, Calya and the Coydogs, and The Rollin’ Rust provided a folk-rock base for the evening. The later half of the night was a high-energy horn-driven dance party with the ska/punk frenzy of Turkey Blaster Omega, a rambunctious set of polkas from Captain Tom and The Hooligans, and the funky jam band sound of Buffalo’s The Brass Machine. A surprising number of attendees settled in for the weekend on Thursday night, and the lively crowd danced into the wee hours of the morning.
Friday afternoon the rest of the stages came to life- Yoga with Holly Adams gave way to the Old Time Jam hosted by Titus Stevens held in the Slyboots Tent. A circle of fiddles, banjos, mandolins, guitars and more celebrating Appalachian string band music. The rest of Friday’s program at Slyboots was a singing saw workshop by Peter Latona and Flower City Square Dance.
Rendezvous des Amis was the inaugural act at Greystone Stage and provided an excellent set of Cajun music, songs and stories. Brandon Moreau is a fiddler and vocalist born and raised in Basile Louisiana, whose heartfelt songs were brought to life with his twin fiddles with Bobby Henrie, and the rock-solid backbeat of Doug Henrie on bass and Betsy Terr Fuller on guitar. Pete Bernhard is an inspiring songwriter who is best known as founder of the band Devil Makes Three. In his much-awaited return to the festival he commented on feeling more at home on the woodsy Gage Stage than the wide-open field of the Greystone Stage and treated the adoring audience to a catalog of songs from his solo work and releases with Devil Makes Three. Cedric Watson was one of the Friday headliners and was a charming entertainer and master of fiddle and accordion. His Creole heritage on full display was inviting and entrancing to all who attended his evening set with meat and potatoes backup guitar from Ethan Moody.
In this marathon of a weekend, I didn’t catch as much of Amythyst Kiah as I would have liked to, but her song “Black Myself” was an anticipated highlight of her set. Wayne “The Train” Hancock put on an incredible show of rockabilly prowess with songs like “Thunderstorms and Neon Signs,” and Hank Williams’ “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” punctuated by a hearty onstage slug of Crown Royal. The Ditrani Brothers closed out Friday night with the jazz, swing and folk-punk group playing much of their 2023 album “Dust Harvest.”
Saturday included mind-blowing sets by Jerron Paxton, a virtuoso banjoist, fiddler, guitarist, pianist and bones player. I found his stage presence to be enthralling, and he is truly a jaw-dropping musician. Golden Shoals provided a striking set of fiddle and bluegrass excellence, and their recent release of “The New White House Blues” goes in depth about the assassination of President McKinley in 1901 at the Pan American Exposition in Buffalo. Worth listening to fans of history and bluegrass music alike.
Another new face of the festival is that of Whiskey Moon Face, an English folk band brought to life by Louisa Jones whose charming lyrics and joyful personality made an impression on fans of the festival. Her sweet entrancing vocals and accordion-soaked songs inspired an ever-growing cast of accompanists for her evening show on the Gage Stage.
Bosko Baker and his Do Makers are a group whose return I had been long anticipating and proved well worth the wait. His band employs some heavy hitting instrumentalists in Birdie Veilleux on violin, and Charlotte Brunner on trombone. The washboard player whose name I sadly missed did a fine job as well. Bio from his website-
“Bosko Baker is a roots musician blending American music — country blues, ragtime, folk, swing — into what he calls ‘street swing’ or ‘bozo blues.’ Drawing inspiration from legends like Doc Watson, Merle Travis, Big Bill Broonzy, Blind Blake, Jimmie Rodgers, and Mississippi John Hurt, his music combines raw energy with timeless tradition.
With a spontaneous stage presence honed from years of busking, Bosko’s shows are where his music truly comes to life — an infectious mix of blues, swing, and folk that speaks to the heart of American roots music. From festival stages to intimate venues, his dynamic blend of storytelling, finger-picking guitar, and a deep respect for tradition make every show a unique & foot stomping experience that has gained him a loyal following.”
I am overflowing with gratitude for Tyler Westcott and the Folkfaces Festival sponsors, volunteers and fans. I am still in the process of de compression from this year’s revelries, but I am excited and hopeful for the future of this band and event.
Cherry Hill Campground has served as home for most of the festival’s history and is a wonderful campground to escape from day-to-day life in our own backyard. From private and wooded campsites with fire pits and picnic tables, to onsite showers, laundry and flush toilets, I am thankful to Gretchen and her staff for all they do to make this such a welcoming place for our event. Sorry for any of the acts I have excluded from my review and thank you all for making this event so magical. Keep on Pickin’- BG
Thursday Oct 1: Buffalo Bluegrass All Stars, Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo, NY, 12-2 PM
Thursday October 1- Sunday October 4: Folkfaces Festival, Cherry Hill Campground, Darien Center, NY. Link to tickets and camping reservations at https://cherryhillcamp.com/folkfaces-fest/
Sunday October 4: The Gibson Brothers, Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo, NY. 4 PM doors, 6 PM show, tickets $30+
Tuesday October 6,13, 20, 27: Open Bluegrass and Old Country Jam, Concord Mercantile, Springville, NY. Weekly 6-8PM
Thursday October 8- Sicard Hollow, The Caz, Buffalo, NY 7 PM, $20+.
Sunday October 11- Monthly Bluegrass Jam, Bennington Lanes, Attica, NY. 2-7 PM
Wednesday October 14: Arthur Buezo, Nietzche’s, Buffalo, NY.
Thursday October 15: Buffalo Bluegrass All Stars, Sportsmen’s Tavern, Buffalo, NY. 12 -2 PM
Friday October 16: Heart Throbs String Band album release show with Good Weather String Band, Abilene Bar and Lounge, Rochester, NY. 7 PM, $10 at door.
Saturday October 17: Vincent Neil Emerson with Hayden Redwine, The Ninth Ward, Buffalo, NY. 7 PM Doors, 8 PM Show. $25 Advance, $30 Door
Sunday October 18: Monthly Old-Time Jam, 42 North Brewing, East Aurora, NY. 4-7PM
Thursday October 22: Rachel Sumner and Traveling Light presented by Buffalo Friends of Folk Music, The Village Meeting House, Williamsville, NY. 6:30 PM doors, 7 PM show. $11.20 students, $21.40 members, $26.50 general admission.
Friday October 23: Savana Swatland presents “First Ladies of Country” with Doug Yeomans. West Falls Center for the Arts, West Falls, NY. 7 PM $24.73+
Friday October 23: Square Dance with Creek Bend and Buffalo Bluegrass Youth Ensemble, Wayside Presbyterian Church, Hamburg, NY. 6:30-8:30 PM.
Thursday October 29: The Kitchen Dwellers w/ Dogs in a Pile, Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY. 7 PM doors, 8PM show. $41.92 +
Friday November 6: Jerron Paxton and Dennis Lichtman, West Falls Center for the Arts, West Falls, NY. 7 PM, Tickets start at $24.73+
Saturday November 7: Creek Bend, 42 North Brewing, East Aurora, NY.
Sunday November 15: The Punch Brothers, UB Center for the Arts, Buffalo, NY. 7:30 PM. $45.60+
