Head for the Hills Bluegrass Band - Olympia, WA
Hall of the Woods performance
By Patrick Ferris

Since bluegrass took roots in the Pacific Northwest over 30 years ago, a musical comradery has developed that has taken on the familiarity of an old-world community. Last weekend, Head for the Hills Bluegrass band created an event out of an idea with their Hall of the Woods Acoustic Ritual, performed in a grange hall on the rural outskirts of Olympia, Washington (about 75 minutes southwest of Seattle).

A relatively new band in the Northwest bluegrass community, Head for the Hills Bluegrass Band (HFTHBB) is a traditional five-piece bluegrass band made up of enthusiastic new talent and seasoned veterans coming together to create an energetic group that enjoys performing together. Their first self-titled release is a simple yet slick looking CD made to look like a vinyl album and contains ten arrangements of traditional bluegrass songs.

Their performance at the Hall of the Woods center attracted several hundred people and was a festive party complete with two charcoal-fired pizza ovens, plenty of kegs and a massive tarp that came in handy during the constant downpour during the night.

As a whole, the party seemed to be an overwhelming success. I didn't hear every band play but what I did hear was fantastic. The Blackberry Bushes, an up and coming all female acoustic quartet with amazing harmonies and original songs were performing when I arrived, and Red Brown and the Tune Stranglers, an exceptional 1930s swing/Tin Pan Alley style band comprised of veteran musicians, really highlighted the evening.

I talked briefly with HFTHBB guitarist Dirk Ronneburg about the event:

HotBands - Who put this on?

Dirk - This is put on by Head for the Hills Bluegrass band. It started out as a CD release party and we decided to invite some other bands and it snowballed into what we're calling: The Acoustic Ritual". It's much bigger than just our CD party now! I think we have seven bands playing tonight: Mudcat and Skip, The Blackberry Bushes, Cera Impala and the Summerland Jam, The Barrettes started things off, Hogwash revival played, which is a band made up of the current members of Red Brown and the Tune Stranglers, but it was an older band, and they got together and did an older thing they used to do. Red Brown and the Tune Stranglers are also playing.

HotBands - Is it all bluegrass tonight?

Dirk - Hmmm...yyyeaaa... well it's acoustic oriented but not totally bluegrass. Cera Impala does a very unique singer/songwriter thing...more complex and jazzy in a Norah Jones vein. But most of the music tonight is old timey and bluegrass.

How long have you been together?

This is our first CD and we've been together about a year and we'll be performing several festivals in and around the Northwest this summer.

For more information on The Head for the Hills Bluegrass Band, CLICK HERE