Bluegrass outfit the Bushwick Mountain Boys will make their Boulevard Music debut on May 17, so banjoist Shane McGeehan told the News about what they have in store for Culver City…
When did you start playing and performing?
The band formed in New York City in 2020, and found its current formation in Paris, France on the heels of a run of shows in Portugal organized by guitarist Chris Luquette. Shane McGeehan, our bassist, lived there at the time, and convinced us to take the short flight over from Portugal. The French leg of the tour resulted in our collective desire to perform together more and to start booking shows at home in the US.
Describe your sound/style…
Our style is deeply rooted in traditional bluegrass while simultaneously not ignoring the various changes that the music has gone through over the years. Some of our other influences include J.D. Crowe, The Country Gentlemen, David Grisman, Johnny Cash, and The Dillards to name a few.
What are your career highlights so far…
Last year the the band went on a tour throughout New York, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, which culminated in a string of showcase sets at IBMA in Raleigh, North Carolina. While showcasing at IBMA, we were approached to play the Parkfield Bluegrass Festival in Parkfield CA, which allowed us to build a full California tour.
What recorded music is available?
During our shows in Paris, we recorded a live album at Peniche Anako; a barge on St. Martin canal which hosts live music. The album is called Live in Paris, and is available on Bandcamp. Each member has solo recordings available online as well.
Have you performed at Boulevard before? Any memories?
This will be the band’s debut at Boulevard Music, but banjoist Ellery Marshall (an LA local) has performed there before. Guitarist Chris Luquette played a sold out show at Boulevard with two-time Grammy nominated band Frank Solivan and Dirty Kitchen in 2018, and they both look forward to returning to Culver City.
What can we expect from the set this time?
You can expect a set of high energy classic bluegrass with strong harmonies and powerful solos. We really love connecting with an audience and having a good time together!
What else do you have coming up?
Following our set at Boulevard, our California tour continues north to the bay area, with some shows in the central valley and Sierra Nevadas as well.
The Bushwick Mountain Boys perform with Rocky Neck 2.0 at 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 17 at Boulevard Music Go to boulevardmusic.com for more information about the show.
Elsewhere this week
The Culver Hotel will be hosting the likes of Sylvia & the Rhythm Boys, and Scotty Bramer. Go to culverhotel.com for more info.
There’s a full program of music at the Cinema Bar this week, as usual. The Hot Club of Los Angeles plays every Monday, and Wednesdays are singer/songwriter and open mic night. Go to thecinemabar.com for more info.