Festy 2014 | Page 21

Shook Twins Why We Chose Them The Shooks are all original in everything they do. Almost more like producer-artists, they infuse each song with a treatment all its own, ranging from the AM tones of an old telephone to layers of rhythmic loops, all captured on the spot. Their music is magical and unpredictable, and it’s undeniably their own. And now is the perfect time to introduce them to the Festy family–you will love them if you don’t already. —Chris Pandolfi, The Infamous Stringdusters Druha Trava Why We Chose Them An amazing and talented band from the Czech Republic. I’m stoked to have an international element at the Festy this year and Druha Trava holds a special place in my heart. I first saw this band play in 1995 while studying music at South Plains College in Texas. They were on a US tour and stopped by to do a concert. I was absolutely blown away. There are many bluegrass musicians and bands that perform bluegrass outside the United States and Druha Trava is one of the best. The Dusters played a Czech Bluegrass Festival with Druha Trava on the grounds of a historic castle during a European tour. Druha Trava fuses bluegrass with traditional Czech music incorporating a variety of other influences to create a sound all of their own singing both in English and Czech. Their style is born out of a little known, but deep connection between bluegrass and the Czech Republic. This is a must see at the Festy this year!! —Jeremy Garrett, The Infamous Stringdusters