In the Northern part of Rotterdam, you’ll find the Pijnackerplein. This historic square with an old-fashioned bandstand has been making way for banjos and mandolins once a year since 2009. To mark the 10th edition Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival goes extra-large after online editions.
There are more stages, more entertainment, more food and drinks, and more bluegrass during the internationally regarded event.
The first names are already booked for this year’s edition. The Henhouse Prowlers play speedy bluegrass, using authentic instruments like banjo, acoustic guitar, contrabass and violin. The Legendary Shack Shakers bring a rock attitude. Pert Near Sandstone has a voracious musical appetite.
Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival furthermore offers Gangstagrass with a mix of hip-hop and bluegrass and the one man countryfolk band: Possessed By Paul James.
High-quality bluegrass from our own country is provided by the Blue Grass Boogiemen and Tennessee Studs. Also on the provisional bill are Yonder Boys, Johnny & the Yooahoos (DE) and Thee Scarecrows AKA (UK).
Origin at Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival
The Switchbacks are Maurice van Hoek and Tijmen Veelenturf. Both graduated from the conservatory and met each other as visitors of the Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival. They decided on the spot to start a bluegrass band. The pair threw themselves into the genre almost maniacally, with many hours of individual training and joint rehearsals, in order to become proficient in the game. This has already paid off: Van Hoek is a gifted finger-picking guitar player and Veelenturf can rightly be called a virtuoso on the violin. The repertoire is constantly expanding and The Switchbacks would like nothing better than to show off their skills on the spot where they took their first step.
The Rotterdam Bluegrass Festival is a free and inclusive festival where bluegrass and other forms of roots music such as country, folk and Americana take center stage. The most recent edition in 2019 saw 16,000 visitors. From lovers of the genre from all over the Netherlands and beyond to local residents.
The festival has the ambition to continue to grow and to bring more people in contact with both bluegrass/roots music and the good vibes of this neighborhood.
