About this Event
The Sugar River Ramble and Jamboree is a day-long celebration of the Sugar River in Support of the Upper Sugar River Watershed Association. Enjoy biking, paddling, food, drink, and your favorite local bluegrass. For information about biking and paddling, please visit: https://www.uppersugar.org/
Tickets: $40/adults. Kids Free
The Music Line Up:
- Rachel Neal 2-3
- Frank Busch:3:30-4:30
- The Stop and Listen: 5-6
- Them Coulee Boys: 6:30-7:45
- Armchair Boogie: 8:15-9:30
About the Music Line Up:
Rachel Neal: After writing her first songs at 24, Rachel Neal fell in love with sharing lyrics that cut straight to the bone, drawing from real-life moments, quiet strength, and unfiltered emotion. Whether she’s singing about heartbreak, identity, or resilience, Neal’s music invites listeners into the kind of stories that don’t need dressing up — just a melody and the truth. Drawing inspiration from Miranda Lambert, Patty Griffin, Brandi Carlile, and Sheryl Crow, Neal crafts music that resonates deeply with listeners.
Frank Busch: From dusty red roads to dive bar neon, Frank Martin Busch & the Names carve their own brand of country, seasoned with alt-twang and storytelling that digs deep. A side project blossoming into a full-fledged force, they bring four years of shared highway miles and a wellspring of original tunes to every stage. Frank, a songwriting champion (Isthmus Magazine's "Fave Singer/Songwriter" two years running) leads the charge, his pen weaving tales of small-town dreams and restless hearts. Inspired by Turnpike Troubadours, Tyler Childers, and the timeless echoes of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson, their music resonates with raw honesty and an edge that keeps it fresh.
The Stop and Listen: The Stop and Listen plays old-time stringband music with a unique set of instruments and voices. We specialize in fiddle tunes, old-time songs, jug band numbers, and country blues. They bring some serious drive and groove with harmonicas (sometimes a couple at once), extraordinary improvisation on cello and fiddle, banjos of uncompromising size, and a bass with a chip on its shoulder. Songs are sung with an old-time swagger, harmonies included.
Them Coulee Boys: Soren Staff and Beau Janke - co-founders of folk/rock/Americana outfit Them Coulee Boys - met as camp counselors in northern Wisconsin in 2011. Their weekend workshopping of Avett Brothers and classic country tunes led to original songs and adding Soren’s brother Jens on mandolin. As the years grew, the band turned into a more rollicking outfit, adding Neil Krause on electric bass and Stas Hable on drums. The band’s name is a nod to the glacial melt-carved river valleys they call home, known by early French fur trappers as coulees. Known for wild swings of emotion during sets, it is not unusual to see fans in tears and minutes later dancing with abandon. The honesty and ability to talk and sing about the feelings and emotions that shape them has endeared them to a growing group of fans and friends With four full-length albums and an EP behind them, including 2019’s Die Happy (produced byTrampled By Turtles’ Dave Simonett on Lo-Hi Records) and 2021’s Namesake (produced by Grammy winner Brian Joseph), the band has garnered international attention and earned press in American Songwriter, Ditty TV, Folk Alley, and The Bluegrass Situation, as well as tours with Trampled By Turtles, Los Lobos, Old Crow Medicine Show and a spot on the songwriter’s Cayamo Cruise.
Armchair Boogie: Jamgrass, newgrass, funkgrass, whatever you want to call it— Armchair Boogie is rapidly becoming one of the country’s hottest acts. With an unbounded sound, this Wisconsin-based quartet is known for their powerful harmonies, timeless originals, and choice covers, along with unforgettable live performances. Listed as a “Must-See Roots Artists at Bourbon & Beyond'' by The Bluegrass Situation who wrote, “We recently caught this jammy Wisconsin outfit at Earl Scruggs Music Festival, where they burnt down their late-night set.” Armchair Boogie is Augie Dougherty on banjo with Ben Majeska acoustic & electric guitars
backed by tight, driving rhythms of Eli Frieders on electric bass and Denzel Connor on drums. This unconventional lineup enhances their lightning-fast bluegrass, allowing them to freely venture into the realms of funk or country. A band on the verge, Armchair Boogie is excited to independently release their 4th studio recording, Hard Times & Deadlines, on March 15. Composing these songs around the beginning of the pandemic, Majeska and Dougherty—who sing lead on the respective songs they wrote—were experiencing the stresses of entering their late 20s.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Seven Acre Dairy Company, 6858 Paoli Road, Belleville, United States
USD 42.20
