Bluegrass, Americana and a pinch of Bob Marley will be served this weekend at a couple of South Shore restaurants.
Bison plays Friday night in the Divided Sky in Meyers and the Sierra Drifters will be heard Saturday in the Himmel Haus. A new band, the Sierra Drifters are made up of members of Bison who have plugged in their instruments and added a drum set.
Bison, a nearly 5-year-old string band, is back with the return of guitarist Chris Seal, who spent eight months in Nashville.
“Bison is still alive and kicking,” said mandolin player Andy Hatch. “It’s a good go-to band. It’s easily digestible. All ages get into Bison.”
Bison includes upright bassist Nate Alcorn, who also plays with the Cash Only Band, and pedal steel guitarist Raybob Bowman.
Hatch calls Bison’s music California bluegrass because it takes a wide variety of music and makes it twang.
“It’s not Kentucky straight-ahead bluegrass,” he said.
The theme of the night is Bob Marley.
“Raybob is currently obsessed with Bob Marley,” Hatch said. “He doesn’t know we are going to do it, so he will be pleasantly surprised.”
Saturday’s show at the former Christiana Inn on Saddle Street across from Heavenly Mountain Resort is part of a fundraiser for the Sierra Avalanche Center. The evening begins with a backcountry ski and powder movie, “Elevation.”
Hatch, Seal and Alcorn will plug in their axes and be joined by drummer Ryan Kronenberg to play original Americana-style rock music.
“It’s a cool band that is just getting off the ground” Hatch said. “We played a couple of festivals last summer. If people want to get in on it early, this is their chance. Of all of my bands, including 4 Piece Puzzle, this has highest chance of greater success because we have original songs and the genre is pleasing to a lot of people. That band has a lot of potential.”
In the meanwhile, somebody tell Raybob to visit Tahoe Onstage so he will be ready to lively up his self.
