I was lucky enough to attend Merlefest 6 times between 2005 and 2012, always with my my best mate who has since passed on. Our last year was 2012 and it was a corker. As Merlefest was cancelled this year, and is always held in the last weekend of May they are rerunning Mainstage footage from 2012 on a youtube live stream. It looks like you can only go back 12 hours so you’ve probably missed Sam Bush bringing on Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi to play spendid versions of Bell Blottom Blues and Gimme Shelter. If you’re quick you can see his last number which is a romp through Up on Cripple creek and a blast through the banjo tune Cripple Creek and a ridiculous tempo. Not long after that is a good set by Los Lobos. Their encore is a stonking version of Neil Young’s Cinnamon Girl
Merlefest 2012 livestream
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Today starts at 14:30 UK time
It is of course held in last weekend of April, not May, which is why it streaming now. My recommendations for the remaining days are:-
Saturday: Punch Brothers who are jaw-droppingly accomplished, and a good headline set from Niall B’s favourites the Tedeschi Trucks Band
Sunday: a shorter day. The headliner comes on early to allow festivalgoers to drive a long way home and go to work the following day. Headliner Alison Krauss was flawless as always but I particularly enjoyed her 2012 set as she played a lot more fiddle than usual. I’ve never seen Marty Stuart before or since, but he was terrific with a great band including the mighty Kenny Vaughan on guitar. Marty is no slouch himself on guitar and plays the B-bender strat as previously owned by Clarence White