dadweed: dadweed is an acoustic trio based out of Portland, OR. Reimagining pickin' and thumpin' by blending elements of jazz/folk/pop/R&B within a traditional bluegrass lens, their sets explore a wide variety of styles and dynamics – with a focus on improvisation – showcasing both covers and originals.
Leaning heavily into three-part vocal harmonies and virtuosic instrumentation, dadweed strives to redefine what's possible in bluegrass. The trio has toured throughout the west coast since 2024, appearing at festivals, venues, and private events. dadweed released their first EP in Summer 2024 and will continue to release new singles throughout 2025.
THE DIAL PAINTERS: Dial Painters are an acoustic songwriting trio based in Santa Cruz, California formed by father-and-son musicians Don Mackessy (banjo, guitar),Leland Mackessy (mandolin, guitar), and Jeff Kissell on upright bass.
They perform original compositions with carefully crafted lyrics and melodic sensibilities drawing from the bluegrass tradition. Their poetry carries themes of love and loss shaped by personal experience and cultural observation. The band name references both Frank Zappa’s quote that, “(music) is a game - you have a piece of time that you get to decorate,” and the tendency of industry to blind itself to the suffering of those artisans laboring to turn it's gears.