In just a couple of months, on July 18-21, North Plains, Oregon will see the return of one of the country’s premier bluegrass and roots music festivals, Northwest String Summit. Hosted every year by presiding band Yonder Mountain String Band, the four-day event will see top-billing sets from other veteran performers like The Infamous Stringdusters and Trampled By Turtles, as well as invite newcomers from across the musical spectrum, like Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Dark Star Orchestra, Galactic and more.  

So, I’m breaking out my camping gear - cleaning out the tent, waterproofing it, freshening up the sleeping bag.  It’s the weekend before Summer Camp Music Festival! Recently, I caught Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and Twiddle on the Road to Red Rocks, and they were on fire! Twiddle is new to me. I really enjoyed the vibe going on between these two east coast bands.  They both are playing Summer Camp festival on a seemingly relentless touring schedule.

If you give a mouse a cookie, he’s going to ask for a glass of milk. If you give a moose a muffin, he’ll want some jam to go with it. If you give a Pigeon a Ping Pong, he will create high-energy psychedelic funk music from jam given to previously said moose. By now you’ve heard the name Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, rising up the ranks of the jam world and dominating sold-out shows around the country. Their energy is unmatchable, their enthusiasm is undeniable, and they are just getting things started.

The 18th Annual Northwest String Summit (String Summit) is one of the top boutique live music experiences in the country and presents today's leaders in the Americana, Bluegrass, Indy Rock, and Jam genres. It all happens at the iconic Horning's Hideout (North Plains, OR) from July 18 - 21, 2019. Located just 20 miles outside of Portland, OR, Horning's Hideout, a private family-owned reserve of old-growth trees, wild peacocks, ponds, and campsites, is among the West's most awe-inspiring festival sites in the country.

In anticipation of the coming Red Rocks Amphitheatre co-bill with Twiddle and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, where Kitchen Dwellers offers support, the bands have shared a special "TwidGeonDwellers" playlist, now streaming on Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/pigeonsplaying/sets/twiddle-pppp-rr.

Nestled right next to downtown, the Cincinnati skyline offers a beautiful urban backdrop for this unique festival that has made me proud of the growing music scene in Cincinnati over the past few years. Not only does the cityscape play into the beauty of the venue, but it is seated right along the banks of the Ohio River, giving the festival a bit of character.

On Thursday, May 2nd, 2019, Vermont-based Twiddle and Baltimore-based Pigeons Playing Ping Pong will co-headline the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre, a historic moment in the history of both bands. "What's really cool about this show is that we and the Pigeons have been friends and playing together for years when we were drawing 200 people and now, 5 years later, we are headlining Red Rocks together," shares Mihali Savoulidis of Twiddle.

This year, the storied Domefest celebrates its 10th year, and between the new, beautiful location at Marvin's Mountaintop and the same promise to keep the festival as intimate an experience as possible, fans are eager to learn what other surprises are in store. The final lineup for the 10th annual Domefest is here, welcoming new faces and past favorites, alike.