Local bluegrass band the Notorious Stringbusters is set to create a relaxed, yet buoyant energy at the Three Bears on June 26 from 6-7:30 p.m. Community members are invited to grab a lawn chair and enjoy their breezy tunes from the grass.
Playfulness and engagement mark the Notorious Stringbusters’ performances, and they advise the community to expect some “earth quakin, hip brakin, hands shakin, belly achin, heart rate takin, finger laken, for goodness saken, hallucinatin bluegrassified bluegrassification” at their Three Bears performance, according to the band’s Facebook account.
“We keep it upbeat, we keep it fast paced, we keep it positive,” Rylan Broadwell, banjo player for the band, said.
Though they love “bringing the heat,” the energy of the band’s music also depends on the energy of the crowd, Broadwell said. The Stringbusters hold a range of songs in their repertoire, from their newly acquired rendition of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” to slower, mellow hits.
The band enjoys switching up their pacing throughout their performance, and Broadwell said he expects the Three Bears event to feel like a relaxed “garden party” with faster jams thrown in.
This concert follows the January fire that destroyed multiple businesses and devastated the Ovid community. Sarah Byers, event organizer for the Three Bears, said that she hopes this concert gives the community a chance to heal with each other.
“I hope people have a fun time and strengthen their feelings of community in the wake of the fire,” Byers said. “We wanna get people out in the community again and just enjoy their time with each other.”
Broadwell echoed the sentiment and said he hopes this concert can provide a positive moment for the community.
The event is free and open to the public. Byers said that the accessibility of the upcoming Three Bears concert is what makes it stand out from others. She hopes that the community will take advantage of this and enjoy an evening on the grass.
“A lot of concerts happen at wineries or restaurants or places that might have an expectation of spending attached,” Byers said. “We wanted to provide a free concert to the community in a community-oriented venue, and allow everyone a chance to listen to good music.”
Varsha Bhargava is a reporter at the Ithaca Times and a news editor at The Cornell Daily Sun working on The Sun’s summer fellowship. This article was previously published in the Ithaca Times.
Varsha Bhargava is a news editor for the 143rd Editorial Board and a member of the Class of 2027 in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. She can be reached at vbhargava@cornellsun.com.
