Fifth Annual Dia de los Muertos with Plainview Vibes, Stoney Banks, & Austin Grimm
11.01.2024 - This year, the 5th Annual Dia de los Muertos Masquerade transpired from its original home at the Burlap Room, located on Bert Driver Nursery property to its new home at the Harvester Event Center, located in Historic Downtown Smithville, Tennessee, on Friday, November 1, the official Dia de los Muertos holiday.
I always enjoy learning about other cultures and traditions, and when I delved into Dia de los Muertos, thanks to Bert Driver’s influence, I quickly discovered that this tradition seems to have significant “sacred” roots, by honoring one’s ancestors who have passed to the other side either with very simple, personal ceremonies, and sometimes with very elaborate trappings and costumes. In my humble opinion it sorta makes Halloween, which is often incorrectly confused with Day of the Dead, seem like a fairly shallow tradition in comparison.
Leave it to the team at the Harvester to highlight and celebrate this bonafide Mexican holiday, and to choose reggae music as the predominant musical genre of the evening.
Talk about covering both sides of “the veil”...Honoring our ancestors and passing loved ones’ spirits, while being lifted up in a manner that only reggae music, with its accents “almost behind the beat” providing the energy that gives us that buoyant buzz not available from other musical genres. We had it all!! There was some of the absolute best “Hillbilly Reggae”, or “Tennessee Reggae”, or any other pigeon hole term you want to use to try to describe the vibe…live onstage at the Harvester on Friday night.
The lineup started off with Austin Grimm and his lovely wife Taylor, who did an electronic instrument-enhanced, acoustic guitar and ukulele selection of original songs that had the reggae groove, but with acoustic rather than the standard electric wah-wah and flange effects. When you’ve got the level of talent and positive attitude that Austin Grimm consistently brings to our stages, you can communicate deep soulful messages to listeners without “all the hoopla”.
Next up, a pleasant surprise, Stoney Banks who hails from Music City Nashville, TN, was sort of a last-minute booking for us. Stoney seemed fairly shocked that the Harvester crowd responded so positively to his original songs, which they were hearing for the first time. Joe Lowder who hails from Florida was on bass, Jody West on drums, and Brad Foutch on lead guitar from Tallahassee, FL.
I can tell you from experience, one of the hardest things to do as a musical act is to do original material without having a hit record…just plain HARD! However, when you’re Stoney Banks, and your songs have great enough feel and composition that people like them when they hear them for the first time, you get it whupped! Won’t be the last time Stoney Banks will be at the Harvester - the attendees loved Stoney Banks, and Stoney and the band loved the Harvester venue and the warm response they received.
Walnut Street was blocked off to create a pedestrian area to the Harvester rear parking lot. Thank you City of Smithville and the outstanding public services that you provide. With the wonderful weather, and the back doors kicked open, revelers enjoyed the reggae music spilling into the historic downtown Smithville while our good friend Lee Miller who we met through the the Appalachian Center for Crafts. She spun her colderens of fires, while many of the Harv crowd looked on and smoked cigars … so a righteous scene in our beautiful hamlet.
Then, the closer—Plainview Vibes: Jarred Good- drums, Mark Young- guitar, Cotey Tanner bass, Jeremy McMinn - guitar/vocals, and the incredible talented Nels Noseworthy on saxophone/keyboard.
They brought their family circle of loyal followers and they showed up and showed out most in full costume. In fact, one couple drove in from Georgia, another from Utah, and yet another from Texas showed up to check out The Harv…again, a steady stream of newcomers are descending on Smithville/ DeKalb County and we could not be more thrilled – thanks to all who support our efforts
Hardwood Smokehouse presented their Jamaican theme menu with plantains, rice, meat pie, stew, jerk chicken and man of man what a meal - check out hardwood for your catering needs!
There was a shroud hanging in the air, even a touch of fog that rolled into the Harvester for a laid back, magical music night. The bartenders looked festive as well and poured some incredible “made in house” craft cocktails - Holly, Eschelle, and Ava. GREAT CREW! Michael, Ross, and David took care of the crowd and parking while Phillip dialed in a pitch perfect sound that had us all smiling. Karson on lights and Daniel Duarte filming while Matt Antoniak snapped pics.
Tami Studer from Cafe Healthyish set up the green room for the bands…excellent local and fresh!
These guys are such pros that they settled into a monstrous reggae groove within the first few bars of their show, and had everyone feeling that “reggae thang” as they maneuvered flawlessly through their excellent original songs, plus a truly tasteful selection of cover tunes. The PV guys brought along their crew of fans, and the entire Flatwoods room at the Harvester was locked into their smooth reggae vibe, with many patrons singing and dancing right along to what was obviously repeat performances for them from “their” Plainview Vibes buddies. That’s the way music’s supposed to work, BTW– just good folks (musicians) sharing joy and happiness, creating lasting memories for all involved. “Let’s get together and feel alright”.
A group of “Harvester Insiders” selected the best male and best female Dia de los Muertos costumes, based on criteria of authenticism, detailing, and overall presentation. “Best Dressed” winners of $50 gift certificates from Bert Driver Nursery are Hannah Hacker and Rob Taylor.
Many thanks (as always) to the excellent Service and Security Staff at the Harvester, Philip Stafford, Sound Engineer, LaLa’s Tamales (the real deal!) and Hardwoods Smokehouse!
Only a few more events to finish our 2024 so join us for Big Al and the Heavyweights with Johnny Cats and Phil Hall on Thursday, 11/14, and our 3rd Annual Holidays at the Harvester with the Tiger Beats on Saturday, 12/7! Stay up-to-date with all the events in the Bert Driver Network (Nursery, Burlap Room, and the Harvester) by signing up for our ‘The Local Vibe’ Newsletter - released the first Tuesday of the month (coming this Tuesday, 11/5/2024), straight to your inbox! And don’t forget the Harvester is for rent: corporate events and parties, weddings, receptions, graduations, baby showers, or whatever you’re celebrating, we host ‘em all! Contact us for more information, and check us out on Wedding Wire or The Knot!
