Born in the Country and Brought to Town

It's Thursday night, and Blacksburg is alive with music. There's a hipster-packed basement show on Roanoke street, a head-banging metal show at Champ's, and as you stroll past the Cellar, the pulsing throb of an upright bass, twang of a banjo, and whine of a fiddle fill your ears. Yep, the Jug Busters are at it again, drawing you in with their incessant and addictive beat.

Once inside, you run the gauntlet between band, doorman, and smiling, spinning dancers. There's not a foot that's not tapping, a head that's not bobbing, nor an empty table in the place. You stroll up to the bar, order yourself a drink, and as that first cold, fizzy, refreshing gulp slides down your throat, you smile and think about how as much as the developers and chain stores seem to be trying to turn this town into NOVA, this is still Southwest Virginia, and this music is the heartbeat of the land.

The Jug Busters thrive off mixing elements of Mountain Music, Old-Time, Bluegrass, Country, and Honky-Tonk into their performances. "We have to call it Bluegrass just 'cause of the fiddle and banjo," says Bill Richardson, fiddle player and one of the founding members of the Busters. The diversity of musical styles present in the Busters' repertoire allows them to appeal to a wide range of audiences, and their regular stint at the Cellar has helped the band develop this broad appeal. "We come here and play for college students and they love it, we go to Floyd and play for septuagenarians and they love it!" said Liam Kelly, guitarist and singer for the band. "There aren't many bands that can cover that age range," he added. It was at the Cellar that the band first added electric guitar and drums to their lineup for a more Honky-Tonk feel, also appealing to the younger crowd.

Blacksburg has not only changed the band's sound, but is actually responsible for its creation. The current members of the band come from a wide variety of musical backgrounds, from Punk Rock to the Grateful Dead and jam bands, and Blacksburg is where each of these talented musicians first became interested in the Appalachian sound. Russ Boyd, who helped Richardson found the band back in the 90's said, "I started out with Bluegrass, went to Old-Time... doing the Jam at Gillie's." Several of the band members agreed that the informal jam sessions at Gillie's were where they got their start in Old-Timey music.

Due to the constantly increasing number of original songs in their lineup, the Busters are planning on recording and releasing a new album this spring, the first with their newest member, bass player Chris Printz. Richardson is excited about the direction the band is heading, "We just keep getting better and tighter at what each of us is doing."

There are several couples out on the dance floor for each song, invariably including a surprisingly agile big dude who is spinning girls around like tops. His name is Pete Pool and he's been coming to dance at the Cellar since before the Jug Busters' time. He loves dancing the two-step the best, as it's, "easy, simple, fun, and you can have a conversation while you're doing it!"

A few more head-bobbin', foot-tappin' songs and it's onto another musical adventure. It's just another Thursday night in Blacksburg, and there's music of all kinds wherever you look. As you walk away and the stomping feet and thumping bass fade into the night, you smile knowing Appalachian music is still alive in the New River Valley, and the Jug Busters aim to keep it that way.

Regular Old-Time Happenings

Traditional Mountain Music is all around, if you know where to look. Here is just a short list of the regular Old-Time happenings you can enjoy with your ears and your feet, and maybe even play along.

Radford Fiddle and Banjo Jam

The Coffee Mill, Radford (540) 267-3008
Mondays, 7-9 pm Free
Folks say there ain't much live music in Radford, but every Monday you can head over to the Coffee Mill to join in or just enjoy a good old-fashioned jam session. Come early before the place fills up!

Old-Time Jam

Gillie's, Blacksburg (540) 961-2703
Tuesdays, 8-10ish pm Free
Almost every Tuesday night since 2003, Gillie's has hosted an informal jam session, where anyone who wishes can bring a bass, guitar, fiddle, banjo, or any number of other old-timey instruments and play along, dance, or listen. Both beginners and experienced players are encouraged to come out and share songs, food, drink, and fun.

Jug Busters

The Cellar, Blacksburg (540) 953-0651
Thursdays, 9pm-12am Free
Most Thursday nights you'll find the Busters playing away, and the floor shaking with the steps of smiling dancers.

Friday Night Jamboree

Floyd Country Store, Floyd (540) 745-4563
Fridays, 6:30-10:30 or 11 pm $3
Friday nights the back of the Country Store becomes a dance floor with many talented acts from all over performing on the stage. There's room to dance or sit, hoot and holler. If you want to play, there is usually a jam going on upstairs, and in the warmer months there are usually several jams going on outside, so you can wander around and enjoy the melodious musings of many different musicians all in one place. Look for Saturday Night Old-Time Dances as well.