WinterWonderGrass California Returns With Billy Strings, Infamous Stringdusters, More [Photos/Videos]

WinterWonderGrass California made its triumphant return to Olympic Valley’s Palisades Tahoe ski resort this past weekend for three days of bluegrass in the thawing springtime mountains. The festival featured headlining performances from Billy Strings, The Infamous Stringdusters, and The California Honeydrops.

The main stage kicked off on Friday with Keller & The Keels, as the barefooted bard performed alongside Larry and Jenny Keel. After them came The War And Treaty before day one’s main event, Billy Strings. The bluegrass phenom played two sets, which featured a pair of sit-ins from Lindsay Lou and Michael Trotter Jr. (The War And Treaty). Billy’s Friday performance came just two days before he played atop the MGM Grand Garden Arena as part of the 64th annual Grammy Awards.

Billy Strings w/ Michael Trotter Jr. – “Summertime” (Ira Gershwin, DuBose Heyward) – 4/1/22

[Video: Robert Morin]

Saturday got underway with Lindsay Lou on the main stage followed by Bozeman, MT’s finest, Kitchen Dwellers. Fruition then brought some electricity to the stage ahead of a headlining set from The Infamous Stringdusters.

The final day of WinterWonderGrass opened with bluegrass luminary Peter Rowan. The original Old & In The Way member also sat for a studio session with Paste Magazine. Following a set from Della Mae, the other pride of Montana The Lil Smokies turned in a set featuring appearances from Lindsay Lou, Cris Jacobs, and the California Honeydrops horn section. The main stage then closed out with California Honeydrops before Pickin’ On The Dead delivered the final set of the weekend at The Soapbox.

Peter Rowan live at Paste Studio on the Road: WinterWonderGrass

The Lil Smokies w/ Cris Jacobs, California Honeydrops Horns – “Doctor My Eyes” (Jackson Browne) – 4/3/2022

[Video: Max Berde]

The Lil Smokies w/ Lindsay Lou – “The Power of Love” (Huey Lewis & The News) – 4/3/2022

[Video: Max Berde]

Though the festival itself was over, the WinterWonderGrass Grass After Dark programming was just getting started. A late-night set from the Kitchen Dwellers took on a collaborative format with help from The Lil Smokies.

“There ain’t a hell of a lot of bands in Montana, let me tell you,” Kitchen Dwellers’ Torrin Daniels said. “Our choices of friends are pretty limited.”

Kitchen Dwellers w/ The Lil Smokies – “Tombstone Blues” (Bob Dylan) – 4/3/22