The Not-So-Calm Before the Storm: Cruz Contreras Kicks Off Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion 2021 With Crack Team of All-Stars

Pulling into downtown Bristol in light traffic mid-afternoon Thursday, it was hard to believe a festival hosting thousands of folks from around the country would be kicking off that night.

The town has grown considerably over the years, in no small thanks to this festival, but as the dog-day afternoon receded, Bristol breathed slow and easy towards that breezy weekday evening feel as the sun sunk lower behind the hills. Everyday local workers were logging out, emerging from downtown office buildings blinking and happy on the sidewalks, grabbing beers or packages of various sundries to take home. Folks checked into hotels. A few stragglers strolled around hoping for a glimpse and facetime with any early-arriving acts.

The crews worked quietly and steadily in the calm before the storm. Over BLANK’s few hours wandering around town, stages rose. Roadblocks went up. Rows of port-o-potties were assembled. Security teams met for briefings. A woman on a flagged bike followed by a man in a truck appeared to be measuring out the course for the festival 5K and 10K, happening Saturday morning. Garage doors of bars opened. More folks began to arrive, looking for the party.

The official Kick-Off party went down outside the Sessions Hotel on the beautiful knotty-pine outdoor stage dedicated to Jim Lauderdale, and it featured longtime festival mainstay Cruz Contreras, originally the bandleader of Robinella and the CC String Band, then for multiple Americana charting albums leader of The Black Lilies, sometimes solo or bandleading all-star groups like the Bristol Sessions tribute in 2011, and now appearing as Cruz Contreras and Friends, with his wife Molly on harmonies, Jake Smith of Jubal on lead (alternately spacey and blistering), Thrift Store Cowboys’ Kris Killingsworth on drums, and Contreras’ original Black Lillies bandmate Robert Richards on bass.

The crowd skewed older as it was a separately ticketed event, and speaking with several attendees, many were longtime friends, family or fans of Cruz who have followed him through every era and as evidenced by his greetings and exchanges with them, the feeling seemed mutual. Folks sat in clusters of lawn chairs with plenty of space and about half the crowd wore masks.

The coverage of the festival so far has been marred by some negative reactions to the loss of headliners Jason Isbell and Tanya Tucker, notable among others, over disagreements related to potential Covid protocols, or lack thereof.

But inside the festival office and around the festival grounds, CDC protocols were being followed and spirits were high. Reviewing the schedule, there’s still more great roots music at all levels than any one person could attempt to see, stretched across dozens of stages, mostly outdoors, over three days.

Really, though, the first set of music that burst out of Contreras’ all-star group evaporated any tension in the air and dispelled all doubts this festival would be happening in its usual spirit. Country-tight but rock-wild and hippie-weird, the band rolled through several brand-new numbers with Smith wowing the crowd with spacey effects and wild solos that easily returned to tight, complementary chordings and riffs, Richards steadily holding down the low end in the pocket, dynamic, unique beats including some electronic ones keeping the time from Killingsworth (known to some affectionately as “Tugboat”), and Cruz and Molly’s obvious joy at singing together and his enjoyment of his new songs.

Friday kicks off at 4:30 with Joe Hertler and the Rainbow Seekers on the Cumberland Stage, and throughout the afternoon and evening, the theme tends to be longtime festival alums made good, with regionally-based but at times international acts like Amythyst Kiah, Beth Snapp and Folk Soul Revival in their final set of shows before retiring the band. Hayes Carll, The Steeldrivers and other beloved touring Americana acts hold down primetime, and late night sets are expected from longtime festival favorites like The Honey Badgers and The Cork Lickers.

Stay tuned to Blank’s continuing weekend coverage-each morning, much like today, we’ll have recaps of the previous night’s adventures and a preview of the day to come.

Tickets are still available at birthplaceofcountrymusic.org. Check out our “Calm Before the Storm” gallery below (Gallery 1, courtesy Bill Foster; Gallery 2, Luke Brogden):