Fireside Collective

Fireside Collective and Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road will perform as part of the Deep Roots, Many Voices: Summer Outdoor Concert Series at 7 p.m., Saturday, July 20, in the Blue Ridge Music Center’s outdoor amphitheater on the Blue Ridge Parkway just south of Galax, Va. Fireside Collective draws on folk, blues, funk, and a wide variety of bluegrass sounds to create a distinctive body of work. ​Blending the characteristic interplay of bluegrass instrumentation and harmonies with strong original material and exuberant energy, band members Joe Cicero (guitar), Jesse Iaquinto (mandolin), Tommy Maher (resonator guitar), and Carson White (upright bass) bring authentic voices to their instruments and the unique contributions of different lead and harmony vocalists complement the variety in the group’s songs. Fireside Collective has been on a roll since emerging from the vibrant roots music scene of Asheville, N.C. In quick order, the group won the band contest at MerleFest in 2016, released its debut album in 2017, earned a nomination for New Artist of the Year from the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2022, and embarked on an ambitious touring schedule that has earned an enthusiastic reception from traditional bluegrass fans and eclectic music festival audiences alike. Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road will open the show. The group has been recognized as one of the fastest rising bluegrass bands in the industry, including being named Momentum Band of the Year by the International Bluegrass Music Association in 2019. Purcell deftly leads Cane Mill Road as the group interprets musical traditions and boldly writes original music in the fertile spirit of bluegrass, old-time, and Americana. Their powerful arrangements and dynamic stage presence have landed the group main stage slots at legendary festivals across the country. Joining Purcell in Cane Mill Road are Ella Jordan (fiddle), Rob McCormac (guitar), Jacob Smith (bass), Zack Vickers (banjo), and Alex Naismith (audio). Purcell grew up just down the road from Doc Watson and was raised on traditional bluegrass. He was the first musician to win three contests in the same year at the RockyGrass music festival in Colorado, taking home first place in the mandolin, banjo, and guitar categories in 2023. He graduated from the Berklee College of Music with a degree in string performance this year. Tickets are $25 for adults. Children 12 and younger are admitted free of charge. Advance tickets are available at BlueRidgeMusicCenter.org. Tickets can be purchased on the evening of the show at the admission gates.