Big Richard Announces Return to Montana in 2024
Neo-acoustic, bluegrass group, Big Richard, will make their way to Montana for two shows in 2024, performing at The ELM in Bozeman on February 8th, and The Wilma in Missoula on Friday, February 9th. Bozeman-based singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Madeline Hawthorne will open for Big Richard at both shows.
Formed just two years ago, the bluegrass quartet Big Richard has quickly made a name for itself with standout live performances, despite not yet having a full-length studio-produced record. However, they have released a live album, several singles, and are gearing up for the release of their debut studio album… stay tuned!
One of the things that set Big Richard apart from other bluegrass bands is their all-female lineup. This isn’t very common in the more jam-oriented bluegrass circuit, and it gives them a unique and refreshing perspective on the genre.
Each member has played in several other projects. Big Richard is comprised of Bonnie Sims on mandolin (Bonnie & Taylor Sims/Everybody Loves An Outlaw/Bonnie & the Clydes), Joy Adams on cello (Nathaniel Rateliff/Darol Anger/Half Pelican), Emma Rose on bass + guitar (Sound of Honey/Daniel Rodriguez/Whippoorwill) and Eve Panning on fiddle (Lonesome Days). They’re no strangers to big performances and their experience and skill can be heard in their shows.
Big Richard has been added to notable festivals such as Strings ‘n Sol and Telluride Bluegrass Festival, which are very hand-picked. Only top-notch bands are chosen — further proof of their talent and growing popularity. They’re already becoming known for being witty, quirky, and full of great stage banter. Recently, The Colorado Sound’s listeners voted Big Richard as their favorite “Band on the Rise.”
Don’t miss your chance to see one of the most exciting up-and-coming bluegrass bands in the scene today. Sign up for the Groove presale and grab your tickets early!
Tickets/Event Details
PUBLIC ON SALE: Tickets for both shows will be available on Thursday, September 21st, 2023 at 10:00AM at the Top Hat box office, The ELM box office, online or by phone at 1 (800) 514-3849. Visit the specific event page below for tickets and more info.
About Big Richard
The world-class musicians in Big Richard initially convened in 2021 for a festival date. The quartet showed up to the one-off like it had been together for years, bursting with jaw-dropping virtuosity; playfully irreverent stage banter; stunning four-part harmony vocal interlace; imaginative arrangements; a refreshingly eclectic repertoire; and a healthy dose of lady rage.
Quickly things for the Colorado-based, neo-acoustic supergroup morphed into something way bigger than a one-and-done appearance. The sellout club shows, and the confirmed festival dates across America drastically changed its members’ lives. Now, Big Richard is poised to penetrate the Americana music world and beyond. To date, the quartet has issued 3 singles, the Live from Telluride album, and it has new music on the way.
Big Richard siphon from traditional bluegrass, oldtime, classical, modern bluegrass, country, and pop. The four-piece band masterfully mash up genres, often using traditional fiddle tune pieces as instrumental flights of fancy between its storyteller original songs. The group also refreshingly reinvents beloved traditional tunes.
The four musicians have previously played together in various configurations, but united to rage fiddle tunes and smash the patriarchy in Big Richard. The band is platinum recording artist Bonnie Sims on mandolin (Bonnie & Taylor Sims, Everybody Loves an Outlaw, Bonnie and the Clydes), multi-genre musician Dr. Joy Adams on cello (Nathaniel Rateliff, Darol Anger, Half Pelican, Bruce Hornsby, Bobby McFerrin, Chick Corea, Ben Folds), Emma Rose on bass and guitar (Sound of Honey, Daniel Rodriguez, Whippoorwill, Courtney Hartman), and Eve Panning on fiddle (Lonesome Days, TEDx, Barrage, Hollywood Film Score Orchestra).
