SLCene Suggests: Ogden Music Festival at Fort Buenaventura

OGDEN MUSIC FESTIVAL, FORT BUENAVENTURA, Ogden, Friday, May 31-Sunday June 2, $50 for three-day pass at the gate/$25 per day at the gate/Kids 16 and under free

To know that this little spring festival thrown by the folks at the Ogden Friends of Acoustic Music has grown into quite the to-do, you just have to look at the lineup. They’ve always boasted some great talent–the likes of Dave Alvin and Eilen Jewell have delivered memorable gigs at the fest’s Fort Buenaventura locale on the west side of Ogden–but this year is packed with bluegrass and folk acts beyond any past editions I can recall. Sam Bush is simply one of the most monster mandolin players in the biz, and that’s just scratching the surface of the man’s capabilities as a player and live frontman. Tim O’Brien, playing this year with local wonder Kate MacLeod, is never less than superb to hear do his thing. Throw in the Utah State Instrument Championship competitions starting each of the three days, and bands like Elephant Revival, The Boxcars and more kicking it tasty licks all weekend, well, you have the makings of a seriously fun weekend. You can camp at the fest, kick it in Ogden overnight, or make a day-trip of it–whatever gets you there, you won’t regret it.