Friday

Saturday

MBOTMA Member Band Showcase Sponsored by Badger Hill Brewing

Featuring new bands, bands with new recordings, or bands not often heard on MBOTMA stages

Martha Spencer & Lucas Pasley

Martha Spencer is a singer-songwriter, mountain musician and dancer from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. She grew up in a musical family, attending community square dances and jams and learning to play several instruments and flatfoot dance. In addition to numerous other recordings, she has just released her third solo album Out in La La Land which placed on the Americana charts.  A dazzling entertainer, she has performed across the US, AU, UK, CA, and EU and been featured in articles in Rolling Stone Country, Americana Highways, NY Times and Billboard.

Lucas Pasley is a songwriter and award-winning fiddler and banjoist from the mountains of North Carolina.  He performs solo, with several regional bands, and with Martha Spencer & The Wonderland Country Band.  Along with releasing several songwriter albums, he has devoted himself to preserving and spotlighting the traditional music of his region.   

As a duo, Martha and Lucas deliver a powerful performance ranging from traditional Appalachian fiddle-banjo tunes from their families to heartfelt original songs. 

Tim Stafford

From Kingsport, Tennessee, Grammy winner Tim Stafford co-founded the group Blue Highway, which is celebrating its 31st year in 2025. Tim is a prolific songwriter with over 300 cuts and several #1 Bluegrass songs. He has been named the IBMA Songwriter of the Year three times (2014, 2017, 2023) and the SPBGMA Guitar Player of the Year twice (2001, 2015). With Steve Gulley, he co-wrote the 2008 IBMA Song of the Year, "Through the Window of a Train" as well as the most-played song of 2023 in Bluegrass, “Lonesome State of Mind.” (with Bobby Starnes) In 2010, he co-wrote (with Caroline Wright) the highly-acclaimed authorized biography Still Inside: The Tony Rice Story. Tim has released five solo records and five duet records along with his recordings with Blue Highway and Alison Krauss. He was most recently the Artist in Residence at ETSU’s famed Bluegrass, Old-Time and Roots Music program.

THUG Ensemble

The Two Harbors Ukulele Group, affectionately known as T.H.U.G., was formed by Al Anderson in 2010. It has grown from five members to a performance group of sixteen and features soprano, concert, tenor, baritone and bass ukuleles, backed up by harmonica, melodica, drums and horns. The group plays a wide variety of music from 1920's classics to '60's rock and roll to country music...yes, even some Frank Zappa music. Our group has played throughout Minnesota from Lanesboro to Grand Portage and will play almost 50 performances in 2023. We also host the Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival in Two Harbors which is attended by over 300 ukulele players from over fifteen states and three provinces.

The Waverly Girls, Saturday, 1:00pm

The Lyver Family has been singing and performing together since the girls were toddlers, but they didn’t become an “official” band until 2022, when they entered a talent show at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association’s (MBOTMA) August festival.  They had to come up with a band name quickly, so using their home town’s name, The Waverly Girls family band was formed.  After winning the talent show, based on their 3-part family harmony, they were encouraged to also play instruments.  Meera had been playing the mandolin for years and was the only instrument in the band.  Christmas 2022, the girls were gifted a Luna banjo and guitar, and they have been playing ever since!  The Waverly Girls Family Band consists of mother, Meera, father, Cory (manager/sound) and their two teenage daughters, Chloe and Maya.

The Waverly Girls are known for their distinctive and beautiful 3-part family harmony, their musicianship comes in second as the girls continue to learn and grow with their instruments.  They play Bluegrass, Old Time, Country, Gospel and Folk music, which appeals to audiences of all ages, but especially to the youth and family audiences.  The Waverly Girls encourage and inspire other youth to try playing instruments and/or singing.  They have helped out with Absolute Beginner Workshops and jam sessions.  In 2025, they hosted the Family Area, at the MBOTMA August Festival.  They strive to keep the Bluegrass genre alive by bringing in the younger generation and families and engaging them in both old and new, family friendly music.

Luna Guitars, support The Waverly Girls as official Luna musicians.

Last Pick'd String Band, Saturday, 2:00pm

The band met at the Homestead Pickin’ Parlor “Beginners” bluegrass jam in Richfield, MN, directed by Gene Walton. That wasn’t enough, so we kept adding more jams to the calendar! Our breakout show as a band was in February 2018 and we’ve been refining our craft as a group ever since.

Our set list selections start with deep roots in traditional bluegrass, flavored with folk, country, and Americana. Everyone in the band sings, creating great harmonies and tasty sounds that appeal to a wide audience.

Uncle Muskrat, Saturday, 3:00pm

Uncle Muskrat is a five-piece string band from Minneapolis, MN. Through traditional bluegrass instrumentation and lush vocal harmonies, they put a unique modern spin on the sounds of the old, weird American folk songbook. With influences ranging from Dock Boggs to John Hartford to Billy Strings and beyond, their live performances across the upper midwest take audiences on a journey from the quiet of a mountain hollow through the swirling energy of the cosmic expanse with many familiar stops along the way. 

Praised for their musicianship, respect for tradition, and ability to stretch the boundaries of traditional acoustic music, Uncle Muskrat delivers what your muskrat’s uncle never could!

Double Down Daredevils, Saturday, 4:00pm

The Double Down Daredevils are a 6-piece Bluegrass/Americana band that has been entertaining audiences around the region for 10 years now. 

The Daredevils put on a high-energy show that will have you tapping your feet, and leave you wanting more. They feature amazing harmonies on nearly every song from traditional bluegrass to a large and growing list of originals! 

The Gated Community, Saturday, 5:00pm

The Gated Community is an Americana band with a nearly twenty year history. Formed in 2006 in Minneapolis's storied West Bank neighborhood, the band is known for its gripping original songs, beautiful vocal harmonies, and multiple lead singers. Led by South Asian American singer/songwriter Sumanth Gopinath (aka Sonny), the band's music is eclectic in style, encompassing country, folk, bluegrass, and rock. Born in Chicago and raised in Louisiana, Gopinath relocated to the Twin Cities in 2005, after stints in Texas and Connecticut. Current members have been in the band for a decade or more. Everyone in the band sings lead and plays multiple instruments. The band just released their sixth album, available on Bandcamp and all of the main streaming platforms. It was recently included in the Star-Tribune's list of top 10 albums from Minnesota in 2025 thus far.