Outlaw Social are about the music, not the marketing. A couple of clues: 1. the music is so good, and 2. their new CD Dry Bones isn't on their website yet. But you can email them at info@outlawsocial.com and they'll make sure you can get a copy.
Elle in Courtenay, I'm way off topic talking about fiddling and bluegrass, and I bet you can find more about those subjects on a dozen mudcat forums so we shouldn't go too far sideways from the thread topic here anyway, but here are a few thoughts:
- there's no "best" bluegrass or fiddling, but there's plenty of excellent action around us on Vancouver Island all the time. Watch for:
John Reischman and the Jaybirds who play at VI locales from time-to-time.
Adrian Dolan who fiddles with Outlaw Social when Kendel Carson is unavailable, and with the Bills, and both plays with and conducts classical orchestras.
Did I mention the Bills?
If you're lucky, Victoria's Backyard Stringband will play in the Comox Valley. Adam Iredale-Gray is a phenomenal talent on anything with strings. Rachelle Reath is no slouch either.
There's a guy named Daniel Lapp. I've heard he is a pretty good fiddler.
If April Verch ever comes to Vancouver Island again, do not miss her.
Calvin Cairns and the Conservatory Fiddle Orchestra. Fifty fiddles at once. That's an acquired taste.
The risk in putting a list like this together is that I miss dozen(s) of people or groups who are equally worthy. Your taste may not echo mine.
Great musicians are one side of bluegrass and fiddling.
Doing it yourself is the other side. Fiddle workshops, bluegrass workshops - this is the stuff musical heaven is made of. Playing with other people will make you a better musician and will give you musical experiences that even the finest performances can't rival for visceral feel-goodness.
Weekly bluegrass workshops in the Cowichan Valley resulted in Wiseacre. Perhaps you caught them at the Coombs Bluegrass Festival this month?
Neither Wiseacre nor the Breakmen have fiddles. Doesn't matter. Proves something. What? That the world of great music doesn't hang on a fiddle string?