Tag Archives: bluegrass

The OTTO Thirsty Camper Tour is headed your way with delicious Maine beer, pizza, bluegrass, and more!

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We’re loading up a little bit of what makes Portland special and setting up camp at a location near you. It’s a traveling pizza and beer garden on wheels — the OTTO Airstream, courtesy of Rustic Taps.  Come down and enjoy beer from our friends at Maine Beer, Lone Pine, Allagash, and Orono, hear some live bluegrass, play some games, win some prizes — and of course we’ll be supplying the pizza.  

Every Thursday in August, we’ll be pulling up to a different OTTO location to celebrate summer in Vacationland. (With pizza, beer, and bluegrass this good, why would you leave??)

We’ll be serving cold, delicious Maine beer from the Airstream bar, and each evening will feature the best in Maine bluegrass, including renowned mandolinist Joe Walsh, who headed up OTTO Bluegrass Nights back in the day.

Our lovely beer partners have provided us with loads of great brewery swag, and OTTO will have plenty on hand as well, so you’re likely to go home with more than a smile.

And if that wasn’t enough, there’ll be cornhole, giant Jenga, and did we say PIZZA??

Come join us at one of our stops below.  This is a magical, silvery beer and pizza garden on wheels – and we can’t wait to see all of you.

The OTTO Thirsty Camper Tour:

* 5PM-close each night * Free Entry! *

Thu Aug 4 – RSVP – OTTO 159 Cottage Rd, South Portland – feat. Joe Walsh & Friends

Thu Aug 11 – RSVP – OTTO 305 US-1, Yarmouth – feat. Taylor Smith & Friends

Thu Aug 18 – RSVP – OTTO 779 Portland Rd, Saco – feat. The Snowglobe String Band

Thu Aug 25 – RSVP – Congress Square Park, Portland – feat. Joe Walsh & Friends

Monday Night Bluegrass is Back at OTTO

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Three years ago, the acclaimed bluegrass player Joe K Walsh started a Monday night tradition in Portland’s Arts District: Bluegrass Night at OTTO.

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Photo by Gabe Souza/PPH

Joe and Friends have been a staple at the 576 Congress Street location, laying down some of the best performances (of any genre) you will find anywhere in Maine.

We’re pleased to announce that, after a short winter hiatus (while Joe was on tour with Mr. Sun, his band with Darol Anger, Grant Gordy, and Ethan Jodziewicz), Bluegrass Night is back, starting Monday, March 28. The first edition of 2016 will feature Joe, along with Steve Roy, Lincoln Meyers, and Lukas Pool.

For the uninitiated, Joe Walsh was the first student at Berklee College of Music to graduate with a degree in performance specializing in mandolin. He currently teaches at Berklee, where he serves as Managing Director of the American Roots Music Program.

The world-renowned fiddle legend Darol Anger called Walsh “one of my favorite musicians on earth.”

Joe has played in several renowned bands, including Joy Kills Sorrow, the New England Bluegrass Band, Northern Lights, and the Grammy nominated Gibson Brothers.

Writing in the Portland Press Herald, Bob Keyes wrote, “Walsh is the most in-demand mandolin player in Maine, and one of the most sought-after in America. He could easily live in Nashville, Austin or any other acoustic music hotbed, but chooses Portland because he loves the city and is well-treated here.”

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Photo by Gabe Souza/PPH

And he loves it so much, each Monday night he assembles a handful of the best roots musicians in Maine, or in America, for a fireworks-display of fretwork, lonesome harmonies, and good times.

Some of Bluegrass Night’s past guests have included members of Crooked Still, Della Mae, the Josh Ritter Band, and the Ray LaMontagne band. You never know who might pop up, but you can always expect to be blown away.

And to boot, the shows are 100% free.

So, grab your family and friends, pop over for a few pies, some local craft beer, and take in some of the very best bluegrass you’re likely to hear anywhere.

Why You Shouldn’t Miss The Harmed Brothers’ FREE 2-Night Residency at OTTO

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As part of OTTO’s month-long 5-year anniversary celebration, Oregon’s The Harmed Brothers will be bringing their indie-grass shenanigans to our 574 Congress Street location Friday, June 20 through Saturday, June 21.

1450Each night the music will crank up at 9:30pm. There is no charge (suggested band donation $5-10).

This acclaimed group from the left coast don’t make it around these parts too often, so we’d like to make sure you know exactly what you’d be missing if you made other plans this weekend:

“The fact that The Harmed Brothers haven’t achieved the popularity of, say, The Avett Brothers or The Lumineers remains as baffling as it is frustrating.” – Country Standard Time

“Fans of the Avett Brothers will instantly fall in love with this album and have a new favorite group.” – Performer Magazine

“Fans of Uncle Tupelo and Avett Brothers, pull up a chair and sit a spell.” – The Big Takeover

“Melding indie rock fervor with the intricate fretwork of bluegrass, the band steer their way through both genres without slowing and manage to come out on the other side with something unique and wholly their own.” – Beats Per Minute

“This excellent four-piece band is blessed with two vocalists just about as good as any band in roots music can boast of, and with perfect harmonies to match.” – American Roots UK

“The Harmed Brothers embrace conviction much like a young Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar once did.” – Akron Beacon-Journal

“With blissful harmonies and shuffling banjos and guitars, the Harmed Brothers are creating some unique jams.” – Magnet

“The heartbreaking, fearless tenacity and swagger of Vietti’s vocals and guitar paired with Salcido’s wide ranging harmonies and banjo picking, hint toward a very promising group of young impassioned storytellers, as well as stellar performers.” – Relix

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Joe Walsh & Friends: Free World-Class Bluegrass Every Monday Night at OTTO

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179759_559817904030144_1944109_nOTTO’s Arts District location (574 Congress St, Portland) is extremely proud to host mandolin-picking wunderkind Joe Walsh every Monday night at 8pm.

For several weeks now, the acclaimed bluegrass player (not to be confused with The Eagles guitarist) has been helping OTTO break in the new dining room and bar expansion. We’re not sure how long we’ll be lucky enough to host Joe & friends, but it has certainly been a treat.

For the uninitiated, Joe Walsh was the first student at Berklee College of Music to graduate with a degree in performance specializing in mandolin. He currently teaches at Berklee, where he serves as Managing Director of the American Roots Music Program.

The world-renowned fiddle legend Darol Anger called Walsh “one of my favorite musicians on earth.”

While in Boston, Joe played in several bands, including Joy Kills Sorrow, the New England Bluegrass Band and Northern Lights. Since 2007, Joe has called Portland home. He is currently a full time member of the Gibson Brothers, recently named the 2012 IBMA Entertainers of the Year.

Joe Walsh Press ShotAlthough Joe is certainly one of Portland’s busiest and most celebrated musicians, he has found time to pull together an enormously talented rotating group of friends to perform each Monday night at OTTO. The performances are loose and fun, but certainly not lacking in fireworks.

And to boot, the shows are 100% free.

We can’t think of a better way to spend a Monday night.

Grab your family and friends, pop over for a few pies, some craft beer, and take in some of the best bluegrass you’re likely to hear anywhere.

Here’s a taste of Joe’s playing, from a recent performance at One Longfellow Square: