More than 60 of the finest acoustic guitar makers in the world will gather at the Bearsville Center, 291 Tinker Street, Woodstock, (with a couple of off-site concerts) from Friday, October 21 to Sunday, October 23 to exhibit musical instruments that combine their extraordinary devotions to craft with some of their wildest artistic dreams, at the eleventh edition of the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase.
“It’s been a three-year hiatus since our last show in 2018,” says Baker Rorick, the founder and captain of the ship for the whole ride. “We took a year off in 2019 after ten years, just because we needed a break, and we tried the last two years but had to cancel because of Covid.
So, the anticipation for this is huge…All my big dogs and luminaries and legendary industry figures are coming in for the party and the hang. It looks like a great reunion.”
Rorick reminds us that you can’t find uniquely fine handmade guitars like these in retail environments, making the Showcase a “rare opportunity for the public to see, play and experience the instruments, meet the makers, discuss custom options…and buy or order a dream guitar from dozens of master builders…” Local luthiers mix with international giants to stunning effect.
The three day show features continuous live music, with a wide variety of artists performing on many of the instruments in the show (Kinloch Nelson, Tim Sparks & Paul Asbell, Dustin Furlow, Elly Winninger, Ian Flanigan, Happy and Adam Traum, and many more); mini concerts, demos and special appearances take place; plus special exhibits and events, all included in the admission fee.
There is also a series of instructional clinics and workshops throughout the weekend, taught by some of the world’s finest instrumentalists including one by Larry Campbell on the“Thumb Pumping Blues Guitar Style Of Big Bill Broonzy,” at 11 a.m. Saturday, October 22 at the Bear Cantina at BearsvilleCenter. Campbell and Teresa Williams, as at previous Luthiers Showcases, will also offer the finale, a concert as part of the regular program, at 5 p.m. Sunday, October 23 in the BearsvilleTheater lounge.
Kickoff show
Before the show even begins there is a kickoff concert in town at 8 p.m. Thursday, October 20 at Colony Woodstock (22 Rock City Road, Woodstock) — five artists in the round, taking turns, acoustic guitarists, stylists, singer songwriters, folksingers, featuring Shine Delphi, Dustin Furlow, Mark Lemaire, Matt Thomas, and Adam Traum.
This event has a separate admission and tickets are available through Colony’s Box Office, $22 in advance, $30 day of show, at colonywoodstock.com or by calling 845-679-7625.
String Sampler Concert with Hot Club of Cowtown
“Saturday night, the big event, Hot Club of Cowtown…” says Rorick.
He’s speaking of the 2022 String Sampler Concert, (8 p.m. Saturday, October 22 at the Woodstock Playhouse, 103 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock) featuring the great Western swing-gypsy jazz trio, Hot Club of Cowtown, which features fiddler and vocalist Elana James, guitarist and vocalist Whit Smith and bassist, vocalist Zack Sapuor. The music is an “original marriage of gypsy -jazz inspired by Django Reinhardt…” and “hoedowns, traditional tunes and Western swing-inspired music of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys. The band is on its 25th anniversary world tour, and its latest album is “Wild Kingdom.”
Also on the bill are Tim Sparks and Yasmin Williams.
“Tim Sparks is one of the early American modern fingerstyle guitarists, a good friend of Leo Kottke,” says Rorick. “Jasmin Williams, I booked her three years ago — she plays tap fingerstyle, got her own thing going. With the release of her last album Urban Driftwood, she’s just exploded. She’s just getting back from a European tour…”
Asked how he feels about getting back into such a large production, Rorick is quick to point out the contributions of others.
“It’s kind of what I do…I don’t have a choice,” he says. “And the anticipation from the community, the builders, the performers, what we have blessedly grown, has turned it into what it is…Thanks of course to our team, Mark Heller, Sharon Klein, Lu Ann Bielawa, Stuart Mono…
“Last year we lost our operations manager, Chip Brill, who passed away…he did everything, and was the heart behind it. He didn’t know from guitars but he loved the guitar makers, he loved the event…so this year’s show is in his honor and memory.
“Of course in the last two years, our new hostess and landlady Lizzie Vann (at the Bearsville Center)…with her improvements and renovations to the whole Bearsville Center campus and everything, we are looking forward together to welcoming the return of the community.
“We are so proud of what we’ve created, and as any of the builders and so many of the musicians will tell you, and as everyone who’s been coming, it’s like OK, we’re back, we’ve been to the other shows, but they’re all waiting for Woodstock, because of the community nature we’ve created, the Woodstock vibe, and of course the time of year, the location, it really has become the most important festival of its kind in the world. And it’s still one of the smallest…”
Advance Tickets for the 2022 Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase are on sale now through the Bearsville Theater Box Office. General Admission $25 per day; Three-Day Pass $60. These tickets include all Exhibits in the Bearsville Theater, Utopia Soundstage and Tonewood Tent, plus 7 hours per day continuous live music — Luthier Mini-Concert demonstrations and Special Appearances — in the Bearsville Theater Lounge. Wristbands allow you to come and go as you please.
For tickets, more information and performance schedules, see woodstockinvitational.com, or bearsvilletheater.com; or See https://wl.seetickets.us/event/The-Woodstock-Invitational-Luthiers-Showcase/492580?afflky=BearsvilleTheater
Showcase hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, October 21, 22 & 23, 2022. Bearsville Center is located at 291 Tinker Street, Woodstock, NY 12498.
Instructional Clinics & Workshops, Off-Site Concerts and Special Events are by separate admission.
Join the family! 
