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EWOB 2004
Twenty festivals took part in the Seventh European World of Bluegrass (EWOB), and over a hundred other bluegrass and old-time music events took place during the EWOB 2004 period (1 May-31 May) in Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK.
Attendance at the European Bluegrass Music Association (EBMA)'s EWOB 2004 Festival (20-22 May) at Voorthuizen, the Netherlands, rose again over the previous record. Sponsors included the Gibson and Deering instrument companies, Flatpicking Guitar Magazine, and Strictly Country Records. New features at this year's Festival included a children's workshop (an interactive learning and entertaining programme led by Andy Glandt; see the new 'Just for kids' page on the EBMA website, (www.ebma.org). American artists at the Festival included the Chapmans, Hickory Project, Liz Meyer (with Nugget), Dick Staber and Judith Chasnoff, and Norris.
Of the thirty-seven European bands at Voorthuizen, a vote among musicians and active EBMA members rated # 1 Fragment (Slovakia/Czech Republic), # 2 Blue Grass Boogiemen (Netherlands), and # 3 Trio Vibraçao (Germany).
Fragment will therefore bear the title of #1 European Bluegrass Band for 2005. Nugget (Austria), who were voted #1 last year, will represent Europe at the IBMA's FanFest at Louisville, KY, in October 2004. An audience popularity vote rated #1 Blue Grass Boogiemen, #2 Sunny Side (Czech Republic), and #3 Groundspeed (Germany).