Emmitt-Nershi Band headlines Alabama bluegrass shindig

Wild mushroom rock at Horse Pens 40

Now, this little out-of-the-way fest looks really great. The gorgeous -- but oddly named - Horse Pens 40 park in northern Alabama hosts the Red Clay Revival camping bluegrass and art festival Sept. 7-9. (The park got its name for the tall rock formations which made a handy horse corral in the olden days. )

Headliners are the Emmitt-Nershi Band (Drew Emmitt of Leftover Salmon and Bill Nershi of String Cheese Incident), Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth, Alabama music collective Red Clay Revival, Colonel Bruce Hampton, and Donna Hopkins. You know it's gonna be good. You can see the daily schedule here.

Also playing:

* Rollin' in the Hay
* Earthbound
* Antioquia
* Rorey Carroll Band
* Dorian Green
* Festival Expressions
* Joe Mack
* Sarah Shaffer
* River Dan
* Sp accoustic

The price is right at just $55 for a 3-day ticket. VIP is $115, and you get free beer and lunch and dinner on  Saturday and Sunday with that.  Emmitt- Nershi plays Sunday night, and there are Sunday-only day tickets also available for $25.

This place is so cool!

The venue is family-friendly, and has bath houses. No campfires, no glass. Also, you can't car camp, but you can drive in to unload your stuff at your campsite, then park in the parking area.

I hear the after-hours picking is sublime up in that rocky paradise. The show is a fundraiser for  Space One Eleven, a visual arts nonprofit in Birmingham.