Crowd expected for tonight’s show at Bristol’s historic train station

BRISTOL, Va. – When Scythian’s high-mileage tour bus rolls back into the Twin City, it will signal more than another performance by the high-energy group that has become a local favorite.

Concert organizer Eric Blevins said tonight’s show at the Twin City’s historic train station represents the beginning of a new concert series.

“The whole idea is to promote the music in a smoke-free environment, have shows for the entire family – where you can bring the kids – see a good show and support downtown,” Blevins said. “There’s a real problem in the Tri-Cities, because there’s almost no place young people can go listen to good music. Most bars are 21 and older, so that excludes everyone but seniors in college.”

Calling tonight’s concert a “test” of the concept, it’s an exam Blevins expects to pass. More than 300 advance tickets have been sold at $20 each, including to music fans from Roanoke, Va., Winston-Salem and Raleigh, N.C. Blevins expects a crowd of more than 400.

“I’m expecting a huge walkup because people in Bristol are notorious for waiting until the last minute. But tickets at the door will be $25,” Blevins said.

The venue, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is “perfect” for the type of music Blevins wants to showcase.

“I’d like to do up to eight big shows in the main space [of the train station] and 12 or more downstairs where you get dinner and a show,” Blevins said. “I’m not seeking out bands for this. I know the direction we’re going in and plan on handpicking music that needs to be heard – roots, rock and alternative country that’s primarily original.”

The plan is music to the ears of the Trainstation Foundation that operates the facility, events coordinator Brad McCroskey said.

“This is a great opportunity and a great use of the facility,” McCroskey said. “The more the facility is used, the more people find out about it. Our goal is to have it used all the time.”

Members of Scythian, the Washington D.C.-based group that plays a blend of Celtic, rock and bluegrass music, look forward to returning to Bristol, guitarist Dan Fedoryka said in a telephone interview.

“We had a great time at the [Rhythm & Roots] festival this year. We’ve played O’Mainnin’s [pub] a couple of times, but it’s a smaller venue. It’s going to be cool to have 400 or so in the train station just let it loose,” Fedoryka said.

For fans unfamiliar with the band’s style, Fedoryka calls it a “musical whirlwind” that typically has audience members dancing during the first song.

“Our music really lends itself to dancing. You can forget about your worries for a couple of hours,” he said, adding that the group looks forward to performing in the train station.

“Since this is the first show Eric is doing at the train station, we want to really blow it out and make people want to come out and support it. We really love the venue,” Fedoryka said.

The planned concert series will focus on touring professional artists, with a nod toward the Twin City’s history as the birthplace of country music, Blevins said.