Guest Blogger Celia Woodsmith Updates on Della Mae’s Tour with The Bluegrass Jamboree!

The fields are covered in snow as we drive from Ravensburg to Kempten, another small medieval town in the south of Germany. Before Ravensburg, we got up early to visit Dachau, one of many concentration camps still standing today.

Dachau has now been turned into a museum/memorial, and some of it has been rebuilt after the extensive bombing it underwent during liberation. Unfortunately the museum was closed, but we were able to look over the fence and view most of the area through the bus’s rain patterned windows. For me, it is impossible to comprehend an event such as the Holocaust. There are no words that accurately describe what its like to see a place where such terrible things transpired. As we silently looked on, images seemed to rise up out of the ground to play out deeply saddening scenes. There, in front of us were the 30 raised beds of soil where the long sleeping houses were, the open square where roll call was held and the enormous gate with the saying “Work sets you free” inscribed on it. As I have had more time to digest the trip, I think it’s one of the more important places I’ve had the honor to visit. 

The venue that we played in Ravensburg was probably my favorite one thus far. Constructed in 1378 as a communal storage barn, it has been re-built so that one area of the wall remains open, revealing the original thatching. The town itself is so small that you can walk around it in less than an hour. With characteristic medieval architecture around every corner, Ravensburg is probably the most beautiful place we’ve been yet!

The show was good overall. We have been able to incorporate some new songs into the set and have been working hard on a few originals. Jenni Lyn and Courtney have been killing the banjo, which leads me to believe that we might add that element into our more regular live shows. My favorite moment of last night was Amanda being forced to take a dance solo in our big finale session. It was a brilliant synthesis of old time clogging and the robot. She constantly surprises me in the best ways! 

I feel like we are all finally falling into the rhythm of the tour. It is getting more comfortable day by day, and I am always surprised at the amount of talent that I find in each one of my tour mates. We have a lot to learn from one another!

Until next time~

Celia