This year’s Barn Dance after SXSW is over, was my 19th Barn Dance so far. They have all been different, but all have had the same kind of ingredients: great bands and artists, great food, great surroundings, and most of all, great people from South Austin and the world around. A lot of things is happening in Austin that slowly takes away what makes it my favorite city. I just hope the Barn Dance will survive those changes for many years still to come. (Photo above: Darling West with Leeann Atherton)

The formulae for the Barn Dance is simple, but it also requires some special talent to succeed. One is the venue. Leeann Atherton‘s garden is perfect for this kind of happening: cozy, informal, lots of space, the barn and the stage and dance floor. Then there is the good folks who come every year, the best of South Austin and surrounding areas, plus a select group of people from out of state and also from other countries. DT’s smoker delivers the best BBQ you can get, and the bands and artists do their best to give that right musical atmosphere.

Ulrich and Sabine Ellison with Patrice Bartling and Martin Mastenbrook

This year’s Barn Dance had an eclectic mix of musical genres, from folk, via rock, some country, singer songwriter, piano virtuoso and an avant garde performance as the closing act. This wouldn’t work as well at a regular concert, but here it works like the most natural thing to have this mix. I am already looking forward to next year! Here are photos of the artists and bands who played this year’s Barn Dance.

Medicine Hat

Michael Fracasso and Nellie Clay

Ulrich Ellison and Tribe

Darling West

Joe King Carassco

Sløtface

Tsujimoto Shin and Leeann Atherton

Ask Carol

Mike Stinson

Presenter Tracy Stewart and stage manager David Stewart

Sturle Dagsland

All photos are © Per Ole Hagen and must not be used without written permission.