Have Gun, Will Travel band members, from left, Scott Anderson, Daniel Burke, Matt Burke and J.P. Beaubien (courtesy photo).
Even on this action-packed Memorial Day weekend, it’s doubtful you will have more fun, for free, than on Saturday during the fourth annual Pickin’ Picnic at Bradenton Riverwalk. In addition to a rare hometown performance by Have Gun, Will Travel, the Americana group from Bradenton with a national following and tour schedule, there is a full lineup of bands plus “battling” food trucks, craft brews, local vendors, and lots of gorgeous space to put your blankets, lawn chairs and, yes, spread out those picnics you prepared.
The festivities start at 2 p.m. with the “Battle of the Food Trucks,” which is a cook-off incorporating a mystery ingredient with a panel of judges rating the results at 2:45 p.m. Beer enthusiasts will have the opportunity to purchase craft selections and chat with the brewmasters from Darwin Brewing of Bradenton, Big Top Brewing of Sarasota, 3 Daughters Brewing of St. Petersburg and Rochster Mills Beer of Rochester, Michigan.
The eclectic roster of regional bands takes the stage starting at 3 p.m. (see accompanying schedule) culminating with a performance by Have Gun, Will Travel. The local band’s many accomplishments include a feature on NPR, a song in a national Chevy ad and their own award-winning craft beer “High Road Ale.” When HGWT headlined the the Pickin’ Picnic in 2013 the group had recently released the smart, catchy and emotive album “Fiction, Fact or Folktale?”
HGWT highly anticipated follow-up and fifth full-length overall, “Science from an Easy Chair,” is scheduled to be issued this summer, by the Atlanta-based record label This Is American Music. A concept album, unlike anything in the group’s decade-long career, is based entirely on British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton and his famed Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition that took place from 1914 to 1916.
Produced by Shawn Kyle and recorded in Tampa, “Science” is singer-songwriter Matt Burke’s own interpretation of an amazing story of survival and endurance. In addition to HGWT's own distinctive mix of roots rock instrumentation, the album includes string arrangements and horn sections. The release commemorates the 100th anniversary of Shackleton’s epic journey.
“We're looking forward to Pickin' Picnic this year,” Burke says. “We don't get to play our hometown as often as we used to. It's nice to see Bradenton's growth over the last few years, and to be a part of an event like this. We'll be playing a few songs from the new album. So we're looking forward to that as well.”
Music schedule
3 p.m. Chasing Jonah
4:15 p.m. Hymn for Her
5:30 p.m. The Dram
6:45 p.m. Lions After Dark
8:30 p.m. Have Gun, Will Travel
Pickin' Picnic
2-10 p.m. Saturday; Bradenton Riverwalk Pavilion, 452 3rd Ave. W., Bradenton; free; realizebradenton.com
