Pickin' Parlor Live!

In honor of the storied Homestead Pickin' Parlor, MBOTMA has renamed our Ranch House Live and Fireside Live events "Pickin' Parlor Live." With this new name, we are honoring the extraordinary contributions that Marv & Dawn Menzel have made by creating a loving home for this music at their Homestead Pickin' Parlor.

What - Pickin' Parlor Live is an informal open mic. This is a chance for you and your friends to put together a few tunes to perform on the Pickin' Parlor  Live stage. The idea is to strut your bluegrass, old time, or related stuff in a casual and laid back environment. The emphasis is on friends, fun, and good music, not perfection. The sets will be 25 minutes, allowing for a 5-minute emcee and setup time between sets.

Where - Pickin' Parlor  Live is held in the Ranch House at El Rancho Mañana, Richmond MN.

Advance sign up to perform - Using the form below, have the leader of your group create a profile. Enter a name for your group, like "Blue Canoe," etc. Also include a mobile phone number if possible for contact at the hotel. This number will be seen by the PPL Coordinator only. Please sign up for only one time slot to give other folks a chance.

If you check back on the day before the festival and slots are available, then you may sign up for a second slot. If you sign up for more than two slots without entering a comment to explain why it should be allowed, the PPL Coordinator reserves the right to delete the extra(s). You will be contacted at the phone number associated with your signup to choose which slot(s) will be deleted.

On-site sign up to perform - Sign up for any open stage times at the Ranch House after 6:30PM. An updated Schedule will be near the stage no later than 6:30PM each evening. Please sign up for only one time slot to give other folks a chance.

Responsibilities - The PPL Coordinator will be the emcee and sound technician.

In the unlikely event that an open spot occurs in the schedule, a group may go over its time limit or start early. Otherwise please respect the 25 minute limits. Any scheduling or equipment problems should be reported to the PPL Coordinator, Doug Chasar, 612.802.0833.

The signup is available to Member Bands Only from Friday, June 27 through July 11. Remaining slots will open to the general public on that day.