Barbaro AMA Tour
Tour & Program Manager: Richard Steighner
Barbaro, includes principal songwriter Kyle Shelstad (vocals and guitar), Rachel Calvert (fiddle aka violin), Jason Wells (vocals and double bass), and special guest Samuel Armstrong-Zickefoose (banjo). Their sets expand on traditional Americana tropes with a blend of bluegrass, jazz, pop, and country-western. The band, hailed by The Bluegrass Situation as “one of the Midwest’s most in-demand acoustic acts,” already has made an impact beyond America’s heartland: from May 15 – June 03, 2023, a three-week international tour, sponsored by the US State Department’s American Musicians Abroad program, brought Barbaro to Bulgaria, Turkey, and Qatar.
Their performances included a massive Independence Day celebration in Doha for hundreds of officials, high profile locals, and embassy staff. Additionally, they visited schools, local concert halls, and media outlets.
- Qatar: Doha
- Turkey: Ankara, Istanbul
- Bulgaria: Haskovo, Burgas, Velika Turnovo, Sofia
Special thanks to the incredible embassy and consulate staffs as well as the local personnel.
During the trip, the land borders were shut down due to a high-profile election. It meant that our crossing from Turkey to Bulgaria was put in jeopardy as tour manager Richard Steighner and band waited in a local rest stop for 8 hours while he re-organized transportation. With significant help fom Mitko, the local sound tech turned driver, the crew managed to cross the border in a not-as-we-planned-it way!
The band continued to showcase their high level of talent and vibrant performances across all three countries and share a bit of Americana with the world.