Welcome to 5^th Saturdays at the Two Way Street Coffee House!  Saturdays are special!  Welcome to 5^th Saturdays at the Two Way Street Coffee House!  An extra Saturday in a month comes around only a few times a year, so we decided to commemorate each one with a special event.  5^th Saturdays in 2025 occur in March, May, August and November.

For our May event, Two Way Street Coffee House, in partnership with the Plank Road Folk Music Society, is pleased to present two bluegrass guitar workshops with Chris Walz on May 31, 2025.  The bluegrass rhythm guitar workshop runs from 11am – 1pm and the bluegrass lead playing workshop runs from 2pm – 4pm CT.

This event will be in-person or virtual attendance.  The admission price is $25 per participant and will be limited to 25 in-person attendees for each workshop.  You may register for one or both workshops.

The registration deadline is May 27, 2025.  

Nationally acclaimed bluegrass multi-instrumentalist Chris Walz combines a joy of performing with a reverence for America’s musical story. Chris perfected his Scruggs-style banjo playing and guitar flatpicking at a young age as he diligently studied all his musical heroes from Pete Seeger to Mississippi John Hurt to Woody Guthrie to Dave Van Ronk. Whether it is his lightning speed on the banjo’s fretboard, his hard-hitting grooves on the guitar or his tender melodic touch on the mandolin, Chris delivers a fulfilling performance. To top it off, Chris is an extraordinary singer, using his rich voice to buoy up a traditional ballad, a unique original composition, or a rousing ‘tear down the house’ bluegrass medley. His many years touring with bluegrass, Grammy nominated Special Consensus, honed his group and solo prowess. A natural born storyteller, Chris has a masterful presence as he weaves his songs and remembrances, one to the next, into a night of music that is not easily forgotten. Chris is a gifted and much sought-after teacher at the historic Old Town School of Folk Music and spreads his knowledge and love of music in each community he plays in with well-polished workshops. A rare combination of past and present, Chris is playing music for the future.

Workshop #1 Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar:  Bluegrass guitar depends on solid rhythm. This class will help you develop strong right hand rhythm techniques in bluegrass guitar. We will cover the correct pick grip, pick control, runs, and rhythm licks. Proper tone, use of the capo, and playing in different time signatures, keys, and tempos will also be covered. 

Workshop #2: Bluegrass Lead Playing: Get your lead playing going. Focus your rhythm techniques into a solid foundation for single note playing. The pick hand mechanics are the same, but instead of playing all six strings you play one at a time. Emphasis will be on down-up pick strokes, tone, and timing. Worksheets and fiddle tunes will be the materials used to build your skills. Tunes tabbed out will be provided.

After you register and purchase your tickets, you will receive a receipt from Paypal.  Email questions to [email protected]. Register at www.twowaystreet.org.