meridian Archives - Target Audience Magazine

Sirbaugh Acres VI: Time Machine

September 29, 2019

by Barry Adkins Better B#Concert Coverage Reviews

Last year was my first iteration of Sirbaugh Acres, which at that time was marking its fifth year running. It was a splendid affair, with five bands showcasing their musical prowess for a lawnful of onlookers. This year I returned for the sixth installment of the series, with some newcomers and returning musical champions. Unlike the previous outing, this one carried the theme of “Time Machine” and featured each band playing a tune from Ronnie James Dio’s storied career. But they weren’t limited to Dio, and explored a variety of other covers from bands like Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Queensrÿche, and, of course, gave a healthy dose of their own material for the delighted listeners. The acts included Nero’s Fiddle, Elizabeth’s Furnace (formerly Meridian), Mindmaze, A Sound Of Thunder, and Bleeding Black, who performed their final show that night.

Normally when I do concert reviews, I have difficulty connecting one-on-one with some of my favorite bands. I’ve enjoyed the relaxed setting that Tim Sirbaugh, the namesake of Sirbaugh Acres, has provided, allowing me the opportunity to both immerse myself in great music, as well as get to have real conversations with the people behind it. This is like a vacation for me, so forgive me as I forego a band-by-band review and simply inundate you with photos I captured of each set. But suffice to say, each band put on a hell of a performance and, despite a brief rain shower that took us by surprise, the entire event was a wonderful auditory adventure.

While I don’t have the exact numbers, I feel the event has grown in size since I last attended, and I certainly noted more photographers and videographers this time around. If you’d like to check out some of the footage of the first three bands: Nero’s Fiddle, Elizabeth’s Furnace, and Mindmaze, you can find it here, courtesy of the Mad Shad Channel. You can find our photo gallery for all the bands below, along with links to explore their music further.

Nero’s Fiddle: Facebook

Elizabeth’s Furnace: Facebook

Bleeding Black: Facebook | ReverbNation

Sirbaugh Acres V: It Was Metal

September 22, 2018

by Barry Adkins Better B#Concert Coverage Reviews

On the overcast and potentially stormy afternoon of September 15, with Hurricane Florence threatening us from the south, myself and more than a hundred others gathered outside in a small West Virginia town to indulge in a gratuitous sampling of barbecue and heavy metal. This was Sirbaugh Acres, a private event from mastermind and hard rock enthusiast, Tim Sirbaugh. Thanks to him and Kickstarter backers, he had organized the fifth installment of this festival, entitled Sirbaugh Acres V: It Was Metal. The latter portion of the name was not only telling of what would come, but also owed credit to the headlining act, D.C.-based A Sound Of Thunder, whose most recent release bears the same moniker.

Our fears of rainfall were soon assuaged thanks to the mystifying powers of the opener, Dirty Deal, whose song of sunshine quickly parted the clouds for the rest of the day. Tailgating, lawn chairs, and dancers were the winners of the day, as one act after the next took to the stage. In addition to original material, the speakers blared the sounds of Led Zeppelin, Accept, and Queensryche. More than one person leapt to their feet at the sound of Zeppelin tunes, I assure you. All in all, everyone had a glorious time.

You can check out our photos from that afternoon and evening, featuring the aforementioned Dirty Deal, as well as South Of Sobriety, Meridian, Caressing Steel (a very good RUSH tribute act), Chicago’s Shokker (with Sarah Teets of MindMaze subbing in on vocals), Bleeding Black, and A Sound Of Thunder. We hope it’ll give you a little taste of the event and entice you to check out some of these fine acts as well.

Dirty Deal: Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube

South Of Sobriety: Facebook | YouTube

Meridian: Facebook

Caressing Steel: Facebook

Shokker: Facebook | ReverbNation

Bleeding Black: Website | Facebook