Living the Dream

By Tom Peschges 

It was June 2013, a Sunny Sunday afternoon and I was packed up and leaving the Spring Kick Off at El Rancho Manana. Driving out of the Double Down camping area I stopped to say goodbye to my friend Adelle Hyrkas. It had been a GREAT festival weekend and I was full of enthusiasm as I told my friend that I wanted to start a Bluegrass band with a goal of playing the main stage at a June Festival.    Well it has taken 4 years but I did start that band.   Beginning with just myself and Nathan Fjeld playing as a duo in small coffee shops.   Tim Wankel would join us, playing bass for Ranch House gigs, along with jam buddy David Smith on Banjo.   About a year and a half ago now, we wanted to be a real band and went looking for a  mandolin player to complete the line-up.  The stars aligned and we were lucky to find Brin Petersen, willing and so very able to fill that slot.    We discovered that we all love to sing and soon enough, 3 and even 4 part harmonies became our signature.     We've made a lot of friends, played in some venues I had dreamed of playing in for years.    And this Friday night, at 7:50 pm, the Double Down Daredevils will take the main stage at the Minnesota Homegrown Kick-off Festival.   If you are looking for me, I'll be the one in the middle.... Living the dream!