August 23
Westhampton Beach
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band @ Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center
76 Main St., 8 p.m. $100, $90, $75. 631- 288-1500 www.whbpac.org
Still kicking since its founding in 1966, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band were at the crossroads of country and rock and roll right alongside the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers, even predating The Eagles. The band’s 1972 opus Will the Circle Be Unbroken, (and its 1989 follow-up Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two), formed a bridge between these two musical camps and exposed rock fans to artists and material they might have otherwise been unaware of. Founding member Jeff Hanna continues to lead the charge at a time when mainstream country music is desperately in need of a shot of authenticity.
