LEWISTON — On Saturday, Feb. 6, local bluegrass band The Nitpickers will play traditional and original bluegrass and newgrass at a CD release party at She Doesn’t Like Guthries.

Later, at 9 p.m., singer and composer Nina Violet of Martha’s Vineyard, who has opened for bands like Radiohead and Elvis Perkins, will perform at the restaurant/cafe at 115 Middle St.

The NitPickers’ recently released self-titled CD displays a range of material from newgrass instrumentals to ballads to playful modern bluegrass.

Band members are Don Bernier on fiddle, mandolin, guitar and vocals; Jane Bernier on guitar, mandolin and vocals; Rich Bernier on dobro, guitar and vocals; Rick Dale on banjo and vocals; and Woody Woods on bass and vocals.

The CD is sold in Bullmoose Music stores and is currently getting airplay on WMPG in Portland, WBOR in Brunswick and WERU in Bangor. The band is also in regular rotation on worldwidebluegrass.com.

The NitPickers was chosen as one of five finalists in this year’s Podunk Bluegrass Festival Band Competition, and the group performed Jan. 29 on the “207 Show” on NBC’s WCSH Channel 6.

The release party will be from 4 to 7 p.m. For more information on the band, visit www.thenitpickersband.com.
Violet has toured and recorded extensively and has self-released two albums, “Nina Violet & the Invisible Orchestra” and “Lose Strife.”

Singer-songwriter Aly Spaltro of Portland will open the show. There is no cover. For more information, call 376-3344.