Kristian Bugge and WB Reid in Concert in Columbia
Thursday, May 28, 2026 • 7 p.m.
Unitarian Universalist Church, 2615 Shepard Blvd, Columbia, MO 65201
Kristian Bugge & WB Reid – Transatlantic duo of fiddle and guitar
Despite growing up and living on each side of the Atlantic Ocean, WB Reid and Kristian Bugge have known of and followed each other’s music for years while they’ve met at jam sessions and festivals around the Pacific Northwest. For the first time in the fall of 2025, they played together on stage and that was a lot of fun! After that the idea came up to go on the road together, so right now the first tour is in the making for the spring of 2026 and excitement is running high!
The program will focus on tunes from the rich, Danish fiddle repertoire, spiced up with a few songs in Danish and English. Expect everything from wild polkas and groovy jigs to lyrical waltzes, fiery reels and happy hopsas. Plus the exotic “Sønderhoning” dance tunes from the famous, Danish Island of Fanø. An unforgettable live experience with humor and stories from their many years on the road.
Fiddle player Kristian Bugge has specialized in the strong Danish folk music traditions. He is very active on the Danish and Scandinavian folk music scene as well as in the rest of Europe and North America, both as a musician and teacher. His debut CD was awarded “Danish debut of the year” and “Danish Folk Instrumentalist of the year” at the Danish Music Awards Folk back in 2006. At the same occasion in both 2012 and 2016, Kristian received the award as ”Danish Folk Artist of the Year!” Kristian was amongst the first twelve musicians to receive the honorary title ”Danmarks Rigsspillemænd” (National Danish Folk Musicians) in 2014. When he performs, he also talks about the traditions from back home, how he learned and how the music lives on today and is part of the famous Danish hygge! More info: www.kristianbugge.com
WB Reid is a community musician in Seattle, playing a wide variety of acoustic roots music for dances, concerts, life events and festivals, as well as touring throughout the US and in Europe. He is known as a versatile guitar player, fiddler, and singer, has taught for 30 years at Lark Camp in California and many times at the Festival of American Fiddle Tunes in Port Townsend, WA. WB (aka Bruce) started playing Old Time music in the early 1970s and was fortunate to play frequently with Kenny Hall over many years. Accomplished on guitar, fiddle, banjo, mandolin, and singing, he’s been in bands with Lee Stripling, Bob McQuillen, Eric & Suzy Thompson, Mark Graham, Hank Bradley, and The Tallboys. He performs often as a duo with his wife, Bonnie Zahnow, and more recently in a trio with Bonnie and fiddler Ruthie Dornfeld. WB is a sought after guitar accompanist for many fiddle styles. More info: www.wbandbonnie.com
Admission is $20 per person; tickets for those 18 and under are $10.