South Sound bluegrass fans anxiously await news about whether Wintergrass will remain in Tacoma or move to Bellevue in 2010. (Click here to read the last story I wrote on the issue if you're not up to speed.) And the ball is now officially in Hotel Murano’s court, according to an e-mail festival director Patrice O’Neill sent earlier tonight.

O’Neill and co-director Stephen Ruffo conducted a conference call with Wintergrass board members today. They determined that Wintergrass' fate rested on contract negotiations with Hotel Murano, she said.

Excerpts from O’Neill’s e-mail:

What will happen is this. We are giving the Murano until 5 p.m. on Thursday to revise the standard contract they just sent to us. This contract does not address the most critical issues to us. The contract from the Hyatt [in Bellevue] does. Our board recognizes that there are huge risks inherent in a decision either way. …

At this point, it looks like the whole ball of wax rests on whether or not the Murano can give us a satisfactory contract. That in and of itself is not satisfactory to me. I love what the city of Tacoma has done in the last few days. I am touched beyond belief and impressed and very willing to give Tacoma another shot.

Much of the friction between the hotel and Wintergrass since 2008 has stemmed from restrictions to instrumental jam sessions in the hotel lobby and other areas, a main attraction to the festival for many regulars.

Murano general manager Mark Van Cooney admitted that jamming was a point of contention. But during a recent interview with News Tribune staffer Ian Demsky he said the hotel had made concessions by allowing 24/7 jamming in the hotel ballroom and in the lobby until 2 a.m. The hotel had received complaints from some festival attendees about the late night noise, he said.

So you've got your copy of the Nightgowns' rad new disc "Sing Something," right? Well, here are two good reasons to show up and support the Tacoma indie-pop outfit when you see they're playing around town, too. The fellas dropped these two non-album tracks during their May 29 set at Urban Grace Church downtown. And if I'm readin' their MySpace page correctly, your next chance to catch them live is a July 2 gig at EMP/SFM's Skychurch. Shweeet! Now ch-ch-check out these cuts.

Specks of Dust

Humans Extinct