When four Americana torch-bearers come together to give a show some may call it a festival, some may call it an old-time medicine show, but I just call it a hell of a good night. For a fan of Americana music, the lineup was pretty hard to believe. Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch rarely play out, Justin Townes Earle plays straight-up opry country and the boys of Old Crow know how to raise a ruckus (and that they certainly did).
Members of each group came on and off stage as though each new combination would add a new spice to Americana soup. Pedal steel on JT Earle, double bass with the Felice Brothers and electric guitar from the master (Rawlings) with Old Crow.
JT Earle opened the set with a perfect marriage of bluegrass and Hank Williams. Earle’s suit and slicked back hair, even his stage banter took me right back to Nashville. With the lights down low, Earle hunched over his guitar, the country crooner began the night off right.
Though I’d heard of the Felice Brothers and their Band-like sound, with them seeing is believing. When traditional country instruments (violin, guitar) mix with accordion, washboard and keys, the band certainly did bring energy and enthusiasm to the stage. While Ian Felice led the romp with rough vocals, James Felice and Greg Farley traded jabs and kicks as they brought the crowd to frenzy. When not playing the fiddle, Farley seemed particularly keen to get the crowd going (even freestylin’ on the mic for a minute).
After a short intermission, the elder statesmen of the show, David Rawlings and Gillian Welch took the show for a relatively low-key performance. Rawlings delivered the normal incendiary guitar work over a mix of covers with his musical partner. Standout track “Sweet Tooth†truly stood out, but the momentum of the show slowed down for a bit.
But soon enough, Ketch and Critter and the boys of Old Crow brought the rollicking show to a climax. They began with “Caroline†and the tired legs in the audience perked right up. And the “Big Surprise†was revealed; the whole gang came on stage for a few more numbers.
Concerts are normally a few hours and festivals last for days. This musical variety show ran the gamut from traditional country to rock and roll and everything in between. The old and the new seemed a continuous line. The show pulled together country’s beginnings and its new path. Oh, and standing for four straight hours couldn’t have been more fun.
Photo: Suzanne Davis
About the author: Jeff is a teacher in the Boston area. When not buried correcting papers, Jeff can be found plucking various stringed instruments and listening to all types of americana music.