Dave Johnston, Ben Kaufmann, Adam Aijala and Jeff Austin, collectively known as Yonder Mountain String Band, came into Dallas on April Fool's Day, although what they brought to the House Of Blues was no joke. To the inexperienced ear, YMSB may be referred to as a bluegrass band, but they're much ...view article
When I first heard of The Contribution and who was in the band, I nearly wet myself with excitement. How could such a band made up of members of The String Cheese Incident, Railroad Earth and New Monsoon be anything except absolutely stellar? Featuring Tim Carbone, one of the best fiddle players ...view article
Cornmeal opened the set with a crowd favorite opener, ‘Ain’t Gonna Work,’ with its fast and heavy fiddle and percussion textures weaving through Kris’ shredding guitar the crowd came alive. Kris’ guitar solo only matched in tempo by Allie as her fiddle rode the beat of John-Paul’s rhythmic ...view article
With a brisk start to November in Chicago, a crowds outside the House of Blues barred the chilly winds for a late night party. Conspirator, featuring Aron Magner and Marc Bownstien of the Disco Biscuits as well as BoomBox, a breakthrough duo featuring Russ Randolph and Zion Rock Godchaux. These bands ...view article
I’ve written about Red Rocks Amphitheater before and the magical feeling you get when you’re there. This visit was fun because I brought along a Red Rocks first-timer. It was great to see the look on his face when he caught his first glimpse of the famous venue. There’s so much musical ...view article
Springing off a phenomenal display of impressive instrumentals and powerful lyrics, Karl Denson and his crew jazzed up the night. Playing at the Vic Theater in Chicago, the acoustics were the right touch for the powerful rhythm and soul Denson's music echoed. The collaboration of genres heard in ...view article
Blount Harvey takes the foundation of traditional hip-hop and weaves its way into modern day neo-soul, creating an infused blend of classic R&B, funk and fresh jazz rhythms. With up to ten members in range, the seven-piece collective performs live aweing audiences with their undeniable sound ...view article
This year marked the tenth anniversary of the North West String Summit at Horning’s Hideout in North Plains, Oregon. And, for the first time, the event included music playing on the main stage on Thursday night. Thursday music, matched with a stellar line-up, made this Strummit one of the ...view article