Boulder got its fair share of bluegrass last Thursday night when The Infamous Stringdusters came to town and brought the Fox Theatre nearly to its tap-dancing, overall-covered knees.
The Nashville-based quintet showcased its awe-inspiring musicianship and then some, bordering on the line of being mind-numbingly impressive.
Composed of a group of past session musicians with eye-popping resumes, playing for names such as industry legends Dolly Parton and Earl Scruggs, the Stringdusters clearly have an idea of what it is doing and proved Thursday that the group is well on its way to being atop the newgrass-jamgrass genre.
At the beginning of the set, upright bassist Travis Book told the crowd, “As long as you’re cool with the people around you, cut it loose. You only live once.” It seemed that the vast majority of people took these words to heart, as it was nearly impossible to find a head not bobbing, a foot not tapping or a mouth not smiling during the two-hour-plus-long set.
It wasn’t too hard for the Stringdusters to get the audience into an energetic spirit as the opening band, twin cities-based Pert Near Sandstone, provided a terrific, bona fide bluegrass performance of their own.
Book alternated singing with Andy Hall (dobro), Andy Falco (guitar) and the tremendously talented Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), and all four took turns engaging in some incredible and quintessentially country three-part harmonies. The quintet was completed by banjo player Chris Pandolfi and featured a 20-minute guest appearance by Jeff Austin on mandolin.
“Song” seemed to be a loose term for the Stringdusters as the set waffled between seemingly formulaic, verse-chorus songs with lyrics to jams at which time every musician’s face would turn into an intensely-focused snarl, as if he had just been presented with a carton of rotten eggs.
It’s hard to pinpoint a true highlight, as everything seemed to blend together into a slurry of twangy, soulful magnificence – although “High On The Mountain Top” seemed to strike a chord with everyone in attendance, perhaps because it was one of the few songs with a comprehensible, repeating chorus.
While all members of the band are certifiable experts at their craft, the standout performance was hands-down that of Garrett on the fiddle. The gut-bustlingly fast, but elegant, way he played was truly a fascinating spectacle.
However great the Stringdusters may be, the one danger that accompanies its particular brand and style of music is that of overdose; after an hour of blisteringly fast tunes, comprised mostly of improvisation, the mind eventually becomes overloaded and can no longer wholeheartedly appreciate and enjoy the exhibition of pure talent before it.
This train of thought showcases perhaps the groups’ only fault: their own virtuosity. The group teetered on this fence after taking a 25-minute-long break in the middle of the show, almost forcing all in attendance to prove and display their patience and devotion.
That said, the Stringdusters put on a genuinely brilliant performance, showcasing all the talent the audience came to see and more. And, having received a 2011 Grammy nod for “Best Country Instrumental,” just starting their own independent record label and having a jam-packed calendar of tour dates leading up to festival season, 2012 promises to be an exciting and possibly historic year for bluegrass’s newest posterchildren.
