Coloradoan bluegrass-jam group, Yonder Mountain String Band, played to sold out crowds two nights in a row, October 23rd and 24th, at the House of Blues in Chicago. Joining the band were special guests Darol Anger on fiddle and Danny Barnes on banjo. With little knowledge of the band other than a listen to their new album, The Show, and the enthusiasm many of my southern friends have for them, I had the chance to catch the second night of their show and see what all the fuss was about.
My first impression was that YMSB was made up of very talented musicians, and that it was going to be a fun night of foot stomping and knee slapping. After hearing a few songs in the first set which sounded pretty similar, however, I couldn’t figure out what the big deal was. The band played fairly standard bluegrass, except for the heavy rock influence evident in the songwriting. The bluegrass part was good, but the rock part moved to center stage and slowed down what had started out as promising set. The musicians were clearly extremely talented individuals, but at first they were missing several elements vital to a good bluegrass show, among them wailing vocals and a good coked up drive.
The funny thing was, the crowd didn’t seem to mind at all. They talked really loudly and then broke into flailing dance moves before chugging from whisky bottles hidden deep within their pockets. Some of them had traveled far to see this band, and they were determined to have a good time, even if it meant having more energy than the band did. A majority of the audience looked like they were pulled straight out of the parking lot at a Phish show, with the addition of several extra frat boys. I ask myself in these situations where touring hippies get the disposable income for expensive concert tickets, gas and liquor, but whatever the case is, they always do get it.
Not sure if I thought it was worth it to stick around for the band’s second set, I was soon quite pleased with my decision to stay. The band came out and started immediately picking, strumming and beating on the fiddle harder and with more fury than before. It was as though they were an entirely different band altogether, or as though the same band had finally had enough to drink for the situation at hand and decided that they were excited about this concert and that it was time to get loose and stop taking themselves so seriously.
About three songs into the set they introduced onto the stage banjo player Danny Barnes, and suddenly the concert turned into a serious hillbilly hippie jam fest. Barnes’ carefree, wild-eyed kind of playing that was lacking in the first set rubbed off on all five musicians on stage, and three stories of the House of Blues turned into a feral dance party, with drinks spilling and elbows flying in every direction. They played Come Together, one of the only cover versions of a Beatles' song that I’ve ever enjoyed, and jammed it down to its heady roots, taking full advantage of the fiddle.
YMSB kept up the furious playing for the entire set, and the crowd’s enthusiasm made the dancing in the first set seem tame by all comparison. They ended with Good Hearted Woman, a Willie Nelson goodie, and if the entire second set hadn’t been enough to make me want to come back and see them next time they’re in town (which it had), playing one of my favorite Willie songs as well as they did sure would have.
If you’re interested in seeing the band next time they’re in town make sure to get your tickets early, as it doesn’t look like their entourage of touring fans is going anywhere fast.
