It’s been an interesting year for Yonder Mountain String Band, to say the least. Last April the members of the “jam grass” band had a bomb suddenly dropped on them when frontman and mandolin player Jeff Austin announced his departure unexpectedly. The news seemed to hit Jeff’s three bandmates as hard as it hit the devoted fans. Immediately questions arose about whether Yonder could continue without such a magnetic frontman, and if so, who would fill his shoes. The answers to those questions were presented through performance rather than words to the crowd at Stubb’s on Saturday, many of whom still hadn’t seen post-Jeff Austin Yonder.
Saturday’s show was especially significant in that the band welcomed bassist Ben Kaufmann back to the stage after being laid up in the hospital for a few days with kidney issues. A sense of relief in Ben having recovered and Yonder not losing another key member was palpable in the band and the crowd. Last year’s show at Stubb’s also was one of the very last with Jeff, and if you read my review there was a sense that he was just going through the motions. This time around things were different, with the band now touring with fiddler Allie Kral (formerly of Cornmeal) and Jacob Jolliff, a young mandolin prodigy who seemingly came out of nowhere. Jolliff clearly sought to establish himself to the crowd, leading the charge on the first song of the night with a cover of the Grateful Dead’s “I Know You Rider” before the band jumped into “To See You Coming ‘Round The Bend.” Just as rain started to fall they jumped into a short and sweet “Another Day” before handing the spotlight to Allie Kral, who took vocal duties on a flawless cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene” that slowed down into a textured instrumental jam before heading toward the finish at breakneck speed. The abundance of covers in the set could possibly be attributed to the loss of Jeff Austin’s bulky catalogue, but this was hardly a bad thing considering just how well Yonder can bluegrassify even the most unexpected songs, like their take on Son Volt’s “Drown” or a rambling fun version of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” during the encore. They would also cover the Rolling Stones’ “Torn and Frayed” and Chuck Berry’s “C’est La Vie” (the Pulp Fiction song for those that don’t know).
Losing a frontman can be a deathblow to a band, but in the case of Yonder it has signaled a new beginning and a fresh sound. There was no question Jeff Austin was the rockstar of the group and, stripped of the ego, the members have humbled into something more familial. This came across in the performance, like when all five members formed a close-knit circle on longtime staple “Looking Back Over My Shoulder”, playing close and grinning supportively while each took a solo. The sentiment continued throughout the show as the band pushed forward, focused less on showing off as individuals than creating a unified whole. Perhaps it was the relief in having Ben Kaufmann return to the tour safe and sound, but throughout the show the members of Yonder appeared enamored with one another and delighted to share the stage together. Their smiles were contagious, as was their elation in playing, and the mood was returned by a dancing crowd who embraced every note.
SETLIST:
Set 1: I Know You Rider, To See You Coming Round The Bend, Another Day, Jolene, Don’t You Lean On Me, Mother’s Only Son, I’m Not Saying, Looking Back Over My Shoulder> Drown> Sidewalk Stars
Set 2: Part 1> Criminal, Travelin Prayer, Landfall, Don’t Cry Blue, Torn And Frayed, Son Of A Gun, Not Far Away, Casualty> Spanish Harlem Incident> Casualty E: Crazy Train, C’est La Vie, Bound To Ride
Photos by Arthur VanRooy.
4 Responses
Jake hardly came from no where. That dude was in Joy Kills Sorrow, one of the most innovative bluegrass quintets I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. I’d put him up against Thile any day.
Also, you would absolutely love them, Neil.
Austin’s leaving wasn’t a shock to the band. More like a relief.
Great article – great band!
I always found Jeff’s stage presence to be a little annoying.