Show Review

A four piece comprised of Adam Aijala on acoustic guitar, Dave Johnston on the banjo, Ben Kaufmann on stand-up bass, and Jeff Austin on mandolin, Yonder Mountain String Band is traditional as bluegrass gets these days. And this night in Seattle, award-winning fiddler and frequent coconspirator, Darol Anger sat in to add another layer to the already impressive sound.

If YMSB is good at anything - and they’re quite good at a lot of things - it’s being eccentric in a charming way, with Austin leading the way. The greatest difference I noticed from past shows is how he has become more of a frontman. Yonder is an outfit where everyone steps up to take the spotlight somewhat equally over the course of a night, and everyone did take a turn soloing, but for the most part, it was the interplay between Austin’s outlandish mandolin runs and Kaufmann’s bass lines that provide the meat. That and Austin’s voice that is the most distinctive and rises above the rest.

The first set was comprised of fairly short and tight renditions without too much of the exploration that the band is known for. It wasn’t until halfway through the set when things started to loosen up. And the transitional jam between “Mother’s Only Son” and “Bolton Stretch,“ provided the first real dose of Darol Anger’s considerable talent, which was a highlight.

A young fiddler, Josh Goforth, joined the band for the last few songs of the set adding a dueling fiddle section that sounded impressive in such cherished material as “Raleigh and Spencer” and “Redbird.”

The Pabst must have been flowing during set-break because the second set started off with a blast. If this were a barn dance, the doors would have flown off the hinges as “Easy As Pie” segued into “Different Day.” Things cooled out a bit for a cover of Bob Dylan’s “Spanish Harlem Incident,” but the pace returned with the refined “Steep Grade, Sharp Curves” which saw Eric Thorin from the opening band, Open Road, share a bass solo with Kaufmann.

Now when I say they shared the solo, I mean that quite literally. At first, the two would trade off on Ben’s stick, passing the stand-up bass back and forth without missing a beat. Then they kind of squeezed in together and both went at it at the same time, kind of like a bass player with four hands and two heads. It looked quite funny, but didn’t sound so bad either.

One of the most entertaining parts of a YMSB show is the way they take cover material and put their own bluegrassy spin on things - including such favorites as Michael Jackson’s, “Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough.” This night saw The Beatles’ “Dear Prudence” played to perfection, emphasizing how ethereal these boys’ harmonies can be.

Without a drum set or a light show, Yonder Mountain String Band never fails to entertain. These guys have a lot of fun up on stage and it rubs off on the fans - their banter between songs can be just as engaging as the music. As Jeff Austin proclaimed during the second set, “Indulgence is key.” Funny how indulgence can leave you wanting more. Now where did I put my Pabst?

10/06/05 (Thu) The Showbox - Seattle, WA

Set 1: Ewie With The Crooked Hitch> No Expectations, Going Where They Do Not Know My Name, Idaho, High On A Hilltop, Mother's Only Son> Bolton Stretch, *Big Mon, *Redbird, *Raleigh &Spencer

Set 2: Easy As Pie> Different Day, Spanish Harlem Incident, Town, #Steep Grade Sharp Curves, Good Hearted Woman, Dear Prudence> Traffic Jam> Cryin' Holy> Traffic Jam E: Must've Had Your Reasons, 1/2 Moon Rising

Darol Anger on Fiddle the entire show

*= Josh Goforth

#= Eric Thorin trading bass with Ben Kaufmann