The Goldsberrys & Friends
The night kicked off with The Goldsberrys & Friends, a band that's only been playing together about four months. You may as well have counted the first two songs in their set as part of their sound check, as they were still sorting things out and getting into their groove, but they quickly settled into their act. The Goldsberrys & Friends carried more of a traditional bluegrass sound that was really quite tame.
You could tell their green was showing, but it was a good show nonetheless. Each of the vocalists had great bluegrass voices, but the confidence didn't fully come through in much of the set. In addition, some of the musicians were visibly exerting a lot of effort to play. They still pulled it together for a solid sound, though, which is what really counts. The guitar and banjo also traded off some great riffs.
What I saw last night was a band still trying to find their sound. However, with a foot in the right direction, and some solid originals to boot, I'm excited to see how The Goldsberrys & Friends continue to develop.
The Shady Grovers
The night's headliners, The Shady Grovers, were a whole other beast. Whatever "it" is, The Shady Grovers had it. With everything from a wicked harmonica, to a mean fiddle, The Shady Grovers carried a jamgrass style that made me think of Blues Traveler on bluegrass.
This band was highly professional, bringing a confidence in their "Nashville" sound that shown through in every aspect of their show. The band was having fun, and so was the crowd. A chair race took place across the dace floor, and I couldn't stop myself from moving.
If I wasn't sold already, and I was, their cover of "Friend of the Devil" was not just solid, it was rocking! **(way better than the version they have on YouTube)** That was, to me, the highlight of the show, though their cover of "You Got To Walk That Lonesome Valley" comes in at a close second. That's not to discount their originals, at all; each one was completely solid and fun to listen to!
Former last December, this was their 85th show. It seems to me that this is a group built to play to larger audiences. They've already played several festivals - Comfest, for one, for those of you around the Columbus area - and I would love to see them at even bigger venues. The Shady Grovers really has what it takes to go to Telluride Bluegrass Festival and get noticed in a big way. *Hint hint*
