Town Mountain Town Mountain is monumentally fun to listen to. This is the hard-driving, no nonsense, slammin' bluegrass that makes you whoop and holler and stomp your feet. Yet it's mixed with just enough slow country crooning to keep it balanced. Just enough outlaw swagger to give it a honkytonk edge. Just enough contemporary, alt-whatever elements to make it equally appealing to non-bluegrass fans. And it's mostly original music. Robert Greer, Jesse Langlais, and Phil Barker have all proven themselves to be prominent American songwriters worth keeping an eye on. Their contributions are showcased in the ever-changing set lists that make up the ever-growing Town Mountain song catalog. At any given show, you'll see the band move fluidly from the pounding rhythm of Jesse's "Shame on You", to the sweet harmonies of "Whiskey With Tears" (an original country ballad that would make George Jones proud), to a surprising cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm on Fire", then back to the pounding with Phil's politically charged "Ruination Line." The variety offered, and the energy with which it's executed has audiences consistently cheering for more. In fact, it's not uncommon to hear new fans claiming that they didn't know they liked bluegrass until they heard Town Mountain.
Jim Lauderdale is a multi-talented performer and songwriter, with successes in both country and bluegrass music. His roots stem from the Carolinas, yet his career has taken him all over the United States and abroad, making him an international recording artist with an ever-growing fan base. Jim won "Artist of the Year" and "Song of the Year" at the first "Honors and Awards Show" held by the Americana Music Association in 2002. Subsequently, he has hosted this same show for the last seven years.
Saturday, October 9, 2010. 9pm. $15.
