Great energy! So much fun
by MBod on 8/13/23Rating: 5 out of 5Leftover Salmon, Railroad, Earth, and Yonder Mountain were all so much fun. And as always Yonder brought huge energy, and never sit down dancing!
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YONDER MOUNTAIN STRING BAND IN CONCERT:
Yonder Mountain String Band has been a beloved source of boot-stomping, barn-burning bluegrass music ever since its inception in the late '90s. At their live shows the group peppers their progressive bluegrass numbers with improvisational flourishes reminiscent of jam bands like Phish, making for a rollicking concert experience that's never short on surprises. Original mandolin player Jeff Austin is no longer with the band but founding members Dave Johnston (banjo), Adam Aijala (guitar), and Ben Kaufman (bass) are still as sharp as ever, enlisting the help of a talented array of additional instrumentalists at their live shows. Whether they're fingerpicking their way through originals like "All the Time" or offering up creative covers of classics like "Jolene", Yonder Mountain String Band always delivers an authentic bluegrass experience anchored in stellar musicianship and no-frills fun.
BACKGROUND SNAPSHOT:
Yonder Mountain String Band formed in Nederland, CO in 1998 after banjoist Dave Johnston and singer Jeff Austin, who previously played together in The Bluegrassholes, joined forces with bassist Ben Kaufman and guitarist Adam Aijala. The band made a name for themselves with their unique bluegrass-meets-jam band sound, and in 1999 they self-released their debut album Elevation. They quickly built a fanbase with their electrifying live performances, and in 2000 they kicked off a string of live releases with the album Mountain Tracks: Volume 1, which was recorded over two nights at the Fox Theater in Boulder, CO. Since then they've been a constant presence on the bluegrass charts, making six Top 5 appearances including the chart-topping albums Mountain Tracks: Volume 5 (2008) and The Show (2009). In 2014 Austin left the band due to creative differences, but the group's stellar performances in his absence have left little doubt in fans' minds that Yonder Mountain String Band remains at the height of its powers.
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Leftover Salmon, Railroad, Earth, and Yonder Mountain were all so much fun. And as always Yonder brought huge energy, and never sit down dancing!
All three bands were fantastic. Leftover Salmon blew my mind... I had never heard of them and they were super. Railroad Earth and Yonder Mountain String Band where exactly what you expected. They never disappoint.
Yonder has managed to continue to bring it at every show. Triple billing with Railroad Earth and Leftover Salmon makes for a very tasty menu offering, indeed.
Enjoyed the show. The local band Colebrook Road gave a great performance. Have not seen them for a couple years and was very impressed. Yonder Mnt is a fun band. I have never seen them and was very pleased to see Jason Carter playing fiddle for them. This was my 1st time at XL live, definitely not my last. Great place to see band.
We have waited a long time to see them and they didn’t disappoint! We had front row seats but it wouldn’t have mattered where we sat. Spoke with Nick and Allie after the show. We had a fabulous time!!!
Unbelievably talented musicians with an energetic, upbeat , fun show- their joy in playing and interactions with each other made it even better- love the song choices - go see them!!
Awesome Theatre and amazing performance By The Yonder Mountain String Band
Yonder was electric, literally and figuratively!! They brought all of their energy, creativity and talent with their new and incredible mandolin/fiddle player and singer, Nick, who kicked the band up to a whole new level. Great fun night!
Both the bands were wonderful. No complaints at all there. 9:30, on the other hand, needs some work. Just finding the parking lot (we had prepaid) proved challenging. Signs were midplaced & therefore misdirected us. We finally went back to the club and asked for directions, but got conflicting responses from 2 staffers, neither one of which were accurate. The ticketing by cell phone was frustrating. Attempts to transfer a ticket to my husband failed repeatedly. We had to get the box office to figure it out & get us inside (they complained about the system, too). And about the lights on stage: this was a bluegrass show, not a Jimi Hendrix revival. We came to see and hear the bands. If we had wanted only to hear them, we'd have played a CD. The lights, situated behind the band for most of the YMSB set, left the band in near total darkness. A little of the flash here and there would have been fine. A non-stop light show that leaves the band invisible is not.
on multiple tunes the musicians were crushing it but you couldn't see them playing as the lights were on the audience (often in our eyes) while the musicians were just backlit silhouettes.
Yonder Mountain String Band rocked the Brighton music hall. They were nonstop from start to finish! The fiddle player was amazing!
YMSB always surprises me with their set lists. This was a great show. Can’t wait to see them again. The Pageant is a great venue- intimate.
Love the smaller venues!!! Arkansauce was an awesome warm-up, and Yonder brought their A game. Excellent show!
Great sound, talented musicians, and a good venue provided for an entertaining night. I could have done without the two extended "psychedelic odyssey" during the show. The first one was fine for a change of pace, but the second one just felt long. Shakedown Street in the encore was fantastic.
Not our favorite venue to see them, but an amazing show as always ☺️
Instrumentals were outstanding but voices were really difficult to understand. Just wasn’t very clear when singing or talking. A bit disappointing because I really like their music.
Absolutely one of the most fun evenings we've had in years. Incredible musicians, great interaction with the audience, fun music. We were surprised with the range of songs they performed. Bluegrass - and so much more. We will go see them again - any chance we get.
I signed up for a bluegrass concert and got a rock show. It was a pleasant surprise! The instrumental sections were mesmerizing and the light show was awesome! Every member of the band contributed with a great voice and was skilled in their respective stringed instrument. Will definitely see this band again the next time they’re in town!
Band was a ton of fun...ver the top jams. Played all night.
The first act, “ Southern Bells”, a rock group was extremely loud. Never has the Keith Albee, which has great acoustics been so loud. Hoping for the best with Yonder we stayed. But the volume was too great for comfort. Left after 3 songs.