Railroad Earth continued their winter tour at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston on Friday night. RRE welcomed guitarist and opener Larry Keel as well as saxophonist Zach Gilbert.
Railroad pulled out of the station with the classic “Mighty River” from their 2002 album Bird In A House. “Lordy, Lordy” and “Chains” came next before “Only By The Light” led into “Addin’ My Voice.” New song “Slippin’ Away,” a bluegrass stomp inspired by a PGA tour caddy frontman Todd Sheaffer struck up a friendship with, came next. The tune will appear on RRE’s upcoming 2020 album All For The Song. Railroad then welcomed saxophonist Zach Gilbert. Late Railroad Earth multi-instrumentalist Andy Goessling mentored Gilbert, who attends the prestigious Berklee College Of Music in Boston. A longtime friend of the band, it had been a dream of Gilbert’s to perform with Railroad. Gilbert lent his sax — sometimes playing two at a time — on “The Hunting Song,” which saw some great interplay between Gilbert and Tim Carbone on guitar during the substantial jam. The band then headed into “Hard Livin’,” the studio version of which features sax. Gilbert stayed on for the set closer, “Monkey,” from the band’s 2014 album The Last Of The Outlaws.
RRE kicked off the second set with another new song, “The Great Divide,” which will appear on All For The Song and is a tribute to Goessling. The fan favorite “Seven Story Mountain” followed ahead of “The Good Life.” Then, Keel came out for the barn burner “Dandelion Wine,” featuring some frantic riffing from the guitarist as well as a rollicking piano run from Matt Slocum. Keel would stay on for “Just So You Know” before RRE continued with “Lovin’ You” and “Crossing The Gap.” The band then got into some serious segues to close out the second set beginning with “Fisherman’s Blues” and heading into “Farewell to Isinglass,” “Face With A Hole” and “Chasin’ A Rainbow.”
The band retook the stage for an encore of “Cold Water.” Check out video clips from the show captured by Irene Gilbert, Michael Dell’Orfano and Dimitri Kazarinoff below:
The Hunting Song Jam > Hard Livin’
Tonight I am witnessing pure joy as Zachary fulfills a dream 18 years in the making- playing on stage with the great Railroad Earth.#dreamscometrue #saxmom #makingAndyproud
Posted by Irene Gilbert on Friday, February 7, 2020
Posted by Dimitri Kazarinoff on Saturday, February 8, 2020
Dandelion Wine
Posted by Michael Dell’Orfano on Saturday, February 8, 2020
Setlist via RRE Facebook
Set One: Mighty River, Lordy, Lordy, Chains, Only By The Light > Addin’ My Voice, Slippin’ Away, The Hunting Song* > Hard Livin’*, Monkey*
Set Two: The Great Divide, Seven Story Mountain, The Good Life, Dandelion Wine^, Just So You Know^, Lovin’ You, Crossing the Gap, Fisherman’s Blues > Farewell to Isinglass > Face With A Hole > Chasin’ A Rainbow
Encore: Cold Water
Notes:
*featuring Zach Gilbert on saxophone(s)
^featuring Larry Keel on guitar
This show featured Matt Slocum on keys and Mike Robinson on pedal steel, guitar, and banjo
