Leftover Salmon, Railroad Earth, and Yonder Mountain String Band brought their all-star joint tour to the Rose Music Center in Huber Heights, OH for a fabulous parade of beloved songs, sounds, and fun. Putting egos aside, the bands opted to rotate positions in the lineup, changing up the order of the bill each night. Seeing three of jamgrass’ most legendary bands on one stage in one evening was a rare opportunity for fans, and the bands seemed to enjoy it as much as they did. For veteran fans of the scene, it was a night of blissful smiles, boot scootin’ tunes, and a chance for some fun sit-ins and jams.
All three bands have been at it for decades, with Leftover Salmon leading the way at 33 years now, and all three are still going strong. In the course of those years, each band has had many a triumph and tragedy. Leftover Salmon’s original banjo player Mark Vann died 2002, RRE’s multi-instrumentalist and co-founder Andy Goesling passed in 2019, and though he had left Yonder by the time he perished, mandolin firebrand Jeff Austin’s shadow will probably always haunt Yonder Mountain String Band.
All three bands have survived and continue to thrive thanks to their ability to bring in fresh blood to keep them vital: Railroad Earth brought in the multi-talented Mike Robinson to fill in the gaps left by Goesling; Yonder brought in mandolinist Nick Piccininni, who his violin as a bonus, as well as a dedicated fiddler in the form of Coleman Smith; Leftover got both the singular talent Andy Thorn on banjo and most recently added Jay Starling on keys and dobro.
Railroad Earth:
Lead singer and guitarist Todd Sheaffer’s voice has always been a warm and welcoming treat to hear, and he was in fine form as RRE took its turn as the opening act. Sheaffer’s longtime partner in crime Tim Carbone displayed his prowess as a multi-instrumentalist with impressive guitar work on show-opener “Hard Livin” and sweet fiddle sounds throughout the set. Drummer Carey Harmon provided a wide pocket and acted as a propelling force on more uptempo numbers like “RV”, allowing mandolin maven John Skehan to focus on the more melodic side of his instrument. Matt Slocam’s keys and organ helped give Railroad Earth the Americana edge that sets the band apart while other recent addition Dave Speranza provided a steady pulse for everyone to groove on.
Railroad Earth made the most out of the band’s opening slot, filling every face with a smile while getting the crowd ready for the fun yet to come. Opening can be a tough job to do, and RRE did it in an egoless, charming way that set the tone of the evening.
Railroad Earth – “Hard Livin’” – 8/11/23
Railroad Earth – Rose Music Center – Huber Heights, OH – 8/11/23 [Full Set Audio]
[Audio: Jim Mal]
Setlist: Railroad Earth | Rose Music Center | The Heights, Ohio | 8/11/23
Set: Hard Livin’, Elko, The Good Life, Saddle of the Sun, Grandfather Mountain, RV, Runnin’ Wild
Yonder Mountain String Band:
Speaking of charm, Yonder Mountain’s Ben Kaufmann was also in fine form, on both his four-string and his banter duties, joking throughout the set about everything from how Yonder was the most traditional bluegrass band on the card. Nick Pickinni proved he is more than just a pretty face, showcasing is his ability to switch between instruments for duels and trading off with Smith while belting out the occasional lead turn at the mic. Dave Johnson showed his rock and roll roots turning The Velvet Underground’s seminal “Rock and Roll” into a banjo tune so seamlessly it felt like it had just always been that way. New guy Smith crushed throughout the set, swinging from sugar-sweet to fiddle-sawing fury without a blink. Guitarist Adam Aijala, as always, provided a calm amid all the sonic chaos around him.
The depth and breadth of Yonder’s extensive catalog was on full display, and fans new and old were more than happy to hear songs spanning from the band’s earliest days all the way to their newest, Grammy-nominated album. The fact that the group has managed to fight through so many struggles and still has so much good cheer to share serves as an inspiring reminder of just how much love and hope we can muster when we reach deep enough into ourselves.
Yonder Mountain String Band – “Granny Wontcha Smoke Some Marijuana” (John Hartford) – 8/11/23
[Video: Concert Addict]
Yonder Mountain String Band With John Skehan (Railroad Earth) & Jay Starling (Leftover Salmon) – “Raleigh And Spencer” (Traditional) – 8/11/23
[Video: Concert Addict]
Yonder Mountain String Band – Rose Music Center – Huber Heights, OH – 8/11/23 [Full Set Audio]
[Audio: splumer]
Setlist: Yonder Mountain String Band | Rose Music Center | The Heights, IN | 8/11/23
Set: Traffic Jam > Granny Wontcha Smoke Some Marijuana (John Hartford) > Traffic Jam Reprise, Half Moon Rising. Good Hearted Woman (Waylon Jennings), What the Night Brings, Rock and Roll (The Velvet Underground), Bound to Ride (The Stanley Brothers cover), Raleigh and Spencer (traditional) (with John Skehan (Railroad Earth) on mandolin and Jay Starling (Leftover Salmon) on dobro)
Leftover Salmon:
During a Leftover Salmon set, there’s never any doubt as to who is in charge of the proceedings. Vince Herman is one of the most talented and beloved masters of ceremonies in the jamgrass scene, perhaps in the entire music festival world. With Herman steering the ship, that leaves the remaining Leftover found Drew Emmitt space to rotate in on lead vocals and nail his guitar and mando spots.
Andy Thorn was on fire as usual, with his runs, rolls, and fills on tunes like “Eliza” as pure as any you’ll ever hear. Drummer Alwyn Robinson and bassist Greg Garrison managed to slip so effortlessly between zydeco, Americana, and jamgrass while never failing to provide the perfect pocket to help the picking of their frontline bandmates shine. Newest Salmon member Jay Starling celebrated in fine style whether tickling the keys, sliding in and out on his dobro, or taking a turn on the mic as well.
To no one’s surprise, Vince used the closing portion of Leftover’s set to welcome out players from the earlier bands, including Yonder’s Dave Johnston, Nick Piccininni and Coleman Smith and RRE’s Tim Carbone and Matt Slocam. With his beloved battle cry of “Festival!” sounding the charge, they “trucked on down the line” over and over as Vince nodded them forward, running the show with the joy of a child at play. It was exactly the blowout collaboration every ticket-holder hoped for and was clearly a delight to the crowd front to back. Vince’s closing words, “It’s good to have friends,” rang true as the final echos faded.
This tour was always more than a cash grab or an excuse for the bands to get in a rare three-way hang for a few night. It is a celebration of the last 20 years of the jamgrass scene as a whole. Without this trio keeping the fires burning, it’s almost impossible to imagine what this wild corner of Americana would look like. Lucky for us, they made it through the tests of time, faced it all down, and came out the other side tempered, strengthened, and ready for more. This run was like going home after a long time away. Old friends might be gone, everyone might have a little more gray in their hair, a couple fresh wrinkles, or picked up a pound or two, but their smiles and love are still as potent as ever. As Vince Herman so accurately sang, “These are the new ‘Good Old Days.’”
Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon, & Railroad Earth – “Keep on Truckin’” > “Up On Cripple Creek” (The Band) – 8/11/23
[Video: James Potter]
Leftover Salmon – Rose Music Center – Huber Heights, OH – 8/11/23 [Full Set Audio]
[Audio: Jim Mal]
The post Leftover Salmon, Yonder, & Railroad Earth Deliver A Triple-Header Of Jamgrass Excellence [Photos/Videos/Audio] appeared first on L4LM.
