To call the men of Railroad Earth just musicians would be a complete understatement. After their show last Saturday, I see them more as a collective of craftsmen, who have the ability to bend the genre of bluegrass into something that is more complex, expansive, and experimental. After selling out the Paradise last October, Railroad Earth decided to do back to back nights at the venue this year.
Rain poured on shivering fans who anxiously awaited the opportunity to dance out of their soggy boots for night two of Railroad Earth. Fans who had attended the previous night gave great praise to a show that included fan favorites such as "Elko" and "Like a Buddha," giving all the more reason to look forward to the upcoming set. As I peered throughout the almost sold-out crowd, the age diversity in the audience was an immediate standout. College students like myself were joined by aging bluegrass fans and even some who I may even classify as "senior citizens" found their niche in the less congested balconies. The band hit the stage and got feet moving early, starting off with the fiddle-heavy "Just So You Know." Railroad Earth is filled with masterful players, but an immediate attention grabber, especially in this first tune, was the imagery in the lyrics of lead singer Todd Sheaffer. While many believe that it is stereotypical of jambands to be lyrically handicapped, Sheaffer helps to break this generalization by painting beautiful landscapes and telling vivid stories with his descriptive verses. The first set also saw violinist Tim Carbone and mandolin player John Skehan lock up for a slow, but sweet version of "The Forecast." Carbone and Skehan's on stage bond would become a common theme throughout the night and would help guide the band instrumentally throughout adventurous solo sections. While the first set disappointingly clocked in at under an hour, the highlight of the set was the closer of "420." This instrumental got the crowd hopping and let each respective musician explore the solo space and get creative with buildups and crescendos. After a short but impressive first set, I anticipated high energy in the second set.
The band came out swinging in the second set with a lengthy "New Jam" and proceeded to play the melancholy fan favorite "Bird in a House." Even on a slow tune such as this, the band used their solo space to spread the song out and let each player dip their pen in the ink. The band debuted a tune called "Through the Gates" and masterfully segued into "Give That Boy a Hand." Once again, Carbone and Skehan locked in a groove, dueling and trying to one-up the other. Banjoist Andy Goessling also lent a helpful hand on this series of tunes, picking his way through some fast-fingered solos of his own. The highlight of the set was up next and it started with the very groovy "Warhead Boogie." The band used this spacey jam as a springboard into the the more alternative beat of "Seven Story Mountain." This song began slow with drummer Carey Harmon playing a rim-shot riddled jazz groove with Johnny Grubb locking into the groove on the upright bass. From there, the band exploded into a mesh of solos and sequences with Skehan, Carbone, and Goessling all picking up on the same licks. The tune wandered with the focus of landing at the reggae-influenced boogie of "Old Man and the Land." This trio of tunes stuck out the most to me from the show because it was a spectacular representation of this band's versatility. They began with a signature bluegrass tune, traveled into a jazzier, softer tone, and finally reached a unique reggae sound. To cap off the set, the band gave the crowd a favorite with "Long Way To Go," and let them belt along to the chorus of the same name. After finishing the polished rendition, the band reappeared on stage minutes later for an encore of "Ragtime Annie Lee." Getting faster and faster as the tune progressed, this rendition was the perfect selection to finish off the show.
Despite a shorter show than many would have liked (they left the stage just after 12), I left the venue thoroughly amazed at the expert musicianship I had just witnessed. Railroad Earth may never graduate from the club-circuit due to the simple fact that bluegrass is under-appreciated and underplayed, but they will always bring their A-game because it is clear that they love what they do. Each song brings to life a different story like a delicately stitched quilt, but allows each musician to wrap themselves in this quilt and add their own personal share. Bluegrass can be a very specific and restrictive genre, but Railroad Earth is fearless in bending the rules and expanding the genre into something bigger and more dimensional. If you ever have the chance to experience Railroad Earth, you will undoubtedly be treated to one of today's best touring bands.
Railroad Earth, Paradise Rock Club, 10/24/09
Set I: Just So You Know, Drag Him Down, For Love, The Forecast, Storms, Fisherman's Blues, 420
Set II: New Jam (SHJ), Bird in a House, Walk Beside Me, Through the Gates * > Give That Boy a Hand, Warhead Boogie > Seven Story Mountain, Old Man and the Land, Lonecroft Ramble, Long Way To Go
Encore: Ragtime Annie Lee
*First Time Played
www.railroadearth.com
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