For a change of pace, this week we have a single suite from Yonder Mountain String Band, which played a surprise late-night show celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Fox Theater back in March. The end of that show brings us Snow on the Pines > No Expectations > Traffic Jam > Two Hits > Traffic Jam.
The quartet’s explosive opener is a jam vehicle all by itself, featuring some fantastic guitar work, especially through the back passages. It winds around into a soaring cover of John Hartford‘s cover of the Stones’ No Expectations; Jeff Austin has an incredible little rap about makin’ love at 3 AM (just about the time the song was being performed) in the middle that pushes the song right over the top.
A hectic, throbbing Traffic Jam follows, and eventually works its way down into the final manifestation of a reggae tease that has threaded its way through all the music so far: Two Hits. Another great little bit of evangelistic energy leads right into the first verse, and the band runs with it, picking and grinning all the way to a short Traffic Jam reprise to close a nearly 40-minute jam. As a bonus, I tossed on the first encore, a personal favorite, Someday’s Reunion. Enjoy!
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