If you try to classify exactly what type of music it is that Crooked Still plays, you’ll find that you’re at a loss to find the perfect description. Part bluegrass, part folk, part old-time, part gospel—these are just the beginnings to best define the band’s musical genre. Never was this more clear than during their recent show at the historic Great American Music Hall in San Francisco—a city they haven’t played since touring behind their 2004 debut album Hop High.
Crooked Still started in 2001 as a quartet of cello (Rushad Eggleston), acoustic bass (Corey DiMario), banjo (Dr. Gregory Liszt) and vocals (Aoife O’Donovan). They met while Eggleston attended Berklee College of Music, and soon developed quite the cult following from their gigs at Boston’s Club Passim. Their debut album Hop High (2004) was met with incredible excitement and praise, heralding Crooked Still as one of the most promising bands of the next wave in bluegrass and old-time music. Songs like “Orphan Girl,” “Angeline the Baker,” “Shady Grove” and “Lulu Gal” all sparked great interest in the band’s deftness in updating many American canonical favorites, leading to invitations to perform at the esteemed Newport Folk Festival and Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. This exposure further led to a record deal with well-known independent label Signature Sounds, who represent such major folk artists as Patty Larkin, Richard Shindell, Josh Ritter and Chris Smither.
Their subsequent three albums showcase Crooked Still’s eagerness to experiment with new techniques, sounds and arrangements. They’ve even incorporated original songs in their repertoire that are equally as accomplished as their revisions of folk classics. Eggleston played his last gig with Crooked Still in 2007, leading to the hiring of cellist Tristan Clarridge and fiddler Brittany Haas—two incredibly accomplished string players in their own right.
Crooked Still’s concert at the Great American Music Hall is part of their yearlong tour behind their most recent release, Some Strange Country. Opening with a rollicking version of “Orphan Girl,” the band displayed an increased maturity, virtuosity and glee as a quintet than I have ever witnessed before. O’Donovan brought newfound depth and urgency to the lyrics of the Gillian Welch penned song. They continued to dig into their newer material, performing almost the entire new record. Alternating between foot-stomping, danceable versions of old-time tunes like “Ain’t No Grave” and “Lulu Gal” with quieter, subtler and contemplative folk ballads such as “Wading Deep Waters” and “You Were Gone,” Crooked Still struck a perfect balance for the show. Whereas with folk festival slots they are forced to focus on more accessible songs with tight and impressive performances, the two-hour set at the Hall allowed the band more freedom to experiment with lengthier solos. On the majority of their songs, Dr. Gregory Liszt (one of the most expressive and talented banjo players in music today), Tristan Clarridge and Brittany Haas all had the chance to add their own improvised solos, giving each song a richness and depth that is hinted at in the recorded versions.
Watching Crooked Still perform live is catching this incredible band in their element. Their humor starts to emerge during the frequent onstage banter, their joy to be playing with verve and great energy shines through, but most of all the ease with which the band interacts is absolutely telling. It is clear that these five musicians not only get along but deeply respect each other. Also, they have progressed so much in the last three years that they almost seem like a different band. Clarridge and Haas have both integrated themselves fully, whereas before it was somewhat unclear if they were more than excellent guest stars. Their string playing is vigorous, nuanced and adds great diversity to the overall sound (Haas even wrote the song “Locust in the Willow,” one of the major highlights of the evening). O’Donovan commands the stage with a lovely demeanor and wonderful stage presence, and DiMario and Liszt keep the tempo going and the fun rolling as they provide the backbone for the group to propel forward. Watching Crooked Still in 2010 is rewarding not only because of their musical virtuosity but because they have coalesced into one of the finest contemporary acoustic bands currently on the circuit. Let’s hope that San Francisco doesn’t have to wait another five years to experience the pleasure and thrill of another Crooked Still show.
Setlist (as written):
Orphan Girl
Calvary
Cold Mountains
Ain’t No Grave
Half of What We Know
Distress
When First Unto This Country
Lulu Gal
Sometimes In This Country
Henry Lee
I’m Troubled
You Were Gone
Locust in the Willow
Little Sadie
Look On and Cry
Come On In My Kitchen
Captain, Captain
The Golden Vanity
Not on setlist, but played:
Wind and Rain
Railroad Bill
Wading Deep Waters
