Mandolin Orange Tap Into Twangy Americana In Portland (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS)

The crowd that turned out to see Mandolin Orange was surprisingly large one for a rainy Wednesday night in Portland at the Wonder Ballroom. Then again, this is a bluegrass loving town and the North Carolina band is most definitely rooted in that style. But, more importantly, they also just released an album, Blindfaller, that easily ranks among the year’s best.

Songs from Blindfaller made up a hefty chunk of the band’s set in Portland, and it seemed that much of the crowd had gotten acquainted with the band beforehand as they seemed to know the words to the band’s older, more bluegrass-based tunes. On these tunes the band’s unmistakable harmonies were in place, as was the virtuoso mandolin playing of Andrew Marlin. Early on in the set songs like the new tune “Hey Stranger” and “Old Ties and Companions” exuded the band’s heartfelt honeyed harmonies and down home charm. The songs off Blindfaller proved to be even stronger live than on the record, carrying a sound that at times was often more country than bluegrass. One of the catchiest songs on the new album is “Wildfire”, and in the live setting it felt like a powerful historical number in the vein of The Band. The twang continued with “Picking Up The Pieces”, a mournful country ballad, while “Lonesome Whistle” felt old timey with the presence of banjo and fiddle. Other highlights included the charming “Waltz About Whiskey”, which closed out the set before the band returned for an encore that included the folky bluegrass tune “Drink Up And Go Home”.

Mandolin Orange demonstrated a remarkable tightness as a group, even while Andrew Marlin tried out a new mandolin (“this thing plays itself”), and even after having been robbed of their electronics in Oakland. By the time the band encored in rousing, cheerful fashion, it was clear to all that this young act is destined for even bigger stages as they continue to treat the world to the country-folk goodness of Blindfaller.

Photos by Greg Homolka. 

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