The recent resurgence of Acoustic Syndicate has seen the band utilize a wide variety of formations. After six albums and a decade of touring with the core quartet of brothers Fitz and Bryon McMurry (drums/vocals and banjo/vocals, respectively), their cousin Steve McMurry (guitar and vocals), and bassist Jay Sanders, the band took a hiatus that, at the time, was of undetermined length. A couple of years off preceded a brief period of scattered shows in which the McMurry clan featured Sanders as well as part-time players on bass and guitar.
In 2011, it seems that the Syndicate is really and truly back, at least in a regional sense, with Sanders fully on board, several tour dates in the southeast, and their first new batch of songs since 2004. Despite this rejuvenated focus on the band, the McMurrys continue to find themselves balancing different formations, as evidenced by the long-awaited Saturday night Cat’s Cradle show. To the dismay of the audience, drummer Fitz McMurry was ruled out of the lineup due to illness. The absence of a core member was disappointing, but the rest of the gang did an admirable job in delivering a solid show to a sizeable crowd. They may be "acoustic" in name only, but they can still throw down like a traditional string band with no drums. It’s just that with Syndicate, that metaphorical string band has a strong hankering for reggae, jazz, and rock and roll.
Dobro player Billy Cardine is the latest addition to the group, and in many ways his inclusion makes perfect sense. Curtis Burch was a frequent guest and contributor in the band’s earlier years, so there’s a natural spot for the instrument in many of the songs. Also, the band often featured saxophonist Jeremy Saunders during their most prolific period, so Cardine helps bring back that instrumental flexibility, giving Syndicate a new weapon to utilize during their lengthy improvisations. Starting slowly with "Billy the Kid" and crowd favorite "Pumpkin and Daisy," the band wasted no time in paying tribute to one of their key influences on his birthday. Elvis Presley’s first ever single, "That’s Alright, Mama" was performed with reverence just before the joyful, island-flavored "November" pushed the energy of the show in a new direction. The setlist was likely limited by the dearth of drums, and many of the band’s signature live pieces would have been intolerably flat without a backbeat. Instead, the song selection was more focused on the lyrical and melodic aspects of their catalog, and the band indulged their instrumental urges wherever they could. The lilting "Marie St. Lauriette" sounded just fine, and a warming version of "Sugaree" drew the crowd completely in. With the room full and lively, Bryon McMurry stepped to the front holding a guitar instead of a banjo and treated the crowd to one of the first public performances of the brand-new song "Coming in From the Cold."
The band crested a hill of momentum with the new tune, careening down the other side into a litany of crowd favorites and cool covers. "Carnival" lacked its familiar propulsive rhythm but was still enjoyable. Some of the true successes of the night were the lengthy instrumental "Fly Swatter," which incorporated a vamp on "My Favorite Things," and an immaculately harmonized version of Bob Marley’s "Burnin’ and Lootin’," performed with pronounced gravity. The home stretch of the show included the ghostly, North Carolina-centric folk tale "Brown Mountain Lights," the high lonesome strains of "Old Shoes and Picture Postcards," and the dreamy, emotional "Sailor’s Suit." The evening’s climax was all about exposing the band’s diverse roots. A typically apt cover of George Jones’ "If Drinking Don’t Kill Me (Her Memory Will)" was followed by another Elvis tribute, "Mystery Train," which ended the set and featured a barely audible guest fiddle player from the opening act, Acoustic Manner. For an encore, the quartet sandwiched one of their signature tunes – the charmingly smitten "Rainbow Rollercoaster" – between a couple of classics from one of Syndicate’s principal influences, The Who. "I’m One" was a real treat, an much rarer occurrence than the show ending "Baba O’Riley," but the combined power of the two was especially awesome. While it wasn’t the concert I had idealized in my head during the weeks leading up to the show, it was yet another unique experience with this endearing group of good old boys, and North Carolina is a better place to be when they’re out and about.
