Who would’ve thought that one of the top bluegrass acts to emerge in the last two decades would hail from New Jersey? While their home state may be more synonymous with all American rockers like the Boss and Bon Jovi, Railroad Earth have carved out their own sound, one that seamlessly melds bluegrass, folk, Americana and psychedelic improvisational jams. Humbly playing their own style of music has earned the band a loyal following. On Saturday, January 13 Railroad Earth made their way through Portland, Oregon for the first of two shows, one being at the larger Roseland Theater and the second being an intimate (and very sold out) affair at the Doug Fir Lounge.
Austin, Texas band Whiskey Shivers got the crowd loosened up with a rabble-rousing set that threw bluegrass, punk rock, old timey music, and a touch of humor into one bubbling cauldron of good times. The Shivers boys leaned heavily on their most recent album Some Part of Something with songs like “Liquor, Beer, Wine & Ice” and “Fuck You”, which were catchy, silly and downright fun, while the stomping “Cluck Ol’ Hen” captured a more serious, darker side. They also offered up some choice covers with a rowdy take on The Cure’s “Friday I’m In Love” and a version of the Dixie Chicks’ hit song “Earl” with teases of Iron Maiden’s heavy metal classic “The Trooper”, all played in raucous, boot-stomping bluegrass fashion.
Kicking off with the electrifying “The Hunting Song”, Railroad Earth immediately straddled the line between rock and bluegrass, with multi-instrumentalist Tim Carbone laying into a raucous fiddle jam. The first set would stay strong, with the band members letting jams unfold naturally. “Colorado” was joyous in its chorus, with alternating mandolin and fiddle solos and a swirling sea of drums keeping momentum up. Other highlights of the first set included the ominous folk ballad “Potter’s Field” morphing into a spacy, Grateful Dead-like jam, a bouncy and fun “Long Walk Home” and the set-closing fast-paced bluegrass number “Blazin’ A Trail”.
Throughout the first set, the band members displayed a multi-faceted style of playing that is more about creating sonic layers than it is about each member stepping into the spotlight for a solo. This would continue for set two when they opened with a triple punch of the light-hearted “Monkey” – conjuring a dance party – before segueing into the jam vehicle that is “Warhead Boogie” and longtime fan favorite “Mighty River”. “The Berkeley Flash” found the band drifting into their own realm of proggy bluegrass before a huge exploratory jam during “The Forecast” and “Captain Nowhere”. Two of the set highlights came at or near the end with a left-field take on the blues classic “I Just Want To Make Love To You” featuring Fruition’s Mimi Naja belting out the vocals, and a particularly rousing “Like a Buddha” that helped close the night on a high note and put a big old smile on every member of the audience’s face.
The members of Railroad Earth have never tried to be flashy or rely on musical gimmicks to win over fans. Every band member looks like he could be your liberal high school English teacher, which is a look that seems to serve this band well. In Portland on Saturday Railroad Earth presented a high level of instrumental craftsmanship in a humble and friendly manner, which is exactly what has made them such an endearing act for all of these years.
Set 1:
The Hunting Song
Colorado
Bread and Water
Potter’s Field –>
Lone Croft Farewell
Any Road
Farewell to Isinglass –>
Grandfather Mountain
Blazin’ a Trail
Set 2:
Monkey –>
Warhead Boogie –>
Mighty River
Happy Song
The Berkeley Flash
The Forecast –>
Captain Nowhere
I Just Wanna Make Love to You (A)
New Lee Highway Blues –>
Fiddlee
Like a Buddha
Encore:
Storms
(A) First time played, written by Willie Dixon,
lead vocals by Mimi Naja.
All photos by Greg Homolka.
