The Infamous Stringdusters’ expansive Across The Great Divide Tour brought the quintet to Portland, Oregon’s Crystal Ballroom last Friday, March 9th. Having won the 2018 Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album for Laws of Gravity, and on tour since mid-January, the Dusters proved to be as tight and energetic as ever, delivering two solid sets consisting of originals and cover songs.
A few highlights included the first set closer “Fork In The Road” which contained a jam of Phish’s “Stash.” The second set included a stretch of wide-ranging covers, including Pink Floyd’s “Fearless,” Merle Haggard’s “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink,” and U2’s “In God’s Country.” For the encore, the Stringdusters brought out Fruition’s Mimi Naja for “Starry Night” and then added opening band The Last Revel for a take on The Band’s “Ophelia.”
Set 1: Where The Rivers Run Cold, Senor > Gravity, Mountain Town, Light and Love, Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright, Maxwell > Fork In The Road > Stash > Fork In The Road
Set 2: What’s That You’re Doin’?, Porcupine Cove > Let Me Know, Fearless > I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink > In God’s Country, Not Fade Away, A Hard Life Makes A Good Song, I Want To Take You Higher, Let It Go, Likes of Me > Getting Down The Road
Encore: Starry Night (with Mimi Naja on vocals), Ophelia (with Mimi Naja and The Last Revel)
