It’s fun to witness what happens when great friends who make great music hit the road and support each other in collaboration. This collaborative spirit was evident at Portland, Oregon’s Wonder Ballroom on Thursday, September 12th, when Circles Around The Sun (CATS) and Grateful Shred stopped in to Shred The Sun. Mikaela Davis was even on hand to add her vocal talents to the mix.
Grateful Shred was first to take the stage and got things going with “The Music Never Stopped.” Guitarist/vocalist Austin McCutchen was decked out in cowboy boots and hat, along with a Wrangler vest, so it only seemed natural when, after “New Speedway Boogie,” he sang a great version of Marty Robbin’s “Big Iron.” With Alex Koford and Austin Beede each manning a drum kit, and bassist Dan Horne holding down the low end, the rhythm section was solid as a rock. Horne pulled double duty, along with guitarist John Lee Shannon and keyboardist Adam MacDougall all of whom are members of Circles Around The Sun. Mikaela Davis added a certain sublimity to the Grateful Shred set, especially on songs like “Candyman.” Portland-based guitar slinger Scott Law was invited out for a run through “Playing In The Band,” and would return later in the show.
After a half dozen songs, a drums segment saw the other musicians leave the stage. CATS drummer Mark Levy joined in and eventually slid behind a drum kit. MacDougall, Horne, and Shannon came back to the stage, and the CATS portion of the show began as the quartet dropped into “Away Team,” from 2023 album Language. The set focused on newer material, both from Language and 2020’s eponymous LP. The cosmic-disco-funk-soul train was indeed a groove, with MacDougall’s psychedelic key flourishes and lots of David Gilmoresque guitar runs from Shannon.
At the end of “Moonbow,” from After Sunrise, the 2024 EP collaboration with Mikaela Davis, the ensemble once again broke it down into a percussion jam, which morphed into another set by Grateful Shred. Starting with “Iko Iko,” the set included runs through “Cumberland Blues,” “Jack-A-Roe,” “Here Comes Sunshine,” and “Sweet Baby” before the closing “U.S. Blues.” All the musicians came back out for an encore and played the title track of After Sunrise, which is a Sergio Mendes composition.
On Thursday night, Circles Around The Sun and Grateful Shred proved to be a dynamic band duo, holding the dance vibes high and sharing their considerable talents with an enthusiastic Portland crowd.
