The Infamous String Dusters
with Fruition
March 21, 2014 | Cleveland, OH
Beachland Ballroom
It’s one of the great injustices that the better you are at playing an instrument the harder it can be to make a fortune at it. The likes of Justin Bieber are multi-millionaires, while classical musicians of the highest order miss out on orchestra spots and wind up teaching. Somewhere there’s a virtuosic piano player, toying with music like a cat does a string, and she’s playing for bourbon in a dimly lit lounge. The Infamous Stringdusters are as good as good gets. And while this Grammy nominated bluegrass super-group isn’t exactly struggling for gigs at this point, it’s impossible to deny that if the genre weren’t relegated to the fringes of popular taste, these guys would be playing stadium shows and traveling by jet. What may be an injustice for the musicians themselves however, becomes the reward for fans of great music. It’s this injustice that lets us see an act of this caliber in the intimate confines of Cleveland’s venerable Beachland Ballroom.
Though the reverence these guys have for traditional bluegrass is always on display, this five piece string band could never be pigeonholed into any single category. They may launch from a traditional foundation, but they absolutely soar to the outer reaches of the acoustic universe. I could tell you the set-list with its mix of exceptional originals and well known covers. I could describe the extended improvisational jams, or ramble on about the band’s chemistry, or how the fun they’re having is so apparent that it radiates from the stage infecting the entire crowd. I could wax on about five masters of their individual instruments seemingly transcending any hint of ego to embrace and revel in the much stronger sum of their parts, but all of this would imply that I was walking around with a notepad. I was not. I was on cloud nine, dancing, bouncing and riding along with an equally entranced crowd, as we all explored the limitless possibilities of music in the hands of wizards.
The sound engineer and the lighting designer are very much a part of this band, and the total package will have you looking for the drum set, wondering how a five piece acoustic band could possibly rock this freaking hard. It’s an absolute trip that words can’t easily describe. Let Michael Stein’s photos show you what’s up, and be sure to catch The Infamous Stringdusters live, whether you think you like “bluegrass” or not.
Based in Cleveland, Ohio, Matt Harmon is a freelance writer with a day job as an audio engineer at a business oriented conference center. He is most at ease performing on stage as an acoustic guitarist and songwriter. www.mattharmonmusic.com
Set 1: Don’t Think Twice, Time to Part, Once You’re Gone, I’ll Get Away, Love Grown Cold, Tragic Life, Echoes of Goodbye, Goodbye Liza Jane, Up On Cripple Creek *, Long Lonesome Day > Getting Down The Road
Set 2: Steam Powered Aereo Plane, Hitchhiker, Middle Fork, Light & Love > Tonight I’m Gonna Rock Ya > Light & Love, Chopping Can, Masquerade, High Country Funk, By My Side, My Destination, Loving You, How Far I’d Fall For You, Rivers Run Cold, Given More Time Encore I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome , All That I Can Take
* with Jay Cobb Anderson from Fruition
Fruition
One of the best surprises of the night was the opening performance by Fruition. The Portland based bluegrass outfit made their appearance at the fan-favorite venue in the heart of Cleveland, the Beachland Ballroom. Saturday was the first time I had the chance to experience Fruition in all their glory as I stood in awe watching this truly elated group of artists and musicians let their souls shine right before our eyes. Their delivery can be best described as genuine and organic, something the crowd took to very well. Mimi Naja on vocals and mandolin raged with overzealous, unadulterated fluidity, maintaining a Janis Joplin undertone as she tore down the roof. The instrumentation was exceptional, a sound that was on point with the best jamgrass pickers on the scene. For anyone who plans on catching the Infamous Stringdusters this tour make sure to get there early to catch Fruition as well. – Suzy G
All photos by Michael Stein.