Fest 'N' Furious Reviews #1 - The Earl Brothers and The Hunger Mountain Boys
"I've got the Blues Mary,
I'm so confused Mary,
You took my money,
And I want it back right now!"
It has been over a week now since the Fest 'n' Furious hit Dundee like a big hitty thing and provided four days of entertainment like the city has not seen since, well, since the last Fest 'n' Furious. I was lucky in being able to go to a number of the events over the course of the festival so will post some reviews to highlight to all of you who couldn't be bothered exactly what you missed. In a moment of "Irishness" I have decided to start at the end first and fill in the rest later.
So Sunday night, after a very fun and entertaining session in Braes, I toodled along to the Woodlands Hotel for The Earl Brothers and the Hunger Mountain Boys (yes it has taken me this long and I am only as far as the article's title!). As a fan of bluegrass music I was looking forward to seeing these two bands, who had already got great coverage on Footstompin.com and I was not disappointed. The Earl Brothers, as the introduction from the host said, sing about death, drink and women. They eschew a lot of the faster bluegrass playing that is popular now in favour of the slower darker stuff complete with deep Southern drawls. They also write all their own material. They are, as all the critics say very authentic in what they do and are fast establishing themselves as a major group in the bluegrass world.
For me however the standout stars of the show were the Hunger Mountain Boys. Billed as "roots-of-country kings" they manage to produce a sound that "nobody does better" very reminiscent at times to Hank Williams and yet also impossible to truly categorise.
These guys really were a joy to watch, singing a mix of old standards and their own material they wowed the audience from start to finish with their musicianship and clear sense of fun that they felt with their music. This is real old-time American music delivered in a way that can not fail to put a smile on your face. The blend of instruments and vocals produces a sound that is simply unmissable. For this tour the HMB's have had a line-up change with founder member Kip Beacco being deputised by multi-instrumentalist Adam Tanner. There were no signs of any cracks however with the appearance that these guys had been playing together since the 30s.
If they are back in Scotland again make sure to catch them. For more, including some tracks, see their myspace at:
http://www.myspace.com/hungermountainboysSupport for the evening was provided by local musician Gavin McGinty and friends. A former member of Magdalen Green, McGinty showcased a set of original acoustic songs that bounced between musical genres with ease. With high musicianship, pleasant vocals and intelligent songwriting McGinty is one to look out for in the future.
- Alistair
08.10.2007. 19:23
This article hasn't been commented yet.
Write a comment
* = required field