- Wagatail Presents Railroad Earth at The Roxy
It’s been almost 2 years since I last caught Railroad Earth live in concert. Anxious to see what’s new in the house of, likely, the greatest Americana/Roots bands out touring today, I headed out to the Sunset Strip and the Roxy to find out. What’s new indeed!
- Railroad Earth. Photo by Shawna Newbern
The bright lights and hustle and bustle (literally there’s a Hustler store on the block) of the Sunset Strip was transformed from the normal teased hair, skinny jean and overly distorted rock and roll mecca into a down right ho down as Railroad Earth pulled their train into the station on Thursday, January 27th at the legendary Roxy.
Railroad Earth, who I’d always appreciated as a band that brings the fiddle, mandolin and bluegrass sounds that their fans have come to love has broken the chains that pigeon holed them into the genre. They’re now defining the New New-Grass sounds as touches of electric guitar reared it’s head from fiddle player, Tim Carbone, stretching the bands legs into a direction that the crowd took in with open arms. The band introduced the crowd to the new Railroad Earth sound with new harmonies from nearly every member of the band. Railroad Earth pulled out all the stops for the LA crowd.
A near full house at the Roxy bounced and kicked up it’s heels from the first song to the last taking breaks only during set break to likely go resole their shoes. A spacey Cuckoo’s Medley took the crowd on a bluegrass space jam in the first set. The first set closer, “The Jupiter and the 119” closed out a traditional bluegrass heavy first set. Kicking off the second set with crowd favorite, “Long Way To Go” set the tone for a high energy second set complete with Tim Carbone on electric guitar.
- Tim Carbone of Railroad Earth. Photo by Shawna Newbern
I got a chance to chat with Carbone about his new guitar skills. “I’ve been playing guitar for a long time but only recently started adding it to our sets. I’m still feeling it out but it’s seems to be working,” said Carbone.
- John Skehan of RRE. Photo by Shawna Newbern
The other obvious tasty treat in any Railroad Earth show is the mandolin stylings of John Skehan who busted out the bouzouki for a few tunes including on new song, Black Elk Speaks and later on Long Walk Home both off the new album, Railroad Earth.
All in all, a familiar feeling of family took over the Roxy on that Thursday night and as my eyes panned the audience full of smiling faces and dancing bodies, I once again was reminded why, when given the opportunity, you should always get on the train to Railroad Earth.
Setlist from 1/27/2011, Roxy Theater, West Hollywood, CA
Set 1: Been Down This Road, Happy Song, Saddle of the Sun, Mighty River, Lovin’ You, Lone Craft Farewell, Cuckoo’s Medley, The Jupiter and the 119
Set 2: Long Way To Go, Potter’s Field, Old Dangerfield, The Forecast > Black Elk Speaks, Dance Around Molly > Dandelion Wine, Long Walk Home, Head
Encore: Spring Heeled Jack, On The Banks
Rose’s Pawn Shop, a local LA bluegrass band primed the audience with a 45 min set of knee slappin’ bluegrass music. Check them out too if you get a chance too!
More photos of the show at Shakedown News’ FACEBOOK page!
