reCAP :: The Avett Brothers :: 2017.05.11
Irony was in the air on May 11 as The Avett Brothers performed tunes off their ninth full length studio album - True Sadness. It definitely wasn't the mood on that Thursday evening at The Cap. The band, and the sold-out crowd, was electric as Scott, Seth and the backing band tore through 2 1/2 hours and 28 songs worth of upbeat-folk-rock and blues infused with their gutsy-gritty-country-alt-country-Americana-crunchy goodness. Say that ten times fast!
Whether they were lamenting on slow numbers like "Divorce Separation Blues" or rip roaring through "Satan Pulls The Strings," the boys (and lady - fiddle player and touring member Tania Elizabeth shined) didn't miss a beat and started the first of a three-night residency at The Cap to a rousing start.
Obviously there were many highlights. When a band plays for so long and so committed, there's bound to be many greatest hits. But for me, the five songs that finished it all stood out. As a lover of traditional music, my favorite part was the encore when they came out, sat down and played five consecutive traditional numbers - "Blue Ridge Mountain Blues," "Old Jpe Clark," "Mae Me a Pallet on the Floor," "Shady Grove," and "Down in the Valley to Pray." Those songs that are older than the two brothers collectively, were true happiness. You can feel their appreciation and love for these old tunes as they waded through them with precision.
The crowd loved it - and so did I. Thanks boys for a great show. Hope to see you up this way real soon - and something tells me we will.
