My parents were coming to visit for Thanksgiving. So what do I do? Of course I took them to a concert. And there couldn’t have been a better show than a Greensky Bluegrass + Strange Arrangement affair at Park West. Not only are these two of the Midwest’s best bands (and ones I’ve reviewed multiple times so my parents knew of them) but I got to bring my parents to one of Chicago’s crown jewel music venues. This might not have been the best set I’ve seen from either band but it was still pretty much the perfect way to spend the night before Thanksgiving with family.
I’d be lying if I said I haven’t grown bored with the whole ‘man with guitar’ thing. But if there’s anyone who still piques my interest in this field, it’s Chicago Farmer. His live performance oozes genuine honesty through a soft & comforting sound. There’s nothing technically outstanding about what he does, it just feels good. He draws you in with omni-relatable and/or humorous lyrics and hooks you with his soothing yet idiosyncratic voice. He went an extra mile in the last song of his set by drumming up some excited crowd participation that weaved in and out of the song. It takes special talent to stand out in this particular field of music but Chicago Farmer has it and does it.
In the second time in as many weeks, I was saying goodbye to a band I’ve come to know and love. First it was Funktion, now Strange Arrangement were announcing that they were going on hiatus for a little while. But in both cases, it’s not hard to imagine that this might be the last time I get to see them. Luckily, Strange played a show that I will remember fondly. There wasn’t a wasted moment the entire set. Old classics like “Mo” and “Pegasus,” new shredders like “Destination” and “Corner Store,” the best cover they do (LCD Soundsystem’s “I Can Change”), a Paul Hoffman sit-in on “The Route,” and maybe the funnest Strange jam ever thanks to a slick tease of Escort’s “Cocaine Blues” in the middle of “Bedbugs.” From whimsical to downright sinister, this set covered the entire Strange gamut. The magic of this band is their ability to cross-sect the emotional spectrum across a set as well as — thanks to their brilliantly elaborate compositions — even across a single song.
The band really seemed to be embracing the finality of the show, which came out in the never-before-seen solos from every member of the band (five pieces thanks to former drummer Bob Parlier in on percussion). Each guy took at least one turn at stepping up on a legit solo, which is already uncommon for these guys (their jams are pure teamwork, rarely a ‘leader,’ always a unit). As they were wrapping up the reprise of a huge “Pegasus” sandwich, literally the final little piece of the last song, I noticed Jimmy Conry fumble a distortion pedal switch. It definitely took him by surprise (I’ve never seen this happen to him before) and he missed his spot for one final lick flourish. A twinge of disappointment crossed his face and just like that the set was over. Immediately I thought, “There’s no way that’s the last note I ever hear from Strange Arrangement.” I hope my instinct is right on this one — Strange will be missed.
The last Greensky review we published was Tyler Sporer waxing poetic about Greensky’s time traveling tendencies. Heady stuff. Tough to follow up. But that’s pretty much identical to how this band makes me feel. There’s something about these guys, man… Most bands, even really good ones, often feel like they are coming at you from one direction — a two-dimensional feeling. But Greensky has this uncanny way of feeling like they surround you. Like the space between you and the people dancing around you is filled with fluid sound. A blanket of warm energy.
My current theory is that this feeling is conjured by the way they play together, often creating these interconnected harmonies within their jams. Hoffman (mandolin) or Bont (banjo) will link up with Devol (bass) at certain times to create an extra layer of sonic nuance, a sound with harmonies buried within the overall movements. This extra layer has this ‘fabric of existence’ thing going on, which explains the time-dilation effect that Tyler so eloquently described. Between the sustain of Anders Beck’s dobro and this sophisticated harmonizing, the sound becomes more than just sound, it becomes a sensation. Goosebumps and spine tingles. Greensky Bluegrass is a special, special band.