The five Canadians squeezed onto the stage and launched into a short old-timey instrumental, before delivering a perfect rendition of ‘Down In West Virginia’; a tale of the battle between booze and religion. The Louvin Brothers’ ‘Katie Dear’ was classic country with banjo and guitar fighting it out. Gospel number, ‘Every Humble Knee Surely Must Bow’ saw the whole group huddled around a single microphone stand, harmonising over a prowling double bass.
Keeping within the tragic code of country and blues, a tale of love lost and sorrows drowned was lifted by a full-on bluegrass break. It’s not often you get a song introduced as being about midwives in the 30s but they’re from Canada and it was as good a tale of hardship as most folk songs. Bass player Scott took centre stage to sing Johnny Cash’s ‘Get Rhythm’, accompanied by handclaps and himself, slapping out a rocking solo.
The band split into pairs for a few numbers, which saw a call and response between banjo bass and a beautiful, lilting song that sounded like Bill Evans meets Grand Ole Opry. All five regrouped for a rousing ‘Sea Shanty Square Dance’ and full on hoedown, which everyone soloed on and fiddle player Kathleen Nisbet proved herself a match for Hot Club’s Elana James. A jokey version of ‘Shotgun Wedding’ closed the first set.
By now, The Greys was feeling like Trees Lounge at 4am with the low lights and strong beer, the perfect setting for the band to each stretch out on another gospel song, ‘I Am The Man, Thomas’ before settling back behind the pleading vocals on Alison Krauss’s spiritual, ‘Lord Don’t Forsake Me’. ‘Milk And Honey’ was a catchy romp featuring the ensemble. Then after establishing that only one person in the audience had heard of it, Scott took lead vocal on The Kingston Trio’s ‘Ann’, a brilliantly saucy tale with speed vocals extolling the virtues of the girl in the title. Banjo player and caribou conservationist, Tyler Rudolph introduced and sang ‘Sadies Ghost’, a continuation of a 20s murder ballad. American folk music’s Irish influence was evident on ‘Wake Up Jack’. ‘Yonder Comes Sally’ was a simple banjo-led tale of humiliation, ostracising and death. Nice.
Comparisons to Old Crow Medicine Show are inevitable but this group prove that Vancouver could easily hold its own against North Carolina if tonight was anything to go by.
Viper Central at The Greys
Monday, 6 June
WORDS BY STEVE CLEMENTS
