LIVE: Yonder Mountain String Band Electrifies Putnam Place 10/19/2019

Colorado progressive bluegrass Yonder Mountain String Band electrified Saratoga Springs with their high energy performance at Putnam Place Saturday, October 19th.

With over 100 minutes of live, original music plastered with quality covers, Yonder Mountain String Band performed song after song of fresh bluegrass that depended equally on instrumentation as it utilized vocals. Allie Kral’s violin performance stands out as uniquely placed in a five person string band, but no more so than Ben Kauffman’s bluegrass bass playing or Jacob Joliff’s mandolin performance.

The musicians, including David Johnston on the five wire (banjo), and Adam Aijala on guitar, matched one another’s musicianship and elevated performances as each took turns singing, soloing, and improvising on stage.

Allie Kral’s vocals on “Mystic Mountain Hop” was a spot on example of both the musicians’ range and flexibility in style. Powerfully sexy and uncharacteristically different from the song before it, “Mystic Mountain Hop” was nothing short of mind blowing as it shifted in and out of jam sessions highlighting each band members’ talent.

The crowd at Putnam Place cheered, clapped along with the music, stomped boots on the ground and danced along as Yonder Mountain String Band blew through their jam like set with few chances to catch your breath.

Accompanied by a delicious light show, with a technician who knew the songs well enough to hand choreograph changes and dance along with the music, Yonder Mountain String Band had the feel of a big stadium headliner placed within this small and intimate venue.

Setlist: Loved You Enough, Things You’re Selling, Troubled Mind > 20 Eyes (Misfits cover) > Troubled Mind, Jet Airliner (Paul Pena cover), Saint in the City (Bruce Springsteen cover) > Landfall > SITC, Misty Mountain Hop (Led Zeppelin cover), Keep On Going, Criminal, On Your Dime, White Rabbit (Jefferson Airplane cover), Cetal
Encore: Sharecropper’s Son (Carter Stanley cover), Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed cover)

Photo Gallery by Jim Gilbert