Last Wednesday, Radio Rubber Room presented The Dream Machine and bluegrass six-piece Relacksachian. TDM kept the tempo slow and steady with some of their more recent, folkier songs - a nice segway for the smooth rolling, chimey mountain sound of Relacksachian.
I've taken a liking to the newer wave of TDM material. Frontman Jason Hunnicutt recently introduced a handful of his early acoustic work into TDM's live show - songs like Family Tree and Lightweight Traveler, which I catch myself mindlessly humming from time to time. I think these more easygoing songs come across as a bit more natural to the listener's ear; they're simpler, and require less of an instrumental strain for the band.
Having a breezy bluegrass band like Relacksachian for a closing act was refreshing. An inherent obstacle that comes with bluegrass is getting a good live mix through amps. Aided by resident soundman Justin Lewis, Relacksachian managed to capture a near perfect mix among all their trickier elements: fiddle, guitar, mandolin, spoons, washboard. All members of Relacksachian are tremendously capable musicians - I was particularly impressed by some of frontman Adam Beason's rolling flatpicking. Having come from the hills of the Blue Ridge myself, I felt right at home with these guys. It sounds gay, but just seeing them up on stage made me feel like I was in the mountains; apparently they evoke the exact emotion they seek to evoke. Check out the Relacksachian homepage for upcoming shows.
This Wednesday at The Republic, Radio Rubber Room presents The Dream Machine and Skitzo Sound Movement, a local rock/jam band that seems to have a bit of something for everyone, including a diverse reportoire of covers. Last week was an easy breezy one. Something tells me we're in for a little more of a shitstorm rockout this week. Come out to The Republic, 10 pm Wednesday.
Hit up the event page HERE for more info!