ENTERTAINMENT BUZZ
Something’s Phishy at Cain’s this May
By Julie Wenger Watson
Although the band’s early
composition leaned more
toward traditional bluegrass,
live shows these days
highlight the band’s love of
extended improvisations. The
band members’ wide-open
approach to their traditional
instruments and their rock
and roll perspective fosters
creativity in their music.
Trey Anastasio Band
TULSA, Okla. – Tulsa’s historic
Cain’s Ballroom brings on
the jam this month with
shows from Phish founder
Trey Anastasio May 2 and
Michigan-based bluegrass
rockers Greensky Bluegrass
May 18. Both shows are a
no-miss for fans of winding,
improvisational, musical
journeys – audio adventures
in the time-honored tradition
of the Grateful Dead.
Well known for his “other”
gig as Phish frontman,
Anastasio has released 10
albums as a solo artist. His
latest, 2015’s Paper Wheels,
features the classic Trey
Anastasio Band (TAB) lineup
of drummer Russ Lawton,
bassist Tony Markellis, and
keyboardist Ray Paczkowski,
supplemented by a big ol’
horn section.
Anastasio brings all of his
talent as a guitarist, vocalist
and composer to his solo
work and TAB side projects,
funneling the same kind
of the energy, fun and
experimentation into TAB
that he does into his much
loved Phish. For fans of
the jam, this will be an
unforgettable show.
Michael Arlen Bont (banjo),
Dave Bruzza (guitar), Mike
Devol (upright bass) and Paul
Hoffman (mandolin). While
that might sound like your
standard bluegrass band,
Greensky are as much a rock
and roll band as they are
traditional pickers.
“There’s this great duality
to our band,” explained
Hoffman in a previous
interview. “We’re existing in a
few different places at once:
we’re a bluegrass band and
a rock band, we’re song-
driven and interested in
extended improvisation.”
“We play acoustic
instruments, but we put on
a rock and roll show,” Beck
concurred. “We play in
bigger clubs and theaters,
there’s a killer light show,
and we’re as loud as your
favorite rock band.”
Born in Michigan in 2000,
Greensky Bluegrass is a
six-piece outfit consisting
of Anders Beck (dobro),
14
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“We were always coming
at bluegrass backwards,”
Hoffman says. “We were
better musicians than we
were bluegrass musicians. I
didn’t buy a mandolin until I
was 18. Dave [Bruzza] didn’t
start playing acoustic guitar
until he was 18. Bont got
a banjo when he was 20.
We discovered that, when
it came to learning these
instruments, we preferred
to do so by improvising
and writing our own songs,
instead playing standard
material and fiddle tunes.”
The result is a powerful,
defiant sound, rooted in
Americana, but quick to
push the boundaries and
explore any and all musical
possibilities.
For more information on
these shows and a complete
Cain’s calendar, visit www.
cainsballroom.com.
Chance Anderson/
Cameran Nelson/
Randy Rogers Band/
Aaron Einhouse
Calf Fry 2017
(Tumbleweed Dance Hall)
Stillwater, OK
Camille Harp
Grady’s 66 Pub
Yukon, OK
G
Brothers Moore
The Hunt Club
Tulsa, OK
Echelon Acoustic
Max’s Garage
Muskogee, OK
Snails
OKC Farmers Market
Event Center
OKC, OK
Ryan Hutchens
Red Brick Bar
Norman, OK
Scissor Tails
Sauced on Paseo
OKC, OK
Band of Lovers
Soul City of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK
Tulsa Overground
Soundpony
Tulsa, OK
S
B
S
P
Soundpony 11 Year
Anniversary!!!
Soul Night
Soundpony
Tulsa, OK
Lauren Barth CD Re-
lease Party
The Colony
Tulsa, OK
Levi Parham
The Okie
McAlester, OK
Aaron Woods Band
CD Release
The Shrine
Tulsa, OK
Lotus Land
The State Theatre
Harrah, OK
Shortt Dogg
The UCO Jazz Lab
Performance Venue
Edmond, OK
Greensky Bluegrass
Jim Gaffigan
Winstar Casino &
Resort
Thackerville, OK