Friday The 13th, while frightening to some has never been an unlucky day for me but I don’t believe in superstition or maybe I just like to play the devils advocate, you can be the judge of that. If anything it was a lucky day for me since a week prior I was all but in the car headed to the show when Eric (Brumberg) replied to my text about being exited to see them. Apparently it was actually still a week away. That would have led to an interesting conversation at the door. “Hey Adam, how’s it going? No I don’t have a ticket, I’m on the guest list.”Followed by many minutes of very awkward “Are you sures” and “Maybe it’s under other names?” But now it was the correct day and as luck would have it traffic was light and I got to the 8×10 with time to spare.
As we all know the whole east coast was thawing out from a miserably cold February so the streets were now abuzz with people looking for something to get into. Lucky for them not only were the Brummy Brothers playing tonight but also Mountain Ride and The Quimby Mountain Band. Before long the house was filling up and Mountain Ride, out of Pennsylvania, took the stage playing a mix of originals and covers with a heavy dose of Dead. After hearing “They Love Each Other” and “Me And My Uncle” I was reminded of how stoked I was to have gotten a Dear Jerry ticket earlier that day, (thanks Josh!) I guess the stars were lined up just right for me. Then with “I Know You Rider” and “Deep Elem” I realized Mountain Ride was in the midst of a full on Dead Grass Jam. Even “The Thrill Is Gone” had visions of Garcia and Grisman swimming in my head. I couldn’t have wished for a better way to start the night off than it had and we still had plenty of music to come.
Next up was Quimby Mountain Band, one of two new folk style bands coming out of New Jersey that were playing here tonight. Quimby doesn’t seem to fall into any one category, rather they seem to have rock roots with blues influence and even some reggae thrown in to mellow the crowd out from time to time. I think Russel (Brummy’s Banjo Player) summed it up well when he said “Quimby Mountain Band sound kinda like if the Red Hot Chili Peppers were influenced by Willie Nelson”. QMB definitely had the right energy for this 8×10 crowd, with a sort of modern folk music living on the edge that kept feet stomping and the floor bouncing.
As the Brummy Brothers set began I nursed one of the two beers I was allowing myself for the night since I would be driving home to West Virginia. Just then the boys lead into “Weed Whiskey & Women” and I was instantly wishing I had some Beam in one hand a spliff in the other and a girl in my last. Playing to the crowd you’re given is an important skill for a band to acquire and The Brummy Brothers knew they nailed it when the whole bar erupted as they began AC/DC’s “You Shook Me” and then again with “Have A Cigar” by Pink Floyd.
Andrew was playing a new Eastman guitar tonight and it was obvious he was loving it, with lighting speed pickin that didn’t miss a beat during songs like “Batshit Crazy” and “Cell Phone Blues” It is no wonder I love these guys, they have so many songs that I can relate to. After A long night of taking pictures and dancin I was a little bummed to go but ready to rest up for night two at Gypsy Sally’s.
Night two coming soon, until then here are more pics of the night. Also if your in the area check out Mountain Rides CD release scheduled for April 23, 2015 at Roy Pitz Stube in Chambersburg, PA
