Strangefolk Lacks Energy (and Audience)

Author: Liz Braunstein

To the delight of many barefooted, grooving students who filled nearly half of the McCullough Social Space on Sept. 20, Strangefolk performed a two-hour show to promote their newly released live album, "Coast to Coast." Their set began with a rendition of the "Fat Albert" theme song, which included long interludes of electric jams backed by a strong bass and keyboard foundation. However, Strangefolk's performance drew a much smaller crowd than their opening act, Virginia Coalition (VACO), and failed to excite the audience in the same way in which the preceding act had.
Strangefolk originated in Burlington, Vt., in 1991 as an acoustic duo called Strange Folk, but has since evolved to become a quintet comprised of Jon Trafton on guitar and vocals, Luke Patchen Montgomery on guitar and vocals, Erik Glocker on bass guitar and vocals, Luke Smith on drums and Don Scott on keyboard. Their music is a combination of bluegrass, rock and folk and upholds high-quality lyrical content.
Their song lyrics tell stories, and yet flow like verse. They tend to reflect themes of internal struggle, relationships or even the need to be a part of the music. Lyrics like "Down I'd go all the way / but I'm caught in the middle" and "Brother's asleep/The water's too deep," illustrate the thoughtful and poetic flow of their songs. Even more notably, the uplifting beat and elongated jam intervals, combined with impressive and soulful vocals, make Strangefolk's music both expressive and emotional.
The active fan base of Strangefolk has created, in conjunction with the band, a philanthropic organization called "Strangers Helping Strangers." The group travels to Strangefolk performances in New England, where members collect food and donations to aid homeless shelters in Addison County. Annually, the Garden of Eden Festival features musical performances to show support for the organization while serving as a venue for volunteers to run a massive drive for local shelters.
Last Friday's performance, however, lacked energy and enthusiasm from Strangefolk band members, which caused many people to lose interest and leave the concert after the first few songs.
Throughout the night, Strangefolk barely interacted with the remaining crowd and said little except to announce the release of their new CD and to say (several times) that their microphones needed to be tuned up. The vocals seemed impassive, although musically appeasing, and the rifs tended to be repetitive and uninventive.
Their set included "In Deep," "Get You Movin'" and "Come on Down," as the band mostly played songs featured on their new CD. The lackluster performance ended with a cover of Bob Marley's "Could You Be Loved" that, although it pleased fans, was a poor tribute to the legend.
In contrast to Strangefolk's performance, the much younger VACO entertained the crowd, displaying their varied musical talent.
The group featured Andrew Thunder on vocals, guitar and congas; Steve Dawson on vocals and guitar; Paul Ottinger on piano, keyboards, percussion and bass; Jarrett Nicolary on bass, piano, keyboards and vocals and John Patrick on drums and vocals.
This southern-based band is founded on rock with a slight county twang. Although less musically artistic than the headliners, their energy was incredible. VACO engaged the fans throughout their set, prompting some students to crowd-surf while others pulsed their bodies to the beat of the bass guitar. Using a washboard, wooden blocks and congas, the band created a lively aura that filled the hall.
Although they lacked the vibrant energy that VACO exuded, at least Strangefolk's superior ability and quality made one appreciate their performance from a more thoughtful and musical perspective.
Strangefolk will continue to tour in the next few months. After a visit to the West Coast, the band will come back east in the late fall. They will perform at the Paradise in Boston on Oct. 30 and then return back to nourish their roots in Vermont. They play the Higher Ground in Winooski, Vt., on Nov. 2 and 3.
For complete information on tour dates, band members' bios, merchandise and information about live recordings and albums, check out Strangefolk's Web site: www.strangefolk.com.
For similar information on the Virginia Coalition, including information on their latest album "Rock and Roll Party," visit their Web site: www.virginiacoalition.com.