For the next couple of weeks I will be tour manager for the American band Gangstagrass and if you're anywhere near their tour route I'd suggest you dropped into a gig. Gangstagrass blend Hip-hop percussion and bluegrass instrumentation with rap vocals and country backing. How does that work?? Better than anyone could imagine with "Banjo
arpeggios and Fiddle flourishes tucked between rapped
verses, creating a bridge between two seemingly disparate genres." And that last quote wasn't me it was in Rolling Stone where one of their songs has been voted into the top 10 of all time influential country songs. So that's a recommendation in itself.
I took this lot on a tour in 2016. At that time it was the UK and Holland. Donald Trump had just been elected and they were embarrassed. Bernie Sanders supporters to a man. And woman. It's almost 3 years later and it'll be interesting to know what they think now....
If this lot don't sum up what's best about Americana then I don't know what does. Maybe someone will cross Rage against the Machine with the Everly Brothers one day and that'll be that.
Tour itenary
The tour takes us from London on 29th January where they're playing the American Festival in
Hackney (at the Nightales) along with a host of other US bands to
Portsmouth, Wedgewood Rooms on Jan 30th then down to the
Pheonix in Exeter on31st.
By February they're up country. Well, Bristol. Where they play the
Thekla on Feb 1st and
Oxford 02 Academy on Feb 2nd then up to
Manchester Band on the Wall on Feb 3.
Hopefully hitting Scotland before the snow does, they'll be at the
Inchyra Arts Centre on Feb 5th and
Glasgow Hug and Pint on Feb 6th.
Back to England it's
Newcastle the Cluny on Feb 7th and
Birmingham 02 institute 3 on Feb 8th winding up at
the Garage on Highbury corner back in London on Feb 9th.
Rench yourself off your sofa
I'll be there. And so should you be Dave. Dave? Where's Dave gone. Bloody hell.
Red Smed
