If not for the half-joking comment of a friend, this writer may never have appreciated the depth of diversity in the music styles of Dirtfoot and Cornmeal. Both bands sport drummers that add a heavy rhythm to their music that is rarely found in traditional bluegrass bands and the combination of the saxophonist from Dirtfoot, Scott Gerardy, brings a taste of ska to the bands' sound like no other bluegrass outfit. When Dirtfoots' sax and second percussionist, Daniel Breithaupt joined Cornmeal for their finale, the sound of fusion between ska and bluegrass was complete.
The Bottleneck had a decent crowd by the time Dirtfoot began their set, but this brilliant pair of bands deserved a full-house. Unfortunately their tour brought them to town on the first night of Fall Break at the University of Kansas, so a lot of music lovers had just left town. Still, it was nice to have a little room to breathe on the full, but spaced dance floor. The Louisiana "Gypsy Punk Country Grumble" band has a good reputation for throwing down energetic, dance-able tunes while getting the crowd involved. Cans of dried beans were passed out at the beginning of the show so the audience could shake them to the beat as the drummer and second percussionist rocked out heart-racing paces. The band's sound features a great deal of diversity which comes in part from the way the stand-up bassist switches to an electric guitar, while their saxophonist can play either the alto or bass sax depending on the tune. The audience was fired up for these guys and even more so for the second headliner.
Cornmeal has a way of sweeping up a listener by the ears and carrying them away on a journey through music. Their long, flowing songs have a jam-band stamina about them, with the climactic spikes and choruses that keep the energy high from start to finish. Cornmeal is also known for their great original songs as well as fantastic covers, including such bands as The Grateful Dead and The Rolling Stones. What appears to be an acoustic guitar can actually leap into high-pitch electric riffs, and the banjo has similar powers. Their stand-up bassist and drummer are more than just back up, but explore and expand on their rhythm, while the fiddle's voice sings a sweet melody. For the last few songs the band was joined by the sax and percussionist from Dirtfoot for a climactic last few songs.
After finishing their set, the band headed off stage. The healthy, but lazy crowd stood around the dance floor, neither cheering for an encore, nor moving to leave. Out of forty people only five of the fans cheered for the encore. After giving up cheering, the ungrateful crowd was rewarded with a fantastic finish when the whole band and three members of Dirtfoot returned to the stage. People must have already been smoking cigarettes outside before the end of the set, because suddenly the dance floor was as crowded as it ever had been in the show. The band played "Sympathy For The Devil," by The Rolling Stones, a quality cover that left the audience satisfied.
Cornmeal and Dirtfoot stop off in Lawrence at least once a year and always put on fun, passionate shows. They deserved a better turn out last night but it was bad luck that they came to town on the first night of Fall Break. With any luck they'll get a better turn out next time!
Comments