Best known as a stand-up comic, Emmy award winning writer, playwright, producer, and mostly actor/movie star, few know that Steve Martin is also a Grammy Award winning musician and composer. Martin and his band, The Steep Canyon Rangers sold out Humphrey's Concerts By The Bay on a Wednesday night, no easy feat even for seasoned veterans of the concert series.
Billed as An Evening of Bluegrass and Banjo, Martin also provided ample entertainment between songs with his wry humor and deadpan delivery. Blending his comedic genius with amazing musical compositions (all of the evening’s songs were written by him) Martin showed how seriously he takes his music. Without a doubt the most amazing pickin' and grinnin' I have heard in many, many years.
Opening with the ripping instrumental Pitkin County Turnaround, the band settled into a groove early and often. "By the way, if you're not enjoying the show you're wrong" Martin informed the audience between songs before announcing that earlier in the day the band was nominated for five awards by the International Bluegrass Music Association:
Entertainers of the Year
Album of the Year (Rare Bird Alert)
Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year (“Rare Bird Alert,” written by Martin)
Best Liner Notes for a Recorded Project for Rare Bird Alert (Martin – writer, Rounder)
Best Graphic Design for a Recorded Project for the same album (G. Carr and Salli Ratts – designers, Rounder)
The show featured many songs from Rare Bird Alert including the title track, the A-Capella (and very funny) Atheists Don't Have No Songs, and the best break-up song ever, Jubilation Day.
"If you're like me" Martin quipped before launching into Go Away Stop Turn Around Come Back "whenever I hear a band say they're gonna do one of their new songs, I think oh... please don't... just play the hits! I just wanna hear the hits and I'll tell you what... take your new song and make it a HIT and I'll come back! And I'll sing it along with ya!"
Next time they come around, pony up for the tickets, you will thank me.
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