Saw Gillian Welch last night

[John Ely]

An excellent show. There were, alas, no mandolins in sight all night, but the songs were wonderful, and David Rawlings is a very fine guitar player.

The Old Crow Medicine Show opened for her, a string band out of Nashville. Sort of bluegrass and old-time, but with a definite modern feel. Not spacegrass by any means, and a cool band. No mandolin though!

If this tour comes to your town, I would recommend seeing it.

[Mike Beatty]

While David Rawlings doesn't play mandolin, his breaks are very mando like and he has named Bill Monroe as a big influence on his playing. He never ceases to amaze me.

mwb

[BenE]

She will be here on Wednesday! I can't wait!

Be sure and check out the Old Crow show on the Woodsongs site. I have seen those guys several times and they are a fun band. Full of passion for their music!

[Vincent]

I was just listening this mornining to a live Welch/Rawlings recording and thinking he's got a lot of billisms sprinkled into his solos...they did a very slow version of True Life Blues that was great...

[John Ely]

Yup, they played True Life Blues here on Wednesday. Gillian Welch introduced it by saying; "We're going to play an old Bill Monroe number. I don't think Bill ever played it this slow." It was cool, and Rawlings does have an odd way of sounding like Bill Monroe on that old archtop of his. I could here Mr. Bill's downstrokes being channelled through Rawlings.

They are most excellent. I love there shows, they are all about the music. No flash or fancy stuff, just dang good music and I love Davids "monroe type" of guitar playing

[johnnymando]

Gillian and David have increadable harmonies,very haunting.I saw them a RockyGrass in 99,they blew everybody away.Shes a great song writer as well.NBB has done covers of her stuff like "Stillhouse"and "One more dollar".Anouther great tune is "Witchita".David can pull the tone out of that old Gibson guitar.

[KevinM]

David Rawlings plays a like 1935 Epiphone Olympic archtop. Sounds almost like a resonator. And I agree, especially on the live stuff you can find around the web, David definitely throws in some classic Monroe licks, albeit on an old guitar. They are incredible in concert.

[Michael H Geimer]

I just picked up Time (The Revelator) over the weekend. Yeah!

On my first listen through yesterday morning, I never made it past Red Clay Halo ... grabbed my guitar and learned the tune. Just couldn't resist a good song like that.

Today I have the CD at my desk, and just put on I Want to Sing that Rock and Roll - a song I recall from seeing them perform last fall. David's solo totally has that Monroe flavor being mentioned, and when I heard applause at the end of it I looked at the disc to find out it was recorded live at the Ryman. Very cool.

Now, since I couldn't very well play along - even though I do have the parlour guit here today http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif - I did Google the title. Well, the first page had the lyrics and chords ... so now I'll see if I can't make it through the song come the end of my workday here. (You see, It is now expected that I play something musical for the night shift before I go home! LOL In fact, I played 'em Red Clay Halo yesterday. )

I think those two are my true favorites among modern musicians. They are each just so tasty and inspiring.

- Benignus

[pathfinder]

I discovered Gillian and David for the first time two weeks ago, when I bought the DVD 'Down the Old Plank Road'.

Their haunting version of 'Katie Dear' (accompanied by the Chieftains!) was the highlight of the album.

[sunburst]

I absolutely love the songs, the harmonies, and perhaps most
of all, Davids guitar work.
I've heard him play Monroe licks more than once, but since I am
a b@^jo player, I've noticed a lot of Earl too. I bet he plays
stuff from other great musicions that I don't even catch because
I don't recognize it.

[KevinM]

If there would be any interest in getting a list together to either start a "mini-vine" (you get original recordings, burn them, and pass them on to next on the list) I'd burn my best GW-DR soundboards to get it started. You guys need to hear "Wichita" (not on any record, although it is on the DVD) and Dave's smoking solo on "Diamond Joe", just to name a couple of highlights. I only have live soundboards or FM broadcasts - there a quite a few out there, plus a fair number of audience tapes, but hard to find.

[delsbrother]

OK, I'M IN.... But I ain't got nuthin' to add.. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[acornett]

'Wichita' is a great song. I need to dig out some of my Gillian live shows and give them a relisten.

[KevinM]

If anyone is interested, please email me offlist (use the icon below, as I have my email feature on this website turned on)and we'll get started. I'm guessing a 6 cdr set spanning 1997 (or earlier)to 2001, all their best soundboards or FM broadcasts. It is awesome stuff. Another highlight is their acapella version of Stanley's "Bright Morning Star."

[carolynbeth]

Saw them at the Coach House in Southern Cal last summer, and it just knocked me over. They did Time (the Revelator) and rendered the crowd literally speechless....I just love Rawlings' style, very restrained and almost understated, but with such power at the same time. Wow.

I only have two of their CDs -- Time and Revival (the one that TBone Burnett produced for them) and both have been in heavy rotation on the ol' CD player ever since ...not to mention the iPod..:) Hope they swing through my 'hood again sometime soon!

Carolyn

[duuuude]

Hope they swing through my 'hood again sometime soon!
Carolyn
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Carolynbeth in da 'hood!

[carolynbeth]

da 'burbs would be more accurate, I guess....

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif