Phoffman/Beck Quartet at The Fox Theater [Review]
Uptown folk gon' give it to you
By Eric Frank
April 6, 2017
On Wednesday, April 5, The Phoffman/Beck Quartet took the stage at The Fox Theater in Boulder, CO. The foursome treated its audience to a glorious night of energetic and impassioned music, spreading ear to ear smiles across the room. The evening was one of positive vibes. I've heard it said that bluegrass shows garner some of the nicest, cheerful audiences in music, and that notion was on full display. With dancing room a'plenty, friendly pats on the back introduced favorite strangers.
While Paul Hoffman (of Greensky Bluegrass) seemed to be the band leader, each member had their shot at the role, offering a multitude of differing writing styles and themes. Anders Beck (dobro) offered thrilling hemiola builds, creating some serious tension and release that popped the Fox's top when they reached their resolution. Upright bassist Samson Grisman - of The Brotet and son of legendary mandolinist David Grisman - was rock-solid throughout, offering up the driving percussive force needed to make it all work.
My personal favorite, however, was the lesser known Billy Strings. The first line of his bio accurately reads: Whether sharing stages with acoustic music royalty, crisscrossing the nation playing as a solo artist or performing high-energy, jaw-dropping sets at festivals, the reaction to Billy Strings tends to come in two varieties: “Who is this guy?” and “That kid can play!".
At 24 years old, Billy shows both command and control, precision and passion that is often found only at later stages of one's musical career. An undeniable stage presence enthralled spectators while his fingers flew around the fretboard like a hummingbird feeding—blazing speed yet with careful and precise movements. To top it all off, the guy has wide-ranging vocal capabilities suited for quintessential bluegrass lead or smooth and buttery harmonies. I cannot express how utterly impressed I was with his talent and poise. Mark my words—the kid is going places.
Musically, the show was an all-encompassing melting pot of American music. From traditional bluegrass, to some rock n' roll, space exploration and uptown folk, there was a little something for everybody. And while I enjoyed the first set a tad better than the second, the band was absolutely on point and in perfect communication with one another the entire night, especially for a "new" band.
The Phoffman/Beck Quartet continues in Colorado for the next three nights. Do yourself a favor and GO SEE THIS BAND!
PHOFFMAN / BECK QUARTET TOUR DATES
Thursday, April 6 - Aggie Theater - Fort Collins
Friday, April 7 - Barkley Ballroom - Frisco, CO
Saturday, April 8 - Cervantes' Masterpiece Ballroom - Denver, CO
All photos © Matt Bryant and COjam: The Colorado Jam Scene