TOWN MOUNTAIN
February 17, 2024
Concert Review & Photos: David Simchock
Venue: Salvage Station - Asheville, North Carolina
It was a great time to be a music fan in Asheville, North Carolina this past weekend with Billy Strings passing through town with a string (no pun intended) of three sold-out shows at the "civic center" (aka Harrah's Cherokee Center at Asheville -- but, like others, I still call it the "civic center"), along with a host of other live music events surrounding it.
Yeah, so what else is new in Asheville? And, yeah, yeah. I know... Every weekend is a great weekend for live music in Asheville. Heck, you can catch some great live music any day of the week in this city, so why should a Billy Strings Friday through Sunday run be any different?
Though my Nikons and I didn't get to partake in the excitement over at the arena, I was lucky enough to cover a couple of sold-out late-night shows at the Salvage Station where I have been the house photographer for a few years now.
Saturday night brought us ever-evolving local bluegrass / Americana / country pickers, Town Mountain, with special guest sit-ins from members of Fireside Collective (Jesse Iaquinto - mandolin, Tommy Maher - lap guitar, and Joe Cicero - guitar), along with a show-ending horn section collab with Alex Bradley (trumpet) and Kyle Snuffer (trombone). On pedal steel and lap guitar for the entire evening was TM gig regular Matt Smith (of Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters).
As I've known the Town Mountain fellas for over a decade now, and have seen them perform countless times, I may be a little partial in stating this, but Saturday's gig was my favorite TM show ever. And, I don't say that lightly, as there have been a few corkers over the years. Why was this one so special, you ask? Without a doubt, the general vibe of the weekend's festivities carried over into the capacity indoor room at the Salvage Station, combined with the aforementioned special guest sit-ins.
But, even without all that extracurricular activity, I just felt like the band was firing on all cylinders in perfect chemistry with the newest member, drummer Camry Harris. I've been fascinated with the band's energy elevation since adding a drummer to their live shows, and Camry certainly didn't disappoint. He and bassist, Zach Smith, were locked in tight the entire show, despite Camry only being with the band for a short period of time.
Of course, founding members Robert Greer (guitar / vocals) and Phil Barker (mandolin / vocals) and long-time fiddle virtuoso, Bobby Britt, added to all of that infectious energy, as you'd expect from any Town Mountain concert. What particularly stands out for me now is Phil Barker's confident stage presence, especially with his now-expanded role as lead vocalist on many songs. I remember "way back when" when Phil, though in full command of his mando, tended to keep a much lower profile on stage, with Greer taking on the lead roles as both singer and occasional clown (see lead photo to this review).
Thinking back, when the popular song, Lawdog, hit the local airwaves back in 2012 (Leave the Bottle album), with Barker singing lead, the vocal balance began to shift. Now over ten years on from Lawdog, it seems like Barker is on the mic for half the songs (but, Greer remains the lead poser on stage for us photogs!).
And, yes, Lawdog was on the set list, as the band delivered a solid two-set performance, with the second set of the night being loaded with sit-ins from the Fireside guys, and later with a horn section. I would have never imagined Town Mountain with a trumpet and trombone, but it sure did work well, and brought things to another level. Could it be time for the fellas to deliver a Steely Dan cover? Now, that I would love to see!
I can't help but think that Town Mountain is honing in their identity, deviating from their bluegrass roots, and after so many years of hard work and investment in their craft, they're on their way to big things -- and big venues. I, for one, hope to see them again on the big outdoor stage at the Salvage Station this summer (minus the rain that crept in at their October show there), but I'm also not averse to having them again host the July 4th Celebration at "my" local venue, 185 King Street in Brevard, NC.
Whatever the case may be, we're all in for a treat as these local Asheville lads blaze a new trail.
Photos © Copyright David Simchock (Do not copy or publish without permission.)
