Hot Buttered Rum & Head for the Hills

Wednesday, October 17, 2012 • Doors 8pm • Show 9pm • $12 Advance • $14 Day of Show • Over 18 Only

Initially formed as an acoustic string band, seven years of constant touring has transformed Hot Buttered Rum into a plugged-in, percussive powerhouse that wows critics and fans alike. Their left-coast rock reveals an access to jazz, country, and world music that few groups can match. While the band’s music belies simple categorization, its songwriting and stage chemistry delights listeners at every turn.

Hot Buttered Rum’s story is one of evolution. The “high altitude bluegrass” era captured on their first studio album, In These Parts, found the band enjoying success at such diverse stages as the Newport Folk Festival, Bonnaroo, Grey Fox, High Sierra, Wakarusa, and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. Along the way, the group shared the stage with some of today’s most accomplished artists, including Phil Lesh, Bela Fleck, Ben Harper, and Nickel Creek’s Chris Thile. In 2006, acoustic pioneer Mike Marshall produced Hot Buttered Rum’s second studio album, Well-Oiled Machine, and captured the sound of a hard-touring band charting its course along the highways and byways of American music.

The continued expansion of Hot Buttered Rum’s sound and writing found a home in Live in the Northeast. More electric pickups made their way to the stage, along with an increased focus on songwriting. As the band developed a heavier sound, fans and press began to describe them as a rock band with acoustic instruments. It therefore came as no surprise when, following the departure of mandolinist Zac Matthews, the other founding members Aaron Redner (fiddle and mandolin), Bryan Horne (upright bass), Nat Keefe (guitar), and Erik Yates (banjo, guitar, woodwinds, and resophonic guitar) joined forces with Bay Area drummer Lucas Carlton.

Head for the Hills

“Head for the Hills has created a sound that is all at once organic, precise, timeless, and brand-new,” as reported by the Missoula Independent. The acclaimed Colorado quartet has been receiving nation-wide recognition in response to their refreshing take on acoustic music. Described as progressive acoustic/contemporary roots, H4TH produces an endearing mixture of homegrown compositions, traditional harmonies, and improvisation. In the live setting, H4TH effortlessly ventures into a myriad of musical styles and sonic landscapes that appeal to a boundless array of listeners.

To get a sense of Head for the Hills’ snowballing momentum, look no further than the surrounding talent on their self-titled sophomore release (2010), Head for the Hills. The album garnered the group a charted position on the CMJ Top 200 national radio listings. The six-year old pickers attracted heavyweights like longtime bluegrass aficionado, Drew Emmitt (Leftover Salmon) as their producer who took them up to Bill Nershi’s Sleeping Giant studio to record.  And in 2007, for their debut studio effort, “Robber’s Roost,” the band joined forces with the talented producer/performer Sally Van Meter.

Many respected avenues have sighted Head for the Hills as the next breath of fresh air to emerge from the acoustic realm. With direction from a plethora of talented company and an ever-evolving approach to progressive acoustic music, there is no telling what successes lay ahead for this group of talented musicians.

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 17th, 2010 at 1:40 pm and is filed under Past Shows. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.