Words and Images by Libby Smith
Last Sunday, I ventured across Bristol to experience the sounds of the wonderful Canadian bluegrass quartet, The Slocan Ramblers. Having no idea what I was truly in for, I made my way to the venue. It was a hidden gem tucked away near Park Street called the Bristol Folk House, and I found my seat right at the front. The staff were welcoming, and I grabbed a pint of local cider before eagerly making my way to the hall filled with seats and dressed with string lights, creating a beautiful atmosphere that set the scene for the performers of the night.
I began making conversation with those quickly filling the seats around me and realized that Bristol’s love for The Slocan Ramblers was plentiful; they had quite the UK following. Beginning in Toronto, Canada, the band consisted of Frank Evans on the main vocals and banjo, Darryl Poulson beside him with a guitar, Charles James on the double bass, and lastly Adrian Gross on the mandolin. However, the band announced that Gross had recently become a father and was being replaced in these shows by the amazing Casey Campbell. Their immaculate skills certainly didn’t go unrecognized across the world, winning numerous bluegrass awards throughout their career. As someone who had never really experienced bluegrass music, I truly wasn’t prepared for the night ahead.
The lights dimmed, and the room fell silent as they took to the stage. Immediately, they filled the room with a warm, soothing yet energetic vibe, leaving the audience hungry for their performance. They were incredibly friendly and interactive with the crowd. Yet, the second the banjo was plucked, they erupted into rockstars of the bluegrass world, providing the hall with extremely fast-paced, uplifting tunes that made it difficult to stay in your seat. With a beaming smile on my face and my head nodding to the beat, The Slocan Ramblers did an incredible job educating me about the wonders of this genre. The fast songs, the slow songs, and everything in between took me on a rollercoaster of emotions, memories, and stories told by the four musicians.
Their performance throughout the two hours consisted of sharing songs from their new album, Up the Hill and Through the Fog, as well as nailing covers from the world of country and bluegrass, such as the legendary Tom Petty. They brought an incredible energy that could only be described as deep southern American country merged into modern and uplifting pop country. One song would give me the urge to bounce around the room, and the next would transport me to a front porch in Texas, rocking in a chair with a piece of straw in my mouth. It was hypnotizing the entire time. The quartet even took the time to mingle with the audience during the break, happily greeting their fans and thanking them for coming while getting involved in conversations and small talk. This is something I hadn’t really experienced during gigs before, and I was truly touched as I watched from afar, seeing how well they treated those who took the time to come and watch them before they once again took to the stage.
Their incredible skills on each instrument left the entire venue in awe. They played so fast that their hands became a blur, yet they could flawlessly cover intense and slow ballads, such as John Hartford’s popular bluegrass anthems. It is very rare at a gig that each song is entirely encapsulating, but The Slocan Ramblers managed to do just that, leaving the crowd completely speechless before finally erupting into a room of applause, shouts, and claps as they finished the last song on their UK tour. Despite knowing that this four-piece band had become a must-see in the bluegrass scene, I was simply blown away by the intense energy coming from them and their instruments. I couldn’t help but roar along with the crowd as they played their final song. As the curtains closed, I left with a strong sense of appreciation for having witnessed their raw talent live, while also finding a newfound love for the genre of modern bluegrass.
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