Getting into the jam with Yonder Mountain String Band

It’s Saturday night in the Aladdin Theatre, the crowd is rolling in at a rather lax pace. As at a typical Portland event, beanies abound. The Aladdin is an interesting venue, as it used to be a movie theatre - which means that there are a large number of seats and not a lot of standing room, which has filled up by the time the show begins at 8 sharp. 

When the band walks on, it seems like we (the audience) aren’t even there, they’re chatting to each other, picking on their respective instruments, and the crowd cheers them on. They pick up immediately into a song off their newest album, Nowhere Next. The album is a blend of lyrical mastery and excellent musicianship, and I was excited to see it played live. The first song moves into a long, psychedelic-ly jam, but then eventually circles back around the first song. Something that is immediately clear from the moment they start playing (besides their skill) is how much these guys enjoy playing music. They are up there purely for the love of the game. 

Yonder has been through many iterations over their 20-plus years of playing as a band. When the original mandolin player, Jeff Austin, left the band, they struggled for a while to find someone to fill his shoes. I can tell this problem is in the rearview mirror by not only how tight their picking is but also how much fun they’re all having with each other. Nick Piccininni, the current mandolin player (for 5 years and running!), absolutely shreds, and both he and Coleman Smith (fiddle), mesh extremely well into the band with the original 3 members Adam Aijala (guitar, vocals), Dave Johnston (banjo, vocals) and Ben Kaufmann (bass, vocals). Yonder has been a hard and fast pillar of newgrass/jamgrass, particularly in the PNW, for a long time. They have made countless appearances at Northwest Strings Summit, Horning's Hideout, and Pickathon. Their place in the bluegrass canon is firmly cemented, and the current live show and lineup make it clear that they aren’t going anywhere. 

As they moved through the first set, they played both classic older tunes and new ones. You could tell when they hit an older tune because the crowd really went wild. The shared history between the band and the audience is palpable, and they’re all eating it up. Midway through, Kaufmann calls up on stage a friend and fellow musician with “heart”, local Portland keyboardist Asher Fulero. Because they are an electrified bluegrass band, the keys fit into the group better than you might think. Not only that, but Fulero is extremely talented, and totally rips on the keys as he took many fantastic solos in both sets. Importantly, he isn’t overstepping or overshadowing any of the other players. The keys also add a more jam-like sound, evoking, maybe, The String Cheese Incident or Railroad Earth. After a short break, they come back on for a second set, again including new and old tunes that often blend into each other. This set combines classic Yonder songs like “Two Hits and The Joint Turned Brown” and “River” with new songs like “Leave The Midwest” and “Crusin’”.  The transitions are, of course, seamless, and every time someone takes a solo, the rest of the band steps back with a practiced ease, letting each member shine on their own. 

I would recommend never missing out on a chance to see Yonder. Even though I am a bit biased, having grown up in Colorado surrounded by their music, every show is different and special in its own way, and it is always a joy to gather together and spend a few hours with good music and have a good time. I can say for certain that a good time was had by all, and I can't wait until they come back around!

Written by Alli Sanders