The father of my future children, and two other bands

Jake Armerding! Good god! So talented! The boy plays every instrument EVOR.

I had Miss SMI on my mind all last night. She would have loved the concert. It opened with Halali , three women on fiddles, one guy on guitar, some piano, some dance, some craaazy-tight harmonies. Jake went on after, in fine form, pure energy and soaring vocals. Then came Crooked Still, funktifying folk. The singer's voice was so light and airy, layered on a double-bass, banjo, and spastic cello.

When I say spastic... well it doesn't quite cover it. The cellist, Rushad Eggleston, was dressed in electric green and a Jughead Jones crown, and played the cello with an animalistic frenzy and complete precision. The boy was head-banging. I swear. It was impossible to look away.

Today I did some research on the lad, and he has his own band called Rushad Eggleston and His Wild Band of Snee. Do take a listen. (I highly recommend The Clover Show.)

Anyway, the whole night was excellent, the Somerville Theatre was packed tight with enthusiasts, and the energy pushing into us from the stage was phenomenal. It's amazing how YOUNG folk music is, I kept thinking. In Crooked Still, especially, I kept hearing strains of other song forms I love: jazz, blues, funk...

AND they had a Big Fat Finale, with all musicians on the stage! So much talent in one smallish space... It was mind-blowing. They finished with Graceland, led by Jake, transformed in turns into Celtic, bluegrass, and pure folk. It was bizarre and beautiful. I wish you could have heard it.