Railroad Earth | 09.26.08 | S.F.

Great Review. I stumbled across these guys a couple years ago at Wakarusa and was blown away. I went to see bands like Mule and Assembly of Dust and left saying that RRE was the best show of the weekend. I hope many others get out and see what people are quickly finding out. These guys are amazing.

truly a great live act, never seen these guys play a bad show . nice review . interesting lineup as well, maybe its cuz i havent seen them in a year or more

That would be Johnny Grubb on the bass -- a solid guy and an outstanding bass player. He has been playing with RRE since 2003 or so. As expected, it was a great weekend at the Fillmore. Both nights were phenomenal, but Saturday was through the roof. We'll see you hobos for the NYE run in Portland!

I see these guys every chance I get. A few years ago a friend argued with me that they werent really bluegrass because they had a drummer. Call it whatever you want, but RRE is one of my favorite live acts right now.

i played before these guys at all good festival, and they blew me away. definetly one of the better performances ive seen, ill be going to see them play again and again..

the fact they have played will phil is a testament to what amazing musicians these guys are..

A really great review for RRE, does them perfect justice...there's truly something mystical about this band that I love... YMSB>RRE at canopy club, whos with me here? CANT FUCKIN WAIT!!!

Wonderful article, Dennis! I absolutely LOVE that Jambase had someone like you cover the show.. Someone who wasn't familiar with them or their music. It goes to prove that Railroad Earth is a truly marvelous band with unspeakable talent and that they are gaining new fans every day!

Sue ~ your photography at the show was stellar, as always!! You always take the most awesome pix!!!

thank you Railroad Earth for another great night of dancing in SF. i didn't see friday night's show, but the one on saturday. these guy's just keep getting better everytime i see them. thank you.

I will be at the Canopy Club, its one of my favorite small venues in the midwest! I Saww RRE @ the house of blues a few weeks ago and it was one of the best shows ive been to all year...and RRE is not bluegrass.

^^^its lovely epicgrass

^^ epic grass, ilike that (as well as spacegrass- cornmeal and jamgrass- yonder)

i too will be at the canopy and then st louis with them the next night (and little feat)

its gunna be an amazing weekend

Great to see the positive review and comments for this band. I love the picture of the drummer. He always looks totally blissed out when they're playing. I love seeing musicians really into what they are playing. It really adds to the good vibes.

Great review and pics! These guys get better and better every time I see them. Wish I could have made it to the Fillmore!

I've these guys about 20 times between when I lived in MD and Magfests. They are always a great time and they just get better as the years go by. I wish they would play Columbus, Dayton, or Cincinnati some time. It is impossible to pigeonhole their music as any certain genre but I would definitely consider it to be uplifting. You will always leave a RRE show feeling better about life than before.

ahhhhhhhh what can I say, another creative inspiring review by Cook, and more incredible shots by Sue. My sentiments exactly. Both nights were amazing at the Fillmore. Although I personally would pick Friday, Saturday was by far the better playing and more intense jams. Jeff Miller of New Monsoon came out on Sat for Hunting Song and just typhooned the earthy landings. Both nights had their soft and crazy, like RRE shows should. Saturday just had the sound dialed in even more, and Todds vocals shined brighter than I have ever heard them in my 6 years seeing this band out west. The crowd both nights were hobo-licious. Dennis Cook talks about sharing with hobos after the show. Funny, I gave a nug to this rapper who coined us "the nicest group of folk outside the Fillmore in years". It was definitely a weekend of good SF synchronicities as well and a glow hung over the fog sun dreams of the bay area with September on the railroad Earth.

I just found out Newport, KY is right across the river. I'm there!

Saw these guys at Yarmony Grass and was blown away.

Exactly what I was thinkin' the whole weekend. I was slathered in "Joy Jelly" all night saturday. Railroad Earth's music speak to the collective heart, probably because it comes directly from it as well.

I used to be on the fence about this band. I went saturday night and WOW!! They are on fire right now. I was moved by the vibe in the room. All smiles. The playing of the mando creature was inescapable and Carbone was lights our all night. I am a fan!!!! Go Railroad.

I was at the House of Blues show in Chicago. These guys are the best jamgrass band out there right now - pure musical bliss! And Tim Carbone's a fucking rockstar!!

Never miss a chance to see these guys when they come around. I hope they make it back to the NW sometime soon.

these guys are great, but not enough tunes and variety to really mix it up. I have only seen 5 shows, but all way too similar. I do love the psychadellic bluegrass, but they are nothing compared to cheese, which many people seem to think they are the next cheese.

Off the fence as well, the Denver Ogden shows got me on board. They are the next Railroad Earth!

Hey ya'll - RRE announched their New Year's run yesterday. It is going to be a great run to bring in the New Year. Got my tix yesterday and I hear they are nearly sold out. Cheers to the EARTH! NYE @ The Aladdin Theater in Portland OR... Venue only holds 620 at max.

Theyre totally the next Railroad Earth! While I was always a huge Cheese fan, I always felt closer to what RRE is. Cheese does excel at mixing it up and variety like a good jam band should, but I always loved RRE's attention to detail and honing in on THEIR sound as opposed to being all over the map. Vocals too, are of utmost importance to me personally, which always pushed me to be a little more into RRE than SCI. Depends on what you want and like more....nobodys right or wrong, its all just up to taste.

With that said, I got my 3 night pass for Oregon NYE!!!

And dont forget; These guys make songwriting important again. Great article and pix!

I love joy jelly!

great band on the rise, great review and pics, thank you!!

As far as RRE not having enough tunes or variety (as one commenter posted above), I could not disagree more. In only 7 years, this band has put out 4 albums and a double-disc live album and the number and variety of high quality songs is beyond impressive. Todd is an amazing poet/song writer and, as anyone familiar with his solo stuff can attest to, there are many beautiful songs just waiting to be wrapped in RRE goodness (and many more to come, no doubt). The ocassional cover song, whether it's Jerry, GD, Robert Earl Keen, Tom Waits or the Doors, is always a new twist on an old favorite. I am excited to see what the future holds for these guys. They certainly deserve whatever success comes their way.

Great photography and review. Only one minor error in the piece which was promptly corrected.

Dennis, you hit the nail on its head when you said: "their songs are future classics with the depth and potential to last lifetimes."

Onward and upward!

Great review! One of the most well-written I've read on here in a long time. Being a huge fan of both SCI and Railroad Earth I don't see how any comparison can be made - apples and oranges. RRE is in a class by itself, hard to categorize as most good music is. I've been listening to the new CD over and over since it came out - at first I thought the songs were not as well-written and deep as previous albums but the more I listen the more I like. I sure hope they make it down to Florida again soon. SpringFest is too far away!

One of my favorite bands of the moment. Listening to these guys is like "sitting on the front porch of the world". They are the musical tonic for wot ails you. And the medicine only works better with repeated listenings. Like someone above noted. You ALWAYS leave a RRE show feeling all the better for having seen it. I'm on their street team and I must say that Gayle, their promotions person is one of the most awesome folks around as is all of the band members. Tim Carbone is an awesome fiddle player and a most proficient producer. He is producing the next album of some friends of mine, another great band called Boris Garcia. check 'em out!

Carbone is multi dimensional splendor! Skehan has a mando personality that tears through fog. But its Andy Goessling's multi instrumental talents with that deep hearted dobro that gives me the most goosebumps. He might be my favorite musician to watch of all time.

This is how to write a review----good or bad.Superbly written!!! Ocassionally the Dead,Cheese,Phish,Dylan,etc...have an off night.Been to 20+ plus RRE shows and they always deliver----fresh and fun!!!See ya in Birmingham and Chattanooga.

caught RRE in MPLS a couple weeks ago and they blew me out of the water. WOW! Much improved over their Varsity Theater show a couple yrs ago. The crowd was focused and rowdy and everyone danced (Cabooze kix a$s). They were supper tight and every musician took clever, tight solos. The song selection connected with the audience and the flow was smooth. It was a nice balance of improvisational instrumentals and "sing-along" songwriting. GREAT REVIEW!

Looking for a copy of this show. Lack of tapers at the Fillmore unexpected. gregnsara@comcast.net

i saw RRE this month and i wasnt digging it. i actually left early. seen em a few times but i just couldnt get into it. ill definitely give them more chances tho

The connection with the Dead is what most people hear, yet it's hard to explain. This is my take: Bill Monore started a style which for years nobody else really did or expanded on. But now there "bluegrass" bands which clearly owe a lot to Monore, yet don't sound like the Bluegrass Boys that much. RRE aren't the Dead, anymore than New Grass Revival is Bill Monore, but finally somebody has done best tribute to the Grateful Dead ever: Take the essence of their beauty and sound and come with something fresh & new.

Goodness I believe Todds songwriting and this band are tributing themselves....they just have a heart and soul not unlike the Dead. The focus is more true though, and the Dead were more journey men.

TAPERS!! HELP!!! I swear I saw a few in the room. Recordings, where? Livedownloads? HELP! THey could at least release Sat. show on livedownloads.....if I were the band I would want the world to hear that awesomeness.