Allie Kral Adds Fiddle Fire To Greensky Bluegrass’ SweetWater 420 Fest Set

Greensky Bluegrass returned to the stage for the first time in over two months on Saturday to headline the second night of the 2025 SweetWater 420 Fest at Atlanta’s Pullman Yards. The jamgrass quintet brought out old pal Allie Kral in the middle of their two-hour set to add fiddle to “Leap Year.”

The unexpected break in GSBG’s tour came after the band postponed March tour dates due to “unforeseen circumstances.” Greensky Bluegrass — mandolinist Paul Hoffman, dobro player Anders Beck, guitarist Dave Bruzza, banjo player Michael Arlen Bont and double bassist Mike Devol — closed out the action on Saturday at Pullman Yards to end a day of the 420 Fest that also included main stage performances from Drive-By Truckers, The Dip, Andy Frasco & The U.N., Protoje, Funk You and Cassandra Lewis.

GSBG kicked off their set with a double dose of songs from their 2014 album If Sorrows Swim: “In Control” and “Letter To Seymour.” The latter was covered by Billy Strings for the first time in 2025 on Thursday night at Cary, North Carolina’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre. The five-piece then offered staples “What You Need,” “Worry For You,” “Grow Together” and “200 Miles From Montana.”

Allie Kral has a long history of collaborating with Greensky Bluegrass that dates back to her time in Yonder Mountain String Band and Cornmeal. Anders Beck addressed the relationship when he introduced Kral. “We believe in the power of women and we believe in the power of one woman and that woman is Miss Allie Kral,” Beck began.

“She is newest official, unofficial member of Andy Frasco’s U.N.,” Beck continued before bringing out Andy Frasco for a quick cameo and fact check. “We’ve been playing music with Allie for so long time — that’s english folks. From the days of Cornmeal and Yonder Mountain String Band and now Andy Frasco’s U.N. She’s a complete and utter badass and we love her to death.”

Greensky went back to If Sorrows Swim for the fiddle-powered “Leap Year.” Allie Kral added powerful accents to the song that features the album’s title within its lyrics and delivered a stellar solo. The crowd went nuts as Kral tore into her solo with passion and fury.

Allie Kral departed the stage in time for Greensky to continue on with the beloved “Past My Prime.” From there, the quintet served up a run of career-spanning originals “The Radio Blues,” “Windshield,” “Entirely Mine,” “Living Over” and “Reasons To Stay.” Hoffman then led his bandmates on a pairing of Pink Floyd’s “Time” and “Breathe (Reprise).” Next, Bruzza helmed the set-closing “Kerosene” before GSBG said farewell with a “Cryin’ Holy Unto The Lord” (Flatt/Scruggs) encore.

Watch Greensky Bluegrass’ Saturday night set and more of the day’s action at the SweetWater 420 Fest via nugs.net below (Kral appears around the 5:56:00 mark in the longer video):

https://www.youtube.com/live/QhJ1st-2nj0?si=ZiuPpv6xyyw1AaQ_&t=21381

Greensky Bluegrass continues festival season on May 17 with a headlining appearance at the Greenbelt Music Festival in Clive, Iowa. Scroll below for a complete list of tour dates.