Greensky Bluegrass Celebrates Leap Year On Leap Day In Iowa

In 2012, Greensky Bluegrass performed their original song “Leap Year” live in concert for the first time. The song has since been performed hundreds of times, but not until last night’s February 29 concert at the Val Air Ballroom in Des Moines, Iowa had Greensky Bluegrass been given the chance to perform the song on Leap Day, which they excitedly seized upon.

Mandolinist Paul Hoffman addressed the audience shortly after he and his bandmates – dobro player Anders Beck, guitarist Dave Bruzza, bassist Mike Devol and banjoist – took the stage at the Val Air Ballroom. Hoffman noted the band had been looking forward to the show on his “favorite day” and to be prepared for things to get weird while the band played the intro to “Leap Year.”

GSBG then launched into “Monument” to get the first set properly underway. A couple of songs later, Railroad Earth fiddler Tim Carbone, who was on hand to play an opening set with The High Hawks, came out to sit in on “Train Junkie.”

Carbone exited ahead of the second “Leap Year” appearance of the night, which quickly segued into a fitting first-time cover of The Wood Brothers’ “One More Day.” The first half drew to a close with covers of “Clinch Mountain Backstep” and “Send Me Your Address from Heaven.”

Set two began with “Doin’ My Time” paired with “Dry County,” followed by the third “Leap Year” appearance of the night. The seamless opening sequence continued with “Wish I Didn’t Know” and another fitting cover debut in the form of The Beatles’ “Eight Days A Week.” Greensky kept the second set rolling with staples “It’s Not Mine Anymore,” “Past My Prime” and “200 Miles from Montana.”

The set ended with the band returning once again to “Leap Year,” which transitioned into “Grow Together” before finally completing “Leap Year.” The encore saw Carbone back onstage along with Leftover Salmon’s Vince Herman and Horseshoes and Hand Grenades’ Adam Greuel, who are also members of The High Hawks, adding vocals to a show-ending performance of “Get No Better.”

Greensky Bluegrass and The High Hawks play tonight in St. Paul, Minnesota. Watch additional video highlights and listen to soundboard audio of last night’s Leap Day concert below:

Official audio via nugs.net

Setlist (via PT GSBG)

Set One: Leap Year > Monument > Streetlight, Better Off, Train Junkie [1], Leap Year > One More Day [2] > Clinch Mountain Backstep, Send Me Your Address from Heaven

Set Two: Doin’ My Time > Dry County > Leap Year > Wish I Didn’t Know > Eight Days a Week [2] > It’s Not Mine Anymore, Past My Prime, 200 Miles from Montana, Leap Year > Grow Together > Leap Year

Encore: Get No Better [1],[3]

Notes:

• First Leap Day show since Leap Year was released
• [1] w/ Tim Carbone (fiddle)
• [2] first time played
• [3] w/ Vince Herman (vocals), Adam Gruel (vocals)