The Infamous Stringdusters Get Colorful At New Year’s Eve Concert In Richmond

The Infamous Stringdusters brought 2022 to a colorful conclusion on New Year’s Eve to wrap up a three-night run at The National in Richmond, Virginia. The quintet offered a few “Rainbow” songs, donned rainbow suits and jammed with Circles Around The Sun drummer Mark Levy as part of the festivities in Richmond on Saturday.

The jamgrass act consisting of dobroist Andy Hall, banjoist Chris Pandolfi, guitarist Andy Falco, fiddler Jeremy Garrett and bassist Travis Book had previously announced “Get Colorful” as their New Year’s Theme. “As we usher in 2023 we are going to celebrate inclusivity and encourage you all to wear your most colorful fits,” wrote the band. Each member of the group sported colored suits on Saturday representing five different colors of the rainbow.

The choice of Let It Go track “Rainbows” to open was apropos. A cover of The Band’s “Up On Cripple Creek” filled the two-slot before the five-piece served up originals “It’ll Be Alright,” “Well, Well,” “Soul Searching” and “Pearl Of Carolina.” The latter appears on the group’s 2022 album Toward The Fray. Next came a take on the traditional “Cold Rain And Snow” that flowed into “17 Cents,” which gave way to a nicely jammed “Machines” to end the set.

Chris “Panda” Pandolfi led his bandmates through the fitting “Rainbow Connection” to start the second set on New Year’s Eve in Richmond. The song from 1979’s The Muppet Movie was an Infamous Stringdusters debut. Up next was “Night On The River” off the 2012 LP Silver Sky. The ‘Dusters then worked ZZ Top’s “Sharp Dressed Man” into The String Cheese Incident instrumental “Bollymunster.”

Saturday’s second set rolled on with Laws Of Gravity gems “A Hard Life Makes A Good Song” and “Maxwell” split by a cover of The Cure’s “Just Like Heaven.” A brief jam on Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In The Wall, Part 2” bled out of “Maxwell” and led into “Comin’ Again” from 2019’s Rise Sun. The Infamous Stringdusters then brought out Levy from support act Circles Around The Sun to add drums on the Grateful Dead classic “Ramble On Rose.” Levy stuck around for the countdown into 2023 and a rousing take on “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” aka “2001.”

Jeremy Garrett fronted the ensuing “One More Bridge” ahead of a return to the Grateful Dead songbook for “Touch Of Grey.” The Infamous Stringdusters sealed the second set on New Year’s Eve by pairing “How Far I’d Fall” and “Echoes Of Goodbye.” Mark Levy emerged with the band for the encore featuring The ‘Dusters’ premiere version of Outkast’s “Hey Ya!” Greensky Bluegrass also debuted a “Hey Ya!” cover at their New Year's Eve concert in Atlanta.

See fan-shot footage from NYE below:

Setlist

Set One: Rainbows, Up On Cripple Creek, It’ll Be Alright > Well Well, Soul Searching, Pearl Of Carolina, Cold Rain & Snow > 17 Cents > Machines

Set Two: Rainbow Connection, Night On The River > Sharp Dressed Man > Bollymunster, A Hard Life Makes A Good Song, Just Like Heaven, Maxwell > Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2 > Comin’ Again, Ramble On Rose*, New Year’s Eve Countdown* > 2001*, One More Bridge, Touch Of Grey, How Far I’d Fall > Echoes Of Goodbye

Encore: Hey Ya!*

* – w/ Mark Levy (Circles Around The Sun) on drums