Live Music w/ The Golden Age

THE GOLDEN AGE TUES 3/03 • 9:00PM The Golden Age is Matt Menefee and Bryan Simpson’s prodigious return to the music that first inspired them: bluegrass. According to it’s spirited collaborators, The Golden Age’s M.O. is to “die trying to possess the passion and inspiration towards preservation and rebellion reflected in the truly original voices that have gone before us like Monroe, Stanley, Flatt and Scruggs, Rowan, Hartford, Osborne, Grisman, Skaggs, Bush, Rice, etc “ After having spent nearly ten years making music together with Cadillac Sky which brought them opportunities to record with rockstar/bluegrass enthusiast Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and bluegrass legend Ricky Skaggs and tour with folk rock superstars Mumford and Sons on their initial sold out North American Tour; not to mention make 3 critically acclaimed records and a legion of die hard fans, the two tried and true friends decided the time had come to reunite. The duo had been re-inspired to return to their roots by the rediscovery of records like “Aereo-Plain” and “Morning Bugle” by John Hartford, “Emotionalism” by The Avett Bothers and Bela Fleck’s ‘Tales from the Acoustic Planet vol.2’ ; which all possess a certain off-center authenticity and a song-centered approach lyrically and instrumentally that first fueled the genre back in its initial heyday. Matt Menefee’s ear catching, virtuosic banjo sounds once again find a way to honor and upend the time soaked tradition with a sonic thought process all his own but this time it’s his emotional arrangements that draw every listener inside the truth-laced tales being spun by plaintive lead singer Bryan Simpson; whose colorful wordplay and whimsical lens daringly looks back and moves forward with poignancy and sincerity. Pairing this with the joy of a musical friendship that certainly is tangible thru out the minimalistic but beautifully recorded sounds as caught by Grammy winning engineer Eddie Spear (Brandi Carlisle/Chris Stapleton), all signs point to the Golden Age being as important of a band to come along in bluegrass in a very long while. The two artists have one goal in mind as they link arms: make music that sticks. Not just music that spikes the blood sugar. Timeless transcendence is the target. Certainly lofty heights to try and scale. But what a pleasure it will be listening to them climb.