Infamous Stringdusters, Dangermuffin Tear It Up at The Stone Pony
The Infamous String Dusters rolled into Asbury Park this past Sunday (January 21st) for a barnburner of an evening accompanied by special guests Dangermuffin. These are both bands that don’t often make tour stops in New Jersey and seemed eager to make up for that by delivering a show that truly captured the essence of the saying “Never miss a Sunday show.”
The evening started with Dangermuffin, a band I had not seen before. Their laid-back vibe combined with beautifully crafted songs quickly captivated the crowd, getting the evening going in the right direction. Their ability to combine an undeniable beachy feel with acoustic folk and tight jams leaves almost any type of music fan satisfied and fulfilled by the end of their set. These guys were a pleasant surprise that should be on the radar of any live music fan looking for a good time with great vibe.
The room at The Stone Pony, filled to the brim with both fans and excitement, erupted as the Stringdusters took the stage. From the first notes of “Won’t Be Coming Back” to the ending of “Like I Do,” the first set was a beautiful display of exactly what this band is all about, just how good each member is individually, and what they can create when their talents are combined.
Delivering songs both old and new as well as a few choice covers, the band seemed to feed off the crowd’s energy and just ran with it. In a set full of highlights, my personal favorites were a remarkable rendition of the Merle Haggard classic “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and Drink,” one of the band’s newer tracks, “Gravity,” and a killer set-ending “Like I Do.” This is the type of performance that is well worth the instant re-listen from top to bottom, and that was only the first set.
The second set continued where the first set left off with the band on fire and the crowd eagerly fanning the flames. Delivering another blissful mix of tunes spanning their career as well as a few more choice covers, the band kicked things off with a tune from their newest release titled “A Hard Life Makes A Good Song.” From there it was cover time as the band dove into the first of three in a row, starting with the Andy Thron tune “All That I Can Take.”
The band then went into what was one of my favorite songs of the evening, “Angeline The Baker,” written back in 1850 by Stephen Foster, before delivering their always enjoyable take on the Marvin Gaye hit “What’s Going On.” This was another set full of magical highlights with some of my favorites, including “Well,” “Head Over Heels,” and the set closing “Deal,” a cover of the Garcia/Grateful Dead classic that the band crushed, bringing a magical evening to an end on the highest of notes.
When it comes to live performances and pairings of bands, this evening was a perfect example of what happens when it’s done right, from the opening notes of Dangermuffin’s set to the final moments of the evening, where both bands came together to form the Dangerous Muff Dusters, capping off a night to remember with an absolutely amazing two-song encore featuring “Harvest Moon” by Neil Young and “Sitting on Top Of The World” by Doc Watson. This was an evening full of talented musicians gathering together to create the kind of magic that keeps us each coming back show after show, searching for the feeling of pure bliss that we were all lucky enough to get a heaping dose of throughout the evening.
