Concert review: Yonder Mountain String Band at House of Blues (April 2)

by Christina Murphy of of The Daily Mustang

The banjo, the mandolin, the bass, and the guitar- the gang was all there. Yonder Mountain String Band, also known as YMSB, performed at Dallas’ House of Blues Thursday night.

The Bluegrass band housed a three-hour performance, playing to approximately 500 fans that sang along every word and danced every beat.

Although bluegrass isn’t my favorite sound, I appreciated the connection the band had with its fans. An understanding was established from the moment guitarist Adam Aijala came out on stage with a cup of tea.

“I decided to put a fork in my tea cup to make it look more intimidating,” said Aijala, to his fans.

However, fans were just as unexpected as the fork. With styles ranging from dreadlocks to sports-coats, and beverage selections spanning from wine to beer, it was clear that Yonder Mountain attracts a diverse group of people.

Diversity is innate in successful music groups. What originally started as two friends from Illinois transformed to four talented musicians from Colorado. It was in Nederland, east of the Rocky Mountains, that the four guys joined forces at a local club called Verve.

Over the years, the group has perfected a sound of their own. A mix of bluegrass and rock, the gang performs high-energy and improvisational live shows. Yonder Mountain started the night off with sounds from their most recent of five, live albums.

The latest edition and fifth volume of their live series of records had their audience moving, non-stop. With arms flailing like chicken wings and feet as light as feathers, fans were feeling the music as closely as the band was feeling their instruments.

The group’s cohesiveness might be a sign of experience. Yonder Mountain first came together almost 11 years ago. It was September of 1998 that Adam Aijala, Jeff Austin, Dave Johnston, and Ben Kauffman were unexpectedly discovered at a free-for-all jam session at the Verve.

“Something Coalesced that night,” said Johnston.

Coalesced indeed. The group is now known to push boundaries and with its untraditional line-up of music, it is impressive how the group has come out alive.

Although I found the band interesting, it wasn’t enough to keep my attention. The banjo had exhausted me by the end of the first hour and the ice in my drink had melted. I made my way to the back of the concert hall, found a chair, and people-watched; something medicinal for the time being. Everyone was on their feet and still grooving to the music.

Yonder Mountain definitely associates their music with the senses. Hearing, touching, tasting, smelling, feeling, and seeing the musical talent is inevitable for many but my sixth sense was not in tact by the intermission.

Yonder Mountain String Band attracts the untraditional musical ear but attracts those who have a passion for true live talent, as well.