Wrap it Up!

January's Station Inn Residency ended with a bang on Wednesday night.  John Cowan, Sarah Siskind, Julie Lee, Frank Solivan, and many others.  David Mayfield from Cadillac Sky stole the show, as he tends to do. 

This is a photo from the end of the night.  Falco, Kym Warner, Frank Solivan, Jesse, Travis, Clay Hess, David Mayfield (behind Clay), Jeremy, Carol Young (behind Jeremy), Casey Dreisen, Andy Hall, Corey Walker, Mike Munford (behind Corey), Pandolfi, and Jake Stargill. 

Ski Tour starts this Thursday in Lexington.  Our friends from the Katy Penn Band will be opening.  We're sharing the stage with a lot of great bands on this Ski Tour, some of them will be a surprise.  You can find out anything you need to know in Tour Dates.  Still looking for Steamboat and Park City ski passes, if you've got 'em, we'll trade you something.

1.25 From Boone to Big Sky

The White Torpedo streaked across the shallow south last weekend with stops in Chattanooga, Greenville and Blowing Rock. The last two nights were especially memorable as the band developed a new style/flow for the shows that feels like the missing piece. The Packway Handle Band opened for us in Greenville and they absolutely blew our minds. We're hoping to get these guys on board for more shows and as an essential piece of the greater State of Bluegrass mission. Saturday we drove through intense fog to Blowing Rock and the legendary venue The Canyons. We absolutely packed the place and it just about exploded.  An attendee had this to say, "I'm not sure how to express this so that you'll understand its full magnitude, but I just left THE BEST CONCERT I have ever seen! The Stringdusters were practically sitting on our laps. But who was sitting, right? I couldn't even stand still!"  Big thanks to Henri Deschamps from the Bluegrass Legacy who put us up at the amazing Mast Farm Inn.  Sunday we were racing home through the rain at 80 mph, trying to get home before the epic playoff games, one of our trailer wheels sheared right of the axle. It was awesome!

When you drive as far and as fast as we do, these things are innevitable, but it's always a bummer when the shit hits the fan.  Still made it home in time for the second half of the first game.

This Wednesday is the last of our month long Station Inn Residency.  We knew it'd be fun, but we had no idea how interesting and musical it would be.  This week we're debuting the new record then inviting a handful of guests up to share the stage second set. 

February 4th we launch on our Ski Tour 2010.  Big Sky, Steamboat Springs, Park City and more before we arrive at Wintergrass at the midway point.  All the info you need can be found in Tour Dates.  Be sure to get on the website to upload your photos and videos after the shows.

1/21 Sold Out Week 3 at the Station Inn

This was the sign on the door about 8:45 last night.  Hope you made it in. Dierks absolutely killed it, what an incredible guy. Here's a link to a review of the show.  Next week we'll be playing the new record from front to back, then inviting our friends to join us for the second set. We don't even know who'll show up, but if you know anything about Nashvegas, you know it could be anyone.

1/20 Dierks Bentley and the Infamous Stringdusters Tonight

Can't keep it a secret any longer. Tonight, the third of four in our month long residency at the Station Inn, we'll be joined by our friend Dierks Bentley.

Jesse and Dierks go way back, they used to play together down on Broadway before Dierks hit. He joined us for a song on our upcoming record Things That Fly and we're streaming it on the website for a few days. Tonight Dierks will be sitting in on the second set, but don't think you can just roll up at 10pm and get a spot, the Station Inn will be pumping tonight. We're on around 9pm, doors are at 7.

Tomorrow we're headed South. Chattanooga on Thursday, Handlebar in Greenville, SC with the Packway Handle Band on Friday and Blowing Rock, NC on Saturday. We're gradually rolling out our new material from Things That Fly and the shows are evolving, so keep an eye on the website, YouTube and the Archive for the latest content.

1.17 Recent shows on the Archive

Two recent shows have been added to the Internet Archive. Download them free by clicking the link:

12.31.09 Old Town School of Folk featuring Uncle Duster. First show.

1.15.10 Workplay Theater featuring The Greencards.

Both shows have some really great moments. Last weekend with the Greencards was inspiring. They're such a great band and such cool people. We spent most of our downtime playing with Jake and Ross backstage and by the end of the weekend, most of us were just about played out. This week is our third at the Station Inn this month and we'll be joined by... well, you'll just have to come down and find out.

1.13 Three Nights w/ The Greencards

You probably already know tonight we're doing the Station Inn with Sarah Siskind.  Hopefully you're also hip to our weekend schedule, a three night run with the Grammy Nominated Greencards.

Yes, those Aussie scamps are joining forces with the Dusters and heading south (and east).  They'll be joined by Ross from Cadillac Sky on the fiddle.  Atlanta, Birmingham and Knoxville are on the itinerary, in that order.  A second show was added in Atlanta at Eddies Attic so there should be a spot for every one of you that want to attend.  The Workplay Theater has also been on our radar but for some reason we've never played in Alabama.  Knoxville's Square Room is a new but very cool venue that hosts the WDVX Blue Plate Special on Fridays and killer shows all week long.  Here's what happened last time we got together:



We'll be back in Nashville next Wednesday for our third show at the Station Inn.  The Secret Special Guest has yet to be announced but I can tell you that the country music fans won't want to miss this one.  Much more on the horizon, including Things That Fly on 4:20 Oh TN.

1.7 This week at the Station Inn: Sarah Siskind

Your first introduction to Sarah Siskind's music may have been Lovin' You, recorded on The Infamous Stringdusters and a staple of our live show.  It may have been Goodbye is All We Have or Simple Love, both recorded by Allison Krauss.  It may have been her collaborations with Bon Iver or Paul Brady.  Regardless of how you first heard of Sarah, hopefully all paths have led you to Say It Louder, last years breakthrough release from this amazing artist.  Combining her folk and bluegrass roots with her fusion and pop influences, Sarah and co-producer Jason Lehning created what rock and roll legend Bonnie Raitt calls “a masterpiece, " while Al Kooper, of Blood, Sweat, and Tears fame, has called Say It Louder "the Tapestry (Carol King's landmark recording) of this millennium." If you've not heard her, this is your chance.

Sarah has sat in with the Dusters on several occasions, hired us to do a demo session, and written extensively with us, but we've not done a formal collaboration.  That is, until now.  This Wednesday, January 13th, Sarah joins us at the Station Inn in Nashville, TN.  We'll be doing a handful of her songs and she'll be singing on a couple of our tunes as part of our month-long artist in residency at the World Famous Station Inn. 

-Travis Book w/ Dave Stallard

Jim Lauderdale joins the ISD tomorrow night.

World Famous Station Inn.  Steeped in infamy, the Station Inn and Jim Lauderdale go together like pretzels and beer.  Tomorrow night we kick off our month long residency at the Station Inn with the venerable Jim Lauderdale.  We've played with Jim on the stages of Merlefest and Suwanee Springfest but we're bringing the circus to Nashville for one night only, Jan. 6th.  We'll also be debuting material from our upcoming Sugar Hill release Things That Fly due out on 4:20 Oh TN.