Image via YouTube.

On Saturday, March 23, acclaimed mandolinist Sierra Hull invited Jeff Coffin to sit in during her set at Nashville’s The Basement East. Coffin, known as a former Flecktone for Béla Fleck and for playing with Dave Matthews Band, lent his emotive saxophone to two covers towards the end of the show. The evening marked a historic night for Hull as she returned to her home state, bringing her signature bluegrass edge to four covers and diving deep into her own discography. 

Hull began the evening with a series of selections from her 2020 album 25 Trips, accompanied by a backing band of Shaun Richardson on guitar, Eric Coveney on upright bass, Avery Merritt on fiddle and Mark Raudabaugh on drums. Next, she launched into a cover of Del McCoury’s bluegrass standard “I Feel the Blues Moving In” before continuing with more numbers from her body of work including 2011’s Daybreak and 2016’s Béla Fleck-produced Weighted Mind.

Following a gorgeous performance of the pensive “Middle Of The Woods,” Hull invited Jeff Coffin to the stage, directly from the airport. The duo brought impeccable energy to two covers, first to Béla Fleck and the Flecktones’ iconic “Stomping Grounds,” then to a joyous cover of The Impressions’ 1965 “People Get Ready” before Coffin said goodbye and Hull closed out the set with “Long Way.” As an encore, Hull invited opener and Nashville native Gabe Lee back onstage for a moving duet of one of John Prine’s final songs, “Summer’s End.” Hull and her band completed the night with an unplugged performance of “Haven Hill” and “Best Buy,” delivered from within the audience.

Hull is currently on her Tip Toe High Wire tour, with a follow-up appearance scheduled for April 6 at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Coffin will resume touring with Dave Matthews Band in Europe, and will next play AFAS Live in Amsterdam, Netherlands on April 2. 

A video of Hull and Coffins’ cover of “Stomping Grounds” is available for viewing below, along with the full setlist for the show. 

Sierra Hull
The Basement East– Nashville
March 23, 2024

Set I: How Long > Beautifully Out of Place > The Last Minute > I Feel the Blues Moving In* > What Do You Say? > Bombshell > Escape > The In-Between > Boom > Ceiling to the Floor > Movement 3 > Poison > Muddy Water > Out of my Blues > E-Tune > Middle of the Woods > Stomping Grounds&^ > People Get Ready$^ > Long Way 
Encore: Summer’s End#@> Haven Hill! > Best Buy!

Notes:
*cover (Del McCoury)
&cover (Béla Fleck and the Flecktones
^with Jeff Coffin
$ cover (The Impressions)
# cover (John Prine)
@ with Gabe Lee 
! band unplugged in audience