Well I guess we can all thank Billy Strings for making bluegrass cool again. In doing so, he’s inspired a generation of kids who grew up in fiddle camps and at Old Timey Music Festivals to start a band and get to shredding. This is the next generation and it seems that they have reverence for all forms of the genre that came before, both Monroe and Hartford. The line between traditional and progressive is continuing to blur as bands like Magoo, The Tone Unit, North Fork Crossing and now Shadowgrass make a name for themselves across the country. The fact is the music never stopped and bluegrass has always had a dedicated following of fans and pickers. It just seems that now this music is getting a much larger platform and the crowds are getting bigger.

This concert was advertised with an opener but by showtime it became An Evening WIth rather than a split bill. Fine by me. Shadowgrass first began as a string trio after banjoist Clay Russell, guitarist Kyser George and mandolin player Luke Morris met at a jam session during a fiddler’s convention. Checks out. They’ve since added bassist Even Campfield and fiddler Madison Morris to round out their sound. The result is one of the best young bluegrass outfits touring today. They are all absolute ringers with impeccable timing and time is definitely on their side. They opened up with the traditional “Pig In A Pen” made popular by Old and In The Way before diving into a Merle Haggard title track “Ramblin Fever.” On a dime they turned to a perfectly strung out rendition of the Grateful Dead’s “Mr. Charlie.” This band is just stunning, they are incredible students of string music and it would appear people are starting to notice. The room was packed and only a few tickets were left at the box office. The feeling in the air was that this might be their last show at the Aggie simply because they’re outgrowing the venue at a rapid pace.

Shadowgrass already has two full length albums under their belt as well as a live release through Relix Sessions. They are building a catalog and a fanbase simultaneously. “Pleasantly Aimless” is a gentle warning to get out there and do the damn thing whatever the damn thing may be. Their version of The Infamous Stringdusters’ “Fork In the Road” was flawless. “Another Year” is a bright and buttery song about how life moves by quickly. Banjo stole the spotlight during “Polyurethane.” E.M.D. aka “Eat My Dust” is a David Grisman classic and it acted as the bookends for the Shadowgrass original “Walls.” “Walls,”off their latest album All That Will absolutely smokes.

They returned after a quick set break with The Clinch Brothers “How Mountain Girls Can Love.” “Disappear” was an absolute throw down with Madison on lead vocals. “Freeborn Man” was Kyser’s chance to set his strings on fire. “Like an Anchor” is another off their latest but “Toy Heart” goes back to the source code, Bill Monroe. “In The Vine” is a well crafted tune that just snags your attention. These kids really can pick. “Ernest T. Grass” into the traditional “Old Home Place” continued to showcase their musical interplay. “Backlit World” featured some of the hardest jamming of the entire show. They wrapped up set two with another heavy rip, “Lungs.” They gave a nice nod to J.D. Crowe with their “Cyin Holy” encore.

Their show was unbelievable and if you haven’t heard of Shadowgrass the time is now. They will be playing theaters next and all know how this goes. The level of talent from all five members of the band is undeniable, and they are yet another link the unbroken chain. It’s obvious, the sky is the limit.