Avett Brothers Live in Alexandria: Harp Magazine

by Nick Breul 

Reckless headbanging with banjo in hand is a rare sight indeed, but North Carolina’s Avett Brothers have gained a strong following based around their wildly-energetic live gigs showcasing banjoist Scott Avett’s and guitarist Seth Avett’s penchant for rocking out on their acoustic instruments. They’ve tended to defy traditional elements of most all the genres they straddle, simultaneously angering critics and befuddling record store employees.

But let’s face it, your grandma’s folk trio they are not. Kick drums, broken strings and a whole lot of shouting help make the Avetts one of the most dynamic acoustic acts around today, as well as one of the hardest to describe. Still, with bassist Bob Crawford also in the mix, the result most often is a mix of bluegrass, folk and good ole’ rock ‘n’ roll.

The Avetts were plagued by technical problems at Alexandria’s Birchmere, Scott additionally being limited to only one banjo throughout the night, but with new record Emotionalism fresh on the stands and hot off a prestigious performance on Conan O’Brian one week prior, the group brought a lot of steam into the night’s gig—even despite the recent shearing of their signature beards.

They opened with “Will You Return,” a catchy pop tune off of Emotionalism which boasts keen backing vocals wrapped around a memorable hook. It was “Denouncing November Blue,” however, from their previous album, 2006’s Four Thieves Gone, that really ignited the crowd and allowed the band to steamroll through the remainder of the evening. Breaking strings left and right, soloing from on their backs, standing on the monitors and more, these fellas know how to ramp up a show’s energy level and keep it there.

The Avetts’ aggression is most certainly part of their appeal. They sing about many classic themes and traditional lovelorn scenarios, but it’s when they let loose in their delivery that they suddenly become anything but traditional. While the trio lacks the finger picking virtuosity common to many bluegrass and folk specialists, they more than make up for it in simple sweat and grit. There is something ineffable in the intonation of both Seth and Scott’s singing voices that exudes authenticity. They also both project rather loudly; and together their harmonies have real heart (not to mention that their aptly timed screams can convey heartbreak like little else).

One of the finer bluegrass tunes from Emotionalism, “Shame,” brought the crowd to attention, and Seth’s solo version of “The Ballad of Love and Hate” provided one of the night’s more introspective moments. Afterwards he remarked that it was the first time he’d performed the song in front of an audience, which was surprising due to his unwavering delivery.

For an encore they started with “Die, Die, Die,” a song that sounds as if it could’ve been written by Paul McCartney if he were born a pissed-off Tarheel. It’s also one of the stronger tunes from Emotionalism, boasting a great three-part harmony and lyrics that are hard to forget. That was followed by “Talk on Indolence” (from Thieves), the one song that may lead people to believe that the Avetts really are a punk band after all—indeed, it was also the tune that prompted equal amounts of headbanging from the crowd as there was on stage.

The end of the night even saw some drums and electric guitar from the Avetts. Now let’s see your grandma’s favorite folk band do that.