EBS STAFF
BIG SKY – The next two Music in the Mountains concerts bring the classic rock sounds of Assembly of Dust on Thursday, July 13, and the energetic bouncing beats of Dirty Revival on Thursday, July 20. Music begins at 7 p.m. at Center Stage in Big Sky Town Center Park.
“Many people, especially those from the East Coast, may remember [Assembly of Dust frontman] Reid Genauer from the Vermont band Strangefolk,” said Arts Council of Big Sky Executive Director Brian Hurlbut. “They’re a great, five-piece band reminiscent of bands like The Band and Neil Young.”
Drawing on those influences, Traffic and countless others, over the last 10 years Assembly of Dust has taken that early ‘70s Americana swagger and put their own funky spin on it, marked by catchy melodies, poetic lyrics and skillful musicianship. They have been compared to alt-country icons Ryan Adams, Wilco and the indie outfit Mumford and Sons.
“As a child I can remember locking myself in my room with a big old set of headphones and listening to The Band’s ‘Music from Big Pink’ album over and over again,” said Genauer, the lead singer and founder of Assembly of Dust. “Besides loving the hell out of the music, I was intrigued with the production value in the recordings. As I listened I felt almost like I was there in the room with The Band at a moment of perfection. That intimate listening experience drew me in and is what inspired me to be a musician.”
Genauer, whose songwriting skills have been praised by The New York Times as some of the most eloquent “to emerge in the long wake of the Grateful Dead,” is joined by Adam Terrell on lead guitar, bassist John Leccese, and newer bandmates Jason Crosby on piano and violin and drummer Dave Diamond. Assembly of Dust’s 2012 album “Sun Shot” is laced with the influences Genauer recognized as a child—some are flashy and aloof, others bony and pale.
After playing in Big Sky on July 13, Assembly of Dust will perform at Targhee Fest in Alta, Wyoming the following weekend.
Led by the soulful vocals of Sarah Clarke, Dirty Revival has made their mark on the Pacific Northwest music scene, evolving from the confines of a Portland, Oregon, basement to performing in venues that range from dimly-lit dive bars, crowded concert halls and—as will be the case in Big Sky on July 20—under wide-open festival skies.
The dynamic, seven-piece soul outfit shines like their tenor saxophonist’s horn, delivering powerful original tracks and cleverly arranged classics that resound with influences of the funk- and soul-infused icons of the past.
Dirty Revival has shared the stages with musical heavy-hitters Michael Franti, George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic, Sir Mix-A-Lot, Slick Rick, Nappy Roots and Gift of Gab.
The band has been actively touring since the release of their debut album “Dirty Revival” in September of 2015.
“As far as Dirty Revival, this will be a high-energy show from one of the West Coast’s fastest rising bands,” Hurlbut said. “Bring your dancing shoes!”
Visit bigskyarts.org for information.
