Trampled by Turtles showed their Midwestern roots with crowd-pleasing tunes and easy-going onstage demeanor at 9:30 Club on Friday night.
I’m from Ohio, so I should like country music. Many friends have tried to encourage me to listen to country music over the years, but none of it has quite stuck. I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived at 9:30 Club on Friday night for a concert dubbed “alt-country” and I was pleasantly surprised. The performance was fairly subdued, but the musical talent on stage was unmistakable.
I’ve always been impressed by, and respectful of, people with the ability to do something I can’t. By that logic, I was extremely impressed by the variety of sounds coming from the stage. The band members seemed committed to their instruments and at the same time unassuming, as if they had no idea why all these people were watching them perform. Each of the band members was able to show off his talents, and I wasn’t able to identify any front man ego.
The songs varied from harmonious vocals at a slow pace, to fast and twangy jams that kept the crowd moving. The long instrumentals, to which the crowd really responded, gave the band opportunities to show off individual talents, while also working together. You knew the boys were working hard, but they didn’t show it. It was obvious by audience reaction which songs were hits by Trampled by Turtles standards. “Wait So Long” is a fan favorite with serious radio potential. I found myself wanting to sing along even though I didn’t know the words. The feeling was similar to the first time I heard Mumford and Sons, which is a comparison I hope the Trampled by Turtles boys welcome.
The crowd was wearing cowboy hats and trucker caps, plaid shirts, and cowboy boots. This was a far cry from my usual concert comfort zone, but something about it was comforting. Maybe that’s just a symptom of my homesickness for the Midwest, but seeing a multigenerational crowd drinking whiskey and beer while enjoying a country show made me smile.
At various points throughout the performance, I thought that the music was the kind you listen to at a campfire (or at least what would be on the soundtrack to a movie during a scene showing young people hanging out at a campfire). My favorite moment of the show was when the banjo player went to center stage and took a photo of the crowd. I am a total sucker for artists who still act like playing in front of people is exciting. The band seemed to love playing 9:30 Club and promised to come back to DC as soon as humanly possible.
The opening act didn’t even try to fool us by adding an “alt” before the country. I guess with a name like Jonny Corndawg, you can’t really claim anything other than country. His music was not what I would choose to listen to, but I can understand why others like it (see above comment about respecting those with the ability to do something I can’t).
All in all, I’m not used to country-themed evenings at 815 V St, but the experience was definitely not a waste of my time. We all need to step out of our musical comfort zones every once in a while and open up to something new.
Photos by Paul Frederiksen
