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Greensky Bluegrass bringing boot-stomping ‘rock show’ to North Tahoe

Kaleb M. Roedel
kroedel@sierrasun.com
Greensky Bluegrass poses for a photo after playing a show for a sold-out crowd at the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado.
Courtesy Dylan Langille |

If you go

What: Greensky Bluegrass

When: 9 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4

Where: Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room

Cost: $25 advance; $28 day of show

Online: crystalbaycasino.com

CRYSTAL BAY, Nev. — When some think of bluegrass music, they might envision overalls, banjos and porches — an old-fashioned scene.

Greensky Bluegrass, a renowned bluegrass band from Kalamazoo, Mich., will quickly break down that misconception for those concertgoers, said Mike Devol, bassist and backup vocalist for the five-piece outfit.

“We have ‘bluegrass’ in our name, so some people might think it’s sort of an old-timey deal,” Devol said during a phone interview Tuesday evening. “But, it’s a rock show.”



Those can see for themselves Friday night, when Greensky Bluegrass brings its boot-stomping rock show to North Lake Tahoe for a performance inside the Crystal Bay Casino Crown Room.

“We have a special relationship with our crowd; we sort of feed off each other.”Mike DevolGreensky Bluegrass

“We’re a live band, above all. We love making albums, but they’re sort of their separate artform,” Devol said. “I think the Greensky ‘thing’ really shows itself in the live setting. It’s a high-energy show and we like to keep it moving, but above all, I think it’s fun.



“We have a special relationship with our crowd; we sort of feed off each other.”

Devol said Greensky Bluegrass, which has been feeding off Tahoe crowds for nearly a decade, is especially amped to return to the North Shore.

The group’s first show at the CBC, Devol said, was around 2007 inside the Red Room as the after party to Yonder Mountain String Band. Since, Greensky has returned to the CBC many times over.

“It’s a lot of fun, we like playing there,” Devol said of the Crystal Bay Casino. “The (sound) system is always good, and it’s always nice to get into Tahoe and play a show. It’s nice to be able to give the people in Truckee and Tahoe City a little show since we don’t get to all the small towns anymore.”

Case-in-point: Greensky Bluegrass will be rolling into Crystal Bay on the heels of a performance at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles. After its North Shore stop, Greensky is heading down the hill to cap their tour run at The Warfield in San Francisco.

“It’s the second-to-last show of the tour, so we’ll be plenty warmed up for everybody,” Devol said of Friday’s show. “The end is always fun because we’re excited to be playing the last few shows. The middle of the tour can get a little exhausting, but then coming into a strong finish is always fun.”

Greensky Bluegrass is playing in support of its sixth studio album, “Shouted, Written Down & Quoted,” which was released on Sept. 23.

Described as a record mixing the acoustic stomp of a stringband with the rule-breaking spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, “Shouted, Written Down & Quoted” fuses the fiery fretwork of their live shows with the focus of a true songwriting gift, according to the band’s online bio.

“I think the fans like it,” Devol said of the album. “When making new music, we feel a responsibility to try new things and influences we’ve cooked up, but also a responsibility to our fans to be … us.”


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