I didn’t know what to expect going into my first listen of The Infamous Stringdusters, but I imagined they’d be something similar to The String Cheese Incident - I’ve always had a secret love for jam bands, specifically the banjo. I found The Infamous Stringdusters to be a little more folky than The String Cheese Incident with their fun, country flare.

Right away, these guys got my soul groovin’ along with their music. The long combinations of string instruments throughout their work are what drives their sound forward. These solos comes in a variety of tempos and rhythms throughout their pieces, and, along with some lyric sections, provide a jive-along vibe. Rather than an expected jam sound, their sounds are something to sing along to and be in the moment with. I’m looking forward to what else they’re going to come up with next since they’ve already released two singles in 2019. These songs, “Rise Sun” and “Somewhere in between”, are the perfect cheer-along-with-your-neighbor-type tunes that will definitely get any crowd clapping along to their beat. These songs have served as a preview for the full album “Rise Up” being released early this Spring on April 5th!

Before this release, The Infamous Stringdusters are playing The Vic this Saturday, March 16th, and I am stoked to be able to represent The Chicago Vibe there. It’s my first show in awhile, and I haven’t been to The Vic since Foster the People’s Lollapalooza’s aftershow in 2017. Now I currently live down the street from the venue, and I pass by the building almost every night. It’s sweet seeing the production and artists come in and out, but I think my favorite part of living by The Vic is being able to see the different crowds line up prior to a show. Sometimes you meet the most passionate fans, and it’s interesting seeing how the crowd varies for each act.

While I’ll still be wearing some “Pumped Up Kicks” this Saturday night, this time I’ll be seeing a new type of jam band - one that combines rock, jazz, funk, country, old-time, and more. Their sound is distinct, and I am excited to hear their music in person and see a man rip a banjo; It’s going to be awesome.

Don’t miss out on The Infamous String Dusters and opener John Craigie bringing the house down on the Vic Theater March 16th - get tickets at the link HERE, check out their Spotify HERE, and stay tuned for a recap of the show!