Cabinet killed it with two full sets at the historic Stafford Palace Theater in Stafford, CT on Friday night. Based out of Pennsylvania, this six-man band includes JP Biondo on mandolin, Mickey Coviello on guitar, Pappy Biondo on banjo, Dylan Skursky on bass, Todd Kopec on fiddle, and Jami Novak on drums.

Set one opened with “Cut Down Tree”, and what an opener it was. The set blasted off with this dancing tune. Kick up your heels and let’s go! What a way to start off a Friday night with live music. The beat created an incredible energy right from the get go.Kopec highlighted his fiddle talent by pulling out an incredible jam midway and pulled in the others to go right along with his Americana flavor.

 

“99 Years” took it down a bit as they eased into this cool tune full of fiddle play. This is the kind of music to pull a crowd out of any funk they may be in. It’s impossible not to smile or dance when Cabinet takes the stage.

“Hit It On the Head” brought the audience to the wilds of Appalachia. This solid jam was chock full of surprises as it went up and down with the energy. They entered a heavy session of psychedelic tones with “Mysterio.” A light mandolin dominated towards the end of the tune before, once again, gaining in energy prior to melting into “The Dove.” This fiddle heavy melody took the audience to new heights as they blasted out an extended jam.

 

Cabinet then easied into “A Smile,” keeping the party going.  This light hearted tune, full of happiness, had the banjo showing off the fun this instrument could have outside of it’s stereotypical bluegrass setting. Even though it’s December, this set gave the feeling of a summer day in July.

“Treat Me So Bad” was a playful tune before it slid into “Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow.” Don’t we all wish we could say that?  Talk about down and dirty with this melody.  The band was getting altogether gritty with this lengthy jam session of a tune. That rosin was getting a mean work out. If you closed your eyes long enough, one would think Charlie Daniels was in the house.

The theater cooled down as they rolled into “The Tower.” It’s always a pleasure to watch Skursky tapping out on the stand-up bass, which is exactly what he did on this tune. Biondo’s crisp vocals created a depth of happiness with each song as they continued on with the first set. 

Each member showed off their stuff as they were individually introduced during first set. Coviello highlighted his chops on the acoustic guitar before Kopec showed off his magical prowess on the fiddle. Biondo wowed the audience with his banjo skills before they took things down a notch with “Heavy Rain.” Once again, Kopec banged out that fiddle like nobody’s business before ending set one.

Second set opened with “Bottom of the Sea”, with hints of “Interstate Love Song,” a Stone Temple Pilots tune that lent a tip of the hat to Scott Weiland, of STP, who passed away on Friday. A lonely harmonica came out to play while a grungy guitar picked up the pieces. Speaking of picking up the pieces, “Celebration” brought out the boot kicking, high heeled vibe as they rolled right into this danceable, Appalachian tune. Dancing shoes got a workout with this fast paced, arm in arm dancing jam. The packed house was dancing toe to toe as second set was well under way.

Deep tones of the fiddle dove right into “Eleanor.” Emotions were touched as they rumbled through this melody, bringing the house down with crazy dancing and emotion rolled into one. Nasty guitar, banjo pickin’ and bass jamming were sandwiched into one incredibly intense song. The energy was lifted up to insane heights!

This band has a seamless, unspoken energy of collaborating back and forth between all instruments that bring one fantastic show to fans. Gentle touches of the fiddle and banjo have a way of slamming right into a headstrong intense tune that brings listeners from the depths of quiet to an awakening of incredible energy. Cabinet showed off their individual talents, one by one, when they crawled into “Run Rabbit Run.” The jam was thrown back and forth from one instrument to the next, throughout, as they slowly built the song up higher and higher while showcasing each musicians’ talent.

They eventually collided into each other as they brought the tune to a seamless, and downright self-explanatory, mesh into “Dirty.” “Clap for the Wolfman” cooled things off, as it was getting insane inside the venue. 

“Diamond Joe” switched things up as Pappy Biondi traded in his banjo for an acoustic guitar. The audience was, once again, brought back to the Appalachia vibe as they cut into this tune with magical riffs and endless acoustic accoutrement, with a slamming electrical engagement by Coviello. The audience was electrified!

“Poor Man’s Blues” heated things up by hundred degrees as the fiddle did not disappoint. The electricity thrown between all the musicians on stage was incredible. Just when you thought things were slowing down, they weren’t. The banjo pickin’ in New England is a sight to be seen. What’s this magic around the corner? “Any Old Sign” was a reflective tune, causing one sit to back and think about their past, only to provide a realm of hope for a future that is golden. 

“Caroline” was a stand out tune of amazing jamminess, if there is such a word, which led right into “Shined Like the Sun.” What an incredible ending to an evening of music that is unmatched anywhere in the region. The night closed with an explosive encore of “Po’s Reel.” Talk about insanity! If you haven’t seen Cabinet, run right out and buy a ticket. They will blow your mind away. 

Listen to the full show below, thanks to taper Scott Medeiros:

Further information on Cabinet, along with tour dates, can be found on their website.

Setlist: Cabinet at the Stafford Palace Theater, Stafford, CT – 12/4/15

Set One: Cut Down Tree, 99 Years, Hit It On The Head>Mysterio, The Dove>A Smile, Treat Me So Bad, Ain’t Gonna Work Tomorrow>The Tower, Susquehanna Breakdown, Heavy Rain

Set Two: Bottom of the Sea, Celebration, Eleanor, Run Rabbit Run>Dirty, Clap for the Wolfman, Diamond Joe, Poor Man’s Blues, Any Old Sign, Caroline, Shined Like the Sun

Encore: Po’s Reel

Words by Sarah Bourque. Follow on Twitter.  Photographs used by permission from Jacqueline Sidor. Thank you.