Denver got a hot night of bluegrass from The Infamous Stringdusters and their impressive pair of opening acts, The Last Revel and Sierra Hull, on Saturday at the Mile High favorite Mission Ballroom. Although the Ballroom and its ornate interiors are an attraction on their own, all eyes and ears were focused on the stage for the four-plus hours of big energy bluegrass jams the Dusters and their friends threw down.
Minneapolis’ The Last Revel has been assembling a loyal fan base since its debut The Mason Jar EP arrived going on 12 years ago. The group’s kick-off set might have been the shortest of the evening but it was packed with positive messages and propulsive tunes that surely won them plenty of new fans. The Revel-ers already had some supporters in the crowd at the Mission Ballroom, judging by the number of smiling faces who cheerfully sang along with each original tune. That positive response from the fans could likely be attributed to the lovely imagery in The Revel’s lyrics, excellent harmonies from the band, and the sheer energy the group put into its opening slot spot on the lineup.
Sierra Hull, and her top-notch cast of side men featuring Erik Coveney on bass, Shawn Richardson on guitar, Avery Merritt on fiddle, and Mark Raudabaugh on drums, apparently narrowly made it out of Nashville before the most recent snow storms hit on Friday. The crowd at Mission Ballroom was exuberant that they did manage to make the trip and their enthusiasm was well-founded.
Sierra Hull is easily one of the most well-rounded prospects of bluegrass’ up-and-coming next generation of stars. Hull is equally proficient in her meticulously precise picking as she is in her staccato percussive work even though that side of her skill set isn’t as necessary as it would be in a typical bluegrass set-up thanks to the presence of her pocket-keeping drummer. She’s also blessed with an angelic voice and a serious gift for songwriting. With all that going for her, Sierra Hull, even as humble as she truly seems, must clearly see that the sky’s not even close to the limit for her.
Though her set was shorter than what she’s gotten used to as a budding headliner, Hull and her band made the most of it. The setlist was wide-ranging, including plenty of original instrumentals and tunes like “Poison” and “Best Buy” that showcased her stellar voice alongside one of her seemingly favorite covers, Tears For Fears’ “Mad World”. Judging from the reception Hull got from the jam-packed Mission Ballroom crowd, it’ll be no surprise when if she returns to this venue at the top of the bill.
The Infamous Stringdusters have multiple Grammy wins, decades of sold-out shows, and thousands of fans worldwide and earned all that through their unparalleled live performances. The Dusters—Travis Book (bass), Andy Falco (guitar), Jeremy Garrett (fiddle), Andy Hall (dobro), and Chris Pandolfi (banjo)—mix stellar musicianship and affable stage personas with the ability to write setlists that take fans on musical journeys. The Infamous Stringdusters can not only do it all, they do it all so very well.
The Infamous Stringdusters — Mission Ballroom — Denver, CO — 1/11/25 — Preview
Whether it’s frantically shuffling and reshuffling their presence on the stage, splitting up to send Garrett and Pandolfi out visiting the balcony mid-set, or just flooding the frontline picking party with impressively cohesive jams, The Infamous Stringdusters were in fine form from start to finish. Standout performances by everyone, starting with Travis Book. Book, who is equally handy with his bow as well as his hardened fingertips on his upright bass has no problems taking repeated vocal leads with a charming honey to his voice.
Garrett mixed his more nasally delivery with some fiery fiddlework over the course of the set, showcasing his range from slow dark chord work to full-on firestorms. Not content to hog the stage for their set, The Infamous Stringdusters played gentlemanly hosts by welcoming Sierra Hull to the stage for a few fun tunes including some covers from the likes of self-proclaimed “King Of Bluegrass” Jimmy Martin and ZZ Top by way of “Sharp Dressed Man”. Hull’s mandolin chops added yet another element to the Dusters’ sound that while hardly needed, was surely welcome.
The Infamous Stringdusters, Sierra Hull — “Sunny Side Of The Mountain” (Harry C. McAuliffe, Bobby Gregory) -> “Sharp Dressed Man” (ZZ Top) — 1/11/25
[Video: Claire Cherington]
Guitarists Andy Falco and Andy Hall (a.k.a. “The Andys”) had themselves a fine night as well, with Hall acting as the glue for much of the performance with his highly emotional peels and wails. Falco, to his credit, brings a certain wryness to his efforts that suggests a level of introspection and worldliness that belies his years. Between the two of them, the six-stringed segment of the Stringdusters sound is more than fully fleshed out.
With The Infamous Stringdusters’ newest release—the third in their Undercover series—out now and shows and festival slots around the country on the books, the band certainly isn’t resting on their collective laurels. The Last Revel is set to join them at various stops on the Dusters’ upcoming tour. Given the frequency they have appeared with Hull, she is sure to be joining them on occasion as well.
That said, the ovation they received as the echoes of the last notes faded at the Mission Ballroom showed that The Infamous Stringdusters are at the top of their game right now and have a case to be made for the best straight bluegrass band on the scene. At the end of this sold-out night at Mission Ballroom, there were certainly no arguments coming from their delighted fans.
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Setlist: The Infamous Stringdusters | Mission Ballroom | Denver, CO | 1/11/25
Set: Once You’re Gone > Possum (Phish), Night on the River -> One More Bridge, Gravity -> Walkin’ on the Moon (The Police), Goin’ Back to the Blue Ridge Mountains (The Delmore Brothers), I Didn’t Know (Phish) > Balcony Jam, House of Gold, Rise Sun, Colorado [1] -> How Far I’d Fall For You (Benny Galloway) -> Sirens, Sunny Side of the Mountain (Harry C. McAuliffe, Bobby Gregory) [2] -> Sharp Dressed Man (ZZ Top) [2], Get It > Blockygrass
Encore: It’ll Be Alright, Run To You
[1] During the song, Drew showed a slideshow of photos of the band, fans, and crew over the years
[2] w/ Sierra Hull