Enough instruments and microphones for five musical acts sprawled across the stage at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium as the near-capacity crowd filed in for yesterday's taping of the National Public Radio show, Mountain Stage with Larry Groce.
Normally recorded in West Virginia, Mountain Stage made its return to the concert hall Groce called the program's home away from home
thanks to arrangements by Doug Partusch, an outgoing employee at WOUB radio who is moving to a new job in Columbus this week.
The show presents music ranging from traditional roots and country music to avant-garde rock and jazz according to the event program. Last night's performers included Son Volt, Eric Bibb, Over the Rhine, Charlie Sexton and Adrienne Young and Little Sadie.
The crowd - consisting of mostly Athens residents, Ohio University faculty and local musicians - witnessed the tiny details of a musical radio production, as musicians and stagehands shuffled on and off stage to fit five performances into about 2 1/2 hours. Illuminated orange signs on both sides of the stage read APPLAUSE and ON AIR and Groce read his lines from stage right, addressing the crowd as well as the radio audience who will hear the program in the coming weeks.
After a piano-based set from Charlie Sexton, the Texan guitarist who is a member of Bob Dylan's band among other projects, Nashville songwriter Adrienne Young and her band Little Sadie ran through traditional country tunes with a modern political slant. It was not immediately clear if Young's words were earnest or ironic as she sang There's nothing wrong with chastity and urged listeners to come join the revolution made of actions
not of words.
Cincinnati-based band Over the Rhine was up next with selections from its new album, Drunkard's Prayer.
We don't live too far from here
so we took Route 50 the whole way
said singer Karin Bergquist. She remarked on the abundance of bars and Pentecostal churches along America's back roads before announcing I did some time - yes
did some time in Pentecostal church when I was younger. It didn't affect my faith too much
but it is the reason I drink today.
New York-born guitarist Eric Bibb, who now resides in London but flew in from Arizona on three hours' sleep, stood on stage alone and performed, then Jay Farrar's new incarnation of Son Volt, the headlining act, played selections from the new album Okemah and the Melody of Riot.
Each artist performed four or five songs, and Groce joined the audience in cheering Son Volt to play one extra number. Members of all the acts then joined Groce and the Mountain Stage band for one more song.
During the show, Groce announced that Mountain Stage will return to Mem Aud on Nov. 9 to tape a show featuring Alison Krauss and Union Station.
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