Spring Break
Lights shine at Brandeis
by Alex Pagan
Staff Writer
Arts | 10/28/08
Posted online at 1:33 AM EST on 10/28/08
Upon finding my seat in the Slosberg Recital Hall, I came to the realization that my fellow audience members were, on average, 40 years older than I. There were two instruments on the stage situated in front of the half-filled seating area: an old, half-destroyed guitar and the obligatory upright bass. Both of the instruments were surrounded by an array of microphones, and I waited for the performers to take the stage.
The lights brightened and dimmed, and the band was introduced. As the nature of the concert was described, I heard the twang of a mandolin backstage. It wasn't long before Northern Lights filed onstage. The group consisted of two guitar players (Bill Henry and Ben Demerath), a bassist (John Daniels), a fiddler (Mike Barnett) and two mandolin players (Joe Walsh and Eric Robertson).
The evening's performance began with a lively reel from the mandolin that was soon joined by a burning, up-tempo tune produced by the rest of the group. The melody line bounced from the mandolin to the violin to the guitar until all three instruments were playing in perfect unison. The players were, from the beginning, extremely responsive to one another, and it was undoubtedly the great communication and sense of fun that were responsible for the undeniably precise nature of the ensemble.
The upbeat opener was followed by a slow, melodious waltz. The delicate tremolo from the mandolins and soulful violin lines were overlaid with close three-part harmonies contributed by the guitars and bass. Soon, another theme of the evening became evident: Just as each member of the group was a capable soloist, each member was also a strong vocalist, either contributing to the tight vocal harmonies or singing lead at some point in the night.
In an additional change of pace, Northern Lights launched into another number with a fast tempo, but this time the tune had a definitely jazzy quality that was evident in both the complex harmony of the chords and the chromaticism-inflected meltdowns within the solos. The vocals, however, consisted of pure train-whistle bluegrass harmonies, led by Henry.
The lights brightened and dimmed, and the band was introduced. As the nature of the concert was described, I heard the twang of a mandolin backstage. It wasn't long before Northern Lights filed onstage. The group consisted of two guitar players (Bill Henry and Ben Demerath), a bassist (John Daniels), a fiddler (Mike Barnett) and two mandolin players (Joe Walsh and Eric Robertson).
The evening's performance began with a lively reel from the mandolin that was soon joined by a burning, up-tempo tune produced by the rest of the group. The melody line bounced from the mandolin to the violin to the guitar until all three instruments were playing in perfect unison. The players were, from the beginning, extremely responsive to one another, and it was undoubtedly the great communication and sense of fun that were responsible for the undeniably precise nature of the ensemble.
The upbeat opener was followed by a slow, melodious waltz. The delicate tremolo from the mandolins and soulful violin lines were overlaid with close three-part harmonies contributed by the guitars and bass. Soon, another theme of the evening became evident: Just as each member of the group was a capable soloist, each member was also a strong vocalist, either contributing to the tight vocal harmonies or singing lead at some point in the night.
In an additional change of pace, Northern Lights launched into another number with a fast tempo, but this time the tune had a definitely jazzy quality that was evident in both the complex harmony of the chords and the chromaticism-inflected meltdowns within the solos. The vocals, however, consisted of pure train-whistle bluegrass harmonies, led by Henry.
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