.357 String Band Plays Final Shows & Says Farewell
Over the weekend, one of the best bluegrass ensembles to ever grace the planet made their final bow, as the .357 String Band said farewell in the form of a pair of shows in their home state of Wisconsin. Friday (11-25) found them at the historic Turner Hall in Milwaukee playing to a packed audience that included many personal friends and family, including Those Poor Bastards who among others opened the show. (review & pics from Third Coast)
“Until we see you guys again, I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. Keep on supporting local music, the local economy, and keep on taking care of each other. You’re best fucking fans in the world,” guitar player Derek Dunn said before launching in to their set ending song “Rollin’ Down The Track” off their album Fire & Hail, which was the Saving Country Music’s 2008 Album of the Year, and also #8 on SCM’s Albums of the Decade.
Earlier in the night Derek and the band also thanked their parents, and many of the other individuals and artists that helped and influenced them over their run that spanned over six years. Their first album Ghost Town was released 6 years ago today. .357 played their final show Saturday (11-26) in Green Bay.
Both shows included new .357 String Band music, songs like Tongues of Fire, Poisonous Circles, & Let The Bones Be Burned, songs that fans may never get a chance of hearing a recorded version of now. However as the band stated when they announced their breakup, fans can expect solo projects to be forthcoming, and for those that can’t wait and have yet to pick it up, Joseph Huber’s Bury Me Where I Fall is a must have (read SCM review).
I know the stated reason that the band broke up was banjo player and songwriter Joseph Huber wanted to pursue a different direction and different interests, but I can’t help but to look at myself, and at the obvious financial situation that surrounded the band and say, could we have done more? It comes up all the time, how if some of these bands and artists cannot find greater support, they will eventually go away. Well now we have our first example, and it is a band that by underground country standards was long in the tooth, and also very accessible, with few if any excuses to be given of why they didn’t hit it big.
But aside from pointing out how important an honest autopsy of the .357 String Band is, and how important it is for fans to buy music instead of steal it, drive to that next town over on a work night to see them, or help spread the word about their favorite bands, I want to thank the .357 String Band for all those years they spent eating beans, sleeping on floors, spending hours in a smelly van to make a gloomy life in a recessionary world that much more enjoyable. Aside from their machine gun style of bluegrass which might be their signature, their slow and heartfelt songs about struggle and the unsustainability of the economy might have been their most poignant contribution.
And I assert now, and will always assert in the future, regardless of how obscure they were, along with Bill Monroe’s Bluegrass Boys, Flatt & Scruggs, and a few others, the .357 String Band was one of the greatest, most groundbreaking, and influential bluegrass bands of all time.
Rest easy boys, you did well.
Final Song before Encore at Turner Hall
November 30, 2011 @ 12:06 pm
Thank You .357!!!
November 30, 2011 @ 12:10 pm
My favorite band ever. Breaks my heart to see them go, but I look forward to hearing where they go from here. I recorded their last Nashville show back in September and there’s 4 new/unreleased songs on my Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/mspixiepower
Thanks for all the attention you gave them, Triggerman.
November 30, 2011 @ 12:14 pm
God, I love(d) this band. You said some very true things there, Triggerman.
I can’t remember how I got turned on to them (I am located in Hamburg, Germany), but when I heard Rosa Records out of the Netherlands would release their first album I simply dropped them a line on myspace about how much I was looking forward to it, and – lo and behold! – the nice folks not only sent me Ghost Town, but also a handful of their other titles! For free! Simply because they were happy that somebody cared! Sometimes you’re surprised that there are still such nice people out there…
I bought every album that followed, and, when asked, gave their management a few suggestions for places to play in Hamburg (only to found out about their gig there exactly ONE day too late… I still wanna yell SHIT FUCK out loud every time I think about it…). I finally saw them with Bob Wayne, closing a warm-up night for a local metal-festival. It was a weird night, but they were amazing, giving it all for the few people that stayed (it was very late…and, well, they had banjos and mandolins, and no corpsepaint…). Talked to them afterwards for quite a while and they suffered through my drunken ramblings with grace and kindness. Even gave me some stuff for free; I was told they’d play first – and they played about seven hours after I got there, so all my money had already been spent on beer. But I danced like a wildman and sang along, so I earned that free patch, hehe! I really love Joseph’s album and am looking forward to more of his music, but I’m also excited to see what the other guys will be doing. Still, losing this great band sucks big time. From all the bands that we are talking about here, this is one that I loved and listened to the most. They’ll definitely be missed a lot, even from this far away.
November 30, 2011 @ 1:59 pm
I was at the final show in Green Bay. Was an incredible moment to take in. Being a Wisconsin native, I was watching those guys play long before it became a done to death cliche seeing punks, and tattooed folks playing roots music. They were among the first, and have always been one of the best bands out there doing it. I’d be lying if I said they weren’t an influence in me doing it, too.
As sad as it was to see it end, I’m sure you’ll see/hear plenty of music blossom out of the foundation they laid. Joe already has a great solo record out, and I think all the readers are very aware of all of the great things that came from Jayke’s departure from the band, his solo record, the birth of Farmageddon records, his contribution to the Gallows, etc.
Cheers to the .357 String Band, thanks for all the good times, and great music!
November 30, 2011 @ 2:42 pm
Joe will be recording the later songs he wrote for .357 and Derek will be recording his songs!
November 30, 2011 @ 4:43 pm
Such a great band! Sad that they are no more. Thanks for the memories and great music guys!!!!!
November 30, 2011 @ 6:23 pm
Yes triggerman…groundbreaking …and bittersweet…..I had booked 357 2 times and seen them a total of 14 times……they are a great bunch of guys and the talent is unsurpassed….for sure the problem is starving artists…..i am sure most of the roots culture bands are here for the love of the music……Im sure that Joe and Derrick will put out some great stuff….I have heard a lot of cool music traveling to see 357 that I would not have seen before…..great run but I think there will be more……
November 30, 2011 @ 10:13 pm
This breaks my heart… I had a date held for them next week! Really wish I coulda seen them one last time.
December 1, 2011 @ 2:06 am
It sucks. I’ve loved these guys since the first time seeing them on Fathers Day in 2007, and doing an interview with Jayke after the show. Always been cool dudes and always put in a solid performance.
Could we have done more? Not I. I’ve always paid to see them, paid for their albums and merch. What if there was a stronger support system in place? Would that have changed the members going their different ways? Would the lure of big money have convinced them to just go through the motions in favor of a payday? I don’t know but I know I would never pay more than 25 dollars to see them in an arena show. This is a much larger topic I think, than just the demise of this band, but I’ve recently seen someone who’s been picked up by the machine and have seen what happens and while more exposure for the masses seems like a good idea, the record industry has changed and being a professional musician is different than it was ten years ago.
There’s a lot more to be said on this topic but I am drunk and thus, it is not my place to say.
December 1, 2011 @ 9:33 am
This always comes up. Nobody is saying the .357 String Band should have or could have sold out stadiums or arenas. They could have grown 20 fold from where they were, and they still would have been playing theater-sized venues or smaller. Where they played and how much they charged would have not changed appreciably for the fan, they just could have possibly justified the venture better, had families and kids, etc. Look at Hank3 and The Avett Bros.
December 1, 2011 @ 10:01 am
Totally.
Yeah that mid-level area is interesting. I’ve found myself over the years tapering off as a fan at those level of shows. I just find myself getting all worked up like “You doofus fans! I was going to this bands shows years ago when there was 10 people there! Back in my day we had to walk 10 miles uphill in the snow to see this band perform!” only because I’m not bold enough to try to barge through the crowd and get myself a spot up front where I can go nuts and have fun. OR, it’s a theater venue and all seating IS seating. It’s nice to sit down sometimes at a show for a little bit, but given the options, I’ll take standing the whole time over sitting the whole time.
I think I really am a hipster now. Oh well.
Anyways, like so many others, I’ll never forget my first time seeing this band. Awesomeness. Here’s a link to that interview I did with Jayke at the time. It was on youtube but one of the band members requested I pull it. I left it up on myspace 😀
Jayke Orvis on mandolins and tacos.
http://www.myspace.com/video/niggaless/jayke-of-357-string-band/23734273
December 1, 2011 @ 10:15 am
That interview was great, thanks!