Silverada Returns to Austin with Streamlined Lineup
The best live country band in the world stopped into Austin’s Radio East on Friday night (4-25) on their current “Unlit Matches” tour to regale fans in the town the band originates from, and for the first time since announcing that towering steel guitar player Zachary Molton was leaving the lineup.
Some recent shows have featured Adan “Ditch” Kurtz on pedal steel, known for playing with Joshua Ray Walker and others. But when Walker is on tour, Silverada is currently rolling with a slimmer lineup, with lead guitarist Catlin Rutherford, and sometimes frontman Mike Harmeier picking up the slack in the solo duties.
Austin’s show featured an empty spot at Stage Left, with bass player Omar Oyoque’s station still set up on the backline, though he’d pop out front upon occasion to whip the crowd into a frenzy as he’s famous for. One of the greatest things about Silverada has always been the chemistry, and part of what has set this favorable equilibrium is Catlin Rutherford being willing to share leads and attention.
Sometimes lead guitar players are like the wide receivers of music. They always want the ball. Catlin Rutherford is not one of those cats. But tasked to fill up a lot of space in songs written for steel guitar too, Catlin Rutherford excelled. Silverada fans got to see him step out more than any other time in the past. In this respect, the extra space in Silverada was an asset.
But was the sound a little thinner without Zach’s steel guitar in the mix? Of course it was. Should you pass up an opportunity to see Silverada if they’re rolling through your town? Absolutely not. It’s still a killer show, and they proved this in East Austin.
The show was opened by the excellent and underrated Austin-based band The Tender Things, fronted by Jesse Ebaugh who some might remember from The Heartless Bastards. There was a pretty legendary run where The Tender Things opened for Silverada (then called Mike and the Moonpies) at The White Horse, so this pairing was a bit nostalgic for some in the audience.
Zachary Molton has been spotted playing fill-in duties for the Vandoliers after their guitar player had to take some time off. As for Silverada, it’s likely they’re still in search for a full-time replacement for Zach, which won’t be easy, though crowds are raving whenever “Ditch” Kurtz is there.
If nothing else, Silverada has proven to be dogged and enduring through whatever adversity is thrown at them. Those anticipating their demise will be sorely disappointed. Those who pony up for the babysitter or request off work to see Silverada live will still leave with a rejuvenated soul.
April 26, 2025 @ 2:49 pm
Looks like Mark and the Moon pies.
April 26, 2025 @ 2:52 pm
Saw them for the first time in Greenville a few weeks ago. They had a steel guitar player there. They were wonderful and I’m so glad I got to see them finally. Their one that has become one of my wife’s favorite which is exciting. We brought some friends to the show who didn’t know them and they were blown away
April 26, 2025 @ 4:48 pm
Last I saw JRW’s band, Ditch was absolutely smoking. He played steel lead most of the set, it was like nothing I’ve ever seen.
Zach is phenomenal, obviously. I’d be interested to see Catlin burn through a show without steel, too.
This is crazy but Silverada could use a hot mando player. But that’s probably too much of a shift in sound.
April 26, 2025 @ 10:17 pm
These kinda articles feel like my parents telling me about divorce and
“how cool it was I’d get to live in two houses going forward”
It’s not. I want my Moonpies back.
April 27, 2025 @ 6:49 am
We just seen the boys at South of Atlanta Fest in Georgia and it was amazing as always! “Ditch” was there filling in, doing what he does best. They are the best live band in all of country music!
April 27, 2025 @ 3:23 pm
“….. the excellent and underrated Austin-based band The Tender Things…..”
You said it. I recently stumbled upon this artist/band, and I am hooked. The ‘How You Make a Fool’ album is a particular favorite.
April 28, 2025 @ 5:43 am
Has Omar stopped wearing metal t-shirts concurrent with the band’s name change?
April 28, 2025 @ 7:55 am
Hopefully,they’ll find a steel man soon. I hate when I attend a country show & no pedal steel. It comes off cheap.
April 29, 2025 @ 8:04 am
I would just like to say that their version New Madrid on their new EP is awesome.
May 17, 2025 @ 9:40 pm
Just left seeing them in KC. They didn’t have a pedal steel, replacing the parts mainly with keys, played by Parker Twomey – who apparently wrote “Armadillo” as made “famous” by Miranda Lambert. Yes, it’s a song about an armadillo who smokes dope. Original…
His keys playing for Silverada was very good. Him, as am opener, was “blah”. Beyond “blah”. Horrible, actually. Sorry to say, because he seems like a nice kid. But how many low tempo love songs can you play with obvious references to dope? Apparently, all of them.
Here’s the sad part: The keys simply did not fit the songs. Yes, Parker is a legit piano player. No, it doesn’t fit and CERTAINLY does not replace a true pedal steel.
It was a very good rock show. But not a country show. Which makes it hard for me to explain to the buddy I took to the show that “no, really, these guys are a REAL country band! I swear!”
So, yeah. I really hope they find a real pedal steel replacement soon. Because it’s truly not the same.
And that truly hurts to say…
May 18, 2025 @ 3:44 pm
I was at Knuckleheads as well. My 4th time seeing Mike, three of them at Knuckleheads!
These guys are incredible. Omar and Tylor are so solid things can just never be bad. Catlin is as good as ever and getting better and I was really impressed with Mike’s playing with the SG.
I might have preferred some of the older stuff they played when they had a key’s player? maybe? I hate to say that because I always want to hear the old stuff and it’s not fair to these guys. They want to play what they want and I’m down.
I miss Zach. I’ll miss his sound. I do want someone playing steel in this band. But these guys tore stuff up in KC, again. If they came around three times a year i’d see them that much.
Parker’s opening set was about 40 minutes. Maybe if he cut it down to 5 songs? it was Saturday night and folks were drinkin. But I really enjoyed his play with the band. He was having a ball and it was fun to watch him watching the band.