The Giving Tree Band came through Colorado on their way to the SXSW Festival down in Austin. On the Tuesday afternoon in March that they came through Boulder they played an early set at the Draft House and then another set over at the Topo Ranch Organic Cotton Clothing Store. In support of their new album, The Joke, The Threat & The Obvious, their tour- much like their philosophies and their music- focuses on sustainability and green living.
Their grass-roots approach reminds me of a train coming down the tracks, but this is an all environmentally friendly train that discharges energy at a steady and rockabilly pace. The 8 piece band had fun on stage while having fun with their music. Picture 8 fellas on stage reviving Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in an all acoustic root- n-bluegrass fashion and you’re starting to see what these guys are all about. Now add in the goofy walk The Monkees did in the opening credits to that old show. This picture should be filling out better for you now.
The soulful melancholy cries with an almost Beck like strum sing out, “I wanna know how I should go about my day”… As all voices unite… “I’m ready, I’m ready.”
They have no microphones but a plethora of musical sounds that are amplified with their hearts n souls. You can really feel this band is putting it all out there for the performance. DooWhop style like The Temptations but a fresh filled out style of Glove and the Special Sauce is achieved in the live performances. Although the drum set is muted with handkerchiefs the mandolin sounds big and the violin is plucked while the timing keeps tap with a tambourine.
If you want to feel green, if you are looking for good quality music, and if you want to support a grass roots movement that is going somewhere: do yourself a favor. If you haven’t already, check out The Giving Tree Band. You’ll enjoy their harmonies as you slip into harmonious bliss of bluegrass melodies.
