Mountain Stage, the public radio show from West Virginia that features a wide range of artists and genres, visited Athens on Sunday, October 9, as a part of its current tour. The show is recorded in front of a live audience, and then edited down to a two hour show that broadcasts on NPR stations. When the show isn’t on tour, it is recorded from Charleston, W. Va.
Ohio University’s Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium hosted five acts to a fairly packed house, with Mountain Stage host Larry Groce leading the live taping. According to the show’s Facebook page, “Contemporary roots, blues, folk, ethnic, jazz and world music from around the globe are all welcome on the Mountain Stage.”
Karan Casey and John Doyle, an Irish duo, began the show with Doyle on acoustic Celtic guitar and Casey with a humble, sweet voice. The clarity in her tones drove the pair’s performance as Doyle accompanied with a strong, progressive beat on the guitar. He later joined in singing a Gaelic tune for their last piece, a tongue-twisting smooth song that ended the set with a bang.
Next up to the stage was Hot Tuna, a band that has stretched its musical life over five decades, performing songs with blues and rock influences. The group utilized a mysterious, continuous bass line in several songs; the liveliness drove the audience to a standing ovation.
They played songs from their newest album, “Steady as She Goes,” released in April of this year, such as “Children of Zion,” a piece written by Reverend Gary Davis, a blues artist actively playing from the 1930s to the ‘70s.
Southeast Engine, a Dayton, Ohio band that then moved to Athens, sings of Appalachia.
Drawing on a contemporary sound to meld with folk, their new album “Canary” is about a Southeastern Ohio family during the time of the Great Depression in the 1930s. The lyrics highlight the struggles of the family: “Father’s face grows old.” Coal and the tearing down of trees during that time period are topics in the songs as well.
Ha Ha Tonka, a four-person Missouri group from the Ozark Mountains, brought a huge, high energy to the listeners with songs from their album, “Death of a Decade.” The lead guitarists never stopped the energy flow; they danced to their own music to keep up the vigor. Though a crystal clear a cappella piece by all four men slowed the set down with hauntingly detailed lyrics, they immediately picked up the pace with the next piece, engage the audience in clapping.
It’s been since 1995 when The Jayhawks last appeared on the Mountain Stage. As the final performance, the focused on their new record “Mockingbird Time.” Their slower demeanor calmed the audience after the previous group’s drive, but their musicality kept up the bar.
The group’s Karen Grotberg, the pianist and a vocalist, brought a clear female voice to the mostly male-dominated signing of the night. A twelve-string guitar changed the musical palette; they had a mature tone overall.
After a two and a half hour show, all the acts gathered on stage to sing the 1967 Buffalo Springfield classic “For what it’s worth.” The live camaraderie fused all the genres of the night together in an outstanding musical performance.
The recording of Mountain Stage will be on-air for 10 days after November 18 on NPR stations.