High Plains Tradition (USA) at Kilworth

High Plains Tradition: (l-r) Bobby Vickery, Doug Elrich,

Mark Leslie, Kenny Pabst, Steve Gilmore

Thanks to Des Butler for this concert report and photo:

I had the privilege and the pleasure to be a member of the audience at the full-to-capacity Kilworth Art Centre, Co. Cork, on Monday night to enjoy the High Plains Tradition concert. The band played for the best part of three hours with a fifteen-minute break, and the sound throughout their performance could only be described as spot-on perfect.

They started their set with traditional bluegrass, giving us some great cover versions of Flatt & Scruggs and the Stanley Brothers classics. Some gospel followed, the harmonies of which were riveting. Country music fans were catered for with some Hank Snow classics, and their performance finished up with a little Swing.

Their entire set was sprinkled throughout with some well-known instrumentals as well as some that the various band members had composed themselves. All in all it was a most enjoyable and entertaining evening and you certainly got your money’s worth.

After the performance four of the five members of the band retired to a bar across the road from the venue and within half an hour a full-blown jamming session was taking place with some local musicians joining in. This session went on way into the early hours. The energy displayed by this band for continuous playing is only matched by John Nyhan’s for his continuous sourcing of great bluegrass bands to bring to this country and organise their tours for our enjoyment. I would recommend any bluegrass fan that gets a chance to see and hear High Plains Tradition on their tour (see BIB calendar) should take it - they won’t be disappointed.

BIB editor's note: The two remaining opportunities to see HPT on this tour are tonight (Dungarvan) and tomorrow night (Listowel).