Jeff Austin Leaving Yonder

[goldnugz]

Wow!

http://www.jambands.com/news/2014/04/23/jeff-austin-leaving-yonder-mountain-string-band/

[moeron221]

wow is right I just saw this on Facebook... so who is sitting in with them at Telluride? Crazy no JA at Telluride... nuts.

[goldnugz]

Sam and Ronnie trading off won't be the worst...

[erndog]

I can't believe they couldn't wait until after Telluride to do this.

That being said, I sure hope they consider adding Allie Kral to the band - I've seen her play with them a few times and man, she is one hell of a fiddle player!  

Their set with her and Darrell Anger at the Harvest Mountain fest a couple years ago - just blew me away and she kicked Darrell's ass all over that stage that night . . .

Maybe Jerry Douglas will be in . . . I don't think AKUS is doing much these days and if you read the Relix stuff, Adam from Yonder was just talking about how great it was to have Jerry sit in at the Dec. 28th show at the Boulder theater . . .

[BuckeyeDog]

I can't believe they couldn't wait until after Telluride to do this.

That being said, I sure hope they consider adding Allie Kral to the band - I've seen her play with them a few times and man, she is one hell of a fiddle player!  

Their set with her and Darrell Anger at the Harvest Mountain fest a couple years ago - just blew me away and she kicked Darrell's ass all over that stage that night . . .

Maybe Jerry Douglas will be in . . . I don't think AKUS is doing much these days and if you read the Relix stuff, Adam from Yonder was just talking about how great it was to have Jerry sit in at the Dec. 28th show at the Boulder theater . . .

AKUS is touring with Willie Nelson this summer. Telluride was fortunate to be able to get Jerry Douglas and Alison to join the House Band this year, the 22nd is the only day they are not touring.

[completejohn]

It's Yoko's fault.

[erndog]

When I say AKUS isn't doing much these days, I mean not so much in terms of this summer, but over the last few years . . . with Alison's voice issues, I wasn't sure they'd be doing much going forward, and they still just cancelled some dates just recently with Willie Nelson.  I hope it all goes well going forward. 

But in terms of the Yonder situation, I wouldn't be surprised if Jerry Douglas isn't getting a bit restless and he's a good fit with the Yonder guys . . . but, Jerry is also a bit of free agent, not 'really' a part of AKUS, it's always billed as "featuring Jerry Douglas"  I don't think he'd join the band outright, but I'd like to see more of Jerry sitting in . . . 'featuring Jerry Douglas' . . .

This article wasn't from Relix like I thought, but from the Bluegrass Situation . . . published yesterday, gotta admit the timing is certainly a coincidence

http://www.thebluegrasssituation.com/read/best-jam-i-ever-heard-yonder-mountain-string-bands-adam-aijala
 

[petefrane]

They have already stated that all future dates will be with Adam Aijala on gutair and vocals.

[BuckeyeDog]

Erndog, I agree with your point about AKUS not doing much these days, and that JD would be a good fit with them. One thing about this festival, is that there's never a dull moment here. Last year it was Mumford, now this. The three YSMB shows just got a lot more interesting.
To be honest, this does not really surprise me. They toured this winter without him, stopping in Ohio, because his wife was having a baby. Does anyone not find that a little strange, that they would do that? Not everyone's like Bela, running through airports from gigs when your wife is in labor.
Maybe, after years of touring, it was just time?

[wiebs2334]

Ben was always my favorite anyways, but it will be very interesting to see where they go from here.

[ratcub]

If this had been reported two weeks ago, would fewer folks have requested YMSB CC and SOH??
He does seem the one who moves around the stage, wild eyed looks... It'll be interesting to see if there is the same energy on stage...
Jeff's doing a songwriter workshop at Music Camp before the Grand Targhee Bluegrass Festival in August..

[Hot Sugar]

I posted this in another thread, but it should go here as well.

"I had been hearing rumors for a while that their most recent tour would be their last. Honestly, I'm shocked the band is planning on continuing on without him. He's been working on a bunch of solo projects recently, so I'm surprised he's decided to move in that direction. I am surprised that Adam and Ben have decided to keep Yonder going. I always figured the two of them would go off and do some type of collaborative thing while Jeff formed his own band and Dave waited by his phone for the call to reform Yonder (sorry, Dave). I'm absolutely shocked.

I give it a year before Yonder disbands and goes the route of Salmon. They'll do their own thing for a few years, then they'll start doing 2-4 reunion shows a year at big festivals, then they'll come back full force and show a whole new generation what they were about.

I was at the last show of their tour, which now is the second to last show with the original lineup. Weird to think about."

[erndog]

There just is a ton of new(er) up and coming bands emerging right now - it's probably a good thing to change things up as far as Yonder is concerned, there's definitely some up and comers on their tail- by that I mean The Devil Makes Three, Pert Near, Deadly Gentlemen, Della Mae . . .  on and on . . lots of different stuff from different angles . . .

Whether or not they keep this going - it's up to us and them, I guess - if they're good and add some interesting talent to the band, everyone will stick around.  If is sucks and it looks like they're forcing it, we'll all know that, too.

Newgrass Revival changed things around a couple of times and kept on trucking - some will say they were better in their last incarnation. 

So, we'll see.  I think this year's shows at most major festivals will be great - they're will be a lot of energy, high expectations from us - the fans - and I hope they deliver. 

Not to sound like some old fart here, but I've seen every Yonder show at the Sheridan, I am sure there are a few others that can say the same.  They were at their best years back.  Last couple of Sheridan shows, not many guests came to sit in.  Greensky's Sheridan show a couple years ago was OVER THE TOP!  I'd like to see the energy and straight out jamming of the days of yore . . .maybe changing things up a bit will do that.

If you haven't yet, read that interview with Adam about how he talks about playing with others outside the band - I think maybe this change was a year or two overdue . . .

[Hot Sugar]

I agree, Erndog. I wonder if this will end up being a really good thing for guys like Greensky and The Dusters to take that next step.

[rossstevens]

I could see Greensky taking over the CC spot .