Greensky Bluegrass returns to Penn’s Peak on Jan. 30
On Jan. 30, Penn’s Peak will welcome back the beloved Greensky Bluegrass band but now, with new material.
Although it is not too surprising that a 19-year-old band that plays an upward of 175 shows a year, with nearly 1,000 different set lists and 6 prior full-length albums has new material, their newest album has been hitting a different note.
Their newest album “All for the Money,” which released in January 2018, is what mandolinist Paul Hoffman described as an intimate and personal conversation with the fans.
Hoffman explained that prior albums were more personal to the band and the events of their own lives while “All for the Money” connects them more with their fans.
Greensky Bluegrass was founded in Kalamazoo Michigan and has since sold out stages such as the Red Rocks Amphitheatre and the legendary Ryman Auditorium.
Their albums are also no stranger to the charts with “If Sorrows Swim” at No. 1 on the 2014 Billboard Top Bluegrass Albums Chart and “Shouted, Written Down & Quoted” making the top 3 in 2016.
While the band, consisting of Anders Beck (dobro), Michael Arlen Bont (banjo), Dave Bruzza (guitar), Mike Devol (upright bass) and Hoffman, enjoyed playing their new album this past year, their most recent performances have brought them back to their roots of discographic diversity.
“(All for the Money) has been a fun record to play … we’ve had a good year with it (but) we’re back to playing all the stuff like we usually do,” Hoffman said. “We have a lot of stuff in our regular rotating catalog.”
In addition to their usual array of set lists, the band is also always trying to play new things and experiment with their performances.
“We are constantly challenging ourselves to play new things, play things differently, mix things up (and) play things we haven’t played in a long time,” Hoffman said. “It keeps us on our toes and keeps things fresh.”
The band also just dropped a new live-album this month on Spotify titled “Courage for the Road: Fall 2019,” which is a compilation of 14 selected songs from various performances throughout the Fall 2019 tour.
All around, fans are in for an excellent show. Hoffman even described the opening band, Ghost Light, as some of Greensky Bluegrass’s favorite musicians.
“They got good songs and a great sound,” Hoffman said. He also said that pianist, Holly Bowling, was one of the best musicians he has ever played with.
However, Hoffman and the band are not only looking forward to playing with these long-standing friends, they are also eager to come back to Penn’s Peak.
Hoffman described Penn’s Peak as remote, beautiful and fun; he even mentioned how much fun the band has playing basketball backstage.
“A lot of laughing and a lot of joy off the stage leads to a lot of fun and rowdiness on the stage,” he said. “We tend to do some wild stuff when we’re at that venue because we’re contained there together shootin’ hoops and coming up with some crazy ideas backstage.”
Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m.
Tickets can be purchased at any Ticketmaster outlet or at the Penn’s Peak Box Office or Roadie’s Restaurant in Jim Thorpe during business hours.