Two Nights of Trout Steak Revival & Friends

Although Trout Steak Revival played two separate nights, with two separate sets of opening bands, they were able to make it feel like one cohesive experience fueled by collaboration and a love for bluegrass music.

Individually, each band brought the heat and they were able to showcase their unique talents and sounds. But what shone brighter than their individual sets were the times when many different band members from multiple different bands were all on stage just jamming. A new sound was being created in real time on stage.

Watching a heavy hitting opening band like all-female bluegrass sensation Big Richard get up and jam with another band of equal caliber like Trout Steak Revival without knowing any of the songs in advance, really gave testament to the sheer talent, passion, and craftsmanship these musicians posses. Seeing seamless, unplanned collaboration is not always going to be possible, but with musicians like this, you know it’s going to inspire you. 

But the bands can’t take all the credit. The energy of the crowd is one of the most important aspects of a good live show, especially at a venue like The Mishawaka. There is an obvious and important give and take that happens at any good show, and is exactly what was happening this weekend. While the bands were collaborating on stage, they were also collaborating with the crowed. The engagement level of the crowd was on another level. When a crowd and artists can be fully present with each other like we saw at Trout Steal Revival this past weekend, a deeper experience can be had by everybody involved. And I’m convinced it may not be possible anywhere else besides The Mish.

• Written by Colin Payne
• Photos from Sunny Side Production

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