Tuesdays are tough nights in any town, but Vegas can be particularly difficult, especially for a bar like the Huntridge that, while especially comfortable, is not always a live music venue. In any case, we had to venture out for this special night with the fantastic Pine Hill Haints.
Hosting the Haints and returning from a 5 year (!!) hiatus was the duo, My First Rodeo, made up of Michael on guitar and vocals and Hillary on drums/backing vox. My first time seeing this combo and I really dug their Vasolines/Jonathan Richman-like sparse sound. Opening with a medley of "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" and "What I Like About You" (among others), they bopped through a number of other tunes with highlights like "Doe a Deer" (!) and "I Believe in Miracles"! Unique and endearing - definitely will be looking for them again! Even the members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club that were in attendance seemed to dig them!
I've been a big fan of the Pine Hill Haints since first seeing them
a couple of years back at the Double Down and have been listening to the records ever since. Lead singer/guitarist Jamie is usually joined by multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, washboard, saw - which she is exceptional on) Katie and a revolving crew, this time an accordion player (who played at the DD show but not the last time they were out here,
earlier this year), washtub bassist (not Steven, who has been with the band for years but has retired from touring, according to Jamie) and drummer (playing a single snare drum, but getting a varied amount of rhythms and sounds from this one instrument). Jamie is always a super fun frontman, animated and passionate and is also a fine fiddler when the song requires it. I didn't get a full set list, but they pulled out the 50's doo-wop number "Angel Eyes" as well as their own classics like "Blue Halloween" (great saw work on this one!) and "Jack O'Fire" (their own, not Gun Club's). The accordion added even more of a zydeco tinge to their already swampy sound and when he moved to trombone, you would think you were down in N'awlins! The call what they do "Ghost Music" because it is an amalgamation of styles that they feel are dead (gospel, country, bluegrass, folk, Celtic, etc.), but they bring it to life in an exceptional way. Always a good time with this group, so make sure you come out and support the next time they trek through town!
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