They are  a lively, driving five piece Melbourne-based string band, playing traditional “old time” music from Northern America. Instruments include fiddles, guitar, double bass, and clawhammer banjo. The band is also vocally entertaining. They enliven concert stages, run square dances and give instrument workshops. Band members have extensive experience in dance-calling, and in teaching banjo, fiddle and flat pick guitar.
With its origins in traditional music of Europe and Africa, “old time” music is aptly named, representing perhaps the oldest form of North American traditional music other than Native American. The band’s repertoire is from the rural south of the USA (Southern Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky). Many of the tunes are from recordings made between 1920 & 1940 but some folk, blues and modern country music songs are in there too.
Ian (banjo) regularly attends the large old time festivals in the USA, and has learned the style and joy of the music from some of the greatest Appalachian players, both current and from the last generation. He has played with Tracy Schwartz and Mike Seeger (RIP). The band’s other influences include the New Lost City Ramblers, Bill Monroe, Nickel Creek, Gillian Welch and Alison Krauss.
The band re-creates and honor the music of the mountains. But … they divert into modern USA country and Bluegrass music when they want to, and often! They sing happy and sad songs; they also want the audience up and dancing.