On March 28, a surprisingly diverse crowd packed the sold-out Frequency in Madison, excited for a lineup of artists that dabbled in bluegrass, folk, punk rock and every subgenre in between. For many, the highlight of the show was Larry and His Flask, a wildly enthusiastic folk-punk outfit from central Oregon. However, they weren’t the only band on the bill that fused folk and bluegrass with the energy and aggression of punk music.
Whiskey Shivers, who opened the show, have been described as “A freewheelin', trashgrassin', folk tornado.” They differ from Larry and His Flask in that they have no drummer, allowing their sound to lean toward a more traditional blend of bluegrass and folk.
Their sound was incredibly tight and powerful, and loudly shouted choruses had everyone nodding their heads, from traditional folk enthusiasts with long, grey beards to punk fans in studded jackets. And if the energetic nature of their live show wasn’t enough to reveal their apparent roots in punk music, the band’s singer proudly sported a Black Flag tattoo to complement his cowboy hat and overalls.
I’ve seen a lot of bands and music scenes utilize a fusion of folk and punk music. It’s nothing new; “folk-punk” has existed as a genre and a culture for decades. Folk and punk music, in my opinion, have a profound chemistry between them as they both thrive on a tight and energetic sound, catchy sing-along choruses and a culture of minimalism and camaraderie. However, I’ve never seen anyone pull it off quite like Larry and His Flask.
Larry and His Flask have been described as “folk,” “gypsy-punk” and “a traveling bluegrass circus.” It makes sense that their crowd at the Frequency was so diverse, because their live show truly had something for everyone. When the band started playing, it immediately became clear which portion of the crowd had come specifically to see them. The crowd was polarized; a mosh pit of rejoicing punks swelled in front of stage as everyone else, still bobbing their heads and enjoying the show, tried to keep their distance.
A fight that broke out between a young punk and an older man who was standing in front of the stage interrupted one song. The kids had been immature by antagonizing the fans up front who told them to stop moshing. On the other hand, those older fans had made the decision to stand in the front at a folk-punk show and were stubborn enough to simply move away from the mosh pit, which, in my opinion, is inevitable and acceptable at this sort of show. To me, the only person involved who made any sense was the band’s drummer, who left his kit and leaned into the crowd, yelling and pointing his sticks at the two until they broke it up.
What followed was an understanding among the polarized crowd: everyone danced and moved around in a peaceful manner, and fans no longer antagonized each other. This was refreshing and allowed everyone to enjoy the music.
Larry and His Flask played a diverse set, featuring songs from throughout their discography. This included upbeat sing-alongs such as “Ebb and Flow” from their 2011 album All That We Know. In addition, some songs showcased the band’s impressive musicianship and diverse style. Songs such as “Pandemonium,” off of last year’s By The Lamplight, highlighted the band’s range with impressive vocal harmonies and varied instrumentation that included trumpet, trombone and baritone. At times, the band’s sound diverged from their folk-punk style and resembled that of a New Orleans jazz ensemble, complete with heavy downbeat stomping and growling horn melodies.
As I noted earlier, folk-punk has been a genre and a culture for a long time. It’s a shame that animosity between two different generations of fans interrupted the show, but in no way did it ruin it. Larry and His Flask played with a unique and powerful sound, and both the band and the crowd showed more enthusiasm and passion than I had ever seen at the Frequency. Folk punk music and the culture that accompanies it have seen various ups and downs in the last 10 years or so, and with a fantastic new album under their belt, it’s great to see that bands like Larry and His Flask aren't holding anything back.
