By: Alicat

When asked how he felt about playing folk instruments in the Beachland Ballroom Oct. 26, Railroad Earth’s banjo player Andy Goessling laughed and explained the band’s from New Jersey.

Their start at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado has, until recently, dictated the majority of their tour schedule. They’ve played Cleveland a few times, but Goessling admitted that consistent East Coast shows are a pretty new development that allows the band to play closer to home.

“The fans here are great,” he said. “We just had to find them.”

The band assume the growth in their East Coast following was boosted by their gigs like 10,000 Lakes Festival in Minnesota and the Rothbury Music Festival in Michigan, events attended by nomadic heards who’ve continued to follow the band.

A Railroad Earth fan attempted to explain her gravitation to folk last week, explaining that American mountain culture is the most tangible link to her heritage, despite rust belt residency. She said celebrating that tradition grounds and elates her.

Railroad Earth’s brand of folk offered to Cleveland last week was a far cry from traditional bluegrass, as many songs were clearly rock n’ roll, but peppered with John Skehan’s mandolin.

Some songs moved the crowd to bust out moves usually reserved for St. Patty’s Day. Longtime-Railroad Earth fan Brittany Coffin, who was at the show, said the driving Celtic beats made Tim Carbone’s, “soul come out” through his fiddle.  

Fans were happy to hear the band’s first songs that launched their career.  “Mighty River,” was performed as a more developed, extended jam.

“We’re playing those songs for the fans and the following to give something back,” Goessling said.

Goessling said he sometimes “plays it all,” including the saxophone, pennywhistle, some electric guitar, and as of recently, the bouzouki-- an eight string Irish folk instrument.

In step with the band’s spontaneity, he said he usually doesn’t see a set list, or have any idea of what’s to come. He plays whatever feels right at the time, which, that night, was the banjo, the guitar, and a taste of the dobro, an acoustic guitar with a built-in resonator.

Fiddle player Carbone also shined.

After hours of fun, the band wrapped up with a short encore, “Railroad Earth,” a kind of anti-climactic theme song. Obviously, they know a little something about Cleveland history.