Driving up to Infinity Hall, my friend and I discussed how we've been fans of Todd Sheaffer and his two bands From Good Homes and Railroad Earth for almost three decades now. For us, his voice and lyrics are tied together with so many of our early concert memories from venues long closed.
This show then was not just months in the making (rescheduled from the fall) but for us also a continuation of a long tradition many years on. Todd has a knack for singing songs about the road, songs about singing songs, finding tough times, and being hardened by life. There's pain in the lyrics, but hope in how he delivers them.
"Been Down This Road"
Been around I wore those shadows
That sooner or later drag ya down
Hang around your heart and your mind
I been down this road before
I don't go there anymore
Infinity Hall (Hartford) is quickly becoming one of my favorite venues in Connecticut. It books great bands, has amazing sound, is clean and well-run, has plentiful parking, a BBQ restaurant across the street, and is easily accessible from the highway. This evening, a GA open floor gave us rail access and we were thrilled to be so close.
If you aren't familiar with Railroad Earth - they play folky jamgrass. It's happy hippy music - with banjo, fiddle, mandolin, and pedal steel in addition to keys, drums, and bass. There are a lot of shared solos and more than a few instrument changes.
A few highlights of the evening included "Lordy Lordy", "Bird In A House", and "Right in Tune" in the first set and "Been Down This Road", "Like A Buddha", and "Hard Livin'" in the second. Being the last night of the tour, they fittingly played "One More Night On The Road" and encored with a gorgeous ballad called "Sing For Me"
My burden is heavy my way has grown weary
I have traveled a road that is long
And it would warm this old heard my brother
if you'd come and sing me one song.
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