The Avett Brothers shred again

I haven't missed an Avett Brothers show in Pittsburgh since I first caught on to them (admittedly a little late) when they played that Diesel show on a snowy night in March of 2007.

The North Carolina trio -- which had become a Three Rivers Arts Festival -- returned to town Tuesday just after the close of TRAF for a ticketed show at the Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead.

I skipped this one, but got the rundown from concert-going lawyer Kenny Steinberg...

"I have seen many rock musicians 'shred' their electric guitars in manic displays of finger/hand/unmentionable pounding of their instruments. But the Avetts have got to be the first band to simultaneously shred a banjo, cello, acoustic guitar, and double bass. Their somehow-controlled manic show successfully blurs the line between folk, country, pop, bluegrass and punk.  Actually, they shred the line.  (I wonder how the Cash song would sound:  "Because you're mine, I shred the....")

"This may be the only acoustic group I know that can motivate a first floor crowd to stand for the entire show, myself included.  And it is clear that the love that the mostly college-aged crowd showered on the Avetts was returned by the boys, no doubt remembering last-year's rain-soaked cheering crowd at the Art Festival as well as their prior shows there. This year, they drew the same numbers, but people actually paid real money for the privilege. And no one walked out without getting their money's worth.

Can't wait 'till they return. I'll continue to bring converts."

The Avetts are playing some shows this summer with the Dave Matthews Band, but not here, obviously. The next time they come back, it will likely be with a new album, "I and Love and You," recorded with legendary producer Rick Rubin.

Will see Kenny there...