The Portland Mercury - Picks of Pickathon

Picks of the Pickathon
Introducing Indie-Roots

BY Ezra Ace Caraeff

It needs to be said that for a multi-day music event on a sustainable Oregon farm, the lineup for Pickathon 2007 has disproportionately few hippie bands. I know, when you think "Pickathon" you just assume jam bands masquerading as bluegrass acts, a seething mass of overnight-camping hippies, and the haunting sounds of a rambunctious drum circle echoing far off in the distance. It sure is a convenient stereotype, but this year's festivities are not only free of patchouli, they are a shining example of the thrilling evolution of indie-roots, and a somewhat new take on the—at times stagnant—world of bluegrass.

To see the finest example of indie-roots in action, you need not look any further than the Avett Brothers. The North Carolina trio headlines the Pickathon, just another stop on the Brothers' (a tag which is not entirely true; the band is made up of siblings Seth and Scott Avett, plus third member, Bob Crawford) rapid ascension to the peaks of popularity. Known for their wildly creative take on bluegrass, they stray with ease, often finding themselves belting out early-Beatles pop harmonies, or dredging up brief moments of loud rock.

This evolved state of bluegrass didn't come easy. There were plenty of naysayers taking potshots at the band along the way. Says Scott Avett, "We played the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, and we got a lot of flack there. Of course, because at a place like that there's a lot of purism about what bluegrass is, and what it's about."

The trio's latest, Emotionalism, showcases the band at their apex, popular enough to perform on Late Night with Conan O'Brien, yet still so loyal to their fanbase that they are cramming two separate performances into one day at Pickathon, the second of which will be in a barn. It's a long way from their modest Southern roots listening to Top 40 music and playing in hard rock bands, to becoming icons in the indie-roots movement.

Explains Scott, "It's amazing how many younger people say, 'I bought a banjo because of you.' I heard it last night. I think that's just crazy. It's very flattering." He continues, "But when I was a younger man, talking about playing the banjo to me... it seemed like this backward thing that I'd never do."

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