The Great North Woods Committee for the Arts is hosting the band at a concert on Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the Rialto Theatre, starting at 7 p.m.
Three Canadians lost in the weird and wonderful traditional Country music of the American South, the band members Chris Coole (on banjo), John Showman (on fiddle) and Max Heineman (on bass) are each journeyman musicians and veterans of some of Canada’s top roots music acts (New Country Rehab, The David Francey Band, The Foggy Hogtown Boys, Fiver).
Instrumentation alone instantly sets Lonesome Ace Stringband’s sound apart: consisting of just fiddle, clawhammer banjo, and upright bass, the band moves freely between having a sound so powerful that it doesn't seem like it should be coming from a trio, to a sparseness and fragility that draws the listener in and refreshes the ear. All three are compelling lead singers, each with his own character and range. This allows for the vocal texture to shift depending on how the song needs to feel–and what the song has to say. When those voices come together the power of the harmonies is unshakable. It's clear to anyone who's heard Lonesome Ace Stringband that they just don't sound like any other band.
The band has toured internationally, been engaged at some of the largest festivals in North America and Europe (including Merlefest, Rockygrass, Wintergrass, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival, Gooikorts, John Hartford Memorial), and recorded four albums. On the first two albums, “Old Time” (2014), and “Gone For Evermore” (2016) the band leaned heavily on the traditional old-time cannon to express what it needed to say musically. In 2018, with the release of “When the Sun Comes Up,” the band showcased its songwriting and studio savvy, offering up a more progressive interpretation of old-time music, and taking its sound to new places. All three albums have been embraced by both fans and critics alike.
The fourth album, “Modern Old-Time Sounds for the Bluegrass and Folksong Jamboree,” showcases the band's musical range, interpretive skills, and instrumental/vocal "chops blended with maturity." The international release date for the “Jamboree” album was Nov. 15, 2019.
Tickets for the Lancaster show are $18 per person will be available at the Rialto Theatre, online at www.gnwca.org, or at Fiddleheads on Main St. in Colebrook. For more information on this and other GNWCA events, call 246-8998, visit www.gnwca.org or find the GNWCA on Facebook.