Concert Review: The Wilders with the Rural Grit All Stars at Knuckleheads, Saturday, June 20.

The local Americana music gods surely must have been pleased with their offering Saturday night as the Wilders took to the outdoor stage at Knuckleheads in front 200+ fans with the Rural Grit All Stars, a bluegrass collective that recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, for four plus hours of soothing rootsy sounds.

The RGAS, led by Mark Smeltzer and K.C. Stanton, a.k.a. Rabbitkiller and Rapjack began the evening with their rendition of “American music.” Smeltzer, one half of the Experimental Instrument Orchestra, sang backup and played his frying pan guitar on their cover of Primus’ “My Name is Mud.” Often the opening selection at Rural Grit’s Monday night matinee show at the Brick, the song was met with some laughter and mild confusion. Clearly, this crowd came to two-step the night away. First though, they would have to hear selections from the rotating cast of musicians that also included members of the Wilders.

Turning folks into believers was Rural Grit staple and perennial crowd pleaser was Cheri Woods who delivered her spoken word performance of “Pressin’ the Shoe” and “Greasy Fingered Dragon Slayer” with a 12-piece RGAS backup. Another favorite? Smeltzer’s four-year old son, Noah who joined his father onstage with his homemade cello.

At the end of every Rural Grit Happy Hour, the musicians play a “jubilee” song. Everyone gets on stage and plays whatever they brought, sometimes to a room of people with fewer people in the audience than onstage. The evening’s selection was “Wrecking Ball,” a Rural Grit classic that would sufficiently prime the crowd for the honky tonk stylings of the Wilders.