Photos: Gangstagrass surprises with a pop-up show at Lucia
Gangstagrass. // photo by Nick Spacek
Gangstagrass
Lucia
Saturday, November 16
Friday night, hip-hop/bluegrass innovators Gangstagrass performed at what several folks delicately referred to as a “lightly-attended” show at the Folly in Kansas City. Their surprise pop-up show Saturday night at Lucia in Lawrence was a packed house. Granted, yes, Lucia holds maybe 150 people, while the Folly can seat just over 1000. Despite a KU Jayhawks football game that kicked off not 45 minutes prior, Gangstagrass packed in a crowd of music fans, even though the show had only been announced around noon that same day.
We’re pretty familiar with Gangstagrass, thanks to them regularly performing in and around the area, having been introduced to them as the group whose “Long Hard Times to Come” served as the theme for the FX crime series Justified. A lot of folks weren’t, though, and it seemed like they were gobsmacked from the opening notes of the band’s banjo, guitar, and fiddle played out over banging beats. Once MCs Dolio the Sleuth and R-SON the Voice of Reason started rhyming, jaws dropped and eyes opened wide, and I had numerous acquaintances pulling me in and shouting about how fucking awesome it was.
Damned if they weren’t right. Add in regular updates about the KU game from the stage and a diversion into a song which sampled “Man of Constant Sorrow,” and the bar was absolutely hopping. Not a bad way to end your Saturday night.
All photos by Nick Spacek
