Poor Man’s Whiskey (PMW), a bluegrass band out of San Francisco, decided, after five years of original music, to record a bluegrass cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Darkside of the Moon,’ aptly titled, ‘Darkside of the Moonshine.’ The band and their psycho-lit ‘Moonshine’ experiences quickly gained recognition for this whiskey-fueled, banjo-picked Floyd rebirth. Listening to PMW’s take on the classic, you see how close the genres – rock and roll and bluegrass – really are, how they feed off one another, and how their audiences assimilate.
‘I feel that the Darkside show is very much like a regular Poor Man’s Whiskey show. It is driven by the same high-octane energy and exuberance, and the arrangements of the Pink Floyd material have all been notably ‘Whiskeyfied,’’ said Eric Walton, manager for PMW.
Jamming at the Bar of America on February 14, Valentine’s Day, in Truckee, lovers and friends are assured a ground-stomping good time. Performances from the group, whether it be a ‘Darkside’ or original material, show often include visual stimulation, from costumes, to lights, and on-stage antics.
‘I think our fans appreciate that we don’t take ourselves too seriously on or off the stage, we bring that same playful nature to the ‘Darkside’ show.’ Eric said. ‘It is a great example of how we can be goofy but not compromise the quality of the music.’
Playing festivals, bars, indoor, and outdoor venues PMW has had a wild-ride in their five-year career.
‘Having the opportunity to play at high-profile festivals like Telluride, Strawberry, and our five-year run at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival has really helped us share our music with new fans,’ Eric said. ‘We have also been very fortunate to have the opportunity to play at some great venues up and down the coast like the Fillmore, Civic Center on N.Y.E., Great American Music Hall, the Aladdin Theater, Angels Camp with the Eagles, Wonder Ballroom, and Mystic Theater to name a few.’
Their current West Coast tour kicked off January 31 in San Francisco, then headed north for shows throughout California, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington. While native to the Bay area, fans here, and further north, are beyond receptive to PMW’s funky, rock and roll, hillbilly, home-grown bluegrass.
‘Folks in the High Sierras get down! It is always a high-energy party when we head for the hills. Truckee is a great example of the High Sierra vibe, they play hard by day and party harder by night,’ Eric said.
While the band thrives off outdoor afternoon performances, there is a certain flare to a night show.
‘The indoor shows are usually more of a night time affair, they are lot of fun, but have a completely different energy. I find them to be much more of a party vibe, and louder,’ Eric said.
That said, their Valentine’s Day performance is certain to be entertaining, so dress to impress, and dance to romance as the Bar of America, and PMW, will provide an intoxicating display of ‘newgrass’ bluegrass. They feed off the crowd, so bring your smile, and let loose and wild.
‘With something that is fluid like music, a lot of the energy is defined by the moment, which is a product of the room, the vibes of the people in there, how the band is feeling, what the song is, the weather, etc.,’ Eric said.
‘We’ve built a career out of keeping our on-stage presence ever changing. These days, it’s the element of change that feels most comfortable to us,’ he added. ‘The best thing to do is to walk onstage with wide eyes and ears, and be ready to go in any direction at the drop of a hat, of other article of clothing.’
Being a group inspired by their audiences has given them some unusual, entertaining, uncensored inspiration, where at times censorship would have been just.
‘There are always some odd things that go down at shows. Let’s just say that some things are better left ‘off the record.’ If you want to know what I’m talking about, I guess you’ll just have to come to a show and see it for yourself,’ Eric said.
