Brooklyn Take Me In – The Avett Brothers in Concert

“Ah Brooklyn Brooklyn Take Me In…”

The words sent a resonating chill down my spine last Friday night as I sat silently in the soft glow of Hill Auditorium while The Avett Brothers wrapped up their headline show for the 34th Annual Ann Arbor Folk Festival. Nostalgic emotions steeped the air like a fine cup of British tea, however these brothers hail from the bluegrass city of Concord, North Carolina. There’s no doubt they’ve got stories to tell, and truthfully each one of their songs is an intense tale in of itself embracing raw honesty. The two brothers, Scott and Seth, who play the banjo and guitar respectively (with Bob Crawford supporting on stand-up bass), blend amazingly strong harmonics with heart-felt lyrics. You literally feel like you know these guys better than your own best friends by the end of a show. Not to mention that the eruptive energy they bring to the stage leaves one both breathless and helpless to the craving of bouncing in your seat, bursting out in spirited hollers, and thunderous applause by the end of it all. And even on the most sentimental of songs, such as their latest recorded album’s title song “I and Love and You,” you can’t help but clap passionately after the slow repetition of those five words that strike a chord deep inside of you…

And so it is with a sense of nostalgic sadness that I bid my Balafonic crew the best of luck as they settle into their new Brooklyn apartment. Over the years I have shared many memories with Travis in particular, and I can safely say I view him as a brother to me now. From time to time I will lend my own words on concerts from the eclectic venues of downtown Ann Arbor, but I leave the true love and review of music to the experts who now embellish in the rich culture and atmosphere of NYC. Trust them, hear them, and discover underground artists and styles that truly deserve the attention of the music industry and world as a whole. Goodness knows that I have, and will miss each of them dearly for everything they’ve done for me.

– NT

The Avett Brothers Official Website