I was totally unprepared for Josh Moore, the opening act. There’s an acronym: IYKYK, If You Know, You Know. Well, I didn’t know. Josh Moore doesn’t have a website that I could find, has two albums on Spotify, and according to one person at the show, “sometimes plays around Chapel Hill and Carrboro, when he feels like it.” His voice is as soulful as I have ever heard. He’s not a belter, but the timing and inflection as he sang reflected a depth of connection to the lyrics that can sometimes be overshadowed when someone sings with too much volume. Halfway through his set, he was joined by Maria Quiles on percussion and harmony vocals, and their voices blended together so naturally. As soon as I got into the car after the show, I was looking up Josh Moore’s music (and videos of him playing with Andrew & Josh over 10 years ago), and I encourage you to check out his albums.

Andrew and Josh played an amazing set, a perfect mix of instrumentals, covers, and originals. I loved hearing Josh’s original songs, “Part of Life,” and “It Ain’t Over Til It’s Over.” Many of the instrumentals came from Andrew’s extensive catalogue with his string band. One of the things I appreciate about how they sing together is that the harmony isn’t obvious, kind of like Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, resulting in a deeply rich sound. And, man, they’re just having so much fun playing, and that infectious energy is so special to be around. 

It’s also amazing when some of your favorite musicians introduce you to new songs and artists. Josh sang lead on a cover of Ian Thomas’s “I Ain’t Lonesome.” With due respect to the original, Josh’s truly lonesome voice delivered the lyrics in a way that Thomas’s more polished vocal doesn’t reach. They also played an amazing version of “Who Carried You,” a song by Malcolm Holcombe. I am now utterly obsessed with that song. 

Emily Frantz joined them for a few songs at the end of the set, and both Emily, Josh Moore, and Maria Quiles were on for the last two songs of the encore. It was the perfect ending to a perfect show. 

This was the last show on Andrew & Josh’s duo run, but you can catch Watchhouse on the road this summer. 

Check out our full gallery of photos on the Red Line Roots facebook page!

The show featured a wonderful balance of songs from their fantastic latest record, Rituals, and some longtime favorites, like “Gospel Shoes,” “Old Ties and Companions,” and, of course, “Wildfire.” I really loved how they encouraged the audience to hum along with “Wildfire”–it felt communal in the best way and there was a ripple of energy through the crowd as we provided a low backdrop to that haunting song. 

One of my favorite moments of the show was when there was a sound malfunction, just because of the band’s reaction. They just kept playing and after the song, Andrew said something like, “You might have noticed that Emily’s guitar stopped going through the system midway through the song. And I thought, well I can either get distracted by that or remember that I’m playing music with my best friends here and it’s gonna be OK.” What a wonderful perspective, and it’s funny how sometimes those things that go “wrong” are what make a show feel right. 

It’s that attitude that makes Watchhouse such a fun band to see–you can feel their genuine connection to each other, the joy they have making music together, and the confidence they feel that it’s going to work out. It helps, of course, that they play beautifully and have a catalogue of songs that are incredible examples of the craft of songwriting; but I think they attained those things because of how they seem to have approached music from their beginning–that it is about community, about sharing melodies and building them together. In some ways, I think they’d still be happy playing at a pig picking, as long as they got to play. 

The show at The Pyrle was near the end of this leg of their tour. But Andrew & Josh are playing a few duo shows together in May, and Watchhouse is back on the road for most of the summer, including their annual trip to the Green Mountain Bluegrass Festival. Find tour dates here and get out to see this amazing group. 

Check out our full gallery of images on the Red Line Roots facebook page. 

I hadn’t seen Annie Lynch on a stage singing her songs for I don’t know how long. But from the moment she stepped onto the stage and opened her mouth to sing I was immediately reminded, transported back to quiet moments in the crimson glow of the Lizard Lounge or Cafe 939 or Passim seeing her weave her tales in my early days back living in Boston after college (and even before Red Line Roots existed). There is such a magic to her approach to performance and her songs. Her voice an anomaly. Delicate and entrancing, but with a wide , forceful range and ability to pull emotion from the listener in such a way that is uncanny. A very quick set with mostly newer songs, she brought out Caitlin around midway for a devastatingly beautiful duet of their co-written “Wild Heart”, which Caitlin has previously released on a record. The intertwining of their two voices, mesmerizing. I only hope this runs of shows means more of Annie back out there performing and recording her work, in whatever form that takes.

From the first chord that Caitlin Canty and her band took the stage you could tell they were revved up and ready from the previous string of shows. Totally locked and firing on all cylinders. The moment she launched into “Hotter than Hell” off of her latest release, the pure joy and emotive fire that pours from her being on a stage playing these songs with her band cascaded over the audience. Inviting us all to be a part of something truly special. That song in particular and her performance of it makes it so very evident that she truly belongs and thrives on a stage singing her songs.

Watching Jeff Berlin not just play the drums, but color each and every song with his own unique percussive take (and choice of various striking instruments laid out on a chair next to him), the pure vibe and steadfast nature of Jeremy Moses Curtis‘s bass playing acting as the glue to hold the rhythm together and Will Seeders jumping from pedal steel, to banjo and back again throughout the evening, adding the necessary layers to really make these live arrangements soar. This band is prime and truly elevates these songs in a brilliant way and hearing them in this orchestration

“Where Is the Heart of My Country” hit especially hard. With a weighty candor and authenticity, Canty striking the chords a little harder with each refrain and begging the question of what exactly is going on in the world these days. It was as fuckin’ powerful as anything I have seen in concert in recent memory.

By the time she kicked the band off stage for a tune, the reprieve of “Wore Your Ring”, coming with some backstory and banter, was a perfect ebb to the flow of the evening thus far. Even without the backing of the full band, her voice shimmers brighter than the stage lights and she commands the ability to hush a crowd beautifully.

The band back, Annie Lynch making another appearance and an old favorite in “Get Up” and a new favorite “Electric Guitar” coming into the fold tied the evening up neatly as Canty joked that us Vermonters hear “we have two songs left” and are already waiting to warm up the car, get home to tend the wood stove and get into bed.

It’s evenings like this that remind me why I love music and why it has held such an important part of my own life. The collective experience of enjoying beautiful, captivating, REAL songs in a setting with others. I left that evening with a renewed inspiration for my own work, writing and filming, and I think thats probably about the best compliment you can give to another artist.

He requested that people in the audience keep their phones away, and, to my surprise, people did. What a refreshing experience to really be able to listen without that mediated view of dozens of small screens. And it’s not just a curmudgeonly annoyance at other people–I am sometimes tempted to record part of a song that is really affecting me, and, in that process, I step out of the experience. So, it was really a beautiful thing that people just kept their phones away simply because the artist asked. 

I expected the set list to be heavy on Jason’s latest record, Foxes in the Snow, because that album is just him and a guitar. However, he started with “Dreamsicle,” followed by “24 Frames,” and “Songs That She Sang in the Shower,” and he played up and down his catalogue, including songs from his time in The Drive-By Truckers, without really favoring the new album. In total, he played four songs from Foxes, and they all felt like songs that fit right in with the rich collection he has built. “Eileen” was gorgeous, and he ended the show with “True Believer.” 

I was especially excited to hear songs like “Middle of the Morning,” and “King of Oklahoma,” which are big, electric numbers; hearing them in this setting underscored the intimacy of the stories in those songs. The acoustic renditions highlighted the vulnerable, searching lyrics of those songs in a way that can be overshadowed by a blistering guitar riff. Equally, he was able to explore some songs on the acoustic guitar with interesting chord shapes and runs that came through clear as a bell in the pin-drop quiet room. “Elephant,” was one with some added touches that only amplified the grief and helplessness, and humor in spite of the grief and helplessness, at the core of that song.

Jason’s cover of “Sunshine,” by the late Todd Snider was very special. Todd’s version is self-deprecating, but Jason’s approach was more earnest, and it was a really beautiful way to pay tribute to Todd, a songwriter’s songwriter. After the song, Jason said that Todd’s songs have the ability to make him feel so many different emotions at the exact same time. It was a touching moment of tribute to a songwriter I think many people in the audience will be discovering, thanks to Jason introducing them to his music so beautifully. 

The solo set gave Jason a little more space to tell stories too, and he explained where he was when he wrote certain songs, or the intricacies involved in starting the car that inspired “White Beretta.” He was funny and the banter between songs drew the audience in more. 

I loved this show so much I actually looked up tickets to see him again in Charlotte two nights later. Reason took hold, and I decided against the two hour drive. But I know I wouldn’t have regretted it. It was one of the best nights of music I’ve had in a while, and if you can catch this tour, it’s worth whatever drive you have to make to be there. 

Check out our facebook page for more photos from the show! 

That’s not to say that the music is simple. The arrangements on this record are pensive and intensely orchestrated. But its the fact that you can so easily slip into the experience of these songs that sheds the pretense of the word “arrangement” and feel so comfortable to allow yourself to just be in them. Harmonies that weaken the knees. Voices (both human and instrumental) lifting together in a way that is oft described as “only the way that siblings could sing together”, but I would challenge that sentiment to rewrite itself to “only the way that two folks who genuinely love one another could sing together”. David Benedict and Tabitha Agnew Benedict certainly have that special connection that weaves itself into these songs.

There is a sincerity to the deeply personal stories written here. Inflected with the core band members connection and  partnership shaped by their shared life experiences, including immigration, distance, home, and faith. This latest effort positioning the lens to focus and reflect on themes of time, impermanence, parenthood, and the beauty of everyday life. Writing from a place of truth, accessibility and empathy. Human feelings that we can all relate to.

Songs like “When the Morning Comes” having a drive and a flow that pushes the song along. At moments reminiscent of early Nickelcreek (sorry I know thats an easy, albeit relevant, comparison and a well deserved and respectful one) or Acoustic Syndicate. Meditative layers and sweeping sonic landscapes of sound, that always have a soft approachability to them. Tabitha’s voice, often the anchor and safe harbor that lulls the listener in. Remarkable and delicate in the same breath.

“Wildflowers” pulls the instrumentation back and allows the voices to really take center stage. The flow of words punctuated by brief interludes of melody, but in a sparse fashion of dancing banjo lines and octave mandolin. Visually, I see these two in a field in an foggy Irish countryside around one microphone performing. It’s that transportive nature of a song and music that is so special. Songs and words and melodies that truly take you out of your head and space in bring you somewhere else completely.

“Shoes Off” has a fun and punchy buoyancy with David Benedict taking the lead vocal duties, the fiddle buttressing the melody. “Its just 15 minutes, but I’m sad to be alone…” marking the varied emotion and themes (though pinned down with a killer groove and infectious melody) that the group is exploring here.

I could do a track by track of this record, but I won’t. I feel as though works like this are ones that are made for each individual to create their own interpretation and experience from. “Made to Wonder” is not just one thing. There are many different emotions, themes and feelings to pull back the covers on over the collection of 10 songs. Laced with their obvious influence of Celtic and Bluegrass, but more than the genre that the artists pull from, is the heart and purity injected into the songs that make is such a special record. Beautiful.

The record released on January 23rd. Pre-order it today.

Red Line Roots is at a strange juncture, where I feel some sense of wanting to get the training wheels back on and hook up a defibrillator to it in order to give it some new life, but also recognizing I have entirely too much else going on with other endeavors and advocacy work at the moment (also, actual life and work). That said, my ears and my heart are always open and I hope if you are reading this you will make your ears open to the following 7 records that I couldn’t keep away from this past year…I like weird odd numbers, so it’s going to be 7. Deal with it. 

Caitlin Canty  “Night Owl Envies the Mourning Dove” – I had the extreme fortune to spend a lot of time with these songs before the release of Night Owl. Both in the context of the record and more stripped down recordings that I was beyond lucky to have recorded with Caitlin and some others, and yet I still find myself wanting more. Almost to the point of where writing something felt wrong, because maybe I was too close. But Caitlin’s songs are so truly transportive and deserve the same time and attention from the listener that she instills into her writing and performance. From dusty endless highways to hilltop cabins overlooking a sea of evergreens. Sepia tinged splendor and sublimity. She has an uncanny ability to envelop and encase you in a feeling, place, a time with her voice and songs, providing snapshots of moments which you then want to continue to stay and visit in, if not just for a few moments. 

Courtney Hartman “With You” – There is something so divine in the ethereal essence of Courtney Hartman’s songs and voice. “Soft” feels like it would have negative connotations in the context of songs and writing, but its that very temperament that she embodies which makes her songs so impactful. Her voice occasionally feeling like a whisper on a breeze, drawing you near to hear of the secrets it beholds. Its that nature of the listening experience, pulling you towards the words being sung that make for such a wonderful experience. Rich tapestries of sonic paint outstretched, whimsical and delicate, but with a strength and weight all the same.

Jesse Welles ‘With the Devil’ – It’s hard to imagine another artist in the “roots/folk/etc” realm that has had a bigger year than Jesse Welles. He seems to write and release at an impossible rate, but yet with each new song or release there is something more to dig into, unearth and allow yourself to relate to and feel. ‘With the Devil’, was just such a case. A reconfiguring of his new studio album Devil’s Den, but with the full band. The best parts of what gave The Band such staying power. Groove and movement and funk and soul, but with each word carving itself into your brain and forcing you to think. Welles is a gift to the folk songwriting world and we are mighty lucky to have him.

Ethan Setiawan ‘Encyclopedia Mandolinnica’– Ethan is quickly becoming one of the most formidable mandolinists in a crowd of increasingly formidable mandolinists. In his new record, there is such a sense of exploration and deep appreciation for the mandolin in this project. A culmination of years and years of long labored practice and influence by mentors and peers. Arrangements ranging from the pensive and serene to the magnetic and unbridled, always resolving in some brilliant fashion.

Joe K. Walsh ‘Trust & Love’ – Two mandolin records on one list? Yes, of course.  I will reiterate what I said back when I first heard this record. Joe is constantly challenging the norms of what instrumental string band music is and can be. And in an ever expanding landscape with no shortage of virtuoso players he somehow continually manages to, not outshine, but instead consistently build upon and bloom in beautiful ways from his previous works. There is something that he builds upon in these arrangements. String music with drums and electric instruments and stretching the potential of his melodies.

John Mailander ‘Let the World In’ – Meditative, transcendent, transportive. That’s the feelings that immediately poured over me when I unwrapped my copy of Mailander’s vinyl and placed it on my turntable. John has a way of taking his arrangements and allow the other artists around him to live, play and breathe in the work. It is pure and brilliantly beautiful the community that is fostered around his work and the Forecast project. Which is why I wholeheartedly stand by it when I say that his work and this record is A pure celebration of creation, art, and collaboration.

Caroline Spence ‘Heart Go Wild’ – Caroline’s 2017 sophomore release “Spades & Roses” is still one of my favorite records of all time, so it’s hard to imagine another record meeting that bar. Buy yet, with each new album she continues to build upon what makes her songs and voice so very beautiful and moving. A singular voice that immediately stands out and on its own. And the words, when you allow yourself to dig deeper, poetic and enchanting. On Hearts Go Wild, Spence explores some sense of freedom from releasing this work independently, and its in that flowing state that she has the ability to shine, untethered and liberated.

“I Know This Girl” is the first tune off of Cold Chocolate’s upcoming record, Not Gonna Stop (releasing on February 13th 2026). You can pre-order the full record over on their Bandcamp Site.