Clayton Martin, Aaron Martin, Herb Martin III, Steve Unkart, and Guy Herbert. The Martin Brothers & Aspen Run at Stables Restaurant in Westminster, Md. 14 November 2013.
16 November 2013
For some weird reason the stars were aligned in Westminster, Maryland Thursday evening on the 14th of November. Ordinarily, anyone in show-biz knows that money is made on the weekend. Theatres, restaurants, clubs wait for the weekend to count their receipts. We live in a frenetic area where people want to go home and go to bed after work or sit in recliners and ponder where the money is going to come from to pay for the fast approaching holidays. I took a chance and left Vienna, Virginia at 4:00 to get to a 6:00 show in Westminster. I felt the need to get up there because I had a gut feeling it was going to be good. Once I got into our notoriously heinous traffic I knew I had made a mistake and I was going to have to pay the price for my stupidity. To make matters worse I realized I should have gotten gas before I left Virginia. It wasn't just northern Virginia traffic, but four other disaster areas of grid-lock I would have to sit through before I reached the outskirts of Baltimore. I finally got off the Baltimore Beltway when my gas tank warning light came on. I was an hour and half late already and still 32 miles away from my target. But at least I wasn't going to run out of gas to add insult to injury. Those of you who live in this area know this story. You don't want to hear it. Those of you who don't live in the Washington/Baltimore corridor and are planning to move here, DON'T. We don't need you to add your two or three more SUV's to the situation. Our road systems can't handle it and you'll only die from early strokes and heart conditions facing our traffic stress. Move to Loudoun County, Virginia. I'm sure they'd love to have you.
There's always that pot of gold at the end. The Martin Brothers and Aspen Run was playing a four-hour show at The Stables Restaurant on Main Street in Westminster. Aspen Run changed their name this year to The Martin Brothers and Aspen Run right before they released their latest CD in late spring. I'd seen them before at this particular venue and I've written about it. The last show was good (it's never bad,) but the House was only slightly over half-filled, and people drifted away early because the following day was another work-day. This is a killer assignment for any working band that needs audience energy to sustain performance level. Another surprise factor for any band working the restaurant is, it's a huge space with lots of long tables and a big dance floor. You can put lots of customers in it and it still looks big and open. I finally pulled into the parking lot (which is also gargantuan) and was shocked when I had a hard time finding a parking spot. I walked into the place and saw the dance floor filled. I looked around and the numerous tables were filled with people eating dinner (the food is good, by the way. Any restaurant that serves home-made meatloaf and mashed potatoes is 'Jimmy Martin Approved' in my book). The first folks I ran into were Tina Tippett and her family, Joey Longwell, and Steve Unkart. Then Rob Miller. Pretty soon it was a who's who of bluegrass fans from Goofy's and Jumbo Jimmy's, and in the back of the room it looked like a bluegrass "Board Meeting" of musicians and fans from other bands. I was overwhelmed to say the least that so many good people had come out to support The Martin Brothers and particularly Maryland bluegrass music. That's the bottom line. When there's a good thing going on, people will come out on a week-night and support it.
After I got my bearings and said all my howdies, I ambled toward the back because I heard the distinctive voice of Rick Miller (how can you miss it?) who was sitting with Dempsey Price and Herb Martin. Rick Miller is the driving force behind "Blue Train." Blue Train and The Martin Brothers and Aspen Run will be sharing the stage at the Eureka Fire Hall in Stewartstown, Pa. on December 7th. It will prove to be a great evening of entertainment if you like hardcore, traditional bluegrass. In between being interrupted constantly by the "Westminster Board of Bluegrass" members I was sitting with, I tried to concentrate on the music. The Martin boys never sounded better and I've seen them a lot. They were throwing in new numbers (the gospel selections are outstanding) and rehashing old territory that always puts a lot of people on the big dance-floor. This is a band with rough edges that may never go away, but that's the beauty of who they are. Their unified stage presence and entertainment value is real and that's what their audience and fans have come to expect. Since I really couldn't concentrate on the music and play critic, I figured what the hell and decided to join all the Westministerians who were out to have a night of fun on the dance surface. The crowd stayed there for three sets and an encore. I always think about the friends who weren't there and will hear about it the next day.
It was a hooten'-and-hollerin' party in the full sense of the word. You never know what to expect when the best face of the Maryland bluegrass community shows up. The Martin Brothers and Aspen Run is the Energizer Bunny factor to get the fun going - and that's a wonderful thing! The owners of the restaurant must have been real happy when they counted the evening's receipts.
Note: Herb Martin wanted me to mention that The Stables has a colorful history of being an old Colts hang-out in the days of Johnny Unitas. Back then it was called "The Pit." The Colts training area was nearby and The Pit witnessed some wild times. We all know what happened to the Colts. Baltimore has never been the same. The Colts are gone. Baltimore's love of traditional bluegrass is still alive and kicking.
Available! The Martin Brothers and Aspen Run's new CD Memories Passed Away. A must for anyone's collection of traditional bluegrass.
The Band: Herb Martin, III, Clayton Martin, Aaron Martin, Steve Unkart, and Guy Herbert.
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