Journal Entertainment Writer
Local
guitarist Tom Eaton provided an incredible display of lightning-paced fretwork
as the four-member Generic Bluegrass band proved themselves to be one of the
hottest and tightest in the state Friday night.
In a set showcasing the abilities of Eaton and hot-fingered banjo player
Rick "Gator" Riman, Generic Bluegrass led a knee-slapping audience at
the Lincoln Community Center through two hours of dazzling bluegrass
instrumentation.
RATHER
THAN relying
on bluegrass standards and crowd favorites such as "Foggy Mountain
Breakdown," the band chose to concentrate their efforts on less hackneyed,
fresher material, A high-geared version of "Bluegrass Breakdown"
closed the first set, centering around the breakneck fingering pace of Eaton and
Riman.
Tim
0'Brien, mandolin player for Hot Rise guest starred on fiddle for Generic
Bluegrass. Upright bass player Mary Stribling explained, "We're actually
just a four member band, but we wanted a fiddler tonight because it would be
more fun." The addition of O'Brien added a special flavor to the band and
complemented well the playing of the other band members.
THE SINGING constitutes the only weak spot of Generic Bluegrass. Weakness in singing, however, detracts very little from the guitar wizardry of Tom Eaton. Some of Eaton's lead playing was simply unbelievable. Closing his eyes and biting down on his lip, Eaton's whole body tensed with each solo, His fingers flew across the fretboard of his Takamine six~string with a speed and fluidity that was stunning.
Also impressive was Riman, whose picking was clean and easily discernable even at its most frantic pace.