Railroad Earth & Whiskey Shivers at The Catalyst Club

Railroad Earth can jam with the best of them and they have some bluegrass influences, but they use drums and amplifiers (somewhat taboo in the bluegrass world). What kind of music is it then? Mandolin/vocalist John Skehan offers: “I always describe it as a string band, but an amplified string band with drums.” Tim Carbone takes a swing: “We’re a Country & Eastern band! ” Todd Sheaffer offers “A souped-up string band?” Or, as a great drummer/singer/mandolin player with an appreciation for Americana once said: “Rock & roll!”

Whiskey Shivers shows are always a sight to behold. Barefoot, sleeveless and sweaty, frontman and fiddle master Bobby Fitzgerald never stops smiling on stage. "All right! Let’s kick this thing in the face!” he barks, as the band tears into their stringed instruments at breakneck speed.
It's almost impossible to watch him perform more than a song or two without cracking a smile yourself. His exuberance is contagious, and it bleeds through into the music. Whether they're playing at a backyard house party, a punk-rock dive bar or a sprawling music festival, crowds take notice. People put down their phones, pick up their drinks and start dancing.