The Wood Brothers at Terrapin Crossroads

The Wood Brothers love the San Francisco Bay Area. Evidenced as much by their second two-night run in the area in less than six months. They play two nights at Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael tonight, August 20 and tomorrow August 21.That previous two night run, a smoking hot tour closing weekend at the Fillmore, was just announced last week as the official live album, Live at the Fillmore.

The brothers Oliver and Chris Wood enjoyed immense critical and popular success individually for well over a decade. Oliver cut his chops in the R and B funk group King Johnson while Chris formed the innovative jazz group Medeski, Martin & Wood. It wasn’t until King Johnson opened for MMW and sat in with them that they actually played music together. It didn’t take long after before they dove in headfirst. Their first release was a live EP in 2005.

Since then, they’ve received scores of critical success together. Even NPR has lauded the Wood Brothers on several occasions, taking note right away. Not long after forming, the brothers welcomed multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix to the folds. Primarily serving as the percussionist, Rix is also an accomplished piano player. But when they tour, they have only keyboard they bring is Rix’s melodica.

Live at the Fillmore is the Wood Brothers’ fifth live release and 12th total. They released their seventh studio disc One Drop of Truth in the spring of 2018. The photo of the iconic chandelier used for the album cover was taken by the Bay Area’s own Sterling Munksgard, encapsulating the light magic of the evening perfectly. Listen to the first peek from the album, “Keep Me Around”:

“This is a tune we wrote around a bass riff Chris was playing at a sound check,” Oliver said in the original music video premiere of the song in 2013 surrounding the band’s then-new record The Muse. “I immediately held my phone up to his bass and recorded it and put it aside for later. Eventually we found a complimentary guitar riff and turned it into a sing along.”

Both shows are sold out, but if you can manage a last-minute ticket, it will be worth the effort!

The Wood Brothers
Terrapin Crossroads
August 20 + 21, 2019

8pm, ~~$45~~SOLD OUT (16+)

About the Author: Joshua Huver

Michigan grown, California cured. From punk to roots to indie to funk, progressive, ambient and poppy, music has been indispensable in his life and taking part in creating, receiving and sharing in the entire process has come second nature to Joshua. He works closely with musicians across the country and in his current city of Santa Cruz. Check out his work here with The Bay Bridged as well as Relix, Live For Live Music, Grateful Web and Glide Magazine.