Strangefolk’s fall tour is finally headed for Eugene with new members and a new sound. This tour comes right on the heels of their recently released album, “Open Road,” their first album with the new band configuration.
Their performance at WOW Hall on Thursday will include songs from the new CD as well as songs from their previous albums and a few covers.
However, this Vermont-based jam rock/folk band is not the same band that performed at WOW Hall in 1998. In the fall of 2000, they lost their lead singer/guitarist, Reid Genauer to graduate school at Cornell University and took on two new members, singer/guitarist Luke “Patchen” Montgomery and keyboardist Scott Shdeed.
“Strange Folk” (originally two words) began in 1991 as an acoustic duo with Genauer and Jon Trafton, according to the band’s Web site at www.strangefolk.com. But within a year, they added bassist Erik Glockler and drummer Luke Smith and condensed the band’s name to one word.
They first played in bars in and around Burlington, Vt., and gradually built a national fan base with the releases of their three studio CDs: “Lore,” “Weightless in Water ” and “A Great Long While.”
Now they tour the nation playing 150 to 200 gigs a year at a variety of venues, said Russ Weis, manager of the Vermont office.
Montgomery admitted it is difficult maintain such a rigorous schedule, often playing five nights a week in five different cities.
“We try to keep it as interesting as possible and not be repetitive,” he said.
Montgomery said he remembered crossing paths with Strangefolk in New York City in the mid-1990s. But at the time, he was playing with the band Folkstone. In late 2000, he performed at an audition Strangefolk held to fill the void left by Genauer. The band had remembered Montgomery from their previous meeting, and by late December, the newly formed quintet introduced itself to its fans in Burlington.
The band describes its songwriting as a “blend of narrative lyrical content and inventive melody,” offering three-part harmonies and amazing guitar playing, according to its Web site. The audiences can anticipate a unique sound with influences of rock, folk, blues and bluegrass.
“It’s a new type of folk music,” Montgomery said. “Jon rips it up on the guitar, but the basic texture of the songs is folk.”
In addition, Montgomery said he has been slowly adding his own songwriting to that of Glockler and Trafton.
“Inspiration can come from anywhere,” Montgomery said.
Montgomery said he often draws inspiration from everyday life and often carries around a pad of paper in case that inspirational moment should strike unexpectedly.
“I’m really excited to play in Oregon,” he said. “I expect it to be a blowout.”
The band plans to play for three hours at WOW Hall and possibly take a 20-minute break.
The audience enjoyed their 1998 performance, remembers Bob Fennessy, publicist at the WOW Hall. Fennessy said he expects this Thursday’s performance to be just as successful.
“It’s a really jammin’ CD,” he said. “Fans of the Grateful Dead, Phish and jammin’ rock genre will find it enjoyable.”
Tickets for the performance are $12 at the door and $10 in advance. Doors open at 8 p.m., and the concert will begin at 8:30 p.m. For more information, please call 687-2746.