Bluegrass-Punk. It’s a combination that shouldn’t work. The words themselves sound awkward next to each other. One evokes images of smoky hills, corn-cob pipes, warm cabins and rolling fields of, well, blue grass. The other brings to mind urine, leather and puke – sharp things, scary things. The two genres, however, have more in common than might appear at first glance; both hold a do-it-yourself ethic central to their development. Both transcend the stage and exist as much to serve a community as they do to entertain. Perhaps most telling, both genres have reputations for excessive alcohol consumption.
On some level it kinda, sorta, makes sense that at some point, these two crowds might discover one another. But what would it sound like? Can a banjo kick start a mosh-pit? Can a hymnal both hymn and kick ass at the same time?
Yes, they can. Eugene’s own Sid and Fancy figured out a way to bridge this Grand Canyon-sized cultural gap and it does it with vigor and bombast. The band recently recorded its first four song demo at Eugene’s Soaring Heart Studio. (The demo is available for free download at myspace.com/sidandfancy). The lead-off track, a punk-fried rendition of the bluegrass traditional “Shoutin’ on the Hill” is a can’t-miss mosh-pit sparker. The next song, “John Deer,” keeps the energy rolling and displays a sense of humor that adds to the band’s frivolity and fun. “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” anchored by drummer Kyle Jackson’s driving drum kit, is another perfectly rendered blend of traditional song structure and punk explosivesness. The demo closes with “Shack on the Hill,” the band’s most dynamic and emotionally engaging song. The track opens with a faint guitar progression by guitarist Jacob Browning. Slowly, listeners are introduced to Jess Kieras’ virtuosic fiddle strumming and Corwin Bolt’s expert banjo picking. The band manages to restrain itself through the first four minutes as singer Aaron Donaldson spins a tale of woe concerning a heavy-handed fiddler in relentless pursuit of a young prostitute who ultimately proves his demise. Tension builds as the band’s collective fingers scratch for release until the track explodes for its cathartic final minute and 15 seconds.

As well as the tracks from the band’s recorded demo, Sid and Fancy’s live show is the place to experience its music in all its punch-drunk, whiskey-soaked glory.
The band plays on consecutive nights this weekend. At 8 p.m. on Saturday, it’ll rock the Campbell Club along with Tomorrow Scars Today and possibly (though not confirmed) the Conjugal Visitors. At 9 p.m. on Sunday, Sid and Fancy play at Sam Bond’s Garage for $3. The band plays April 29 at the Wetlands Brew Pub & Sports Bar at 11:30 p.m. – you buy the booze, but they’ve got the fun covered.